Offer ‘future-proofs’ rural schools

The new collective agreement for primary and intermediate school principals should add more value to small rural schools, a principal says.

Primary and intermediate school principals this week voted to accept the Government’s latest pay offer, which gives New Zealand Educational Institute members pay parity with secondary principals of similarsized schools. Another change was principals of schools with fewer than 50 pupils will be rolled on to the same pay scale as principals at schools with 50 to 100 pupils. There is also additional funding to ensure at least two adult staff members are in every school.

Maree Rossiter, principal at the small Mangaweka School in Rangitı¯kei, said the move would future-proof principal positions at small rural schools.

The concern was being a principal at a smaller school could become unattractive if they were earning less than a senior leader or a teacher at a larger school.

‘‘It’s a positive move forward for the people that are in a role and for the future of sustaining people to go into the role of a teaching principal,’’ Rossiter said.

Mangaweka School has 16 pupils, which is expected to rise to 21 next year, and since the school’s release teacher retired last term, Rossiter is on her own as teacher and principal. The school will employ another release teacher from next year.

Rossiter said the new deal was a move in the right direction for country schools and having two adults at school was brilliant for the health and safety of the children and the principal.

She also said the pay parity made principals feel valued. ‘‘When you have [year] zero to year 8 it’s a huge spectrum to educate. It’s not just education, it’s health and safety and health and wellbeing.’’

Rossiter said principals would have to wait for further development with the accord to know how it would fix problem areas.

Manawatu¯ Principals’ Association president Lin Dixon echoed Rossiter’s thoughts. ‘‘Principals of schools [with fewer than 50 pupils] are receiving a pleasing boost to their salary and this may well encourage middle leaders in larger schools to take the step into principalship.’’

Dixon said principals at schools with 50-100 pupils hadn’t received the same boost, which was needed to attract and retain good principals in those schools.

Ministry secretary Iona Holsted said the ministry was pleased primary principals had settled their collective agreement.