Latest news

30 June 2026

What is happening where? Read these important updates. How does your school compare?

Pembroke School

• Current Top Step Teacher Salary (TST): $130,819
• 2027, 4.25%: $136,379
• 2028, 3.5%: $141,152
• 2029, 3.5%: $146,092

Bargaining is now moving into the drafting phase, with the agreement expected to be voted on early in Term 3.

The IEU bargaining team has secured a number of important improvements which include but are not limited to

• A reduction in face-to-face teaching
• 10 days Reproductive Health Leave
• 21 weeks Paid Parental Leave
• Stillbirth and Miscarriage Leave
• Enhanced Domestic and Family Violence Leave
• Pro-rata Long Service Leave after seven years of service
• Two Grace Days for professional staff
• Paid time off for professional staff when the school closes early for events such as Pet Day.
• Prescribed time off work. This is time where it determined that teachers will not be contacted by the school and there will be no school activities. An innovative extension of right to discount provisions.
• Establishment of a Workload Review Committee to review workload and work practices in the school
• Improved arrangements for parent-teacher interviews, including limits on the length of the day, changes in starting times, prescribed meal breaks, and protected non-contact time
• A consideration and trial of remote work arrangements
• Early Career Teacher Policy
• Job share policy for teachers to work part time
• Outdoor Education instructors to be included in the enterprise agreement
• Stronger Work Health and Safety provisions, including IEU notification of WHS representative elections

The IEU will continue to keep members informed as bargaining progresses and encourages all members to remain engaged in negotiations and workplace meetings.

Scotch College

Members are currently being surveyed, and bargaining claims are in the process of being developed. Bargaining is expected to commence in Term 3, with members’ priorities helping shape the union’s log of claims.

Initial feedback from member consultation, and conversations is that salary and workload are key issues for staff

Teachers have raised with us the need for more flexibility.   Other issues identified include reducing face-to-face teaching time, increasing non-instructional time (NIT), managing class and student complexity, limiting relief lessons, and ensuring fair recognition of co-curricular activities. The process and procedures around appointment of Positions of Responsibility (PORs) has been a common theme.

For professional services staff, members identified a range of priorities focused on fair recognition and compensation for their work. Key issues included a toileting and personal care allowance, increased travel and first aid allowances, improved overtime provisions, penalty rates and loadings, and on-call allowances. Grounds and maintenance staff also highlighted the importance of fair Rostered Day Off (RDO) arrangements.

For early learning staff, priorities centred on increased planning time, improved educator-to-child ratios, better sick leave provisions, employer-funded professional development opportunities, improved classification structures and the Worker Retention Payment, including the full flow-on of government-funded wage increases.

A comprehensive log of claims will be developed once the online survey is completed and we have accessed all member views.

Pulteney Grammar School

Pulteney Grammar School Bargaining Update

• Current TST: $115,045
• 2026, 4%: $119,647
• 2027, 3.5%: $123,834
• 2028,3.5%: $128,169

An application has now been lodged with the Fair Work Commission (FWC) seeking approval of the agreement and there are a number of ‘better off overall test’ (BOOT) issues that the Fair Work Commission (FWC) will have to consider before approval.

Tyndale Christian Group of Schools

• Current TST: $116,515
• 2026, 4% interim: $121,176
• 2027, 3%: $124,811
• 2028, 3%: $128,555

The Enterprise Bargaining is being undertaken under the single interest bargaining stream. It allows for or more employers with a common interest to bargaining for a single agreement. For this to occur an authorisation has to be given by the FWC, and this authorisation is only for 12 months. The employer failed to seek an extension of this authorisation, and the bargaining has stalled whilst this is being corrected.

Members have raised numerous concerns regarding the employee’s draft agreement, and we are meeting with Sub-Branches to explore these concerns and next steps.

Annesley Junior School

• Current TST: $122,000
• 2026, 3.25%: $125,965
• 2027, 3%: $129,744
• 2028, 3%: $133,636

An application has been lodged with the FWC for approval of the Enterprise Agreement.

Salary increases for General Staff for 2026 range from 6% to 9.25%

Salary increases for Early Learning Centre (ELC) and Out of Hours School Care (OHSC) staff for 2026 range from 3.25% to 6%

St Andrew’s School

• Current TST, $124,510
• 2026, 4%: $129,490
• 2027, 3.5%: $134,023
• 2028, 3.5%: $138,713

An application has been lodged with the FWC for approval of the Enterprise Agreement (EA).

St Peter’s Woodlands Grammar School

This EA was narrowly voted up by 1 vote to get a majority in the second round of voting.

It was approved by the FWC on 15 June 2026.

St John’s Grammar School

This EA was approved by the FWC on 27 May 2026.  All members should have now received their backpay – contact our office if you do not believe you have received it.

Our Sub-Branch Reps Meredith and Alyssia will be collating any feedback about this bargain, so please pass on any feedback you may have.

Walford Anglican Girls

Since the last EA update, members achieved improvement on a number of conditions from the School including an increase to 3.75% in the final year of the proposed agreement.

1. The current offer from the School is:
   4. 4.25% from when the agreement is voted on
   5. 3.5% from 1 February 2027
   6. 3.75% from 1 February 2028
2. Camp Allowance – the School agreed to no cap.
3. School Support Officer (SSO) Grade 4 overtime – an improved overtime clause was agreed.
4. Parental Leave; including long-term Foster Carers Leave of 8 weeks for a child under 2, and 4 weeks for a child 2 and over.

On 11 June 2026 the agreement was voted yes by a large majority.  It is currently in the FWC for approval.

The union argued for, and got, agreement from the School to process the pay increase as of the day of the ‘Yes’ vote, so that members do not have to wait for the agreement to be approved for their salary increase.

Pedare Christian College

On 28 May, the EA was voted up by a large majority.  The EA is currently in the FWC awaiting approval.

This agreement will see one of the highest pay rises recently in the independent sector — being 15.75% over four years.

This is an an excellent effort by the strong bargaining Rep group of Jen George, Christopher Bond, Jordan Skinner, Sarah Mossel, Ingrid Moodley, Raelene Lyon and Kai Benyk.

Woodcroft College

Since the NO vote, the IEU office has had two meetings with the employer executive to discuss bargaining.  We have been consulting with members via surveys and through face-to-face meetings.

The IEU has been successful in seeking improvements from the College — being:

• An increase of the pay % being 4% each year for 3 years
• Back pay from 20 April 2026 (previously 1 July 2026)
• Workload reduction for Middle School, Senior School and Junior School Tutor/classroom teachers of 45 minutes from 2028. This will be confirmed in a Memorandum of Understanding.
• Backdated conditions to 1 February for camp allowances, parental and partner leave. The EA has been amended with a new clause to reflect the same.
• For ELC staff, an additional 1% pay, on top of the annual FWC minimum wage increase each year. That means this year they will receive 5.75% instead of 4.75%.

The College have advised they will put the agreement back out to vote early Term 3.

Prince Alfred College – Early Learning Centre

We have had a number of Sub-Branch meetings to date — providing further information in relation to pay, allowances and classification claims.

We await the School’s response.

Garden College

We are continuing to organise and develop the Log of Claims.  On Friday 19 June, the College issued the Notice of employee representational rights (NERR) form.

We are currently planning our first bargaining meeting for early Term 3 and will advise members as soon as this is decided.

Kings Baptist

We have commenced bargaining with our next meeting to be held on Tuesday 23 June. We are currently drafting the Log of Claims and reviewing the feedback from the survey members completed.  If you have any additional feedback, please contact your organiser Brian Horan or Rep Emma R.

Sunrise Early Learning Centre and Schools

The Schools’ Multi-Agreement draft is out for consultation.

Salary and country incentives have not been addressed adequately and we will be suggesting that staff vote NO to the agreement when it is put to a vote.

Kaplan International (was University of Adelaide College)

Members have endorsed the Log of Claims and we will begin negotiations shortly.

Kaplan have indicated that they are drafting an agreement. If that is the case, and they present it as a final document without articulating employer claims — and negotiation on those — and member claims, then we may find ourselves in dispute at a very early stage.

St George College

Members are starting to develop a Log of Claims.

The first meeting is scheduled for the first week of Term 3.

Watch for a survey which will come to members in the coming days.

St George staff remain some of the lowest paid staff in independent schools, although it should be acknowledged that the College has made a 5% ‘out of agreement’ increase at the beginning of the year.

Pinnacle College

Reps have met and a survey is out to members to inform the Log of Claims.

We have our bargaining team finalised and the first EA meeting is to be held this week.

E&OE