St Peter’s College has 26 paid positions for extra-curricular activities by its teachers

St Peter’s College is renowned for its competitive nature in extra-curricular activities – from rowing and cricket, to chess and pedal prix. Here’s how much the school pays to try to stay on top.

St Peters College’s senior rowing team (back, from left) Aiden Hughes, Paris Harb, Edward Chipperfield, Thomas Oldfield, Jake Nesbitt and William Howard, (front, from left) Jeremy Beale, Nick Burr and Felix Packer with the 2021 Head of the River shield. Picture: Michael Marschall

A prestigious Adelaide school has been praised for publishing a list of how much it pays teachers to undertake extra-curricular activities.

St Peter’s College is the only independent school in South Australia that includes a schedule of allowances in its enterprise bargaining agreement.

The list details 26 paid positions, ranging from $12,972 extra a year for its rowing co-ordinator to $2120 annually for its mooting co-ordinator.

Other positions include co-ordinators for football, cricket, soccer, tennis, basketball, badminton, water polo, volleyball, rugby, athletics, hockey, table tennis, pedal prix, sailing, swimming, squash, cross country, chess and debating.

Independent Education Union state secretary Glen Seidel said St Peter’s was setting an example for other non-government schools to follow.

“A lot of schools make extra-curricular activities for staff compulsory but have no extra money for it,” he said.

“Others pay something but they keep it all internal and it’s not publicly available.

“With St Peter’s, they at least have extra money and it’s public.

“That’s a good thing to have in the enterprise bargaining agreement because then it’s enforceable.”

St Peters College’s senior rowing team after winning the 2021 Head of the River at West Lakes. Picture: Michael Marschall

The extra-curricular payments are part of enterprise bargaining negotiations between St Peter’s and the IEU which have been going for over a year.

The allowances are paid annually to teachers, who must participate in extra-curricular activities as part of their employment.

Mr Seidel said the latest pay negotiations between the union and St Peter’s had reached “a stalemate”.

The IEU was seeking three per cent this year and 4.5 per cent next year, which would result in higher fees for parents.

“Like several other independent non-government schools, St Peter’s is holding fast to a two per cent increase this year, with a possible three per cent next year,” he said.

“The tactic now appears to be to slow things down and wait 2022 out with no further increases. We will see if the staff will swallow that. I doubt it.”

St Peters College’s senior rowing team after winning the 2021 Head of the River at West Lakes. Picture: Michael Marschall

Felix Packer for Saints with the ball during the Prince Alfred College v St Peter's 150th Intercol football at PAC. Picture: Brenton Edwards

The last major industrial dispute between the IEU and St Peter’s was in 2014, when staff lost free morning teas and lunches, which cost the school $340,000 a year.

Colloquially known to old scholars as “Hackney High”, St Peter’s is notorious for its longstanding sporting rivalry against other schools, particularly Prince Alfred College.

They compete annually in various intercol competitions, with the Head of River rowing contest one of the most coveted trophies.

Unlike St Peter’s, PAC does not detail the allowances paid to teachers to participate in extra-curricular activities.

Independent Schools Association SA chief executive Carolyn Grantskalns said it was “entirely appropriate that each individual independent school decides whether or not to itemise co-curricular educational and recreational programs in its enterprise agreement”.

“Co-curricular activities in schools are complex and unique to each school both in terms of offerings which may change from year to year and in terms of the commitment which staff may make,” she said.

St Peter’s College declined to comment.