Waitākere College is pleased to announce that Mrs Jo Catchpole will step into the role of Acting Assistant Principal for 2026. 

Since joining the college in 2011, Mrs Catchpole has steadily advanced through the leadership ranks, transitioning from Assistant Head Curriculum Leader to Head of Mathematics in late 2019.

During her time leading a department of eighteen staff, she successfully managed the transition to online learning and oversaw a notable rise in Level 1 numeracy results. Her recent work has focused heavily on the NCEA refresh, where she coordinated the development of numeracy co-requisites and led a team of in-school leaders to align the curriculum with new standards.

In addition to this, Mrs Catchpole has been an active participant in school governance, serving as the elected Staff Representative on the Board of Trustees. Her contributions there have focused on personnel and strategic development. Beyond the classroom, through her work with the health and safety, curriculum committees and more recently, the professional development committee as well as the coordination of intra-school MATHEX competitions.

Mrs Catchpole is currently finalising a Master’s in Secondary School Leadership, a qualification that will allow her to apply current educational research to her work within the Senior Leadership Team. 

We congratulate Mrs Catchpole on this appointment and look forward to her contributions in the coming year.