Ben witheford | Principal

Leading Shotover Primary School is an honour and a privilege. Each day I come to work with a highly committed group of adults who work hard to ensure our vision is becoming real.

Our collective goal is to create a stunning learning community for all those connected with it, but most importantly for the children. We work hard to create a place that they enjoy being at and being part of, and a place that encourages and aspires to create success for all.

We are inspired by a number of thinkers and experts here at Shotover. Our ultimate vision to Create a Climate of Possibilities… was conceived and written on the back of the work of Sir Ken Robinson and in particular his presentation, How to escape Education’s Death Valley. We are guided on a daily basis by this one-page plan. It outlines where we are heading and what is important to us as we head in that direction.

The task of education is one that still has a huge purpose and influence in creating and moulding young lives so that they are productive members of the world in which they find themselves. I enjoy immensely the challenge of leading and creating a school community that gives all children that opportunity.

When I'm not at work, I enjoy playing with technology, mountain biking and spending time with my family.

What do I believe?

Below I have written a short version of what I believe about education, learning and children.

The child part of the people equation deserve the best deal that can be possibly arranged. Decisions about the direction of the school, the people employed, the classrooms modernised, the playgrounds built and the resources purchased should be focused on providing the children with the best deal. It is my firm belief that all children can learn. Imbibing children with that belief will set them up well for success in whatever direction they choose.

The adult part of the equation looks like this: employ the best people, provide them with the best resources and the support they need, expect great things from them and allow them to execute their role with excellence.

Keeping all this in mind, just what do I believe constitutes a great education? While much can and has been written, informed and uninformed to answer this very question, I like to keep it straightforward and rely on the words of American Educator John Dewey: “Let’s just make sure we give kids good experiences and that they learn how to read and write and think”.

Principal’s Blog