Indigenous culture leave, fertility days off, yoga: Private school teachers’ wild pay and perks
Fertility days off, leave to reconnect with culture, wellness allowances and up to $180,000 a year – see the entitlements available to teachers at the nation’s most elite schools.
State school teachers in Queensland recently went on strike in a bid for higher wages and conditions, and Victorian teachers are gearing up for an almighty fight of their own in coming months.
Meanwhile, private school teachers at some schools are enjoying a range of perks and benefits not available to their state school counterparts. These include tuition fee discounts of up to 50 per cent which can be worth $20,000 a year at some schools.
Other private schools are offering fertility leave, Indigenous culture leave, defence leave, pre-emptive health check leave and up to $190,000 a year for the most senior staff by 2027.
One even has a wellness allowance of $250 a year for staff to buy yoga memberships and other health-related items.
Some of these conditions are available in the government school system too, but vary widely between states.
Teachers in the private sector have generally been paid higher wages to make up for more intense demands from parents and greater workloads such as Saturday morning sport, with the gap as much as $15,000 in some states.
Brad Hayes, Independent Education Union federal secretary said that while pay and conditions vary, new agreements are delivering long overdue recognition for teachers, school leaders and support staff.
“Teachers don’t enter the profession for the pay, but competitive salaries are essential to rebuild a sustainable workforce. Parents want the best for their children, and they understand that means paying competitive salaries to hardworking teachers,” Mr Hayes said.
Here are some of the recent pay deals struck at Top 100 Private Schools and other non-government educational providers this year.
Victoria
Victorian state school teachers are gearing up for a fight with the state government over demands for a “crisis catch-up” pay rise of up to 30 per cent, with talks about the next deal about to kick off. Senior teachers in the state system earn up to $118,000, reaching $129,000 for leadership roles (excluding principal positions) in 2025. This compares to leading teachers at some schools such as Toorak College earning $180,000, with substantial pay rises awarded to educators in some schools.
Private schools
According to the IEU, a small number of agreements now that they have cultural leave and ceremonial leave as additional days of paid leave. These are often limited to one to three days leave. Many schools provide family and domestic violence leave in excess of the national legal requirement of ten days leave. Salary rates in union negotiated agreements vary based on many factors including the size of the school, staffing cohorts and school resources.
Entry level graduate rates vary from $82,155 to $96,585. After many years’ of experience, teachers at the top of the scale can earn between $115,000 and $136,000. Teachers prepared to undertake additional responsibilities or management roles can apply internally for access to rates of $144,000 if successful in some schools.
Yarra Valley Grammar
This private co-ed school offers teachers a 35 per cent discount on school fees, $200 overnight to attend school camps and ten days of family violence leave, among other entitlements. By 2027, a starting teacher at the school will earn $98,000 and one at level 11 will earn $144,000, with those in positions of responsibility getting up to $31,000 more a year. The teachers were also given 3.75 per cent pay rises each in 2025, 2026 and 2027 under their new deal.
Strathcona
This in-demand girls’ school in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne gives teachers one third off tuition fees for their girls at the school and 38 hours of paid pre-natal leave, among other entitlements. Teachers are also given half a period in lieu for intercampus travel. The recent deal delivered teachers a 3.5 per cent pay rise in 2025, 3.25 per cent in 2026 and 3.25 per cent in 2027. By 2027, level 12 teachers will be paid $139,000 with level E leadership positions attracting an extra $21,000.
St Margaret’s Berwick Grammar
This non-denominational co-ed school in outer Melbourne gives teachers a 50 per cent discount on tuition fees for their children attending the school. Staff are also paid $120 for overnight camps and receive three days of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ceremonial Leave, among other benefits. By 2027, a top-tier level 11 teacher will earn $135,000 and those with the highest positions of responsibility will receive an extra allowance of $18,000.
Queensland
Teachers from Queensland went on strike earlier this month after rejecting an industrial deal from the state government that included 8 per cent pay rises over three years. At present state school teachers in Queensland are paid $84,000 at a base level, $123,000 for an experienced senior teacher, rising to $143,000 for a head of department. Here’s what their private school counterparts have secured in recent deals signed this year.
Coolum Beach Christian College
Teachers at this private school on the Sunshine Coast recently struck a deal giving them an 8 per cent pay increase in January 2025, 5 per cent in 2026 and 5 per cent in 2027. A starting teacher will be paid $89,000 by 2027 and a level 13 teacher $126,000 by 2027. High-achieving or leadership teachers receive an extra $10,000. Among the many allowances, staff receive one day a year of paid health check leave to attend doctor’s appointments.
Presbyterian and Methodist Schools’ Association Agreement
Covers Brisbane Boys’ College, Clayfield College, Somerville College, Sunshine Coast Grammar
These four schools all signed a joint agreement to pay graduate teachers $95,000 by 2027, proficient teachers at level 7 $134,000 by 2027 and leader teachers $154,000 by 2027. Staff also receive five days paid and five unpaid Indigenous cultural leave and five days paid reproductive health leave, among other benefits.
St Hilda’s School
This well-regarded girls’ school on the Gold Coast recently signed an agreement committing to pay their staff above the government award for teachers. If the gap between them and their state peers is eroded, then negotiations can recommence. Teachers under the new agreement also get $165 a night for looking after students and a $250 annual wellness allowance for yoga classes or gym memberships. Graduate teachers at the school will be paid $103,000 by 2027 and an accomplished teacher on band 3.3 will get $148,000 by 2027. A teacher with a level one position of responsibility is paid 25 per cent extra.
Townsville Grammar
This co-ed day and boarding school recently signed an agreement giving teachers who are also members of the defence services up to 28 days paid leave a year. Staff also receive 10 days of Indigenous cultural leave, including two that are paid. The agreement will deliver pay rates of 4 per cent in 2025, 4 per cent in 2026 and 3 per cent in 2027. The school’s most experienced lead teacher will earn $163,000 a year by 2027, a starting teacher will earn $81,000 and those on the top of band 3 will earn $128,000.
Other perks include $24 an hour overtime by 2027 and a moderation allowance of $30 an hour by 2027.
South Australia
Teachers in SA accepted a $1.6bn enterprise agreement offer delivering a 4 per cent pay rise in 2024, 4 per cent in 2025 and 3 per cent in 2026.
State school teachers earn from $82,000 (band one) to $119,000 (band 9) and a highly accomplished teacher is earning $129,000 in 2025. Among other perks, teachers can access 15 days of paid leave for cultural and community service to “fulfil community, ceremonial, family, funeral and /or cultural obligations”. Here’s what some of their private counterparts have won in recent agreements.
Prince Alfred College
This well-regarded boys’ school near the centre of Adelaide offers teachers one day of special leave to attend family reunions or a child’s first day of school. Teachers also get $120 for overnight camps and three days for prenatal and fertility treatment leave. Teachers who have sons at PAC get an impressive 50 per cent off fees and 25 per cent off for their daughters who attend Seymour College. A starting teacher at PAC will receive $86,000 by 2027 and a level 10 teacher $133,000, with those in positions of responsibility receiving an extra $29,000.
Wilderness School
This excellent girls’ school in the inner north of Adelaide grants teachers 10 days of family violence leave a year and $130 a night to go on school camps, among other entitlements. Teachers secured a pay rise of 5.4 per cent in 2025, 3.75 per cent in 2026 and 3.75 per cent in 2027. By 2027, a step one teacher will earn $85,000 and a highly advanced skills teacher $135,000.
New South Wales
In October last year, NSW state school teachers signed a deal delivering them pay rises of 10 per cent over three years. Teachers also received an extra two pupil-free days per year and regular after-school meetings limited to one hour a week. The deal also included protection against high inflation through annual $1000 cost of living adjustments if inflation exceeds 4.5 per cent. A NSW state school graduate teacher earns $87,000, rising to $144,000 for a head teacher.
Private schools
Around 200 NSW schools from Abbotsleigh to Zahra Grammar in NSW and ACT are covered by one agreement, with a new three-year deal struck in April 2025. Perks include
one day of special leave – such as the graduation of a family member – two days paid disaster leave and ten days family violence leave. The landmark deal delivers pay rises taking a step one teacher salary to $97,000 by 2027, a step 2.5 teacher to $138,000 and level four leadership allowances of $50,000 to be paid by 2027.
Three days cultural leave has been introduced in some agreements in NSW. Parental leave arrangements in the non-government school sector still often lags behind conditions in state schools.
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Originally published as Indigenous culture leave, fertility days off, yoga: Private school teachers’ wild pay and perks
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