Taita College

Te Ahi Kaa is a Māori Environmental Science based course which draws from both environmental science and tikanga Māori. 

Students from year 10 through to year 13 work in a whānau based class setting that works to enhance the significant natural attributes of Taita College. 

They learn about native species and fauna, learn about Māori concepts of time, values and lore as well as about the environmental management of exotic species and fauna. 

Te Reo will be used in this course. 

"Manaaki whenua, manaaki tangata, tau ana, tipu ana anō hoki te mauri e ora  ai tātou".

This course will assist students who are interested in science, the environment, the outdoors, manual work and community resilience. Students will sit some internally assessed NCEA Unit Standards, based on Horticulture and Agriculture that may help a career pathway in conservation.

This course is designed for students who intend to study art for NCEA Level 1 in 2027. 

It involves the study of art in society and culture. 

Students use the knowledge gained and apply it to their own art works. 

A variety of materials, techniques and procedures are used, including observational drawing, painting, printmaking and design. 

This year is all about learning visual language to better understand the information that surrounds us in the modern world.

This option is essential if you want to take DVC at NCEA level 1 and pursue a career in special design, product design, engineering, architecture or building. 

This is also a must do option if you want to do any workshop or technology based option in the future. 

Whether in metal, wood or design everything you make will have some sort of design element in it so it is essential that your drawing, sketching and design skills are up to scratch.

This course is designed to prepare you for success in NCEA English. You'll explore a variety of texts, such as novels, poetry, short stories, and films from a diverse range of authors and directors. You will build essential skills in reading, writing and oracy.

The course will cover: Reading: Analysing a range of texts. Writing: Developing your skills for different purposes. Presenting & Speaking: Sharing and expressing your ideas in front of an audience.

A key focus of this course is helping you become familiar and confident with the new literacy co-requisite exams for both reading and writing.

This is a full-year course that includes aspects from both the Technology and Food & Nutrition components of the Health and Physical Education curriculum. 

Students develop Nutritional knowledge and practical skills in a range of Nutrition topics using inquiry based learning. 

They are encouraged to be creative. 

Students will be assessed to determine their growth in knowledge, skills and personal development throughout the course. 

Each unit consists of written and practical work. This option should be studied in Year 10 if intended to be taken as an NCEA Level 1 subject.

Health:

In Health, the focus is on the well-being of the students themselves, of other people, and of society through learning in health-related contexts. We aim to teach each student the four underlying and interdependent concepts of : Hauora – a Maori philosophy of well-being that includes the dimensions taha wairua, taha hinengaro, taha tinana, and taha whanau. Attitudes and values – a positive, responsible attitude on the part of students to their own well-being; respect, care, and concern for other people and the environment; and a sense of social justice.    The socio-ecological perspective – a way of viewing and understanding the interrelationships that exist between the individual, others, and society. Health promotion – a process that helps to develop and maintain supportive physical and emotional environments and that involves students in personal and collective action.

Physical Education:

In Physical Education, the focus is on movement and its contribution to the development of individuals and communities. By learning in, through, and about movement, students gain an understanding that movement is integral to human expression and that it can contribute to people’s pleasure and enhance their lives. They learn to understand, appreciate, and move their bodies, relate positively to others, and demonstrate constructive attitudes and values. This learning takes place as they engage in play, games, sport, exercise, recreation, adventure, and expressive movement in diverse physical and social environments. Physical Education encourages students to engage in movement experiences that promote and support the development of physical and social skills. It fosters critical thinking and action and enables students to understand the role and significance of physical activity for individuals and society.

The Year 10 Mathematics programme covers all aspects of the New Zealand Curriculum from levels 4 to 6.

Number topics including: Number properties, Fractions, Decimals, Percentages, Ratio, Proportion, Rounding, Indices and Standard Form

Algebra topics including: Expressions, Factorising, Linear Equations, Quadratic Equations, Simultaneous Equations, Patterns, Exponential Rules and Patterns

Shape, Space and Measure topics including: Units, Length, Area, Volume, Surface Area, Angles, Polygons, Similarity & Congruence, Nets, Pythagoras' Theorem and Trigonometry

Statistics topics including:  Data Types, Surveys and Questionnaires, Averages, Charts, Sampling and Probability

Students who are achieve Stanine 6 or higher in the Maths PAT in term 1 will be entered in the NCEA Numeracy Co-requisite exam in term 2.  Other year 10 students will be entered in the term 3 Numeracy exam session, as appropriate.

In this course, you will step into the exciting world of music, from learning the basics of music theory to creating your own original tracks using GarageBand, recording your instrumental performances into your compositions, and exploring the world of music technology. You will also discover New Zealand’s rich musical heritage through fun research projects, and develop your abilities by learning instruments through both solo and group performances.

Students will have the opportunity to learn instruments through our itinerant music programme, including guitar, piano, vocals, and drums. Whether you are just starting out or already play an instrument, this course will inspire your creativity and grow your skills. Take Year 10 Music if you plan to continue with NCEA Music in the future!

This is an essential foundation course for any form of Product Design Technology that you may want to study in Year 11. 

It is based around Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO) units of learning and the aim is to have banked credits at NCEA level 1 completed to give you a boosted start into year 11.  

The course is highly practical with lots of hands-on workshop time. Proof of competency coming mainly from photographic evidence of you working on the individual skills and tasks.

This course starts at a basic language level and rapidly advances as the year progresses.  The areas covered include Gagana (language), Aganu'u (culture) and examines the practises and ideas that underpin Samoa. 

Students will be increasingly encouraged to speak, read and write in Samoan.

All Year 10 students work in specialised science laboratories meeting learning experiences that are grouped into units. The units put new science concepts into contexts familiar to most students. Possible contexts include:

Te Taiao (The natural world) will cover te ngahere (the forest), ecology, plant reproduction and uses and mātai aronuku (geology and landforms) in NZ and around the region.

Te Tinana (The body) covering the digestive system, food chemistry and healthy eating, the circulatory system and genetics.

Energy and Renewables - This will cover electricity and magnetism, energy and then acid, base and metal chemistry. Carbon and climate change will be part of this topic. 

Students will enjoy experimenting with chemicals, collecting data in investigations and dissecting. Students are encouraged to bring laptops or tablets to class in order to access web based information and activities.  

Te Ao Tangata / Social Sciences encourage students to observe, to wonder and be curious about people, places, and society, and to take an interest and engage in social issues and ideas. 

Through Te Ao Tangata / Social Sciences, students develop understanding, knowledge, and skills in relation to social, cultural, economic, and political processes. 

This enables them to contribute to and participate in society as critically informed, ethical, and empathetic citizens with a concern for the wellbeing of communities and a commitment to a fair society for all.  

Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories is a critical part of social science learning. It focuses on interactions that, across time, connect people to each other and to place, helping students make sense of the present and informing their future decisions and actions.  

Taita College is offering a TC Sport Performance to our student athletes. 

The TC Sport Performance programme offers students athletes the opportunity to take part in extra training sessions with expert coaches to improve their sport-specific skills and knowledge.  

Students then get to pay this forward by being supported to coach a sport of their choice at a local primary school, using an Action-Learning framework.  

Throughout the year the student athletes will also have a chance to build on their leadership capabilities by taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award scheme. The Duke of Ed award offers opportunities for students to develop new skills, engage in community service and take part in learning outside of the classroom.

A highlight of the year is the trip to the Hillary Outdoor Pursuit Centre in Coromandel. 

Entry to this course is by application. Current year 9 students will have the opportunity to apply in Term 4.  

This is an advanced course in Te Reo Māori which expands on the foundational elements of the language, its concepts, structure and values. 

Students are encouraged to speak Te Reo and also focus on literacy application through reading and writing.

Students will learn about the contexts surrounding artwork and how it applies to their own experience. 

They will explore the different processes required to produce visual artwork in drawing, painting, printmaking and photography. 

They will then apply this knowledge to their own art making to improve their visual communication skills.

Students develop skills gained in Year 10 and tackle further design problems based in the areas of graphics, technology, media and environment.  

This course offers two internal standards and two external standards. 

Skills in freehand and formal drawing techniques are included.

Regular homework is necessary to achieve the required quantity and quality of work.

This course is designed to develop your skills in reading, writing, and communication, essential for success in further study and life. You will explore a variety of texts such as novels, song lyrics, poetry, short stories and film. This program will challenge you to think critically, analyse different forms of texts, and articulate your ideas effectively.

Throughout the year, you will learn to: Analyse texts through context, close reading and film studies. Write for different purposes, including formal personal correspondence, creative and persuasive writing. Present your ideas clearly and confidently.

Assessments will include a mix of internal and two compulsory external assessments, covering language analysis, literary responses, and presentations. This course is a foundational step, preparing you for Level 2 and Level 3 university pathways courses.

This course is for students who want to build their reading and writing skills in a practical, hands-on way. It’s a great option if you need to focus on gaining the new Literacy co-requisite exams (worth 10 credits).

The program focuses on using English in real-world situations, especially in the workplace. You'll learn essential skills like: Writing clear and professional formal personal correspondence. Producing a CV and completing workplace documents and forms accurately.

All assessments in this course are internal, so you can focus on building your confidence and skills without the pressure of external exams. 

This course will cover a range of topics on Nutrition for Adolescents, National Nutritional Guidelines, Nutrition and Technology, food hygiene and safety, culture and foods, exploring technological developments, applying the decision making process for food choices, and impact on well-being/hauora. 

Each unit involves a number of theory assessments.

Geography explores the natural world, and how both natural processes and human decisions shape the environment around us. 

Geography at Level One includes some of the following: 

1. Learning how to use geographic tools to collect, visualise, and analyse data. 

2. Investigating how natural processes shape the environment. 

3. Exploring the relationships that people and communities have with important places both in Aotearoa New Zealand and globally. 

4. Exploring how perspectives influence people’s actions and responses to geographic issues. 

In Level One Geography, we explore contexts specific to Aotearoa New Zealand and the wider Pacific region, with a focus on Te Tiriti o Waitangi and how it is important in geography. 

This course has a maximum of 20 credits available  - 10 from internal assessments, 10 from external examinations.

In History we explore the past in order to understand the present and make better decisions for the future.

History at Level 1 includes some of the following: 

1. Learning how to interpret the traces of the past such as photographs, newspaper accounts, diaries etc. 

2. Exploring the significance of important places, events, and people. 

3. Taking different historical perspectives of people in controversial events. 

4. Researching and understanding concepts within a historical context such as mana, whakapapa, turangawaewae, cause, and consequence. 

We explore topics that are closely linked to both New Zealand and Pacific history. Examples of historical contexts that have been explored in Level 1 History include: 

• 28th Māori Battalion; Mau Movement; American civil rights movement; 
• 1981 Springbok Tour; 
• Māori Land March; Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

This course has a maximum of 20 credits available  - 10 from internal assessments, 10 from external examinations.

This course is made up of Unit Standards with a total of 18 credits.
Students will study food safety, preparation and presentation from a range of standards.
Assessment: Each unit consists of a number of written and practical assessment.
Vocational Pathways: Service industry.

This is an advanced course in Te Reo Māori which expands on the foundational elements of the language, its concepts, structure and values. 

Students are encouraged to speak Te Reo and also focus on literacy application through reading and writing.

This achievement standards course enables students to develop an all-round knowledge of mathematics.

There are 4 Achievement Standards that are assessed during the year worth 5 credits each.  Two of these will be assessed internally and two externally.

Topics covered: Exploring data using a statistical enquiry process, Using mathematical methods to explore problems that relate to life in Aotearoa or the Pacific, Interpret and apply mathematical and statistical information in context, and Demonstrate mathematical reasoning.

Many careers require a good higher level of mathematical ability, with some success at Level 2 mathematics as a minimum,  This course is a pre-requisite for the MAT201 course in Year 12, so this course is recommended for all students who have already passed the Numeracy requirement for NCEA.

In this course, you will develop the essential skills, knowledge, and confidence to succeed in all Level 1 Music assessments, from performing as a soloist and in a group, to composing your own original music and exploring music in different contexts.

You will also learn music technology skills, including how to set up audio equipment, record performances, and use digital tools to enhance your music. These extra skills will give you a deeper understanding of how music is created, produced, and shared.

This course is designed to help you grow as a musician, develop your artistic identity, and lay the groundwork for more advanced music study in the future. Whether you are a performer, composer, or ready to explore all areas of music, Level 1 will set you up for success in your musical journey. All senior music students are also expected to be part of a curricular music group, such as a barbershop group or band performance. This gives you the chance to collaborate, perform in real settings, and meet the NCEA criteria for group performance while having fun making music with others.

Numeracy Life Skills

This course will focus on students passing the 10 credit, Numeracy Co-Requisite Examination in Term 2.

We will then either look at Financial Literacy standards that cover important life skills, eg Understanding credit and debt, budgeting, and personal financial goal setting, or attempt one of the two internal Mathematics Achievement Standards.

The level 1 NCEA Physical Education course at Taita College helps students understand the importance of physical activity for well-being (Hauora), develop practical skills, and analyze the social and environmental factors that influence participation. The course involves a variety of practical activities, theoretical learning, and portfolio-based assessments leading to 21 Credits. Key themes include movement, interpersonal skills, and understanding the body's function during physical activity. Students who take this course are expected to demonstrate a high level of participation and self responsibility. 

The course is a mixture of Achievement and Unit Standards, which means we can accommodate everyone's needs.  

Whether you want to be a designer, engineer or tradesman, this course will provide a good foundation to your studies.  

Typically you will get to use a wide range of tools, equipment and materials, including lathes, welders, and power and hand tools.  

You will also learn the international language of designers, engineers and craftsmen through the media for sketching and making  notes.  

To complete this course successfully you must be willing to do some of the work away from the workshop in your own time.

In year 11, there are two Internals and 2 Externals:

At this level, students begin branching into Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Earth space science, or Agriculture/horticulture, in preparation for their future careers.

Science forms an important part of different careers and is considered a foundation for most careers. Both the internals are fully dependent on practicals.

This course looks at range of topics relating society, law and justice.  

We explore the concept of justice and why we have laws. 

This course explores how people take action when they don't agree with decisions made by the government and the consequences these actions can have. 

We also look at how people's beliefs, both political and religious, influence their decision making.  

It uses a mixture of standards from Legal Studies, Social Studies and Religious Studies.

Level 1 Sport is a mix of achievement and unit standards for those less interested in pursuing an academic PE pathway. This course mirrors PE102 for the start of the year, then shifts to a more practical / personal wellbeing pathway.  A key component of this course is students managing their own personal fitness.  Students taking this course should expect a mix of practical and theory based learning.   

This course can be selected by year 11, 12 and 13 students.

Samoan 101 is a learning language course designed to meet the wide and varied needs of Samoan language learners through communicative use of all FOUR strands of any learning language – listening, speaking, reading and writing. The course develops students’ ability to communicate information, ideas and opinions in Samoan in different situations. Students will develop their understanding of spoken and written Samoan through study of self, identity and family as overarching ideas. Note that for level one Gagana Samoa, the emphasis is largely on building blocks of language structures rather than focusing on the cultural conventions of the language.

O lenei matā’upu e ati’ae ai le tomai o alo ma fānau e ala i le fa’aaogāina o le gagana tautala/ aso uma e aofia ai le fa’alogo, tautala, faitau ma le tusitusi. E mafai ai e alo ma fānau ona fa’asoa fa’amatalaga, māfaufauga ma manatu e fa’aaogā ai le Gagana Sāmoa i nofoaga ‘ese’ese. O le ‘ā mafai e alo ma fānau ona fa’alautele lo latou silafia i le gagana tusitusi ma vaogagana e fa’aaogā i le ‘āiga. O ni isi o matāupu e aofia ai lou tagata, o le fa’asinomaga ma le tāua o le ‘āiga. E lē fa’amamafaina le a’oa’oina o le aganuu ae e aofia uma pe a a’oa’oina gagana faigōfie, tau amata mo le fanau i le tausaga 11.

Te Ahi Kaa is a Māori Environmental Science based course which draws from both environmental science and tikanga Māori. 

Students from year 10 through to year 13 work in a whānau based class setting that works to enhance the significant natural attributes of Taita College. 

They learn about native species and fauna, learn about Māori concepts of time, values and lore as well as about the environmental management of exotic species and fauna. 

This course will assist students who are interested in science, the environment, the outdoors, manual work and community resilience. 

Te Reo will be used in this course. 

"Manaaki whenua, manaaki tangata, tau ana, tipu ana anō hoki te mauri e ora  ai tātou".

This course will assist students who are interested in science, the environment, the outdoors, manual work and community resilience. Students will sit some internally assessed NCEA Unit Standards, based on Horticulture and Agriculture that may help a career pathway in conservation.

This course can be selected by year 11, 12 and 13 students.

Samoan 101 is a learning language course designed to meet the wide and varied needs of Samoan language learners through communicative use of all FOUR strands of any learning language – listening, speaking, reading and writing. The course develops students’ ability to communicate information, ideas and opinions in Samoan in different situations. Students will develop their understanding of spoken and written Samoan through study of self, identity and family as overarching ideas. Note that for level one Gagana Samoa, the emphasis is largely on building blocks of language structures rather than focusing on the cultural conventions of the language.

O lenei matā’upu e ati’ae ai le tomai o alo ma fānau e ala i le fa’aaogāina o le gagana tautala/ aso uma e aofia ai le fa’alogo, tautala, faitau ma le tusitusi. E mafai ai e alo ma fānau ona fa’asoa fa’amatalaga, māfaufauga ma manatu e fa’aaogā ai le Gagana Sāmoa i nofoaga ‘ese’ese. O le ‘ā mafai e alo ma fānau ona fa’alautele lo latou silafia i le gagana tusitusi ma vaogagana e fa’aaogā i le ‘āiga. O ni isi o matāupu e aofia ai lou tagata, o le fa’asinomaga ma le tāua o le ‘āiga. E lē fa’amamafaina le a’oa’oina o le aganuu ae e aofia uma pe a a’oa’oina gagana faigōfie, tau amata mo le fanau i le tausaga 11.

Students will learn about the contexts surrounding artwork and how it applies to their own experience. 

They will research established artist models and then apply this knowledge to their own paintings. 

The artwork that they produce is first assessed internally and then contributes towards a two-panel portfolio submission, which is externally assessed.

This course is based on the Motor Industry Training Organisation (MITO)  Ignition programme at level 2 and Accelerate programme at level 3 which are part of their Automotive training programme for schools.

 This course is run once a week for the whole day. If you choose this course you cannot do gateway and Te Ahi Kaa Roa.

StartUp® offers the chance to earn micro-credentials in the automotive industry approved by NZQA,  credits towards NCEA Levels 2 and 3 and a great introduction to the working environment. 

With online theory units and practical learning in a workshop,  StartUp® is just like a mini-apprenticeship. 

This course operates by splitting the group and rotating each sub group between online theory units and practical workshop learning so it is very important that you are able to manage your own learning and time to achieve in the online portion of the course with minimal supervision. 

Due to space constraints the combined maximum number for this course is 15. 

Preference will be given to those students who have a genuine interest in a career in the motor industry. (Light vehicle Mechanic, Truck Mechanic, Diesel Fitter, Collision Repair Specialist etc.) 

Note: - The level 3 course practical element is based in servicing the motive and driveline components of various vehicles. Candidates wishing to take this course will need to find a garage or dealership who is willing to assist in providing part, if not all of this experience.

This course is designed to cater for students who do not wish to specialise, but wish to broaden their scientific knowledge with a view to continuing study at a tertiary level. 

It covers a variety of topics, which will include biology, earth and space science, and education for sustainability. 

It has both internal and external examination. The internals are  practical based course fully dependent on NOS skill set and involves EOTC to gather data. 

This course has day and night trips involved to collect data for the assessment and also integrates with Physical education for students interested in taking careers in sports science, Biomedical etc. 

This course is also recommended for students interested in the health sector, along with SCI201.

One-year modular course dealing with design principles, problem solving, modelling and computer graphics. 

The main elements are architecture, applied engineering, environmental design, computer-aided draughting and furniture design. Course is made up of internal and external standards.

This course builds on the skills you gained at Level 1, with a strong focus on reading, writing, speaking, and critical thinking. You will analyse and respond to a variety of texts, developing your skills in language analysis, writing and literature study.  It is designed to help you work towards the University Entrance literacy requirements.

This course is compulsory if you plan to take English 301: University Pathway in your final year. If you don't meet the entry requirements for this course, you'll have the option of taking English 211 instead

English for the Real World
This course is designed for students who want to build practical English skills for life after school. It's ideal if you've earned 10 or fewer credits in Level 1 English, don't have the literacy co-requisite, or have completed the "English for Life" course. 

The program focuses on real-world reading and writing, with a mix of Unit Standards and some Achievement Standards. You will learn to: Write effective CVs and reports. Complete forms accurately. Read critically to understand different perspectives.

All assessments in this course are internal, so you can focus on building your confidence and skills without the pressure of external exams. This course leads to English 321 in your final year and is not a university pathway course.

This course will cover a range of topics such as nutritional issues, historical aspects of New Zealand food, sustainable food related practices and technological developments and health promoting strategies to address nutritional issues.

Gateway is a work-based learning programme which enables senior students to participate in structured workplace learning. 

Your school-based studies will link in with your gateway studies and you will be trained and assessed in the workplace. 

Students are required to attend a workplace for one day per week, and this participation will provide students with the opportunity to gain qualifications in school, and in the workplace.

In History we explore the past in order to understand the present and make better decisions for the future. Extending skills and knowledge developed from the previous year, Level 2 includes some of the following: 

1. Learning how to interpret the traces of the past such as photographs, newspaper accounts, diaries etc. 

2. Exploring the significance of important places, events, and people.

3. Taking different historical perspectives of people in controversial events. 

4. Researching and understanding concepts within a historical context such as cause, consequences, continuity and change, and historical empathy. 

In Level 2 History we explore topics that are increasingly complex and contested. Examples of historical contexts that have been explored include: New Zealand's involvement in WWI; New Zealand suffrage movement; Pearl Harbour. 

This course has a maximum of 23 credits available. Most of the credits are internally assessed and students can gain further credits for course endorsement at the end of the year.

This course is made up of a number of Level 2 standards on food and presentation.  

Each unit consists of a number of written assessments and practical assessments.  

Students need to achieve both parts of the assessment to gain credits for the unit towards NCEA Level 2.

This is a full Level 2 mathematics course that prepares students with the skills required to successfully attempt the Level 3 Mathematics in the following year. 

Topics covered will be selected from these topics as appropriate:  Coordinate Geometry,  Trigonometry, Networks, Statistical Inference, Probability, Simulation, Algebra and Introduction to Calculus.

The externally assessed standards will be a combination of Probability Methods, Algebra, and Introductory Calculus.  Students will be entered for the exams that they need in order to prepare properly them for their year 13 course in 2027.

This is an alternative learning pathway tailored towards the Trades. 

Students who are successful in their application for this class attend Trades Academy in Petone, Wellington or Porirua two days per week.  

Courses available include: Construction, Automotive and Engineering, Hair and Beauty, Hospitality & Cooking and Creative Technology.

There is also potentially a Tracks and Trapping course available through Primary Industries.

Students are also required to attend a work placement one day per week. 

Therefore the students will only be at school two days a week.  

This is a Level 2 Trades pathway and it is expected that students will continue on to apprenticeships or Polytech courses at the end of the year (but not university as UE is not offered). This course does not provide a pathway into most Year 13 classes.

In this course, you will explore music by performing, composing, researching and analysing a variety of musical styles.

You will have the freedom to design your own programme of 15–18 credits in consultation with your teacher, tailoring your learning to your interests and strengths. This course is ideal for students who are serious about performance, composition, or music study, and who have been taking itinerant lessons for at least three years to meet the standard for Level 2 Performance.

Level 2 Music is your chance to challenge yourself, refine your skills, and express your creativity while preparing for advanced study and exciting musical opportunities. All senior music students are also expected to be part of a curricular music group, such as a barbershop group or band performance. This gives you the chance to collaborate, perform in real settings, and meet the NCEA criteria for group performance while having fun making music with others.

NCEA Level 2 Physical Education (PE) is an academic course that combines practical, hands-on learning with theoretical knowledge of sports science. The course focuses on movement and encourages students to engage in activities that develop physical and social skills. Core topics include: 

• Biophysical principles: You will learn how and why principles of anatomy and biomechanics relate to learning physical skills and apply this knowledge to a training programme.
• Physical performance: The course includes demonstrating practical skill performance in an applied setting in one or more contexts, such as team sports like badminton or turbo touch.
• Training theory: Students learn how to apply training methods and principles to improve their physical performance. This can involve designing and implementing a personal fitness training plan.
• Social responsibility and leadership: You will examine how social responsibility is demonstrated in physical activity and learn how to use leadership strategies to improve group function.
• Sport and society: The course examines the role and significance of physical activity for young people in New Zealand and explores the impact of a specific sporting event, activity, or festival on society

The course covers skills in communication, literacy, maths, quality standards, workshop procedures, freehand sketching, job specifications, health and safety, materials knowledge (including timber, metal, plastic, glass and rubber), hand tools, power tools operating fixed machinery, and designing and testing products.  

The course is made up of unit standards.

This course provides students with the opportunity to study two academic science courses: Physics and Chemistry.

It consists of both internals and externals.

It is recommended that students choosing this course select Mathematics too. Students interested in the health industry should select this course along with Sci 202.

Many careers require Physics and Chemistry as a prerequisite for the professional courses.

This course follows on from SLS101 that was offered in 2025.

It looks at a range of topics relating society, law and justice.  

We explore the concept of justice and why we have laws. 

This course explores how people take action when they don't agree with decisions made by the government and the consequences these actions can have. 

We also look at how people's beliefs, both political and religious, influence their decision making.  

It uses a mixture of standards from Legal Studies, Social Studies and Religious Studies.

This is a predominantly unit standard based course designed to get students participating and performing in various sporting contexts. Practical activities are balanced with theory work to understand the fundamentals of individual and team performance.  

Students will be tasked with managing their own fitness, coaching a sporting skill within a local primary school context, officiating a primary school sports tournament, performing skills within applied settings, learning basic anatomy and physiology, as well as engaging in a range of outdoor activities.    

Credits in this course make a significant contribution to achievement towards NCEA Level 2. 

The course has been developed by Travel Careers and Training. 

It covers a range of unit standards which promote an understanding of the world of travel and tourism. 

Modules studied include knowledge of New Zealand as a tourist destination, knowledge of world tourist destinations, and other highly practical skills that will contribute to a career pathway in the tourism industry.

Te Ahi Kaa is a Māori Environmental Science based course which draws from both environmental science and tikanga Māori. 

Students from year 10 through to year 13 work in a whānau based class setting that works to enhance the significant natural attributes of Taita College. 

They learn about native species and fauna, learn about Māori concepts of time, values and lore as well as about the environmental management of exotic species and fauna. 

This course will assist students who are interested in science, the environment, the outdoors, manual work and community resilience. Te Ahi Kaa is on Tuesday and as Automotive is also on Tuesdays, students can't take both courses.

Te Reo will be used in this course. 

"Manaaki whenua, manaaki tangata, tau ana, tipu ana anō hoki te mauri e ora  ai tātou".

This course will assist students who are interested in science, the environment, the outdoors, manual work and community resilience. Students will sit some internally assessed NCEA Unit Standards, based on Horticulture and Agriculture that may help a career pathway in conservation.

Numeracy Life Skills

This course is for year 12 students who have not passed the Level 1 NCEA Numeracy requirement.  

It will focus on students passing the 10 credit, Numeracy Co-Requisite Examination in Term 2.

We will also look at Financial Literacy standards that cover important life skills, eg Understanding credit and debt, budgeting, and personal financial goal setting.

Alternatively, we may look to gain Numeracy via the two internal achievement standards from term 3 onwards.

This course can be selected by year 11, 12 and 13 students.

Samoan 101 is a learning language course designed to meet the wide and varied needs of Samoan language learners through communicative use of all FOUR strands of any learning language – listening, speaking, reading and writing. The course develops students’ ability to communicate information, ideas and opinions in Samoan in different situations. Students will develop their understanding of spoken and written Samoan through study of self, identity and family as overarching ideas. Note that for level one Gagana Samoa, the emphasis is largely on building blocks of language structures rather than focusing on the cultural conventions of the language.

O lenei matā’upu e ati’ae ai le tomai o alo ma fānau e ala i le fa’aaogāina o le gagana tautala/ aso uma e aofia ai le fa’alogo, tautala, faitau ma le tusitusi. E mafai ai e alo ma fānau ona fa’asoa fa’amatalaga, māfaufauga ma manatu e fa’aaogā ai le Gagana Sāmoa i nofoaga ‘ese’ese. O le ‘ā mafai e alo ma fānau ona fa’alautele lo latou silafia i le gagana tusitusi ma vaogagana e fa’aaogā i le ‘āiga. O ni isi o matāupu e aofia ai lou tagata, o le fa’asinomaga ma le tāua o le ‘āiga. E lē fa’amamafaina le a’oa’oina o le aganuu ae e aofia uma pe a a’oa’oina gagana faigōfie, tau amata mo le fanau i le tausaga 11.

Students will learn about the contexts surrounding artwork and how it applies to their own experience. 

They will research established artist models and then apply this knowledge to their own paintings. 

The artwork that they produce is first assessed internally and then contributes towards a two-panel portfolio submission, which is externally assessed.

In this course, you will explore music by performing, composing, researching and analysing a variety of musical styles.

You will have the freedom to design your own programme of 15–18 credits in consultation with your teacher, tailoring your learning to your interests and strengths. This course is ideal for students who are serious about performance, composition, or music study, and who have been taking itinerant lessons for at least three years to meet the standard for Level 2 Performance.

Level 2 Music is your chance to challenge yourself, refine your skills, and express your creativity while preparing for advanced study and exciting musical opportunities. All senior music students are also expected to be part of a curricular music group, such as a barbershop group or band performance. This gives you the chance to collaborate, perform in real settings, and meet the NCEA criteria for group performance while having fun making music with others.

This course follows on from SLS101 that was offered in 2025.

It looks at a range of topics relating society, law and justice.  

We explore the concept of justice and why we have laws. 

This course explores how people take action when they don't agree with decisions made by the government and the consequences these actions can have. 

We also look at how people's beliefs, both political and religious, influence their decision making.  

It uses a mixture of standards from Legal Studies, Social Studies and Religious Studies.

Students will learn about the contexts surrounding artwork and how it applies to their own experience. 

They will research established artist models and then apply this knowledge to their own paintings. 

The artwork that they produce is first assessed internally and then contributes towards a three-panel portfolio submission, which is externally assessed. 

The credits offered count towards a University Domain for UE.

This course is based on the Motor Industry Training Organisation (MITO) Ignition programme at level 2 and Accelerate programme at level 3 which are part of their Automotive training programme for schools. StartUp® offers the chance to earn micro-credentials in the automotive industry approved by NZQA, credits towards NCEA Levels 2 and 3 and a great introduction to the working environment.  This course is run once a week for the whole day. If you choose this course you cannot do gateway and Te Ahi Kaa Roa.

With online theory units and practical learning in a workshop, StartUp® is just like a mini-apprenticeship. 

This course operates by splitting the group and rotating each sub group between online theory units and practical workshop learning so it is very important that you are able to manage your own  learning and time to achieve in the online portion of the course with minimal supervision. 

Due to space constraints the combined maximum number for this course is 15. 

Preference will be given to those students who have a genuine interest in a career in the motor industry. (Light vehicle Mechanic, Truck Mechanic, Diesel Fitter, Collision Repair Specialist etc.) 

Note: - The level 3 course practical element is based in servicing the motive and driveline components of various vehicles. 

Candidates wishing to take this course will need to find a garage or dealership who is willing to assist in providing part, if not all of this experience.

This course is designed to cater for students who do not wish to specialise, but wish to broaden their scientific knowledge with a view to continuing study at a tertiary level. 

It covers a variety of topics, which will include  Human biology and earth and space science. There are parts of the Physical Education standards that are covered in this course.

It has both internal and external examination.   The course involves EOTC to gather data. 

The course has day and night trips involved to collect data for the assessment, and also integrates with Physical Education for students interested in taking careers in sports science, Biomedical etc. 

This course is also recommended for students interested in the health sector, along with SCI301.

This course is made up of achievement standards that applies design principles,  problem solving, modelling and graphics to the areas of environmental design,  technological design and media design.

This is a NCEA Level 3 University Entrance Domain Subject.

This course is a continuation of English 201: University Pathway and is designed to prepare you for university study. You'll build on your critical analysis skills and learn to connect different texts and ideas to the world we live in.

The course includes: Creating a writing portfolio, delivering oral presentations and studying critically acclaimed literature and films.  As a university-level preparation course, it includes compulsory external examinations as part of the assessment.

Note: The specific standards for this course will be confirmed at the beginning of 2026. 

This course will cover a range of topics such as food and lifestyles, influence of multinational food corporations, food related ethical dilemmas for New Zealand society and nutritional health issues in New Zealand.

This is a NCEA Level 3 University Entrance Domain Subject.

Gateway is a work-based programme which enables senior students to participate in structured workplace learning. 

Your school-based studies will link in with your Gateway studies and you will be trained and assessed in the workplace. 

Students are required to attend a workplace for one day per week, and this participation will provide students with the opportunity to gain qualifications in school, and in the workplace. As students are required to work one day each week they may not be able to take Automotive or Te ahikaa.

In History we explore the past in order to understand the present and make better decisions for the future.

Extending skills and knowledge developed from the previous year, Level 3 includes some of the following: 

1. Learning how to interpret the traces of the past such as photographs, newspaper accounts, diaries etc. 

2. Exploring the significance of important places, events, and people. 

3. Taking different historical perspectives of people in controversial events. 

4. Researching and understanding concepts within a historical context such as cause, consequences, continuity and change, and historical empathy. 

In Level 3 History we explore topics that are increasingly complex and contested. Examples of historical contexts that have been explored include: 9/11; Rwandan Genocide; Korean Comfort Women. 

This course has a maximum of 25 credits available. Most of the credits are internally assessed and students can gain further credits for course endorsement at the end of the year.

This course is made up of a number of Level 3 standards on food and presentation.  

Each unit consists of a number of written assessments and practical assessments.  

Students need to achieve both parts of the assessment to gain credits for the unit towards NCEA Level 3.

This course is divided into five standards which are all internally assessed. 

The areas of study are Critical path analysis, Linear Programming, Solving systems of equations, Bivariate data investigations, Time series investigations. 

The investigation topics require students to be self-regulated in their approach to learning, to help prepare for tertiary study. 

There may be some room to work towards at least one Level 3 external achievement standard as required, for more able students towards the end of the year. This could be in either Calculus, or Statistics, but subject to HoD approval. 

CALCULUS

The course is divided into six standards, four of these are internally assessed and two are externally assessed at the end of the year. The areas of study are differentiation, integration and differential equations, complex numbers, graphs and conic sections, and trigonometry. 

This course is particularly recommended to those who wish to study mathematics at tertiary level.  It can be done with MAT301 to give students 2 University Entrance domains in Mathematics and Calculus, or Mathematics and Statistics.

Assessment: Internal (10 credits) / External (12 credits)

Note:  This course will only run subject to enough students choose the course.

This is an alternative learning pathway tailored towards the Trades. 

Students who are successful in their application for this class attend Trades Academy in Petone or Porirua two days per week. 

Courses available include: Construction, Automotive and Engineering, Hair and Beauty, Hospitality & Cooking, Barbering and Creative Technology. 

There is also potentially a Tracks and Trapping course available through Primary Industries. 

Students are also required to attend a work placement one day per week. Therefore the students will only be at school two days a week. It is expected that students will continue on to apprenticeships or Polytech courses at the end of the year (but not university as UE is not offered).

In Level 3 Music, you will shape your own programme together with your teacher, choosing standards that fit your strengths and interests. To succeed at this level, it is recommended that you have had at least four years of itinerant lessons so you are ready for the challenge of advanced solo performance.

All senior music students are also expected to be part of a curricular music group, such as a barbershop group or band performance. This gives you the chance to collaborate, perform in real settings, and meet the NCEA criteria for group performance while having fun making music with others.

NCEA Level 3 Physical Education is an academic course that builds on the foundations of Levels 1 and 2, combining both theory and practical work. The course encourages students to think critically about physical activity, evaluate their experiences, and understand the social and biophysical influences on movement. Key topics include

• Biophysical principles: Students learn about biomechanics, anatomy, and exercise physiology to understand human movement.
• Sociology of sport: Students examine the role of sport and physical activity in New Zealand society and culture, often focusing on a current event or issue.
• Training principles: Students develop, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of performance improvement or training programmes
• Lifelong wellbeing: Students evaluate their personal physical activity experiences to devise strategies for lifelong wellbeing.
• Practical application: Students participate in a range of physical activities to apply their theoretical knowledge
• Safety management: Students analyse issues in safety management for outdoor activity to devise safety management strategies 

The course covers skills in communication, literacy, maths, quality standards, workshop procedures, freehand sketching, job specifications, health and safety, materials knowledge (including timber, metal, plastic, glass and rubber), hand tools, power tools operating fixed machinery, and designing and testing products.  

The course is made up of unit standards.

This course provides students with the opportunity to study two academic science courses: Physics & Chemistry. Has both internals and externals.

There is a possibility of students gaining two UE domains: Physics & Chemistry, or Physics and Science, or Chemistry and Science.

It is recommended that students considering the health sector as their career should take along with this, SCi 302.

This is a predominantly unit standard based course designed to get students participating and performing in various sporting contexts. Practical activities are balanced with theory work to understand the fundamentals of individual and team performance and learning. 

Students will be tasked with managing their own fitness, coaching a sporting skill within a local primary school context, officiating a primary school sports tournament, performing skills within applied settings, learning basic anatomy and physiology, as well as engaging in a range of outdoor activities.    

Credits in this course make a significant contribution to achievement towards NCEA 

The course has been developed by Travel Careers and Training. 

It covers a range of unit standards which promote an understanding of the world of travel and tourism. 

Modules studied include knowledge of world geography, Maori Tourism, and knowledge of New Zealand as a tourist destination. 

Trip: Every year a tourism trip to varying destinations is undertaken. This is voluntary and the cost is additional. 

In 2026 the intended destination is The Gold Coast.

Te Ahi Kaa is a Māori Environmental Science based course which draws from both environmental science and tikanga Māori. 

Students from year 10 through to year 13 work in a whānau based class setting that works to enhance the significant natural attributes of Taita College. 

They learn about native species and fauna, learn about Māori concepts of time, values and lore as well as about the environmental management of exotic species and fauna. 

This course will assist students who are interested in science, the environment, the outdoors, manual work and community resilience. As this course is run on Tuesday students cannot take Automotive as well as this is also on Tuesday.

Te Reo will be used in this course. 

"Manaaki whenua, manaaki tangata, tau ana, tipu ana anō hoki te mauri e ora  ai tātou".

This course will assist students who are interested in science, the environment, the outdoors, manual work and community resilience. Students will sit some internally assessed NCEA Unit Standards, based on Horticulture and Agriculture that may help a career pathway in conservation.