Senior Leadership Team

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David Ferguson - Headmaster

Kia ora. I was born and brought up in the North East of England and New Zealand has been home for 20 years now (as has Westlake Boys High School). I am from a family of education leaders and the values instilled in me during my formative years still stand me in good stead – working hard, being nice to people and contributing positively to a community.

I always wanted to be a teacher and I started teaching PE in a boys’ school in the UK in the early nineties. I think teaching is the best job in the world.

I have been lucky enough to have served as the Headmaster of Westlake since 2010 and I enjoy it more every year. Westlake is the school I wish I had been able to go when I was a teenage boy. I see my role as doing what I can to make sure everyone here can feel good about being here every day, whoever they are. We are a large, diverse and high achieving organisation that is a microcosm of Auckland society in 2022.

I’m really excited about our future and hope that we can continue to be a successful school where teenage boys want to come and achieve great things and where adults want to work, grow and contribute to our culture.

Paul Fordham - Associate Principal

Westlake Boys High School is my alma mater. Following my graduation from school I studied a Bachelor of Physical Education at the University of Auckland and continued with Post Graduate study in Social Theory with particular interest in Masculinity. I have spent the past 14 years teaching in single-sex boys’ secondary education on Auckland’s North Shore in both the state sector and Catholic sector. During this time, I also spent a year teaching at Surbiton Girls High School in the United Kingdom. I am passionate about Physical Education and the role it can play in fostering positive behaviours for maintaining wellness.

I have been fortunate to have held various areas of responsibility throughout my time in education including leading a physical education department, being a senior dean, managing school-wide property, coordinating and maintaining school-wide health and safety procedures, being the director of sport, music and performing arts, a Deputy Principal and now Associate Principal. My main area of responsibility is pastoral care and ensuring Westlake is a safe and healthy place of learning for our student body.

My leadership approach is to hold students at the heart of decision-making. We know that young men benefit from relational education where trust and high expectations are a priority. I therefore value fairness and consistency, effective communication, ensuring I am visible and approachable and role modelling what we expect of our young men. We have a responsibility for our practice to be adaptive and reflect the needs of the students we serve, and in this respect, developing the professional capacity of staff is a priority.

At Westlake Boys High School, we aspire to be the best, and this vision is reflected in the quality of what is on offer. It is an honour to be able to enact change and drive initiatives which help our student body succeed.

Becky O'Gram - Associate Principal

Originally from Reading, England, I trained as a teacher at the University of Leeds after completing a degree in Mathematics with Computer Science. I have always been passionate about Mathematics and knew I wanted to teach it from the age of 14. After a few years of teaching in England, we took the chance to make a permanent move to Auckland and I’ve been at Westlake since 2012.

I have been fortunate to have plenty of experiences to grow and take on leadership positions whilst staying at a school I love being part of. This has included Head of Mathematics, Deputy Principal, and now Associate Principal from 2022. My main responsibilities are focused on curriculum and ensuring the high-class delivery of teaching and learning that Westlake Boys is known for.

My passion for education is centred on high expectations and supporting all students to achieve their very best. I believe excellent teachers build positive relationships, provide options that cater to a variety of needs, and celebrate successes. I am invested in developing great teachers, ensuring the strength of our profession for generations to come. I love working at Westlake Boys; our students are engaging, insightful, fun, entertaining and a pleasure to work with. I feel it a privilege to witness their growth into fine young men.

Matthew Russell - Deputy Principal

Born and bred in Tāmaki Makaurau, I have not moved far from home. In fact, my grandfather grew up in old Northcote in the 1920s, and I remember him telling me stories of how he roamed the shore through the farms and orchards and swam and fished at Sulphur Beach, a little different from the Shore now.

After I left school, I studied a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in Chemistry at the University of Auckland and commenced my career in education at Westlake in 2008. While teaching Chemistry, and since 2017 Earth and Space Science, I have enjoyed the continuous journey of learning. Sharing a passion for lifelong learning with many talented young men over my time here is a real highlight for me.

I joined the senior leadership team in 2022 and my responsibilities as a Deputy Principal are leading NCEA and assessment as the Principal’s Nominee. Before joining the senior leadership team, I was the Head of Faculty - Science for almost ten years, a role that I greatly enjoyed, made even better by the dedicated and hard-working teachers in the faculty.

The shore is a fantastic place to grow up as a young man and Westlake is, in my opinion, the jewel in the crown of that experience. The opportunities offered are first class, and I enjoy the moments when I help with the co-curricular music programme, in particular the Westlake Concert Band, seeing the amazing work our music teachers do with our ākonga.

Shane Young - Deputy Principal

Originally from South Africa, Westlake is the only school I have taught at in New Zealand. Both my sons have attended the School and my wife has spent a few years teaching at Westlake Boys too. In my twenty years at Westlake I have mainly taught Commerce, Accounting and Economics but started as a Mathematics teacher and taught the subject for a number of years.

I coached cricket for around 10 years but my passion outside the classroom is rugby. Barring two years, I have been manager of the 1^st XV my entire time at Westlake. My responsibilities as a Deputy Principal currently lie with operations including managing the calendar, staff duties, health and safety, prefects and EOTC.

Being part of and contributing to a team is very important to me. Leading by example would be my modus operandi and striving to make a difference. Upon reflection, I would like to have made an improvement in whatever way. There are so many opportunities for our young men at Westlake and every day presents a new challenge, there is very little chance of being stuck in a rut. Our students and past students excel in all spheres of life and star on many stages, locally and globally. It is indeed a privilege to be a part of this School.

Joe Cachopa - Deputy Principal

A keen jogger, avid reader, and eager traveller, I have been at Westlake for approximately twenty years. I am a Social Science teacher, having taught Senior History and Junior Social Studies for numerous years.

My responsibilities include looking after our School Induction programme, our Student Teacher programme, First- and Second-year teachers programme as well as co-ordinating the Auckland Secondary Schools Teacher Trainee programme. This consists of working with a team of experienced Westlake teachers and lecturers at Waikato University.

It is a great privilege working alongside our novice teachers as they begin their educational journey at Westlake. It is a privilege to share my teaching experiences with so many enthusiastic, energetic, and dedicated teachers who want to be the best versions of themselves in our classrooms. I love watching them grow as people and develop into some of our finest teachers who continue to make a positive difference to the lives of our students. It’s an honour that I do not take for granted.

Helen Jorgensen - Assistant Principal

As Assistant Principal my role is to monitor, mentor and support students through their NCEA qualifications, and work with teachers, deans, and students to ensure that all our young men leave school with the qualifications they need to be successful. I am passionate about helping our young men find success, both in the classroom and beyond.

I have been teaching at Westlake Boys since 2009 and during this time I have taught Social Studies, Hauora, and English. Prior to my role as Assistant Principal, I was head of the Level 1 NCEA English course for 9 years, and I also completed 6 years as a dean. Outside the classroom, I have been heavily involved in the distance running programme for ten years.

When I am not at Westlake Boys I enjoy spending time with family and friends, travelling and playing sport, especially netball. I am fond of skiing in winter, and tennis and touch rugby in the summer. However, my true passion is supporting our students to be the best that they can be. I am very proud to be part of a school that offers incredible opportunities, dedication, and support for our young men.

Conor Pearson - Assistant Principal

Kia ora koutou. I’ve been lucky enough to work at Westlake for the last five years and have loved every moment. In my role as an Assistant Principal, my primary concern is the welfare and well-being of our students. My particular focus is guiding the Year 9 cohort through their transition process and ensuring they feel enthusiastic and energised about coming to school every day. Making Westlake a safe and inclusive environment for all students is my priority.

As educators, we have a responsibility to ensure we best equip our boys with the skills they need to become conscientious young men. As such, focusing on the character education of our students is a specific passion of mine. As well as this, I am also an English teacher. I am delighted to share my love of literature with our students every day.

Outside of the classroom, my passion lies in the sporting arena; I’ve helped manage the Westlake Football Programme for a few years and currently coach our Year 9 A1 team. When I’m not working I enjoy playing sport, reading, running, and spending time with my wife, son and dog.

Nick Dale - Assistant Principal

I have worked at Westlake Boys High School since 2012 and really enjoy being part of Westlake’s friendly, welcoming community. I believe Westlake is an outstanding school which provides amazing opportunities for our students.

I have been fortunate to take on varied roles and responsibilities both inside and outside the classroom during my time at Westlake. This has included being a Pastoral and Academic Dean, a Within School Leader as part of the Pupuke Kāhui Ako, Community of Learning, and running the football programme for a number of years.

My particular focus is working with our pastoral team to ensure all students are given the care and support they require while at school. I also work alongside our Pasifika community to ensure that they remain connected to Westlake through their culture.

I am passionate about educating young men and aim to make a difference in the lives of all our students. I believe that it’s important for our boys to be positive role models to both other students and the wider community, this will ensure that they are successful in whatever they choose to do in the future.

In my spare time I enjoy playing and watching sport and spending time with my wife and three young children.

Jude Arbuthnot - Assistant Principal

Originally from Southampton, UK, I began my teaching career in the North East of England. I am a dedicated and experienced teacher with over 20 years in Secondary Education and have been teaching at Westlake Boys High School since my arrival to New Zealand in 2006.

During my time at Westlake, I have held many roles in the English Faculty, have been a Within School Lead for our Community of Learning, and was of the founding House Leaders for our House System in 2008. I am fully committed to boys’ education and relish the challenges and joys that working with our young men brings on a daily basis. In recent years, I have been a Leader of Learning in our Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.

I have been a debating coach for our Premier teams over many years and have led the Media Studies Scholarship Programme since 2020 with many successes. Developing strong, positive relationships with the boys in extramural activities is one of the many reasons that Westlake Boys is an extra special place.

In my role as Assistant Principal, I am developing our programmes and support for trainee teachers and those new to the profession, whilst guiding their mentors. Our partnership with The Teachers’ Institute is central to growing our teaching staff, learning in the school from day one of the school year. I strongly believe that if we invest the time and effort into growing confident, skilled, and dedicated teachers that want to develop their career at Westlake Boys then we will continue to foster student engagement and achievement across all curriculum areas. I am also progressing our research programmes for both students and staff, having completed my own Action Research project for the International Boys’ School Coalition on the topic of boys’ writing, and my continued involvement as a mentor of other participants. Understanding further how our boys learn will be crucial to our development as educators, and to the continued success of our students.

True to type as an English and Media teacher, in my spare time you will find me reading, watching films, and enjoying spending time with my husband and two daughters.

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Carla Boniolo - Assistant Principal

Born in South Africa, my family relocated to Auckland when I was a child. Of both Italian and South African heritage, I enjoyed growing up on the multicultural North Shore. I hold a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in English Literature and Sociology from the University of Auckland.

I began teaching English at Westlake in 2017 and have relished my time here. I temporarily left Westlake for two years as part of an overseas experience and taught at two schools in central London, gaining invaluable experience teaching different curricula. After returning to Westlake in 2021, I took up several middle leadership positions. I was responsible for leading curriculum development as head of both the Level 2 English and Level 3 English Extension programmes. Additionally, I co-ordinated the school-wide NZQA Scholarship programme and am very proud of Westlake’s achievement in this space.

In my role as Assistant Principal, I am responsible for extension pathways, the Scholarship programme, and for guiding students who wish to study at universities both domestically and internationally. I take great delight in providing myriad opportunities for Westlake students to excel academically and I am passionate about encouraging our boys to achieve their academic potential.

Outside of the classroom, I am heavily involved in our debating programme and have coached premier debating teams for several years. I believe strongly in the purpose and relevance of boys’ schools and am proud of Westlake’s legacy of developing brilliant young men.

When not at school, I enjoy reading a wide variety of books and take great delight in curating my reviews on my Goodreads app. On the weekends, I enjoy playing golf, attending shows and concerts, catching up with my mum and sister, and spending time with my partner and our adopted Burmese cat.

Jim Davis - Assistant Principal

Originally from Southampton, I moved to Aotearoa with my wife in early 2013. I trained and qualified as a maths teacher in Southampton where I began my teaching career. I hold a Batchelor of Arts in Economics and Statistics from the University of Exeter, a place very special to me as this is where I also met my wife.

I have been at Westlake Boys since January 2020, when I joined as the Head of Faculty in Maths from a similar position at Avondale College. After navigating our way through Covid and all the challenges that presented, I decided to take a change in career pathway and move from a curriculum leader role into a pastoral role, becoming one of the Year 10 Deans. This was the single best decision of my teaching career. Supporting our young men through their journey here at Westlake is hugely rewarding, and an experience I will never forget.

A father to two young boys, most of my spare time is taken up with after school sports and clubs, but the remaining time I do have I spend playing football, running and going to the gym. Outside of teaching, my main passion is football, a life-long Southampton supporter, I am also heavily involved in the Westlake football setup, coaching the Premier Reserves and working closely with the successful 1^st XI group.

In my role as Assistant Principal, I am responsible for timetabling and whole school data. Timetabling for 2700 boys is no small task, but one I am really excited about taking on. The whole school data role will allow me to interact with and support a wide range of staff members as we work together to continue our strive for excellence.

Matua Johnny - Te Kaihautū o Te Puna

Tēnā koutou. He uri ahau no Te Uri o Hau, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Te Tārawa, Ngāpuhi me Te Whānau a Apanui, ko Johnny Waititi ahau.

I came to Westlake Boys High School in 2016, after being Deputy Principal at my old school where I attended and where my father taught me, Northland College in Kaikohe.

I oversee Te Ao Māori at Westlake Boys High School supported by an awesome team of kaiako who are passionate about kaupapa Māori. I have passion for kaupapa Māori and supporting kaiako in their Te Ao Māori journey.

He ngākaunui nōku ki te kura nei, ki ngā ākonga me ngā kaiako hoki. I love the way that Westlake can help you to be the best that you can be, so being a kaiako here is the best thing ever!

Brad Cachopa - Operations Manager

A passionate sports fan and a qualified Accountant, all thanks to the excellent education and sporting experiences I had at Westlake as a student who graduated in 2006.

I returned to work at Westlake in 2017 and I have taught in the Commerce Department, directed our Cricket programme and also lead the delivery of our high-performance sports programme - The Academy of Sport. Most recently, as the Property Manager I was the caretaker of all our facilities.

Now, as the Operations Manager, my role is to lead and develop our infrastructure at school and ensure our campus provides modern, safe, clean, and functional teaching and learning spaces. I see my role as critical to supporting the learning outcomes and extra-curricular experiences our young men have at Westlake. It is very enjoyable to now give back to our students so they too can enjoy their time at school as I did.  

A key component of my role is to deliver the Strategic Development Plan of our campus and ensure that while our campus changes its physical footprint “Westlake Life” can continue.

I am very proud of our campus and look forward to welcoming all our families and students each day to a school they too can be proud of attending.