Frequently asked questions
We’ve put together a list of frequently asked questions which may be helpful to you in applying for the Primary Teachers' Sabbatical.
Select a category below to be taken to questions and answers relating to that topic.
Completing the application form
Approved professional learning activities
Sabbatical proposal requirements
Board of trustees/employer support
General
What is the background for the Primary Teachers’ Sabbatical?
The Primary Teachers’ Sabbatical was negotiated as one of the professional learning provisions for teachers as part of the Primary Teachers’ Collective Agreement (PTCA).
Any teacher appointed in a New Zealand state or state-integrated primary school, employed under the terms and conditions of the Primary Teachers’ Collective Agreement, has the opportunity to apply for this award.
What is this the purpose of this award?
The purpose of this sabbatical is to provide a sustained period during a teacher’s career to engage in a balance of professional learning, reflection and rejuvenation.
The school receives relief funding, in accordance with the relevant collective agreement, while the teacher is on sabbatical.
The sabbatical aims to:
- improve knowledge, skills and practice, through engagement in professional learning
- enhance a teacher’s enthusiasm for teaching
- improve overall retention rates of experienced and effective teachers.
And more broadly:
- enhance the learning experiences of primary students
- enhance professional learning cultures in schools.
When will I find out the outcome of my application?
You will be notified by Friday 9 September 2022.
Are all the sabbaticals allocated each year?
Yes, there are only 50 sabbaticals available each year and the selection process is always competitive. Please note that a key factor in the ranking of teachers is the length of unbroken service.
How long is the sabbatical?
A sabbatical is for up to 10 school weeks only, this does not include school holidays.
If you choose to take your sabbatical in a term that is nine weeks in duration, you can choose to take the tenth week of sabbatical leave either in the last week of the term before or the first week of the term after, in agreement with your school.
What does a Primary Teachers’ Sabbatical provide?
A Primary Teachers’ Sabbatical provides you with normal paid leave from school for 10 school weeks. TeachNZ (Ministry of Education) covers the relief costs to replace you while you are on leave, including any holiday pay due to a relief teacher. Please note that there is no contribution to any additional expenses.
‘Normal salary’ includes all permanent salary units and allowances. Where fixed-term salary units and allowances are held, the teacher should clarify with their principal whether these will continue to be paid.
The leave counts as service for most purposes.
Any salary increases or increments due during the sabbatical still apply, according to the provisions of the PTCA. The sabbatical does not include any additional expenses associated with the leave.
How is my application assessed?
First, we will check that your application meets all of the eligibility criteria.
A selection panel, made up of representatives from the Ministry of Education, the New Zealand Education Institute (NZEI) and the New Zealand School Trustees Association (NZSTA), will then assess your application on the following:
- Your proposal shows that the professional learning you’re planning to complete during the sabbatical is in one or more of the approved fields (please see ‘Approved professional learning activities’)
- Your proposal is clear and shows:
- that it is achievable within the allocated timeframe and with available resources
- the intended outcomes of this sabbatical, such as benefits to you, your students, and your school
- how it will support the current Ministry of Education’s priorities in education including policy that aims to improve the learning outcomes for priority student groups, this includes:
- Māori and Pacific students
- Students from low socio-economic backgrounds
- Students with Learning Support needs.
- how your sabbatical will help to address any issues you face because of distance or professional isolation
- how you intend to share and report on your experience at the end of the sabbatical
Preference is given to teachers who have not received a study award or sabbatical in the last five years.
The selection panel’s role is to ensure that the selection process is open, fair, consistent and impartial, and that it provides for equal opportunity and non-discrimination.
What are the expectations if awarded a sabbatical if awarded a sabbatical?
If awarded a sabbatical, you must:
- Notify TeachNZ if you are accepting or declining the sabbatical.
- Notify TeachNZ of any changes to information included on the application form, (e.g. your employment status, contact details, your proposal, or if you take up a new position).
- Undertake professional learning activities as stated in your proposal.
- Produce a report from your professional learning, which can be placed online as a resource for other principals, within three months of completing your sabbatical.
If you are successful and then decline the offer of a sabbatical, you can re-apply with no prejudice in a subsequent year.
A sabbatical cannot be postponed to the next year.
However, under exceptional circumstances the principal and board of trustees/employer may agree to postpone the leave to the first or second term of the following year, subject to notifying TeachNZ.
How many years continuous service do I need to be successful?
One of the key factors in ranking applications for the first 40 sabbaticals is your years of continuous service. The minimum number of years needed to be successful varies from year to year depending on the applications received, this can exceed 25 years of most recent unbroken service.
When can I take my sabbatical?
You can choose which term to take your sabbatical in as long your school is in agreement. Please make sure you notify TeachNZ of the dates you plan to take your sabbatical.
What do I need to do to confirm dates for my sabbatical? Can my sabbatical dates change?
Please indicate on the application form the dates that you are planning on taking the sabbatical. If you are successful you will be asked to confirm the dates.
If you wish to change these dates, please note that your school must agree to the dates. Please notify TeachNZ ff any dates change as new payroll details will need to be sent to your school.
What will happen if I have applied for the wrong award?
Your application will only be assessed for the award you have applied for. It’s important you check the application information to ensure that you are applying for the correct award.
Can I apply for more than one award?
Yes, but you can only accept one award. If you’re successful in more than one application, you’ll be asked to choose which one award you would like to accept.
You must send in a separate application for each award.
Please note that to be eligible for a Primary Senior Managers’ Sabbatical you must not have been granted a Primary Teachers’ Sabbatical in the last five years.
Can I submit more than one application for the same award?
No, you can only submit one application for each award you apply for.
Do I need to return to the same school after completing my sabbatical?
There is an expectation that you will return either to your previous role or a similar one.
What if I’m offered a position at a different school?
If you’re offered a position at a different school you will need approval from the new school’s board of trustees/employer and principal. You would need to provide TeachNZ with written confirmation of support from that principal and board of trustees/employer, so we can advise the correct school on how to charge teacher relief costs to TeachNZ (Ministry of Education).
Can I postpone my sabbatical until the next year?
You may request to postpone your sabbatical under exceptional circumstances to either Term 1 or 2 of the following year. You must have your principals and board of trustees/employer’s support to do this and provide written confirmation of this to TeachNZ with a short explanation of the reason for this change.
Can I withdraw from a Primary Teachers’ Sabbatical?
If you choose to withdraw from the sabbatical, you can apply again in the future with no prejudice. You will need to let us know in writing that you would like to withdraw. We can accept this by email to teacher.studyawards@education.govt.nz.
Can I work while on a sabbatical?
No, the purpose of the Primary Teachers’ Sabbatical is to provide a sustained period of time in a teacher’s career to engage in a balance of professional learning activities, reflection and rejuvenation. You cannot work at your school, or another school while on sabbatical.
Eligibility
What is the eligibility criteria?
To be eligible to apply for the Primary Teachers’
Sabbatical, you must:
- be employed as a primary teacher in a New Zealand state or state-integrated school
- have support from your school’s principal and board of trustees/employer
- hold a full and current practising certificate
- have completed at least five years’ service as a teacher, at least three of which must have been spent in New Zealand state or state-integrated schools
- be employed under the Primary Teachers’ Collective Agreement or applicable Individual Employment Agreement (IEA).
If I am a primary-trained teacher working in an area or secondary school, can I apply for a 2023 Primary Teachers’ Sabbatical?
The sabbatical you are eligible to apply for depends on which collective agreement you are employed under.
You can apply for a Primary Teachers’ Sabbatical if you are covered by the terms and conditions of the Primary Teachers’ Collective Agreement and meet all eligibility criteria.
If you are covered by the terms and conditions of the Area or Secondary Teacher Collective Agreements you are not eligible for this sabbatical, but you may be eligible to apply for an Area or Secondary Teachers’ Sabbatical. Please visit www.TeachNZ.govt.nz/studyawards to find out more.
I am a Resource Teacher: Learning and Behaviour (RTLB) who works in primary schools, but my lead school is a secondary or area school. Which sabbatical can I apply for?
The sabbatical you are eligible to apply for depends on which collective agreement you are employed under.
You can apply for a Primary Teachers’ Sabbatical if you are covered by the terms and conditions of the Primary Teachers’ Collective Agreement.
Although you are working in primary schools, if your lead school is a secondary or area school you may be employed under the terms and conditions of the Secondary Teachers’ Collective Agreement or the Area Teachers’ Collective Agreement.
If you are covered by the terms and conditions of the Secondary or Area Teachers’ Collective Agreements, you may be eligible to apply for a Primary or Area School Teachers’ Sabbatical. Please visit www.TeachNZ.govt.nz/studyawards to find out more.
I am a part-time teacher. Can I apply for a Primary School Teachers’ Sabbatical?
Yes, part-time teachers may apply.
I am a long term reliever. Can I apply for a Primary Teachers’ Sabbatical?
Yes, but you will need to be employed by a school during the sabbatical, as TeachNZ (Ministry of Education) provides relief funding to your school you while you are on sabbatical.
My certification is currently subject to confirmation. Can I apply?
Yes, but only if you will receive full certification status by December 2022.
Please notify TeachNZ if your registration status changes during the application or selection process.
The eligibility criteria states that I need to have at least five years’ service as a teacher in a New Zealand state or state-integrated school. I am currently in my fifth year of teaching. Can I apply?
Yes, if you will have completed at least five years of service by December 2022.
Can I apply if I have previously had a study award or sabbatical?
Yes, but please note preference is given to teachers who have not had a study award or sabbatical in the five years before the beginning of 2022.
Can I apply if I’m not a member of a teachers’ union?
Yes, the awards are open to all teachers in New Zealand state or state-integrated Primary schools who meet the eligibility criteria.
If I am appointed to the Community of Schools Teacher (within school) role, am I able to take teachers sabbatical leave?
Yes, apply as usual.
I am appointed to the Community of Schools Teacher (across community/between schools) role, am I able to take teachers sabbatical leave?
Yes, a teacher in receipt of the allowance for the Kāhui Ako|Community of Schools Teacher (across community/between schools) role may apply for sabbatical leave to be taken while they hold that role provided that any application has the support of both their employing board and the other boards in the Kāhui Ako.
Which sabbatical should I apply for if I am a teaching principal?
Which sabbatical you are eligible to apply for depends on which collective agreement you are employed under.
As a teaching principal, you will be covered by an employment agreement as a primary principal. You can apply for Primary Principals’ Sabbatical if you meet the eligibility criteria.
Completing the application form
What does full-time teacher equivalent (FTTE) mean?
Full-time teacher equivalent means one full-time teaching position. A school can have several part-time teachers making up one FTTE.
For example, two part-time teachers, each working at 0.5 of a full-time teacher, together make 1.0 FTTE.
Can I include in my employment history time spent training in a teacher education programme?
No, time spent training to be a teacher is not counted as service as a New Zealand teacher.
Approved professional learning activities
What are the approved professional learning activities?
Your proposal shows that the professional learning you’re planning to complete during the sabbatical is in one or more of the following approved fields:
- Implementation of the curriculum (the New Zealand Curriculum or Te Marautanga o Aotearoa).
- Assessment and its impact on students’ outcomes.
- Teaching and learning in a curriculum area.
- The relationship between pedagogy and students’ learning.
- Pedagogical knowledge or educational theory.
- The learning needs of diverse students.
- The learning needs of Māori or Pacific students.
- Student development or behaviour.
- Leadership in teaching and learning.
Please note: Your regular day-to-day work is not considered an approved learning activity.
Where can I find information on the professional learning activities completed by previous sabbatical recipients?
Reports by successful teachers from previous years can be found on the TeachNZ website www.TeachNZ.govt.nz/studyawards.
Can I change my sabbatical project after submitting an application?
Yes, but not substantially. Please notify TeachNZ of proposed changes in writing, and provide details of this and an explanation of the reason for this change as this will need to be approved.
Sabbatical proposal requirements
How should I present my proposal?
Please ensure you provide enough information for the selection panel to judge whether your sabbatical proposal meets the selection criteria and is realistic and achievable within the period of leave. You must complete your sabbatical proposal on the application form. This makes it easier for the selection panel to assess applications consistently.
What is considered ‘professional isolation’?
It is important that you outline any professional isolation as applications are judged based on the information you provide.
Examples of professional isolation include:
- If you are the sole teacher of a specialist area e.g. the only te reo Māori teacher
- If you are the sole mentor of beginning teachers in your school
- If you are a teacher in a small isolated school
- If you cannot access professional development opportunities because of distance and/or costs.
Can I submit more than one sabbatical proposal with my application?
No, you can only submit one sabbatical proposal with your application.
Can I submit a joint sabbatical application with another teacher?
No, you cannot submit a joint application for a sabbatical
What are the Ministry of Education priorities for education?
The Ministry of Education’s priorities for education include those referred to on page 2 of the application guide.
For further information please refer to the Statement of Intent which can be found online at https://education.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Ministry/Publications/Statements-of-intent/2014SOI.pdf.
Principal and board of trustees/employer support
What do I need for approval of a sabbatical?
You will need written confirmation from your employing principal and board of trustees/employer is required confirming that, should an offer of a sabbatical be made, leave will be approved.
The timing of the sabbatical is to be agreed by the teacher and the principal, taking into account the needs of the school and the needs of the teacher.
If you have not yet received support from your principal and board of trustees/employer you may still apply but will need to provide this information by Monday 18 July 2022.
In the meantime you will need to explain why you have not included written confirmation your principal and board of trustees/employer with your application.
What can I provide as evidence that my principal supports my application?
We can accept one of the following as principal support:
- A signed letter of support from your school principal.
- An email sent directly from your school principal to TeachNZ.
- Principal support, in one of the formats outlined above, must be submitted by Monday 18 July 2022.
Please note that support from the principal is an eligibility factor.
What can I provide as evidence that my principal supports my application?
We can accept one of the following as principal support:
- A signed letter of support from your school principal.
- An email sent directly from your school principal to TeachNZ.
Principal support, in one of the formats outlined above, must be submitted by Monday 18 July 2022. Please note that support from the principal is a selection factor.
Who can support my application if my principal is away?
The acting principal is the only person who can support your application on behalf of your principal. Please make sure it is clear that the signature is from the person acting in the role of the principal.
Who can support my application if I am acting principal?
The principal should support your application. If your principal is unable to provide support in one of the approved formats please provide an explanation on the application form.
What can I provide as evidence that my board of trustees/employer supports my application?
We can accept one of the following as board of trustees/employer support:
- A copy of relevant board of trustees minutes confirming support for your application.
- A signed letter of support from the board chairperson/employer.
- An email sent directly from the board chairperson/employer to TeachNZ.
Board of trustees/employer support, in one of the formats outlined above, must be submitted by Monday 18 July 2022.
Please note that support from the board of trustees/employer is an eligibility factor.
Who has the authority to support my application on behalf of the board chairperson?
The deputy chairperson or another trustee who has delegated authority in the absence of the chairperson or their deputy. Please make sure this is clear on the application form.
Who can sign my application form if the board of trustees has been disestablished?
Please ask the commissioner acting in place of the board of trustees to confirm support for your application by signing your application form. Please ensure its clear the signature is that of the commissioner.
Who can support my application if my school has a limited statutory manager employed?
If the limited statutory manager is acting in place of the board of trustees for employment matters, ask the limited statutory manager to confirm support for your application by signing your application form, otherwise the board chairperson should sign. Please ensure it’s clear that the signature is that of the limited statutory manager.
What if I can’t provide confirmation of principal and board of trustees/employer support when I submit my application?
If you have not yet received support from the principal and board of trustees/employer you may still apply, but please send this in by Monday 18 July 2022.
I am a Resource Teacher: Learning and Behaviour (RTLB) and work in a number of schools. Which principal and board of trustees/employer should I ask to support my application?
RTLBs are employed by the cluster lead school’s board of trustees/employer. The schools where RTLBs are located, but not employed, are called host (or satellite) schools.
Please ask the principal and board of trustees/employer from your lead school to support your application.
Submitting my application
Can I apply online?
Yes, just complete and submit your application form online at www.teachnz.govt.nz/studyawards on or before Monday 4 July 2022.
Can I email you my application?
No, we can only accept applications sent in by post or courier. For your application to be considered, it must be sent and postmarked on or before Monday 4 July 2022. You can apply online at www.teachnz.govt.nz/studyawards
Can I post a digital copy (on a disc or USB stick) of my application?
No, please submit a printed, unbound document on A4 paper.
What happens if my application is late?
Late applications will not be considered. For your application to be considered, it must be sent and postmarked on or before Monday 4 July 2022.
How will I know you have received my application?
You will receive an email to confirm that your application has arrived. Please contact us if you have not heard from us by Monday 18 July 2022.
What happens if my application is incomplete?
It’s important to ensure you’ve submitted all the required information. If your application is incomplete, or is not in the correct format, the selection panel may not be able to assess it.
Can I send in additional information after submitting my application?
You may submit additional information for your application up to Monday 18 July 2022 (two weeks after the closing date), otherwise this cannot be considered with your application.
What will happen if my application is postmarked after Monday 4 July 2022?
Your application will not be considered.
Reporting on your sabbatical
How should I report on my sabbatical?
Reporting on your sabbatical professional learning activities teachers awarded a sabbatical are required to provide a written report that may be accessed online by other principals. It is strongly recommended that the report is reviewed, preferably by a colleague, before submitting it for publication.
Failure to submit a report within the timeframe will preclude you from being considered for future awards.
When is the report due?
A copy of the report or resource must be submitted to TeachNZ within three months of completing your sabbatical. It is preferable that the report is also added to a website and the link is submitted to TeachNZ.
It is strongly recommended that a colleague reviews your report before it is submitted for online publication.
A link to the project will be listed on the TeachNZ website for other teachers and principals to view.
The Educational Leaders website, www.educationalleaders.govt.nz, also has information that can guide you in writing your sabbatical report.
What is recommended for the structure to reporting on my professional learning?
It is recommended that reports are structured in the following way:
- Title: showing the focus of the sabbatical
- Author, school, period of time the sabbatical covers
- Acknowledgements
- Executive summary
- Purpose
- Background and rationale
- Methodology
- Findings
- Implications
- Benefits
- Conclusions
- References.
Note that reports are required from the shorter sabbaticals but would not need to be as extensive.
Alternatively the resource may be a practical resource, for example:
- annotated photo study
- student learning resource
- teaching resource based on recent innovations in the subject area
- teaching resource based on practical applications of the subject discipline.
If the resource is a practical resource it will include a section or cover page clearly outlining the following:
- Purpose (as in the proposal)
- Activities undertaken
- Benefits to individual and to school.