Does this template work out teacher-to-child ratios?

No. It shows who is rostered when, the breaks each shift earns and the paid hours per role. Ratio and licensing decisions are yours; the roster records the outcome.

What breaks does a teacher on an 8-hour shift get?

Under Part 6D of the Employment Relations Act 2000, a work period over 6 and under 10 hours earns two paid 10-minute rest breaks and one unpaid 30-minute meal break. Agree the timing with each teacher so the floor is covered; the Act sets default timings only when nothing is agreed. This is general information, not legal advice. For specific situations, talk to an employment law specialist or your advisor.

Can I add a Saturday?

Yes. Add the day to a role in the CSV, or in the roster generator tick Saturday for the people who work it. Breaks and totals follow.

What about public holidays?

The week you pick marks the national public holidays on the days they are observed, from 2024 to 2031. Most centres close on them; if yours opens, anyone who works is paid at least time and a half for the hours worked and, if it is an otherwise working day for them, earns an alternative holiday.

Free roster template

Childcare and early learning roster template

A Monday to Friday centre open 7:30 to 6:00 with staggered teacher shifts so the floor is covered at both ends of the day, plus a cook and a reliever. Breaks are worked out for every shift so cover for them can be planned.

Week starting

Weeks run Monday to Sunday. Pick any day and we use its Monday; public holidays follow the week.

Roles stand in for people. Download the CSV and rename them, or build your own week in the roster generator.

Childcare and early learning roster for Mon 12 Oct to Sun 18 Oct

Total paid hours: 189h

Person	Mon 12 Oct	Tue 13 Oct	Wed 14 Oct	Thu 15 Oct	Fri 16 Oct	Hours
Head teacher	08:00-16:002 rest breaks, 1 meal break	08:00-16:002 rest breaks, 1 meal break	08:00-16:002 rest breaks, 1 meal break	08:00-16:002 rest breaks, 1 meal break	08:00-16:002 rest breaks, 1 meal break	37h 30m
Teacher, early	07:30-15:302 rest breaks, 1 meal break	07:30-15:302 rest breaks, 1 meal break	07:30-15:302 rest breaks, 1 meal break	07:30-15:302 rest breaks, 1 meal break	07:30-15:302 rest breaks, 1 meal break	37h 30m
Teacher, middle	08:30-16:302 rest breaks, 1 meal break	08:30-16:302 rest breaks, 1 meal break	08:30-16:302 rest breaks, 1 meal break	08:30-16:302 rest breaks, 1 meal break	08:30-16:302 rest breaks, 1 meal break	37h 30m
Teacher, late	10:00-18:002 rest breaks, 1 meal break	10:00-18:002 rest breaks, 1 meal break	10:00-18:002 rest breaks, 1 meal break	10:00-18:002 rest breaks, 1 meal break	10:00-18:002 rest breaks, 1 meal break	37h 30m
Cook	09:00-14:001 rest break, 1 meal break	09:00-14:001 rest break, 1 meal break	09:00-14:001 rest break, 1 meal break	09:00-14:001 rest break, 1 meal break	09:00-14:001 rest break, 1 meal break	22h 30m
Reliever			09:00-15:001 rest break, 1 meal break	09:00-15:001 rest break, 1 meal break	09:00-15:001 rest break, 1 meal break	16h 30m

Breaks are the Employment Relations Act 2000 minimums for each shift length; agree the timing with each employee. Public holidays are national ones. This is general information, not legal advice. For specific situations, talk to an employment law specialist or your advisor.

How this template is built

Why the week is shaped this way, so you can change it with confidence.

Staggered starts cover both ends of the day

The early teacher opens at 7:30 and the late teacher closes at 6:00, with the head teacher and the middle shift across the core of the day. Every teacher shift is 8 hours: two paid 10-minute rest breaks and one unpaid 30-minute meal break.

Breaks need cover on the floor

Someone has to be with the children while a teacher is on a break, so the staggered starts put the most people on between 10:00 and 3:30, which is when the meal breaks fall. Move the reliever’s days to wherever your cover is thinnest.

Ratios stay your call

The template shows hours and breaks. It does not calculate teacher-to-child ratios or check licensing requirements; you stay in control of staffing decisions, and the roster is the record of what you decided.

A 5-hour cook and a part-week reliever

The cook’s 9:00 to 2:00 earns one rest break and one meal break. The reliever works Wednesday to Friday; add Monday and Tuesday in the CSV or the generator if you need five days.

What every template includes

Three things a blank grid does not do for you.

Breaks by shift length

Every shift shows the minimum breaks Part 6D of the Employment Relations Act 2000 requires for its length: 2 to 4 hours, 1 paid 10-minute rest break; over 4 to 6 hours, 1 paid 10-minute rest break and 1 unpaid 30-minute meal break; over 6 to under 10 hours, 2 paid 10-minute rest breaks and 1 unpaid 30-minute meal break; 10 to 12 hours, 3 paid 10-minute rest breaks and 1 unpaid 30-minute meal break. Agree the timing with each employee; the Act sets default timings when nothing is agreed.

Source: Employment New Zealand: rest and breaks

Public holidays marked

The 11 national public holidays are marked on the days they are observed, including Mondayised dates, for any week from 2024 to 2031. Regional anniversary days are not marked because they depend on where you are; the public holiday planner lists them for 2026 and 2027.

Source: Employment New Zealand: public holidays and anniversary dates

Hours, not dollars

Each role gets a total of paid hours for the week: the rostered time minus unpaid meal breaks. There are no pay rates anywhere in the template, so it can go on the wall or to the team as it is. Download it as a CSV for Google Sheets or Excel, print it or save it as a PDF, or have it emailed to you with the CSV attached.

Break calculator and public holiday planner

Other roster templates

None of them fit? Build your own week in the roster generator, or see all the templates.

Template questions, answered

Does this template work out teacher-to-child ratios?: No. It shows who is rostered when, the breaks each shift earns and the paid hours per role. Ratio and licensing decisions are yours; the roster records the outcome.
What breaks does a teacher on an 8-hour shift get?: Under Part 6D of the Employment Relations Act 2000, a work period over 6 and under 10 hours earns two paid 10-minute rest breaks and one unpaid 30-minute meal break. Agree the timing with each teacher so the floor is covered; the Act sets default timings only when nothing is agreed. This is general information, not legal advice. For specific situations, talk to an employment law specialist or your advisor.
Can I add a Saturday?: Yes. Add the day to a role in the CSV, or in the roster generator tick Saturday for the people who work it. Breaks and totals follow.
What about public holidays?: The week you pick marks the national public holidays on the days they are observed, from 2024 to 2031. Most centres close on them; if yours opens, anyone who works is paid at least time and a half for the hours worked and, if it is an otherwise working day for them, earns an alternative holiday.

Keep the template, drop the retyping

In Clockie a week like this is saved as a named template and applied to any week, or you copy last week and adjust. Publish it by email or text message, see who is rostered today on the kiosk, and compare rostered hours with clock-ins. Rostering is included in every plan.

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