Preparing for the start of 2025
Part time changes, introduction of pastoral care allowances, and changes affecting Year 1-6 teachers in composite school changes.
Urgent notice
We are advised that the Ministry is reviewing the formulae for additional part time staffing allowance for secondary and for composite schools. This may change the formulae and could provide more staffing support for the part-time non-contact changes.
The part time staffing part of the Staffing adjustments for 2025 calculator below will be updated if there are changes to the formulae for the part-time changes. Until changes are confirmed (or otherwise) you are advised to defer using the part time staffing component of that calculator.
The Staffing adjustments for 2025 calculator will continue to be accurate for the Pastoral Care Allowance resourcing. The other calculators below do not rely on those formulae and you can continue to use them.
The information below which is specific to the additional staffing formulae for part time will be updated if there are revised formulae from the Ministry.
The processes for moving to 2025 are unchanged and the advice below on what is happening, and the steps teachers and principals are to follow are not affected by the adjustment to the formulae.
Changes at the start of 2025
There are three major sets of changes from the 2022-2025 STCA and ASTCA settlements that will take effect from 28 January 2025. All will require action by schools during term 3 and 4 this year. 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
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- 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).
What has to be done in 2024
Term 3
Estimate the allocation for your school (see formulae below).
Confirm with your school’s GMFS staffing notice in September.
Consultation with staff on how the allowances might be used and, if and how the pastoral care system may be adjusted because of the additional staffing.
Consider how the allowances will combine with the current units and time allocations of existing pastoral care role holders. (See page 4 of Advice on Pastoral Care Time Allowances 2294 (ppta.org.nz) for examples.)
Amend your timetable policy.
Make sure the timetable team are aware of the coming changes.
Term 4
The school’s GMFS staffing notice for 2025 will confirm the number of allowances available.
If any allowances are not allocated to people with existing pastoral care roles, those allowances are advertised internally.
If the school is creating a whole new role from the allowances, the new position is advertised in the Gazette and an appointment made.
Exchange and file letters confirming all the allocations and, if applicable, any changes of duties.
There is no requirement to notify the Ministry or EdPay (payroll) of who has the allocations.
28 January 2025
The allowances take effect, and any duties or new positions (if any), begin.
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
What is happening
From 28 January 2025 onwards part time non-contact hours must be prorated (1 noncontact hour for every 4 contact hours).
On 28 January 2025 EdPay (payroll) will adjust the hours/FTTE of part-time teachers who continue to be employed in the school from 2024.
This change 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 change 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.
For part time teachers continuing in employment at the school from 2024 into 2025 their total current hours will be increased by 11% and the 11% salary loading will be discontinued, the net effect meaning their pay will be the same.
The maximum part time cap of 0.89 FTTE will go.
Some very high hour part timers may convert to full time.
This process will be carried out automatically based on the hours they have recorded unless EdPay are otherwise advised by the end of this year.
Schools must confirm the 2025 hours with part time teachers (whether the default hours or an agreed alternative) in writing as this is a change in agreed working hours.
Teachers can agree in writing to opt out of the change in hours (and agree different hours of the start of 2025), but they cannot opt out of the removal of the 11% salary loading.
Schools with part time teachers will receive additional staffing from the start of 2025 to support this change.
Where schools have resourcing arrangements with host schools for the use of ITMs, they will need to review those arrangements for 2025 to include the non-contact component.
Schools will receive additional staffing from the start of 2025 to support the changes.
What has to be done in 2024
Term 3 and 4
No change is required to the timetable arrangements of part-time staff during this year.
Confirm if existing appointments are correctly recorded as fixed term or permanent part-time. Use the examples on page 4 of the Advice on Part-time changes document to help think about how four different types of part time teacher are impacted.
Check part-time hours and FTTE are correctly calculated by the school and recorded for EdPay (payroll).
Use the part-time change calculator on the PPTA website to review the 2025 changes and consider how they will apply to you.
Confirm with your school’s GMFS staffing notice in September.
The principal or nominee should discuss with permanent part-time teachers, and any continuing fixed-term teachers, the impact of the increase in hours. Any new fixed term part time teachers will need hours confirmed later in the year.
Ensure that the timetable team are aware of the changes.
Amend your timetable policy.
Term 4
The school’s GMFS staffing notice will confirm the additional staffing to support the adjustment.
Schools will need to provide in writing the confirmed hours for all part-time teachers continuing at the school in 2025.
The school must ensure that EdPay has correct hours for part-time teachers continuing to be employed in the school, following the advice which is to be provided by EdPay.
Area/composite schools will identify for EdPay the year 7-13 part time teachers. EdPay will contact all area and composite schools in Term 4 to outline the process to follow to identify those part-time secondary teachers.
Appointment of new part-time staff who will start in 2025 will need to include prorated non-contact time in the total hours.
What has to be done in 2025
Before payroll cut off, the school will ensure that EdPay (payroll) has correct hours for part-time teachers continuing to be employed in the school if there have been adjustments.
On 28 January
EdPay will automatically adjust FTTE of notified part-time teachers.
All secondary part-time teachers must receive prorated non-contact time as part of their total paid timetabled hours.
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 + 0.007 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 + 0.026 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.
Things to do before 2025
Amend your timetable policy.
Advise the timetable team of the required changes.
You can get more advice from your PPTA Field Officer.