Changes starting in 2025
Part time changes, introduction of pastoral care allowances, and changes affecting Year 1-6 teachers in composite school changes.
Updated information
The Ministry has reviewed the formulae for additional part time staffing allowance for secondary, restricted composites, and composite schools.
They have advised us that the formulae for secondary schools and restricted composite have changed but the formula for composite schools is unchanged.
The part time staffing part of the ‘Staffing Adjustments for 2025’ calculator below has been updated using the new figures provided to us by the Ministry.
Changes at the start of 2025
There are three major sets of changes from the 2022-2025 STCA and ASTCA settlements that took effect from 28 January 2025. These are:
- Introduction of pastoral care time allowances in secondary and composite schools.
- Changes to part time teacher non-contact hours and loading in secondary and composite schools.
- Changes to contact time for years 1-6 teachers and unit holders in area/composite schools.
1. Introduction of pastoral care time allowances (PCTAs)
Where you can get more information and advice:
- Website references
-
- The MoE website
What they are for
The allowances are to provide additional time for people who have designated direct pastoral care responsibilities, working with individual students. For example, deans, guidance counsellors and careers teachers. The allowances may also be used by schools for teachers who have been assigned particular direct pastoral care responsibility for identified groups of students, such as Māori, Pacifica, migrant, or Rainbow.
For secondary schools the allowances are not for general administration of pastoral care systems, but a senior leader who has responsibility for the oversights of the pastoral care system and who also works to directly support the pastoral needs of individual students would be eligible.
In area/composite schools the allowances apply to teachers predominantly teaching years 7 to 13 classes and, recognising the small size of some composite schools, may also be used for the general management or administration of the pastoral care systems.
About the allowances
Each allowance is 5 hours non-contact time per week for the teacher and 0.05FTTE for the school to manage timetable adjustments, such as the non-contact time for the reallocated class contact time.
In secondary schools an individual can hold up to three PCTAs. In area/composite schools individuals can hold up to two PCTAs.
The allowances are to be issued permanently unless there is a genuine and agreed reason why they should be issued on a fixed term basis.
The allowances are in addition to other time allowances the teacher receives and this may mean that some teachers in positions which must maintain a minimum number of weekly teaching hours will not be eligible to receive the PCTAs while they continue to hold those positions (e.g. ACTs, WSTs, SCTs).
The use of the new allowances may free up other non-contact time which can be used to further support the pastoral care system in the school (see website advice for more details).
The formulae for allocating the pastoral care time allowances
| School type | Equity Index is less than 400: | Equity Index is 400 or higher: |
| Secondary All roll sizes | Multiply year 7-15 roll by 0.00328 Round up to next whole number. | Divide the Equity Index by 400. Square that number. Multiply that by the year 7-15 roll Multiply that by 0.00328 Round up to the next whole number. |
| Composites/area Rolls under 500 | Multiply year 7-15 roll by 0.0167 Round up to next whole number. | Divide the Equity Index by 400. Square that number Multiply by the year 7-15 roll Multiply that by 0.0167 Round up to the next whole number. |
| Composites/area Rolls over 499 | Multiply year 7-15 roll by 0.0034 Round up to next whole number. Add 8. | Divide the equity index by 400. Square that number. Multiply that by the year 7-15 roll. Multiply that by 0.0034. Round up to the nearest whole number. Add 8. |
| Restricted composite | Multiply year 9&10 roll by 0.00328 Round up to next whole number | Divide the Equity Index by 400. Square that number. Multiply that by the year 9-10 roll Multiply that by 0.00328 Round up to the next whole number. |
2. Changes to part-time
Where you can get more detailed information and examples:
- Website references
- The Moe website
From 28 January 2025 onwards part time non-contact hours must be prorated (1 noncontact hour for every 4 contact hours).
The maximum part-time cap of 0.89 FTTE no longer applies, and part time can be anything below full-time (100%) employment.
This applies to all part time secondary teachers (including ITMs and RTLBs) and to area school teachers teaching predominantly in years 7-13, and the information below applies to these teachers.
The above does not apply to area/composite school teachers who are predominantly teaching in years 1-6 or to part time teachers in Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu. For those teachers hours and salary loading entitlements will be unchanged.
From 28 January
All future new appointments will be with prorated non-contact.
Additional supporting staffing allocation
The formulae for allocating the additional staffing to support the part time changes are:
Secondary schools 0.1 + 0.01584 times the school’s staffing entitlement (FTTE)
Area/composite schools 0.1 + 0.026 times (the year 7-13 roll divided by the total roll) times the school’s entitlement staffing (FTTE)
Restricted composite schools 0.1 + 0.01584 times (the year 9-10 roll divided by the total roll) times the school’s entitlement staffing (FTTE)
For each, round the outcome to 2 decimal places.
3. Change to contact time for teachers of years 1-6 and unit non-contact time allocation (Composites/Area Schools only)
Unit holders
ASTCA reference 4.2.4 - Maximum timetabled classroom teaching time
From 28 January 2025 school year all permanent unit holders must have a minimum reduction in their contact time of one hour per week for each of their first three permanent units. For example, if someone with two permanent units currently has 1 hour of non-contact for the units, they must have 2 hours from the start of 2025.
Teachers of years 1-6
ASTCA 4.2.4 - Teachers predominantly teaching year 1 - 6 classes
From term 1 2025, the maximum average timetabled teaching time for a full-time teacher will be 22.5 hours per week.
The maximum average timetabled teaching time for part time teachers are employed for 0.8FTTE or more, will be 90% of their total timetabled hours.
Resourcing changes
For the start of 2025 there are the following additional staffing resources for area schools:
- An increase to the current Classroom Release Time staffing allocation for year 1-6.
- The introduction of Classroom Release Time staffing allocation for unit holders through the 1-6 year level components,
- Additional staffing through the reduction of the year 4-8 English Medium curriculum ratios. from 1:29 to 1:28.
These changes will be incorporated into the school’s GMFS staffing notice expected in September this year.
Last modified on Wednesday, 5 March 2025 12:22