Area School Principals’ Collective Agreement 2025-2028
The Area School Principals’ Collective Agreementopen_in_new (ASPCA) was ratified in December 2025 for a term of 30 months from 18 December 2025 to 17 June 2028.
What changes should you be aware of?
Along with base remuneration increases, the new ASPCA includes these key changes:
- A new NCEA Change Implementation allowance to the value of $6,000 per annum, which will be payable until June 2028.
- Increases of $1,500 to both the Area School Principals and Area School Principal Career payments.
- Introduction of a principal mentor allowance, entitling principals who mentor participants as part of the Aspiring and Beginning Principals Programmesopen_in_new to $5,000 per annum (see clause 3.13).
- Tightening of the criteria for disregarded sick leave, including removing eligibility for disregarded sick leave when the raising of a complaint/personal grievance against the employer has substantially caused a stress-related or non-physical illness, where the employee being subject to a disciplinary or competency process has substantially caused the sickness or as part of settlement of an employment relationship problem or a negotiated exit from employment (see cl 5.2.7(e)).
The parties have also agreed to discuss potentially consolidating the hard-to-staff allowances and to review the ASPCA’s coverage clause (in conjunction with that of the Area School Teachers’ Collective Agreement).
What actions are required of you?
Existing employees on IEAs – all employees on Individual Employment Agreements (IEAs) based on the ASPCA will need to sign a new IEA to receive the new pay rates and enhanced conditions. The new IEA is available from the Ministry of Education’s Area school principals' collective and individual employment agreementsopen_in_new page.
The new rates and conditions will apply from the date the IEA is signed.
New appointments – all new staff covered by the ASPCA will need to be offered an ASPCA-specific letter of offer for employment. These can be accessed from our recruitment section of the Resource Centre.
If they are not a member of NZEI Te Riu Roa or PPTA Te Wehengarua, and choose not to join a union, they will need to sign the promulgated IEA for area school principalsopen_in_new.
Do not use old letters saved to your computer as they are out of date.
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Ministry of Education