Area school principals' sabbatical
The Area School Principals' Sabbatical provides 10 school weeks' paid leave for you to undertake professional learning activities, reflection and rejuvenation.
You can also apply for a reimbursement of costs clearly associated with your sabbatical, to maximum of $5,000.
Each year there are 18 sabbaticals available to principals, in state or state-integrated area schools, covered by the Area School Principals' Collective Agreement (ASPCA). At least 5 of the Area School Principal Sabbaticals will be reserved for the Te Rau Titoki Leave.
Applications for the 2025 Area School Principals’ Sabbaticals are now open and will be closing on Wednesday 8 May 2024.
Changes for the 2025 round
As per the changes to the collective agreement, there is no longer a requirement to produce a report on your sabbatical, instead you must declare to share the findings of your sabbatical with your school board.
When completing the application form please do not fill out the 'programme outline' section, and 'describe how you will share the findings of your sabbatical' with your school board. These sections are no longer required to complete an application, and you will not be assessed on them.
Am I eligible for an Area School Principals' Sabbatical?
To apply for this award/sabbatical you are required to use your existing ESL role with an account and login. You can review your ESL account details here: https://applications.education.govt.nz/education-sector-logon-esl/how-use-esl/self-service
If you do not currently have an ESL role, please contact your school's Delegated Authoriser who will be able to set up an ESL role for you for the "Te Mahau Service Portal".
Please make sure you read all the webpages for information on the award before applying.
The Frequently Asked Questions can be found here.
If you wish to apply for an Area School Principals' Sabbatical, you must:
- be employed as an area school principal in a New Zealand state or state-integrated school
- be employed under the Area School Principals' Collective Agreement (ASPCA) or applicable Individual Employment Agreement (IEA)
- have completed at least five years' service as a principal in a New Zealand state or state-integrated school
- have the support of your school's board of trustees/employer, including any agreed costs.
Preference is given to applicants who meet the eligibility and assessment criteria and who have not received a study award or sabbatical in the last five years.
Previous recipients’ professional learning
You can read previous recipients' sabbatical reports on the Educational Leaders’ website.
Contact Us
We're here to help. If you can't find the answer you're looking for in the application guidelines, get in touch with us by calling 0800 165 225 or email teacher.studyawards@education.govt.nz