Sally Boyd

Kairangahau Matua | Senior Researcher

Sally’s main research passions include exploring the ways schools foster student wellbeing and agency, innovate, and engage in equity-focused change journeys. Much of Sally’s work looks at how schools can best foster student health and wellbeing at a school-wide level as well as through the Health and PE learning area. 

Sally is one of a group of NZCER researchers who are active in shaping national and local thinking about curriculum and assessment in primary and secondary settings. She was the lead researcher who developed the Wellbeing@School survey toolkit. 

Sally has over 20 years of experience in leading qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method research and evaluation studies that span the education and health sectors. She is a member of the team that leads evaluation practice at NZCER. 

Publications

Hei whakaarotanga: Engaging with models of health and wellbeing that draw on mātauranga Māori Research publication 2024
Poipoia kia puāwai: How schools support ākonga Māori and Pacific students to attain University Entrance Research publication 2024
Working towards wellbeing rests on whanaungatanga and partnerships Journal article 2023
Supporting early career teachers and kaiako: Experiences of mentoring, induction, and PLD Research publication 2022
National Survey Research Brief 2—PLD and school wide wellbeing as predictors of teacher morale and workload Research publication 2022
Manaakitia ngā tamariki kia ora ai - Supporting children's wellbeing Research publication 2021
Learnings and outcomes from the second year of Tūturu Research publication 2020
Assessing and building wellbeing Journal article 2019
Making a difference to student wellbeing—a data exploration Research publication 2018
Finding a balance—fostering student wellbeing, positive behaviour, and learning: Findings from the NZCER national survey of primary and intermediate schools 2016 Research publication 2017
Reviewing the game plan: What can be learnt from the first year of Play.sport? Research publication 2017
"It's who we are" Stories of practice and change from PB4L School-Wide Schools Research publication 2015
Year 2 Evaluation - Getting Runs on the Board Research publication 2015
"A positive culture of support" Final report from the evaluation of PB4L School-Wide Research publication 2015
PB4L School-wide Evaluation: Preliminary findings Research publication 2014
Student inquiry and curriculum integration: Ways of learning for the 21st century? (Part B) Journal article 2013
Supporting future-oriented learning and teaching - a New Zealand perspective Research publication 2012
Student inquiry and curriculum integration: Shared origins and points of difference (Part A) Journal article 2012
Key messages about change in schools: A literature scan for Sport New Zealand Research publication 2012
The Travellers programme: A way of supporting young people to manage their wellbeing Journal article 2012