About us
Mō mātou

The Greater Christchurch Schools' Network is a charitable trust which works to bridge the digital divide in education for ākonga and their whānau across greater Christchurch.

What we do

Professional Learning and Development to support digital fluency and the integration of digital technologies.

Project management and support of Equitable Digital Access projects.

Advocacy and support in issues relating to the digital divide and equity of access for ākonga and whānau.

Support and develop initiatives for ākonga to promote participation in STEAM disciplines.

Advice and guidance for schools, ākonga and whānau around digital access and support.

Our Board

Steve Wakefield

Chairperson

Steve is a Chartered Accountant, and in 2017 he retired from a 36 year career with the global accounting and consulting services firm of Deloitte.

Steve is now a professional director and trustee, who supports the community in governance roles at GCSN, NZ Health Innovation Hub, Brackenridge Services, Court Theatre, Church Property Trustees, and Christchurch Cathedral Reinstatement Limited.

With an IT and financial background, Steve brings considerable expertise to the board.

Robin Sutton

Robin began his career in education teaching commerce at Christchurch Girls' High School. A change in direction saw him employed as Director of Ferrymead Historic (Heritage) Park in the late 1980s, and Administration and Business manager at Canterbury Museum, before returning to the classroom as HOD Commerce at Hornby High School.

This preceded 16 years at Christ's College, including 14 as Senior Master Curriculum, before becoming principal of Hornby High School in 2016, a role he completed in 2023. In his time he developed, and continued to pursue, an abiding interest in the benefits of improved wellbeing and learning outcomes generated when we nurture our inherent creativity. He is also a trustee on the Ao Ōtautahi-Learning City Christchurch trust.

Paul Armitage

Paul has been a member of the GCSN Board since 2011, shortly after it was established. With more than thirty years’ experience in education, Paul brings a wealth of experience to the Board particularly from a primary schooling perspective. He is passionate about future focussed teaching and learning and the role technology plays in this.

He is currently Principal of Elmwood Normal School.

Derek Wenmoth

Derek has a broad background in education, with experience as a teacher and principal, lecturer and policy analyst and adviser to the Ministry of Education. He is a pioneer in the development of eLearning clusters in NZ, including the CANTAtech project, the Virtual Learning Networka and GCSN.

Derek currently lives in Wellington and operates his own educational consultancy, FutureMakers.nz, providing strategic and future-focused advice and support for schools and educators. He was previously co-founder and eLearning director of CORE Education Ltd, a not-for-profit educational research and development organisation based in Christchurch.

Our staff

Gabrielle Wall - General Manager

Dr. Gabrielle Wall has served as the General Manager of the Greater Christchurch Schools' Network (GCSN) since 2018, championing collaboration, innovation, and digital equity across member schools. Her role at GCSN is underpinned by extensive experience in stakeholder engagement, change management, and strategic planning within education. Dr. Wall's expertise includes implementing ministerial decisions for school mergers and co-locations, demonstrating a commitment to equitable access to digital resources.

Dr. Wall's background includes supporting the development of Education Briefs for the Ministry of Education and contributing to resources on key topics like school design, culturally responsive practice, and inclusive education. She has also served as a statutory appointee to various schools and held governance positions with organizations such as Ako Aotearoa. This diverse experience enhances her leadership at GCSN and strengthens her advocacy for excellence in education.