The Teachers’ Institute new CEO

The Teachers’ Institute announces new CEO

September 13, 2024

Today The Teachers’ Institute announced the appointment of David Ferguson, Headmaster of Westlake Boys High School in Auckland, as its new Chief Executive. David will step down from his current role as Principal at the end of the 2024 academic year to lead TTI as it launches its new school-based initial teacher education programme from January 2025, in partnership with secondary schools across Auckland.

David said: “I’m really looking forward to this new challenge, which is about ensuring that every school is able to fill teaching positions with well-prepared teachers, and ultimately offering every New Zealand young person outstanding educational opportunities.”

The Teachers’ Institute was launched with the support of a community of secondary schools across Auckland in response to ongoing teacher supply issues, especially in subject areas such as Science, Technology, Maths, English, and Te Reo Māori. The Trust aims to offer a unique, in-school pathway for new graduates and mature students to train to teach whilst based in a ‘home’ school for a year. The programme has been specially designed drawing on international research to support students to develop their teaching practice in a school environment whilst working towards a postgraduate diploma in teaching.

Trust Chair and Principal of Diocesan School for Girls said “David has been integral to the establishment of The Teachers’ Institute and has shown in leading Westlake Boys over so many years that he has a passion for making sure all children have access to the best possible education. We are delighted that he has chosen to lead this new initiative”.

The Teachers’ Institute is a charitable trust, governed by a Board of Trustees, which receives advice from an Advisory Board of member schools and an Academic Advisory Board. It is registered as a Private Training Establishment (PTE) with NZQA.

Mr Ferguson said “Our aim is to complement existing pathways into teaching by offering an alternative which puts the school community at the centre of the training, and bringing a more diverse range of people into the profession”.

For further information:

Heather McRae, Chair
hmcrae@diocesan.school.nz

Mary-Jayne Bethell, Trust Coordinator
info@teachersinstitute.org.nz

About The Teachers’ Institute

The Teachers’ Institute is a charitable trust founded with the support of Auckland Secondary Schools, including: Westlake Boys High School, Auckland Grammar School, Massey High School, Rangitoto College, St Cuthbert’s College, Diocesan School for Girls, St Peters College, Baradene College, Manurewa High School, Long Bay College, Mount Albert Grammar School, Westlake Girls High School, Macleans College, Liston College. The Trust’s purpose is to work with a community of schools to ensure their students have access to exceptional teaching and learning.

The Trust aims to do this by building a community of schools committed to this purpose, increasing the number and diversity of people entering the teaching profession, and supporting the development of these and other teachers to deliver effective teaching for all children. To achieve these objectives, the Trust will offer a school-based initial teacher education (ITE) programme in partnership with the founding schools starting in 2025. In the future, it hopes to offer additional programmes for new, beginning and experienced teachers in these schools, as well as others across the country.

Applications for The Teachers’ Institute postgraduate diploma in teaching (Secondary, school-based) are now open, and details can be found here.