Specialist Residential Schools’ Collective Agreement 2025-2027
The 2025-2027 Specialist Residential Schools' Collective Agreementopen_in_new (SRSCA) was ratified in 2025 for a term of 20 months from 8 October 2025 until 7 August 2027.
Additional funding will be provided to Specialist Residential Schools as an outcome of this settlement.
What changes should you be aware of?
Along with remuneration increases, the new SRSCA includes these key changes:
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A new allowance, known as the Residential Personal Care Allowance, which compensates for the work residential staff do in residences providing personal care for residential students (that is, cleaning up a student soiled with vomit, excreta, urine or blood: see clause 6.8). This allowance is not incident-based – you’ll find more information about the change and its implementation in the Residential Personal Care Allowance factsheetopen_in_new.
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An update to the conduct provisions and introduction of a standardised performance management process to ensure transparency and a common understanding between employers and employees about how such matters should be addressed (see Section 8).
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Codification of the approach when residential students return on the Sunday before the start of a school term, clarifying that residential staff can be asked to work this day, and if they agree, be paid T2 at a minimum of three hours (see clause 3.1.2(b)(iv)).
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Clarification that only Apprentices, Tradespersons, Leading Hands, Tradespersons (special skills), Gardeners and Gardeners/Handypersons employed under the SRSCA are entitled to the Service Allowance (clause 6.6).
What actions are required of you?
Read this factsheetopen_in_new and update residential staff job descriptions and employment documentation – As a matter of priority (ideally by the end of the 2025 school year), schools need to confirm that the job descriptions of residential staff members who provide personal care if the need arises accurately reflect this task/duty. Guidance on how to do so can be found in the factsheetopen_in_new.
Attend a webinar with NZSBA for professional development on the updated conduct and performance clauses in February 2026 – Invitations will be sent to school principals in the new year. This invitation is open to all staff members in your school who have management responsibilities or would benefit from learning about the revised provisions and the principles behind them.
Existing employees on IEAs – All employees on Individual Employment Agreements (IEAs) need to sign the new IEA promulgated 13 November 2025open_in_new to receive the new pay rates and enhanced conditions.
The new rates and conditions will apply from the date the IEA is signed. It cannot be pre-dated.
New appointments – All new staff covered by the SRSCA will need to be offered a SRSCA-specific letter of offer for employment. These can be accessed hereopen_in_new.
If they are not a member of PSA Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi, and do not choose to join the union, they will need to sign the promulgated IEA for Residential School Staffopen_in_new.
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