Secondary senior managers' sabbatical
The Secondary Senior Managers' Sabbatical provides 10 school weeks' paid leave for senior managers to engage in a balance of professional learning activities, reflection and rejuvenation.
A senior manager is defined as a teacher who holds the position of Assistant Principal or Deputy Principal. These terms are defined by role and not necessarily title. Please see clause 4.3B.2 of the STCA or the application guidelines for further information.
Each year there are 10 sabbaticals available to senior managers, in state or state-integrated secondary schools, covered by the Secondary Teachers' Collective Agreement (STCA).
Applications for the 2025 Secondary Senior Managers' Sabbaticals will be opening on Wednesday 3 April 2024.
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 in 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.
Am I eligible for a Secondary Senior Manager's Sabbatical?
If you wish to apply for a Secondary Senior Managers' Sabbatical, you must:
- be employed under the STCA or applicable Individual Employment Agreement (IEA)
- be a full-time teacher
- hold a full and current practising certificate
- be currently employed as a senior manager in a New Zealand state or state-integrated secondary school
- have a period of at least seven years' unbroken teaching service
- be able to demonstrate that you will benefit from a period of professional learning related to your role as a senior manager
- intend to continue in a management role after the sabbatical
- not currently be under review for competence and/or conduct and discipline (as per sections 3.3 and 3.4 of the STCA)
- have not received a Secondary Teachers' Sabbatical or Secondary Senior Managers' Sabbatical within the last five years
- have the support of the principal and board of trustees/employer.
You can apply for both a Secondary Senior Managers' Sabbatical and a Secondary Teachers' Sabbatical if you meet the eligibility criteria, but you can only accept one sabbatical. Please note, to be eligible for a Secondary Senior Managers' Sabbatical, you must not have been granted a Secondary Teachers' Sabbatical within the last five years.
Previous recipients’ professional learning completed?
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