A strong foundation for school leadership
For Kaipara College principal Jane Coup, the Master of Secondary School Leadership provided the bridge between trusting her instincts and becoming a more considered and confident leader.
After almost a year as a deputy principal, Jane Coup was growing in confidence, but she wanted a stronger foundation for the decisions she was making.
“There were moments early on where I made a call based on what felt right rather than what I could point to as sound practice, and I wanted more than instinct behind those decisions. For my own professional growth, I wanted the reassurance that educational theory supported the actions I was taking,” Jane explains.
That’s where the Master of Secondary School Leadership (MSSL) at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington came in. The programme is designed to provide the skills for already accomplished teachers to take their next step in educational leadership and become a principal.
For Jane, the focus on practical experience was why she chose this degree over other study pathways. Throughout her studies, she completed three separate three-day school visits, each involving shadowing a principal—an experience she says was invaluable.
“Seeing how another principal moved through their day, handled the constant interruptions and competing priorities, and still keeping sight of the bigger picture taught me more than any reading could have.”
Soon after completing her Master’s in 2024, Jane had the opportunity to apply for a principal role.
The programme’s assignments helped her develop strong presentation skills and provided valuable interview practice, giving her the confidence to take the next step in her career. When she became principal of Kaipara College, she was ready to hit the ground running.
Jane says the skills she gained have been significant and make her a far more considered and confident principal.
“The programme sharpened my ability to make data-informed decisions, which has been essential to direction setting and knowing where to focus attention across the school. It also gave me a much stronger sense of how to build and strengthen systems and processes, so that good practice does not rely on any one person and can be sustained across the school.
“Importantly, the MSSL reinforced the importance of mana-enhancing practices in how I lead, making sure staff and students feel valued and respected in the way decisions are made and communicated,” Jane emphasises.
For Jane, the best thing about Kaipara College is its strong sense of community. The semi-rural West Auckland school has around 750 students and a history spanning more than 100 years, with multiple generations of the same families passing through its doors. She says the most rewarding part of being principal is the challenge, and the opportunity to bring together everything she has learned throughout her teaching career and recent study.
“My research through the programme focused on sustaining trust in educational leadership, and that has stayed with me daily whether I am working with staff, the board, or the wider community. Every day is different, just like teaching, and I absolutely love the challenge.”
Jane is now supporting some of her senior staff through the programme, saying that it is beneficial both for their personal growth and the school.
“I have already seen staff bring back ideas from their school visits and shadowing experiences that have shaped how we approach things at Kaipara College.”
Jane has no hesitation in recommending the Master of Secondary School Leadership to educators looking to take the next step in their leadership journey.
“It is a standout Master's programme. The support from staff is amazing. Some of the assignments demanded honest reflection on my own practice, not just a summary of it, and that level of scrutiny was challenging in the best way.”
Find out more about the Master of Secondary School Leadership here.