Case Study
Heaton Intermediate School
Heaton Intermediate School's journey to make student wellbeing visible.
Every school understands the challenge of supporting student wellbeing. This case study showcases how Heaton Intermediate uses Linewize Pulse to foster a school-wide culture where every student's voice is heard and valued.
Summary
School Name
Heaton Normal Intermediate School
Type
Y9-15 Secondary
Location
Aotearoa New Zealand
Champions
James Griggs, Principal
A hidden challenge
Like many intermediate schools, Heaton Normal faced the tricky middle ground: caring for a wide range of students and needs, often without formal counselling resources. Caring for student wellbeing is deeply embedded in the culture, but staff were often relying on instinct and isolated incidents to understand how students were really doing. Principal James Griggs knew the existing systems weren’t built to catch issues in real-time, especially for those students who weren’t visibly struggling.
"We needed a better way to identify students we wouldn’t have otherwise suspected to check in with. That’s where Pulse came in" - James Griggs, Principal
What changed with Pulse
Pulse gives students a simple way to check in on their wellbeing each week, and gives schools something they’ve never had before: visibility. For James and his team, this has meant replacing guesswork with clarity. Pulse is designed to give schools visibility into student wellbeing and gives students a way to confidentially share how they’re feeling each week.
Before Pulse, concerns were often vague: “I think there’s a problem in that class” or “there’s a low mood, but I’m not really sure.” Now, those observations can be backed with data. When a parent raises concerns about a student, James can look back and say, “Actually, this student has been checking in fine every Thursday for the last term, so what’s really going on here?”
At the same time, if a student’s responses begin to trend downward—even subtly—staff are now equipped to start a conversation early.
Pulse in action: Informing early conversations
Friday morning, James reviews Pulse check-in data. He looks for trends, outliers, or anything that doesn’t sit right. If a student is heading downward, he notifies the relevant teacher.
"Nine times out of ten, the student is fine. But that one time? That’s the one. Pulse is the trigger to ask the question."
Teachers follow up directly or refer to the school counsellor when needed. From there, if support is required, the family is brought in—not because of a “bad survey result,” but through a meaningful, informed conversation backed by genuine student input.
"We don’t go to the parents and say, ‘the survey looks bad.’ We talk to the student first. We understand what’s going on. Then, we involve the family properly. Pulse helps us do that the right way."
Beyond the data
Pulse has become more than a wellbeing tool, it’s now part of the school culture. Students know their responses are seen and taken seriously. Staff see the value in the system, because they’ve witnessed first-hand the difference it makes.
Staff also receive Pulse summaries from leadership, including national comparisons and reminders to check in with their classes. But it’s the targeted follow-ups that make the biggest impact—those moments where data leads directly to support.
"Wellbeing can change radically. The whole point of Pulse is that we’re riding that rollercoaster with them—and now we actually know where they are at any given point in time."
The outcomes
A stronger, more visible student voice
Early intervention before problems escalate
Real conversations grounded in real data
A culture where every student knows they are being looked out for.