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

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
Wellbeing at School Building a safe and caring school climate that deters bullying Research publication 2011
Wellbeing at School: Building a safe and caring school climate that deters bullying Research publication 2011
Curriculum Implementation Exploratory Studies 2: Final report Research publication 2011
Educating healthy citizens in New Zealand schools: Students leading the way Research publication 2011
The recursive elaboration of key competencies as agents of curriculum change Journal article 2011
The changing face of Fruit in Schools: The 2008 case studies Research publication 2009
New Zealand curriculum implementation exploratory studies: Final Report Research publication 2009
Enabling students to lead the way: Healthy lifestyles and healthy futures Journal article 2009
Viewing schools as a health and wellbeing system: Does this fit with the revised curriculum? Journal article 2009
A focus on opportunities to learn and student engagement Research publication 2009
The changing face of Fruit in Schools: 2009 overview report Research publication 2009
The changing face of Fruit in Schools: Technical report Research publication 2009
Themes from the curriculum implementation case studies. Milestone report for November 2008 Research publication 2008
Supporting the development of a positive school culture Journal article 2008
Life Education - Making a difference. An evaluation for the Life Education Trust Research publication 2008
Taking the first step from secondary school Journal article 2007
Taking a bite of the apple: The implementation of Fruit in Schools (Healthy Futures evaluation report to the Ministry of Health) Research publication 2007
Taking a bite of the apple: The implementation of Fruit in Schools. Appendices (which include the 2006 case studies) Research publication 2007