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Every pay parity educator is assigned to one of five qualification groups — P1 through P5 — based on their teaching qualifications. The qualification group determines what step they start at on the salary scale and how their minimum step progresses as their service hours accumulate.

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The five qualification groups

Each group has a different base step, meaning teachers with higher qualifications start at a higher minimum step from day one.

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The simplified rule (July 2025–2027)

The Ministry of Education introduced a simplified rule for the period from July 2025 to July 2027. During this period, the minimum step for all pay parity educators is Step 1, regardless of qualification group or service hours. The platform applies this rule automatically — you don’t need to do anything differently during this period.

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How qualification group is set

Qualification group is set on the staff member’s Pay Parity tab and is recorded as part of each pay review. It can be updated when a staff member gains a higher qualification. During recruitment, candidates can provide their qualification group on the application form. This carries across to their staff profile when they’re converted, so you may not need to enter it manually for staff who came through your recruitment pipeline.

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Progression within a group

As a teacher accumulates NZ recognised ECE service hours, they may become eligible for a higher step within their qualification group. The platform calculates the minimum step automatically — when a teacher’s hours cross a threshold for the next step, their compliance status will show as Step Due, prompting you to record a pay review and update their actual step.