Westlake Boys’ headmaster David Ferguson farewelled with moving haka

Hundreds of Westlake Boys’ High School students have performed a moving haka to honour departing headmaster David Ferguson.

Ferguson is leaving the Auckland school after 21 years, nearly 15 as headmaster, and will begin his new role as chief executive of The Teachers’ Institute in January next year.

During his final full assembly yesterday, the students gave a powerful performance of Te Haka o Ururoto – the school’s haka.

The school wrote in a social media post that Ferguson spoke at the assembly about the importance of taking on new challenges in life, the power of being optimistic and the importance of doing the hard work that you don’t want to do.

In another post, the school said Ferguson had been at Westlake since 2003 and headmaster since 2010.

“Four years ago David instigated and has subsequently led an initiative across more than 40 Auckland schools to train teachers in schools, rather than them going to university-operated training colleges full-time. By the end of this year, 200 teachers will have been through this programme (including 20 at Westlake Boys).”

As a result of this work, the post said, Ferguson has worked with some of New Zealand’s leading educators to establish a new organisation called The Teachers’ Institute.

“The Teachers’ Institute will begin training teachers in schools next year as a standalone organisation. David has been appointed by its trust board as its first CEO,” it said.

Ferguson is quoted in the post saying he has loved his time at Westlake, especially the past 14 and a half years he has spent as headmaster.

“The boys, the staff, the board and the Westlake community have been wonderful.

“I have so many happy memories of amazing things that I have seen, heard and felt during my time here,” he said.

“Being able to serve our boys and community has been an absolute honour and the highlight of my career. Our school is in good heart and is well placed to continue to be one of the best schools in New Zealand.”

Ferguson said he would miss the boys, job and people.

“Leaving anything is hard, leaving a place you love is even harder.”

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