Secondary Principals' Collective Agreement

This section sets out the components of the settlement of the Secondary Principals’ Collective Agreement (SPCA) 2022–2024.

This agreement has been settled between the Secretary for Education, the Post Primary Teachers’ Association | Te Wehengarua (PPTA) and SPANZ Union. It shall be subject to ratification by PPTA and SPANZ Union members pursuant to section 51 of the Employment Relations Act 2000.

The terms outlined in this document are valid for ratification by PPTA and SPANZ Union members provided ratification is confirmed and the new collective agreement is signed no later than 5pm of 17 February 2022.

1. Term of agreement

The Secondary Principals’ Collective Agreement (SPCA) 2022 – 2024 shall be effective for 24 months from 1 December 2022, provided this agreement is ratified by 5pm on 17 February 2022.

2. Remuneration for principals

The parties agree that the school roll-based salary (U-grade) component of principals’ remuneration will provide two annual increases: ($4,000 in year 1 and 3% in year 2) to each grade of the scale as shown below:

School roll-based salary component

3. Support for wellbeing

The parties agree to introduce an entitlement of $6,000 per annum for each principal to access professional coaching and support from the beginning of Term 1, 2023 for the term of the collective agreement. It is expected the funds will be used in the school year that they are made available, except where there is written agreement to do otherwise.

This fund will be held by the School Board and be accessed by the principal for the purposes of accessing professional coaching and support in their leadership role.

The funding will be a tagged component of the school’s operating grant through the April funding drop. Principals will submit an annual declaration regarding the use of the funds to the Board.

The new collective agreement will also affirm boards’ employer obligations regarding principal wellbeing. From 2023 boards will be required to consult with the principal on appropriate supports for their wellbeing in line with best practice.

The agreed wording is included in the attached tracked change collective agreement.

4. Secondments

The parties agree to include provisions that ensure the process of principals temporarily working in sector roles outside of their schools is easier, more accessible, and does not disadvantage those undertaking such work. The agreed clause wording is included in the attached collective agreement showing tracked changes.

An example secondment agreement is attached at Annex 1b but does not form part of these terms of settlement. This is not intended to preclude the parties from making any further agreed changes to the form.

5. Sabbaticals

The parties agree to streamline the application form for principals accessing sabbaticals, specifically the requirements around programme outline, time commitments and reporting requirements.

This revised application form is attached at Annex 1 but does not form part of these terms of settlement. The changes will come into effect for the 2024 round of applications. This is not intended to preclude the parties from making any further agreed changes to the form.

6. Removal of mandatory performance agreements and appraisal

We agree that Part Four should be updated to reflect the new Professional Growth Cycle for principals, tumuaki and ECE professional (PGC). We propose replacing mandatory performance agreements and annual appraisal with an expectation principals participate in an annual PGC.

We also propose moving the clause in Part Four relating to a principal’s working relationship with the board to Part Two of the collective agreement.

Finally, we propose inserting an additional, non-prescriptive clause to Part Two that affirm the board’s right to raise and discuss performance with the principal where warranted. This is intended to clarify the existing situation rather than to replace mandatory performance agreements and appraisal with any new processes in the collective. We envisage any new performance related processes would be tailored to local contexts and informed by optional guidance and templates outside of the collective agreement.

The agreed wording is included in the attached tracked collective agreement.

7. Sick Leave 

The parties agree to improve the existing sick leave entitlements. The agreed wording is included in the attached tracked collective agreement.

8. Māori Immersion Teaching Allowance

The parties agree that the Māori Immersion Teaching Allowance (MITA) will be paid to teaching Principals, who undertake at least 6 hours per week of teaching in a Māori immersion setting. The agreed wording is attached in the attached tracked collective agreement.

9. Unexpected event leave

We agree to amend the current Miscellaneous Leave provisions available to Principals to clarify that leave may be granted to a Principal who is:

1. required or directed not to attend school because of a Public Health Order and is not eligible for disregarded sick leave and cannot work remotely; or
2. unable to attend school because of a natural disaster and cannot work remotely.

10. Replacement of decile based payments with an Equity Index based payment

Principals in a school that falls within the top 40% of the equity index when it is calculated each year shall receive a payment based on the equity index number of the school multiplied by nine. This payment will replace the decile based component of each principals remuneration. Transitional arrangements for this change are set out in the attached tracked collective agreement.

The per student component of the Leadership in Youth Potential payment shall be transitioned to the Equity Index and a per student payment provided, per annum, paid fortnightly for each year 11-15 student in place of the current per student payment detailed in clause 3.1.4. The per student rate for students in the highest 40% EQI schools will be $6.37 and for remaining schools it will be $4.24.

11. Additional payments

Partnership with PPTA and SPANZ Union - $750 lump sum to members employed as at 1 December 2022

The parties recognise the value in their ongoing and productive relationship, including their joint efforts to build an environment in which the teaching profession is highly regarded, sustainable, and is fit for now and the future of learning, and that collective bargaining is a key part of those joint efforts.

In recognition of the benefits arising out of the parties’ relationship, including PPTA and SPANZ Union’s role in negotiating terms and conditions for secondary principals, and the contribution of PPTA and SPANZ Union and their members to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic response, the parties agree that all full-time principals who are members of PPTA and/or SPANZ Union who are bound by this Agreement as at 1 December 2022 will be paid a one-off gross payment of $750.

The payment will be pro-rated for part-time principals based on their full-time teacher equivalent (FTTE) as at 1 December 2022.

The minimum payment for any eligible principal, regardless of FTTE, will be $75, and no principal shall receive more than gross $750 in total.

Principals who are members of PPTA or SPANZ Union and are bound by this agreement as at 1 December 2022 and on that day were on approved unpaid leave under Part 5 of this agreement, are entitled, upon application, to receive the one-off gross payment of $750 on their return to their position, providing that they return on or before the end of Term 2, 2023, or on or before the end of Term 4, 2023 for those on parental leave. The payment will be based on the calculation for the position that would have been applicable on 1 December 2022 had they not been on approved leave.

This clause wording will be removed in subsequent collective agreements.

$500 Lump sum for principals employed as at 1 December 2023

The parties agree that an additional one-off gross lump sum of $500 be paid to all full-time secondary principals employed as at 1 December 2023.

This payment will be pro-rated for part-time principals based on their FTTE on 1 December 2023.

No eligible principal will receive a total gross payment that is less than $50 or more than $500 in total.

Clause wording and guidance on the lump sums are included at Appendix A of the attached tracked change collective agreement.

This clause wording will be removed in subsequent collective agreements.

12. Related matters

We note that this settlement will be implemented by the Education Payroll by the end of May 2023, providing it is ratified by 5pm on 17 February, 2022.

13. Technical changes

The parties agree to include all technical changes as agreed by the parties and provided in the tracked change collective agreement.

Signed in Wellington on 21 December 2022 by:

Fran Renton
Advocate PPTA Te Wehengarua

Scott Haines
Advocate for SPANZ Union

Grant Fraser
Advocate for the Secretary for Education

Witnessed:
Kate Lethbridge / Patrick Ikuia
for NZ School Trustees Association

This section sets out the components of the variation for the Secondary Principals’ Collective Agreement 2022 – 2025. This agreement has been settled between the Secretary for Education, the Secondary Principals’ Association of New Zealand Union (SPANZ Union) and the Post Primary Teachers’ Association Te Wehengarua (PPTA).

It shall be subject to ratification by SPANZ Union and PPTA members pursuant to section 51 of the Employment Relations Act 2000. The terms outlined in this document are valid for ratification by SPANZ Union and PPTA provided ratification is confirmed and the new collective agreement is signed no later than 5pm on 8 November 2023.

1. Term of agreement

The Secondary Principals’ Collective Agreement (SPCA) 2022 – 2025 shall be effective from 1 December 2022 to 1 May 2025.

2. Increase to 1 December 2023 lump sum payment

$1,500 lump sum for principals employed as at 1 December 2023.

The parties agree to increase the 1 December 2023 lump sum from $500 to $1,500 to be paid to all full-time secondary principals employed as at 1 December 2023. This payment will be pro-rated for part-time principals based on their FTTE on 1 December 2023. No eligible principal will receive a total gross payment that is less than $150 or more than $1,500 in total.

If ratification of the variation is achieved by 8 November 2023, the increased lump sum value will be paid on 12 December 2023.

3. Remuneration for principals

The parties agree that the school roll-based salary (U-Grade) component of principals’ remuneration shall be as follows:

4. Related Matters

The new pay rates will be implemented by Education Payroll in November, providing this variation is ratified by 8 November 2023.

Signed on                                  2023 by:

Mike Newell
Vice President Secondary Principals’ Association of New Zealand

Fran Renton
Advocate for Post Primary Teachers’ Association Te Wehengarua

Nicole Williams
Advocate for the Secretary for Education