[Justine+Ben]

Hello,

I'm hopefully moving to NZ this summer/fall and I am considering primary teaching when I arrive (but we are moving to Auckland on my OH's job). I was just wondering whether NZ teachers get an equivalent number of weeks holiday per year to UK teachers? I did try doing a search on this but for some reason when I tried to open up previous postings on the subject they were 'forbidden' to me.

If there is anyone out there who is currently teaching in NZ I'd appreciate any info. about their holidays. I was assuming it would be like the U.K., but then from my experience of other countries I know this can vary (some US schools might not pay you for the entire summer holidays for example). I was just reading another thread about how most people have found the holiday entitlement in NZ to be less than the U.K., but more than the U.S. (which isn't hard really - as US is only 2 weeks) so that is what provoked my interest.

Thanks,

Justine :)

[JandM]

I found this on the NZ Education Ministry Website, from the Primary Teachers' Collective Agreement, 2004 - 2007.

2.9 Hours of Work/Leave
2.9.1 Employees shall work such hours as may be reasonably required of them to enable them to properly fulfil their responsibilities as teachers whether or not such hours exceed 40 hours per week. The normal hours of work for employees should as far as practicable however not exceed 40 hours per week Monday to Friday.
2.9.2 It is acknowledged that employees are required to undertake such duties as:
* Preparation, evaluation and assessment time generated by classes/sessions and the students within them, or by other requirements such as the need to report on the progress of individual students;
* Counselling of students;
* Administrative responsibilities of individual teachers;
* Attending courses and meetings;
* Professional development in addition to their normal class contact time, and that these factors have been taken into consideration in determining the employee’s hours of work and leave entitlements.
2.9.3 Except as provided in 2.9.1 employees shall not be required to attend school during any time when the school is officially closed for instruction. However Boards may require employees to attend school or elsewhere, when the school is closed for instruction (except on weekends or public holidays unless by agreement) for up to ten days per school year (or the equivalent) for all or any of the following purposes – school administration, school preparation and co-ordination, pre-term planning curriculum and/or technical refreshment and/or professional development. The employer will endeavour to arrange matters at the school in such a way that any requirement under this section is not unreasonable and that employees’ individual needs are taken into account. Employees’ own initiatives in undertaking work for the above purposes shall be counted when applying this clause.
2.9.4 Where employees are required to attend school or elsewhere when the school is closed pursuant to 2.9.3 they shall be reimbursed for any actual and reasonable costs incurred in accordance with Part 7 of this agreement.
2.9.5 Any employee required by their employer to work on a Public Holiday (as listed in S44 Holidays Act 2003) shall be paid time and a half rates as per s50 of the Act.
2.9.6 Teachers will take their annual leave outside the gazetted term dates.

[Carol]

Hi Justine - no they aren't the same as the UK.
For a start there are 4 terms here of 10 weeks each with no half term holiday.

I found it really hard to adapt to that - and to be honest I dont think its for the better. The kids are always well past it by the end of each term.

One of my kiwi teacher friends who is on her OE and teaching in London at the moment finds the UK (6 x half terms) system a breeze compared to (4 x full terms)!


Details are on here of term dates.
http://www.minedu.govt.nz/index.cfm?layout=document&documentid=3767#P135_4967

[Justine+Ben]

Thanks JandM and Carol - some useful information.

I must admit that 4 full terms sounds exhausting! :wah

[Lupin]

Hi Justine - no they aren't the same as the UK.
For a start there are 4 terms here of 10 weeks each with no half term holiday.

I found it really hard to adapt to that - and to be honest I dont think its for the better. The kids are always well past it by the end of each term.

One of my kiwi teacher friends who is on her OE and teaching in London at the moment finds the UK (6 x half terms) system a breeze compared to (4 x full terms)!


I quite like the 4 full terms because they get at least a two weeks holiday every break. One week in the UK was never enough to allow them to totally relax I felt and was difficult if you wanted to go away as it meant you left immediately and came back only to have them straight back in school. Also it's more evenly spread over the year and allows kids to really get into topics. It seems to suite my kids and our family well :)

[JandM]

The daft thing about British terms is the way the length of Spring and Summer ones varies, partly because of when Easter falls. For instance, I still do some freelance work in a school, it's the half-term (so-called) holiday at the moment, the half term just gone was of six weeks, and the one yet to come is THREE. Then next term divides up into eight and six. But the pattern next year will be totally different. It's a nightmare if you're having to try and pace work leading up to exams.

[willsken]

As a teacher I find the 10 weeks without a break pretty tiring come the end of term. That being said I do love the 2 weeks off every holiday and the summer was lovely and long. Time wise it's pretty much what we had in the UK.