Summary of Dilworth response to Independent Inquiry Recommendations

Recommendation 1: Reform and revitalise the Dilworth Trust Board.

Key actions implemented and embedded: 

• Independent external governance review completed. 

• Independent Chair appointed. 

• Modern governance practices embedded, including the introduction of nine‑year tenure limits for all Trustees, able to be extended to 12 years in exceptional circumstances. 

• Flexibility being established to provide for expansion of number of Trustees from six to seven when appropriate. 

• Enhanced transparency in appointment process for Trustees, including the use of an external, independent recruitment firm to advertise and fill Board vacancies. 

• Enhanced transparency of criteria for appointment of Trustees, with a continued focus on ensuring the Board is equipped with the depth and diversity of capabilities, skills and experience required to successfully govern the organisation.
• Expertise in education strengthened and diversity also increased, with four new Trustee appointments since October 2023. 

• Greater use of Board Committees with specialised expertise, including the establishment of an Education Committee and the engagement of independent external expertise where relevant. 

• Schedule of ongoing independent external evaluation of Board performance established, together with self-reviews of Board Committees in relation to objectives, responsibilities, procedures and performance. 

• Trustee remuneration subject to five-yearly review by High Court. 

• An ongoing focus on meaningful engagement with, input from, and communication to, the Dilworth community. 

Status: This work is embedded as standard practice supported by ongoing review and refinement. 

Recommendation 2: Establish continuous external review and oversight of school performance. 

Key actions implemented and embedded: 

• Review of safeguarding policies and procedures for Child Wise (now Australian Childhood Foundation (ACF)) re-accreditation completed. 

• Annual Headmaster review process completed. 

• Pastoral Care Review completed by an external specialist.  

• Learning in the Outdoors (LiTO) audit completed by Qualmark, with accreditation achieved.  

• Boarding Review completed in partnership with the Australian Boarding Schools Association.  

Status: This work is embedded as standard practice supported by ongoing review and refinement. 

Recommendation 3: Collaborate with survivors.

Recommendation 4: Heal rifts within the former students’ community. 

Key actions implemented and ongoing: 

• Dilworth Response established in 2022 to support a comprehensive response to historical abuse.  

• Project Reform Steering Group (PRSG) formed in 2024, led by former students who experienced sexual abuse at Dilworth School. 

• Dilworth Community Acknowledgement and Apology delivered in March 2025. 

• Inaugural National Day of Reflection for Survivors of Abuse observed in November 2025. 

• PRSG-led Navigator Services announced in November 2025; a two‑year mental health pilot programme for New Zealand based former students who experienced sexual abuse, delivered by Better Blokes and launched in March 2026.   

• Ongoing engagement with the Dilworth Old Boys’ Association (DOBA) with a view to establishing a new platform for collaboration and supporting DOBA to foster healing within the Old Boy community. 

Next steps: Dilworth and PRSG to continue to design and support collaborative initiatives with former students who were abused.  

Status: With many former students believing the collaboration has only just begun, this work will remain a key ongoing focus. 

Recommendation 5: Undertake continuing reviews of child protection and complaints policies and practices.

Recommendation 6: Update the Protected Disclosure/Whistleblower Policy.

Recommendation 7: Supplement the student safety programme reviews.

Recommendation 8: Ensure a safeguarding leadership succession plan.

Recommendation 9: Continue to improve the relationship with parents.

Recommendation No.10: Whānau and senior student representation on the safeguarding committee.

Key actions implemented and embedded: 

• Safeguarding and wellbeing policies and practices guided by Child Wise's 10 Child Safe Principles. 

• Student-friendly versions of key policies created with student input. 

• Online child safeguarding training tool for staff introduced early 2024. 

• Complaints processes completely overhauled including the introduction of a web-based anonymous student reporting tool. 

• Protected Disclosure/Whistleblower Policy reviewed and adopted early 2023; mandatory staff training introduced via a new e-learning platform. 

• Curriculum reviewed (2021 and 2022) with feedback from the school's Māori and Pasifika communities. 

• New Deaning structure designed with student/staff input in 2022 and introduced in 2023.  

• New communication software School Bridge, adopted in 2024 for parent communications. 

• Succession plan for School's senior leadership and key safeguarding roles approved in Aug 2024. 

• Parents, whānau and students are integral to decision-making processes, policy design, and implementation, and are actively encouraged to express their concerns and provide feedback.  However, agreement was reached with parents and whānau that they and students would not sit on the Safeguarding Committee due to the sensitive and challenging nature of material considered at that Committee. Instead, mechanisms to gather feedback include the following: 

• Parent and whānau perspectives are gathered through established forums including Dilworth Family Connect and the Pasifika Advisory Group, both of which have staff contacts who are represented on the Committee. Additional input is captured through targeted surveys and the annual parent / caregivers survey. Informal feedback from parent volunteers involved in sport and cultural activities is also leveraged, with relevant issues escalated to the Committee where required.  A separate parent safeguarding group (Whānau Engagement Advisory Group) was formed for initial work on safeguarding and policy development though is now no longer required. 

• Student voice is gathered across a wide range of channels including student councils at both senior and junior campuses, where safeguarding is a standing agenda item, and through ongoing input from student-led committees. Staff representatives from a number of these groups sit on the Safeguarding Committee.  Insights from surveys, web-based anonymous student reporting tool Stymie, workshops conducted by the Safeguarding Officer within the boarding houses, weekly meetings with the prefect team, and other sub-group discussions - ranging from facilities concerns to high-risk incidents - are filtered through to the Committee for action where necessary. 
   

Status: This work is embedded as standard practice supported by ongoing review and refinement. 

Recommendation 11: Regularly review and consult widely on whether the current model is best to implement the Trust’s aspirations. 

Key actions implemented and embedded: 

The School has undertaken a complete reset of its entire model of operation and structure since 2020. Project Reset has involved: 

• Safeguarding accreditation and a shift in School culture around safeguarding. 

• The introduction of a bespoke wellbeing programme, Ako Puāwaitanga. 

• Discontinuation of Years 5 and 6. 

• A complete redesign and alignment of the Year 7-10 curriculum.  

• A completely redesigned Learning in the Outdoors programme. 

• Restructure of staffing at the Mangatāwhiri (previously known as Rural) and Junior campuses. 

• Changes to the structure and nature of boarding, including a shift to a “horizontal” boarding model with students residing in boarding houses with only their own year level. 

• Day student offerings in Year 7 from 2023, Year 8 from 2024, and Year 9 from 2026. 

• Mangatāwhiri Campus now a dedicated Learning in the Outdoors facility. 

• A comprehensive Boarding Review undertaken by the Australian Boarding Schools Association, for delivery in 2026. 

Status: This work is embedded as standard practice supported by ongoing review and refinement. 

Recommendation 12: Develop a policy document registry.

Recommendation 13: Maintain complete student file records and retain them indefinitely.

Recommendation 14: Retain and archive staff disciplinary files relating to sexual abuse and serious physical abuse indefinitely. 

Key actions implemented and embedded: 

• Investment in digitisation programme of all student records approved by the Board in 2022. 

• Suite of 70+ policies and schedule for ongoing policy development, review and approval, completed and approved by Board in 2024. 

• Staff file digitisation investment approved by Board in 2025. 

 
Status: This work is embedded as standard practice supported by ongoing review and refinement. 

Recommendation 15: Maintain sufficient high-quality boarding house staff.

Recommendation 16: Engage quality teaching staff. 

Key actions implemented and embedded: 

• Dilworth joined the Auckland Schools’ Teacher Training Programme in 2021 and the Teacher's Training Institute (TTI) in 2026. 

• Boarding staff included in mandatory continual Professional Learning & Development Programmes, with all boarding staff now on three-year fixed term contracts (previously evergreen). 

• Psychometric testing of every non-teaching staff member going into boarding introduced in 2024. 

• Professional Learning Committee established to monitor development and training objectives. 

• Examination of international staffing ratios and a review by the Australian Boarding Schools Association show Dilworth’s boarding staff ratios are at or above best practice standards. 
   

Status: This work is embedded as standard practice supported by ongoing review and refinement. 

Recommendation 17: Review and enhance pastoral support. 

Key actions implemented and embedded: 

• Implementation of Dilworth’s ground-breaking Ako Puāwaitanga / Flourishing (science and faith-based wellbeing) curriculum. 

• Pastoral Care Review undertaken in 2024 by a respected external reviewer; findings support the depth and quality of pastoral care offerings at Dilworth. 
   

Status: This work is embedded as standard practice supported by ongoing review and refinement. 

Recommendation 18: Develop a trusting and cooperative relationship with police.

Recommendation 19: Develop an effective working relationship with the Anglican Church. 

Key actions implemented and embedded: 

• It is established policy to refer immediately any instances of sexual misconduct to the NZ Police for investigation, and to cooperate fully in promptly providing any relevant information.  

• Formal protocols agreed between Dilworth’s Board and NZ Police in 2024 in relation to the process for provision of information by Dilworth and the limited circumstances in which the Police will provide information to Dilworth, with appropriate communication channels established to facilitate any future requirements or enquiries of the Police and the School. 

• As a practical matter, every effort made to respond promptly and helpfully to any NZ Police inquiries that relate to issues of historical abuse or other relevant matters. 

• Good working relationship forged through engagement with School Community Officer. 

• NZ Police expertise and resources accessed for relevant curriculum and values-based delivery. 

• MOU signed in 2022 with Anglican Diocese of Auckland. 

• Ongoing engagement with Bishop and Anglican Diocese representatives, with quarterly and half-yearly planned schedules of meetings. 
   

Status: This work is embedded as standard practice supported by ongoing review and refinement.