Annual Closedowns for Secondary Teachers
The 2023-2025 Secondary Teachers’ Collective Agreement (STCA) introduced an express provision for closedowns.
Closedowns see schools close for operations and secondary teachers being required to take annual leave. While the secondary teacher is on annual leave, the school cannot require the employee's attendance by way of clause 5.6.2 or 5.6.3 of the STCA.
Most schools have this closedown between the end of Term 4 and the start of Term 1 of the following year.
Before a closedown, what actions are required of schools that follow the standard 4-term calendar?
The closedown period begins after the completion of the half days the school is required to be open for, as set out by the Minister of Education open_in_newunder regulations 6(1) and 7(1) of the Education (When State Schools Must Be Open and Closed) Regulations 2024. In 2025, most schools will start their closedown on 17 December 2025 and finish on 20 January 2026.
School boards employing secondary teachers need to confirm the start and end dates of their closedown period.
The closedown period must be for four weeks (excluding any public holidays that fall during the closedown period).
Schools that will not have completed the number of half days required by 17 December 2025 will need to determine the appropriate start date of their closedown based on completion of half days, and advise the Ministry of Education at employment.relations@education.govt.nzopen_in_new of the dates selected by 1 December 2025.
Notice of the closedown needs to be given to the affected employees. This notice must not be given any later than 14 days before the closedown begins. It is recommended that notice be given as soon as possible after the board has confirmed the closedown period.
This notification letter for EOY closedownopen_in_new can be used to give the employees notice. A copy should be kept and placed in the employee's file.
Before a closedown, what actions are required of schools that operate using an alternate calendar?
Boards of schools that operate an alternative calendar will need to identify and approve an appropriate time in their calendar to observe the closedown.
The board then needs to give notice of the closedown to the affected employees.
This notice must not be given any later than 14 days before the closedown begins. It is recommended that notice be given as soon as possible after the board has decided the closedown period. Please also advise the Ministry of Education at employment.relations@education.govt.nzopen_in_new of the dates selected.
This notification letter for EOY closedownopen_in_new can be used to give the employees notice. A copy should kept and placed on the employee's file.
Actions required of schools across the year:
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Boards should confirm (or determine when appropriate) the closedown period as early as they can, and ensure adequate notice is provided.
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Ensure that employees responsible for payroll and the tracking of leave have the resources and understanding of the new requirements.
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Ensure adequate documentation and recording of the taking of annual leave – especially if it falls outside the annual closedown.
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