Karen Catchpole

Ko Kurahaupō rāua ko Tākitimu nga waka

Ko Rangitūmau te maunga me Tararua nga pae maunga

Ko Ruamahanga te awa

Ko Te Ore Ore te marae

Ko Ngāti Hamua rāua ko Ngāti Ua te awha nga hapū

Ko Rangitāne rāua ko Ngāti Kahungunu nga iwi

Ko Karen toku ingoa

I am a passionate, professional educator with experience in educational leadership, strategic planning, and implementation. I am a transformational leader with a strong background in developing and implementing engaging curriculum. I have a proven track record of driving academic success while fostering a collaborative school environment, with staff, students, and whānau. Student growth and achievement are at the forefront of everything I do. Utilising student achievement data to inform teachers' intentional practice, to ensure all children's learning needs are met. With additional accelerated support given where needed.

I have a sound knowledge and understanding of Wairere Schools vision 'Quality Education in a Caring Environment' and the core values of Ako, Kaitiakitanga, Manaakitanga, Rangatiratanga, Tū Kaha, and Whanaungatanga.

I am skilled in classroom management, lesson planning, and adapting to diverse educational needs. I have expertise in curriculum development and staff training. I am known for my adaptability, reliability, and results-driven approach, ensuring smooth and effective teaching operations. I am confident in driving growth and change, and strive to grow as a lead practitioner.

I have built strong relationships with tamariki, kaiako and the wider community of Wairere School, while instilling and promoting trust, accountability, and dedication. I understand that whānau-type relationships are different for everyone, as we are all unique individuals with different needs, personalities and opinions. With my enthusiastic and strong interpersonal skills, I know that I can further contribute to Wairere School's welcoming, whānau friendly, rural community environment. I believe that every learner, with the right leader, will be able to flourish and grow.

My growth and development throughout my teaching career has been both interesting and informative. I have discovered new ideas, practices, and developments, and I have learnt a lot from my colleagues and students. I have enjoyed my teaching journey, and look forward to what my future journey entails for me, as I continue to grow and learn. My vision as a leader, and teacher, is to inspire, challenge, and support my colleagues and students to become the best they can be in life. I want to have a positive impact on adults' and students' personal growth and development. I want to provide students with real-life learning opportunities that prepare them mentally, physically, emotionally, and academically for their futures. I strive to equip everyone with the skills to make appropriate decisions that reflect what they believe and what they value as important. To be an effective leader, and teacher, I would continue to further develop my leadership and teaching skills, by continuing to keep up to date with current and new practices. My overarching goal is to develop a student-centred, safe, learning environment, where quality teaching and learning is a key priority. A quality learning programme personalised to help every ākonga to fulfil their goals and reach their potential. I would strive to enable all tamariki to grow as confident and enthusiastic learners. I use my sound knowledge of the New Zealand Curriculum and characteristics of effective teaching to create an engaging presence with good communication, listening, collaboration, adaptability, empathy and patience skills. I value real-world learning, exchange of best practices and lifelong love of learning. I would cherish the opportunity to further apply these skills and knowledge to Wairere School.

• My teaching and learning within the ALiM (Accelerated Learning in Mathematics) programme were highly successful, with strong outcomes across both cohorts. All students involved made clear progress, as evidenced by e-asTTle data. Results showed accelerated achievement, with students making gains of between 2 to 5 sublevels— well above expected progress. The targeted teaching strategies, focused small group instruction, and emphasis on mathematical reasoning and problem-solving contributed to this success. These outcomes reflect the effectiveness of the programme in raising student confidence, engagement, and overall achievement in mathematics. My observations and teaching created the Wairere Implementation Plan into policy.
• I successfully led the implementation of the Aotearoa New Zealand Histories curriculum at Wairere School, supporting staff to build confidence and capability in this new learning area. I developed and curated a range of teaching resources aligned with the curriculum and our local context, ensuring they were practical, engaging, and easy to integrate into classroom programmes. I also facilitated professional learning sessions for staff, creating opportunities for collaboration, discussion, and shared understanding. This leadership helped build a strong foundation for delivering rich, meaningful histories learning that reflects the unique stories and perspectives of Aotearoa.
• I played a key role in supporting the implementation of the New Zealand English Curriculum at Wairere School by co-developing the school-wide Writing Implementation Plan. This plan provided a clear and cohesive approach to writing instruction across all year levels. In addition, creating a comprehensive yearly overview that ensured balanced coverage of Oral Language, Reading, and Writing. This overview supports teachers in planning and delivering an integrated and progressive literacy programme, aligned with the literacy learning progressions and tailored to meet the needs of the learners.
• I regularly input and analyse student achievement data to inform and guide my teaching practice. This analysis helps identify trends, strengths, and next learning steps across all literacy and mathematics areas. The data is used not only to plan targeted, differentiated classroom instruction but also to design remedial teaching programmes for students requiring additional support. By closely monitoring progress through ongoing assessment, I ensure that teaching is responsive and meets the diverse needs of all learners, supporting both acceleration and consolidation where needed. I also contribute to school-wide data discussions by presenting analysed data to the Board of Trustees, providing clear insights into student achievement and progress, and informing strategic decision-making.
• I was actively involved in co-constructing the mid-year and end-of-year report templates at Wairere School, ensuring they aligned with the New Zealand Curriculum and clearly communicated student progress and achievement to whānau. The templates were designed to be user-friendly for both teachers and families, while still providing meaningful, curriculum-based information. In addition to this, I supported the reporting process by reading and checking student reports for accuracy, consistency, and clarity, helping to maintain a high standard of written communication across the school.
• I have built and maintained outstanding connections with both past and present families within the Wairere School community. I have enjoyed seeing past students I have taught excel, becoming Head Boy/Girl or Deputy Head Boy/Girl and Dux at Matamata College throughout the years. My genuine relationships and consistent involvement have helped strengthen the home–school partnership and foster a strong sense of belonging for whānau. I actively participate in a wide range of community events, including school productions, fundraisers, and sporting events, and I’m always willing to support where needed. A highlight of my community involvement was helping to organise and oversee key areas of the school’s 100th Centenary celebrations held at Wairere School—an event that honoured the legacy of our kura and brought the wider community together.
• I have actively supported the Principal and Board of Trustees at Wairere School in the development of the school’s Strategic Plan, Annual Implementation Plan, and budget. My input has helped ensure that planning documents are purposeful, achievable, and aligned with the needs of our learners and wider school community. I have also contributed to the sourcing of high-quality resources to support teaching and learning across the school. In addition, I’ve played a key role in enhancing the aesthetic appearance of our learning environment—both inside and outside—by supporting improvements that create welcoming, engaging, and well-organised spaces for students, staff, and visitors.
• I take great pride in sharing my love and commitment for Wairere School, knowing that my past Student-Teachers have returned to be currently employed at Wairere School.