2025 WAIRC 00652
Teachers' Aides' (Independent Schools) Award 1988

1B. - MINIMUM ADULT AWARD WAGE

(1) No employee aged 21 or more shall be paid less than the minimum adult award wage unless otherwise provided by this clause.

(2) The minimum adult award wage for full-time employees aged 21 or more working under an award that provides for a 38-hour week is $953.00 per week.

The minimum adult award wage for full-time employees aged 21 or more working under awards that provide for other than a 38-hour week is calculated as follows: divide $953.00 by 38 and multiply by the number of ordinary hours prescribed for a full-time employee under the award.

The minimum adult award wage is payable from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after 1 July 2025.

(3) The minimum adult award wage is deemed to include all State Wage order adjustments from State Wage Case decisions.

(4) Unless otherwise provided in this clause adults aged 21 or more employed as casuals, part-time employees or piece workers or employees who are remunerated wholly on the basis of payment by results, shall not be paid less than pro rata the minimum adult award wage according to the hours worked.

(5) Employees under the age of 21 shall be paid no less than the wage determined by applying the percentage prescribed in the junior rates provision in this award (if applicable) to the minimum adult award wage, provided that no employee shall be paid less than any applicable minimum rate of pay prescribed by the Minimum Conditions of Employment Act 1993.

(6) The minimum adult award wage shall not apply to apprentices, employees engaged on traineeships or government approved work placement programs or employed under the Commonwealth Government Supported Wage System or to other categories of employees who by prescription are paid less than the minimum award rate, provided that no employee shall be paid less than any applicable minimum rate of pay prescribed by the Minimum Conditions of Employment Act 1993.

(7) Liberty to apply is reserved in relation to any special category of employees not included here or otherwise in relation to the application of the minimum adult award wage.

(8) Subject to this clause the minimum adult award wage shall –

(a) Apply to all work in ordinary hours.

(b) Apply to the calculation of overtime and all other penalty rates, superannuation, payments during any period of paid leave and for all purposes of this award.

(9) Minimum Adult Award Wage

The rates of pay in this award include the minimum weekly wage for employees aged 21 or more payable under the 2025 State Wage order. Any increase arising from the insertion of the minimum wage will be offset against any equivalent amount in rates of pay received by employees whose wages and conditions of employment are regulated by this award which are above the wage rates prescribed in the award. Such above award payments include wages payable pursuant to enterprise agreements, consent awards or award variations to give effect to enterprise agreements and over award arrangements. Absorption which is contrary to the terms of an agreement is not required.

Increases under previous State Wage Case Principles or under the current Statement of Principles, excepting those resulting from enterprise agreements, are not to be used to offset the minimum wage.

(10) Adult Apprentices

(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of this clause, the minimum adult apprentice wage for a full-time apprentice aged 21 years or more working under an award that provides for a 38-hour week is $791.30 per week.

(b) The minimum adult apprentice wage for a full-time apprentice aged 21 years or more working under an award that provides for other than a 38-hour week is calculated as follows: divide $791.30 by 38 and multiply by the number of ordinary hours prescribed for a full-time apprentice under the award.

(c) The minimum adult apprentice wage is payable from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after 1 July 2025.

(d) Adult apprentices aged 21 years or more employed on a part-time basis shall not be paid less than pro rata the minimum adult apprentice wage according to the hours worked.

(e) The rates paid in the paragraphs above to an apprentice 21 years of age or more are payable on superannuation and during any period of paid leave prescribed by this award.

(f) Where in this award an additional rate is expressed as a percentage, fraction or multiple of the ordinary rate of pay, it shall be calculated upon the rate prescribed in this award for the actual year of apprenticeship.



14. - WAGES

The minimum hourly award rate of wage payable to employees covered by this award operative from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after 1 July 2025 shall be:

(1) Teachers Aides


Base Rate (Per Hour)$
Arbitrated Safety Net Adjustments (Per Hour)$
Minimum Award Rate (Per Hour)$




Step 1
9.35
17.51
26.86
Step 2
9.54
17.54
27.08
Step 3
9.74
17.61
27.35
Step 4
9.98
17.69
27.67
Step 5
10.27
17.75
28.02
Step 6
10.64
17.86
28.50
Step 7
10.95
17.95
28.90
Step 8
10.71
17.88
28.59
Step 9
11.02
17.96
28.98
Step 10
11.33
18.05
29.38
Step 11
11.63
18.14
29.77
Step 12
11.82
18.21
30.03
Step 13
11.96
18.24
30.20

Progression along the wages scale shall be by annual increment.

Level One

Teachers' Aides in Primary Schools, Pre-Primary Schools or Pre-Schools Teaching Assistants

Enter Step 1
Exit Step 4

Level Two

Teachers' Aides in Aboriginal Schools, where the required training has been completed.

Teachers' Aides involved in a Special Education Programme (a part-time programme for one or more students within a mainstream school).

Enter Step 2
Exit Step 5

Level Three

Teachers' Aides in Aboriginal Secondary Schools

Teachers' Aides in Special Education Centres (a full-time class, serving a region, within a mainstream school)

Enter Step 4
Exit Step 7

Level Four

Teachers' Aides in Aboriginal Schools on satisfactory completion of the first year of Aboriginal Teachers' Training Course

Employees who have completed an approved "Classroom Assistant" Course at a recognised training institution or equivalent as agreed between the Union and the Respondents

Teachers' Aides in Special Education Schools (schools with limited enrolment to students with a particular disability)

Teaching Assistants who have completed initial training as detailed in the Aboriginal Teaching Assistants Programme Manual.

Enter Step 8
Exit Step 11

Teachers' Aides in Special Education Schools who have completed an approved "Classroom Assistant" Course at a recognised training institution

Teaching Assistants who have completed year 1 of the Diploma of Teaching or Bachelor of Education as specified in the Aboriginal Teaching Assistants Programme Manual.

Step 12

Level Five

Employees who have completed the Child Care Certificate, National Nursery Examination Board Certificate or other equivalent qualifications as agreed between the Union and the Respondents

Teachers' Aides in Aboriginal Schools on satisfactory completion of the second year of Aboriginal Teachers' Training Course

Teaching Assistants who have completed year 2 of the Diploma of Teaching or Bachelor of Education as specified in the Aboriginal Teaching Assistants Programme Manual.

Step 13

(2) A Teachers' Aide left in charge of pupils for a full session shall be paid at his/her ordinary rate plus 10% for the period for which they are left in charge, provided that, if the period for which the employee is left in charge exceeds three days, they shall be paid at the ordinary rate plus 20% for the whole period for which they are in charge.




Base Rate (Per Hour)$
Arbitrated Safety Net Adjustments (Per Hour)$
Min. Hourly Award Rate (Per Hour)$






(3)
(a)
Child Care Workers











1st year of experience
11.19
17.88
29.07


2nd year of experience
12.37
18.21
30.58


3rd year of experience
13.00
18.38
31.38


4th year of experience
13.63
18.65
32.28


5th year of experience
14.27
18.83
33.10

(b) An employee left in charge of pupils for a full session or more shall be paid no less than the rate applicable to a Child Care Worker in their fifth year of employment for the whole period they are in charge.

(4) The rates of pay in this award include arbitrated safety net adjustments available since December 1993, under the Arbitrated Safety Net Adjustment Principle.

These arbitrated safety net adjustments may be offset against any equivalent amount in the rate of pay received by employees since 1 November 1991 above the rate prescribed in the Award, except where such absorption is contrary to the terms of an industrial agreement.

Increases in rates of pay otherwise made under the State Wage Case Principles, excepting those resulting from enterprise agreements, are not to be used to offset arbitrated safety net adjustments.

(7) An employee who has had previous experience relevant to employment covered by this award may have that experience taken into account in determining the "year of employment" at which an employee is appointed and paid.

(8) A casual employee shall be paid 20 percent in addition to the rates prescribed in this clause.