Primary principals have voted to accept the latest Ministry of Education offer on their collective agreement. This was the third offer put to principals and follows a long campaign which saw them take part in the largest education strike in this country’s history.

Lead negotiator for the Primary Principals' Collective Agreement, Auckland principal Lynda Stuart, said there were some wins for school leaders in the deal that will have far reaching effects on their schools.

“The offer is a step towards addressing some of the issues principals across the country are facing. Principals will continue to push to stop education from becoming a political football. They will also work to hold the Government to task with the Ministerial Advisory Group to reduce class sizes and improve management staffing. We still need to see improvements to learning support, including better access for tamariki to effective specialist support.

“We now have the opportunity to further advance important issues which will continue to make New Zealand schools a place where our tamariki reach their highest potential, learn and thrive.

“I want to thank parents and the wider community for their support to school leaders during this campaign."

Note to editors: key features of the new primary principal settlement:

A 6% increase to principals’ base salary from 3 July 2023

A 3% increase to principals’ base salary on 3 July 2024

An increase of 1.8% on 2 December 2024

Increase to the base literacy and numeracy rate from $2,320 to $4,000 from 22 July 2024, and from $4,000 to $8,000 from 28 January 2025

An increase to the U-grade component salary for U1-U3 principals to the U3 rate of $118,003 on 2 December 2024, reflecting the acknowledgement that the complexity of school leadership should not be solely based on size. This means U3 will become the minimum salary for principals from EOY 2024

Two union-only lump sum payments totalling $3,000 for all principals who are NZEI Te Riu Roa members – $2000 to be paid as at the date of ratification and $1,000 this December

A $1,500 lump sum to full-time principals, including those on individual agreements. This means union members will receive a total lump sum payment of $4,500 through this settlement

A payment of $710, equivalent to the cost of renewing a teaching practice certificate for NZEI Te Riu Roa members only

A professional coaching and wellbeing fund of $6,000 per annum in 2023 and 2024

An ongoing Cultural Leadership allowance of $5,000 per annum from 28 January 2024

An increase to the Māori Teaching Immersion Allowance of up to $12,000

Introduction of a Pacific Bilingual Immersion Teaching Allowance from 28 January 2024

Agreement to review the Chatham Islands payments and other payments and allowance during the term of the Agreement to inform bargaining in 2025

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