St Kevins College (Oamaru)

The aims are to enable learners to:

• Learn about livestock nutrition, health, and disease prevention. 
• Explore the factors that determine the different land uses in rural New Zealand. 
• Study climate measurements in various regions and the impact that these can have on farms. 

Content Overview

The horticultural classes occur during the warmer weeks of the year.  We will use an incubator to hatch eggs during these classes.  Students will study how to successfully hatch eggs and how to raise chickens successfully and humanely.  The class will explore what makes plants live and grow and how to reproduce new plants successfully. We will also learn a bit about gardening and composting.

Design and Visual Communication (formerly known as technical drawing or graphics) is a subject that teaches students how to develop, express, and communicate creative design ideas through sketching, drawing, and computer-aided design.

Core Focus Areas

• Design Thinking: Learning how to brainstorm, plan, and solve visual or physical problems.
• Visual Communication: Mastering freehand sketching, rendering, and technical drawing to present concepts clearly.
• Spatial and Product Design: Designing everyday items (product design) or buildings and interior spaces (spatial design).

Core Areas of Study - The course is project-based and generally splits into two major categories: 

• Spatial Design: Focuses on architecture, interior design, landscape design, and environmental spaces (e.g., designing houses or public structures).
• Product Design: Focuses on industrial design, manufactured items, and consumer goods (e.g., electronic items, furniture, or packaging)

Key Skills Learned

• Freehand Sketching: Quickly putting ideas down on paper to communicate a concept. 
• Color Rendering: Applying color, shading, and texture to drawings to make them look realistic and 3D. 
• Instrumental Drawing: Using precise tools, rulers, and geometric principles to create technical plans like floor plans or multi-view orthographic drawings. 
• CAD and Digital Modeling: Utilizing professional software (computer graphics programs) to generate 3D digital designs. 
• Design Thinking: Investigating user needs, evaluating materials, and iteratively improving a product or space to solve a specific problem.

The aims are to enable learners to:

• Inspire excellence in our students through the delivery of our English curriculum. 
• Empower students by creating, nurturing and developing a culture of excellence in reading. 
• Gain sound foundation literacy skills in reading and writing.
• Deepen students' understanding and appreciation of the ways writers use language to express meaning and create effect.

Course Overview

At this level, English at St Kevin's College allows pupils to develop the ability to communicate clearly, accurately and effectively when speaking and writing; learn how to use a wide range of vocabulary, and the correct grammar, spelling and punctuation; develop a personal style and an awareness of the audience being addressed. The course also develops analysis and communication skills such as synthesis, inference, and the ability to order facts and present opinions effectively. This course prepares students for the NCEA Literacy Common Assessment Activity and IGCSE Language sat in Year 10.  

Year 9 Food Technology focuses on safe food handling, practical cooking skills, and basic nutrition. Students learn to prepare simple meals, understand how ingredients work, and solve design challenges. 

Core Practical Skills

• Kitchen Safety: Preventing cross-contamination, using knives correctly, and managing hygiene.
• Cooking Methods: Practising boiling, baking, grilling, and frying using standard kitchen appliances.
• Food Preparation: Weighing, measuring, chopping, and combining ingredients to follow a recipe.

Theory and Nutrition

• Nutritional Value: Learning about protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals for a balanced diet.
• Ingredient Functions: Understanding how different components change texture, flavour, and structure during cooking.
• Food Choices: Exploring where food comes from, reading nutrition labels, and catering to specific dietary needs. 

Design and Problem Solving

• Design Process: Planning, creating, and evaluating dishes against specific criteria or briefs.
• Sustainability: Considering food waste, seasonal eating, and cultural or ethical practices in food preparation.

Hard Material Technology teaches students to design and build physical items using resistant materials like wood, metal, and plastics. Students learn core practical skills including measuring and marking, safe workshop tool use, and basic joinery. 

Workshop Safety and Tools

• Safety rules: Wearing safety glasses and proper shoes.
• Hand tools: Using saws, hammers, and chisels safely.
• Machine basics: Introduction to drills and sanders under close watch. 

Materials and Designing

• Wood and plastics: Learning how different materials bend, break, or resist heat.
• Planning projects: Drawing simple plans or using basic digital design tools before building.
• Making items: Creating small take-home projects. 

Topics covered this year

• C1: Number
• C2: Algebra & Graphs
• C3: Coordinate Geometry
• C4: Geometry
• C5: Measurement
• C9 :Statistics 

What to bring for Maths Class 

• Calculator (Casio FX82AU)  
• Pens, pencils, eraser, ruler 
• 1J8 Maths Exercise book
• Chromebook or Laptop 
• Compass and Protractor (when required)

The focus of this course is to allow any students needing a bit more help to achieve to their full potential.  It is a semesterised course that will focus on the core strands, wih an emphasis on number and measurement.

This is an optional course for students who have mathematics as one of their strengths.  The focus of this class is algebra with the option to continue into the extended course in year 10.

The aims are to enable students to: 

• Investigate different music contexts, including the reasons why we make music.
• Apply knowledge of the elements of music as they develop their practical skills.
• Learn how to express themselves using the creative process.
• Grow in self-confidence and performance skills. 

Course Overview

Learners will be exposed to a variety of musical contexts and instruments. Basic theory skills will be taught as students learn to play a piece of music on a variety of instruments, including voice. Learners will develop their practical knowledge and build their self-confidence with a solo or group performance. 

Course Overview

The St Kevin’s Junior Health and Physical Education course allows students to develop knowledge and understanding about how physical activity can enhance well-being in many different ways. Skill development, teamwork, discussing social influences, and fun are the fundamental goals with our junior students. Students will have the opportunity to engage in traditional and cultural activities as well as investigate health-related fitness components. The Health curriculum develops critical thinking about social influences on self and others and allows an in-depth understanding of spiritual, physical, and mental and emotional well-being. 

The aims are to enable learners to:

• Become active participants in a range of sporting and physical contexts. 
• Enhance motor skill development.
• Engage in interpersonal skill use for the benefit of all involved. 
• Develop leadership capabilities in a variety of contexts.
• Explore how societal factors influence all areas connected to individual well-being. 

Ngā Kōhatu - Touchstone 

I am connected
I have connected others
(Sometimes this connection is broken)

Develop understanding of our inter-connectedness with one another and with God as we share our spiritual journey

Jesus connected his disciples to one another and to the world. He showed that following him involved building community in order to build the reign of God. He was rarely alone, and prayed often to God.

Course Overview:

Term 1: The Gift of Belonging - Why am I here?

What does it really mean to follow Jesus today?

Students will start the year by exploring who we are, what shapes us, and what it means to know that we are loved by God. From there, we’ll discover how we can encounter Jesus through the Sacraments and how our faith can make a difference in the way we live.

We’ll look at real examples of people who have chosen to live lives of faith, courage, service and holiness, and explore how we too can put our faith into action in our school, our community and the world around us.

This learning area is all about discovering what it means to follow Jesus and live as a young Catholic today.

Term 2: Creation, Covenant and Freedom - What is the Bible For? 

In this learning area, we will explore the Bible as the story of humanity’s relationship with God. We will discover how the Bible tells the story of God’s love for creation and His desire to be in relationship with His people.

We will explore two key ideas:

• Creation – God as Creator, our role and responsibility within creation, and the interconnected relationship between God, humanity and the world around us.
• Covenant – the promises and relationships God establishes with humanity and creation. We will explore the importance of God’s commandments, humanity’s struggles to remain faithful, and how Jesus brings about a New Covenant and a New Creation.

Through this learning, we will build our knowledge and understanding of the Bible while exploring how its stories, teachings and values continue to shape Catholic faith and influence the way we live today.

Term 3: Our History: From Persecution to Power (The Growing Church)

How did a small group of Jesus’ followers become a worldwide Church?

In this unit, we will journey back to the origins of Christianity, beginning with Pentecost and the birth of the early Church.  We will discover how the first Christians shared their faith and how Christianity grew from a small Jewish movement into a faith that welcomed people from all nations.

We will explore how Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire and beyond, the challenges and persecution faced by early Christians, and the dramatic change when Christianity moved from being a persecuted minority to the official religion of the Roman Empire.

We will also discover how the early Church worked to protect and clarify its faith in Jesus Christ, including the development of the Bible as we know it and the statements of belief that continue to shape Christian faith today.

Through this unit, we will gain an understanding of the people, events and decisions that shaped the early Church and laid the foundations for Christianity around the world.

Term 4: The Trinity: What does God look like? 

We will explore in greater detail the Catholic understanding of the Holy Trinity. The three ‘persons’, as expressed in the Sign of the Cross – God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It sums up the Christian understanding of God and is the central mystery of faith.  

We will learn the dynamic relationship that seamlessly, lovingly, and creatively flows through them, and the role that each person plays in the story of salvation.  An important aspect of this topic is understanding that the Blessed Trinity is alive and active in our every day lives. That every action of God is due to the whole Trinity and that God always was and is.  

The Cambridge Lower Secondary Science in Year 9

Biology is the study of living things and how they interact with each other. Learners develop an understanding of life processes, including how the structure and development of cells and systems allow them to maintain these processes and ecosystems. 

Chemistry is the study of matter. Matter takes the form of materials that are made up of substances. Learners develop an understanding of atoms, elements, and compounds, including how substances interact and understand the properties of different substances. 

Physics is the study of the interaction of matter and energy. Learners develop an understanding of energy and forces, how light and sound behave, and how magnets, including electromagnets, interact. 

Earth and Space covers the study of Earth, the wider Solar System, and beyond.  Learners develop an understanding of how the Earth’s structure is linked to natural phenomena, including how the atmosphere and climate are linked. They also develop their knowledge of the universe outside of Earth by considering the wider Solar System and beyond.

Social studies is designed to 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.

It fosters students’ natural curiosity about how people live and have lived, and about places and environments. 

Social studies equips students with the knowledge and skills to understand, participate in, and contribute to local, national, and global communities; to engage critically with societal issues; and to evaluate the sustainability of alternative social, economic, political, and environmental practices. By appreciating that people have different experiences and perspectives, students learn to engage constructively with views and opinions different from their own and are empowered to contribute empathetically and meaningfully as citizens of our diverse society and interconnected world. 

• Encourages learners to be critical citizens learning about the past to understand the present and to prepare for the future.
• Develop the ability to reason logically, make inferences, and draw conclusions
• Develop understanding, knowledge, and skills in relation to social, cultural, economic, and political processes.
• 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.
• Enables them to contribute to and participate in society as critically informed, ethical, and empathetic citizens with a concern for the well-being of communities and a commitment to a fair society for all.
• An understanding of the responsibilities deriving from Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its principles of engaging in powersharing and in honourable relationships,

Content Overview

• Disasters causes & consequences including refugees & their issues 
• Polynesian Migration to Early Southern History
• The land places & events – Geography basics
• Law & order NZ – how the central & local government influence our lives
• Human rights & the treaty of waitangi 
• Four different industrial changes and sustainable solutions 
• Basic financial skills & real-world awareness 

Content Overview

This course allows our students to experience a wide range of physical contexts. They will develop leadership potential, interpersonal skills use and teamwork in the physical setting. The real focus is on having fun in the practical sense. A wide range of contexts will be used that enhance the core Physical Education program. The course is also beneficial to students who are thinking about a Physical Education program in the senior school. If you like to be active, then this is the perfect option.

The aims are to enable learners to:

• Work with like-minded students in a competitive environment. 
• Enhance motor skill development in a variety of sports.
• Develop knowledge and understanding through game playing. 
• Develop leadership roles within sport 
• Have fun.

The aims Year 9 Visual Art are to enable learners to:

• Become confident with the creative process. 
• Be inspired by visual artists.
• Learn a range of art techniques.
• Develop original ideas.
• Create finished artworks for exhibition around the school and in the community.

Content Overview - Visual Arts - Exhibition Art

In Year 9 art, students test and explore art-making processes in drawing, painting, printmaking, and sculpture. Specific skills in printmaking and painting will be taught as well as sculpting in clay. Research into artists' work will be used to inspire students as they create their own ideas for artworks. Students will produce a number of resolved works for an exhibition at school. High-quality works will be chosen for entry into the Burns Exhibition at the Forrester Gallery or displayed around the school.

Additional Information

This course gives students an introduction to the Visual Arts with a focus on managing themselves in the art studio. All materials will be provided in class.

The aims are to enable learners to:

• Manage a spreadsheet to help them understand the monthly, seasonal and annual variances that occur with farm finances.
• Manage a spreadsheet as a tool for ranking livestock performance.
• Construct simple budgets as a tool for farm enterprise comparisons and analysis.

Content Overview

The horticultural classes occur during the warmer weeks of the year. We will use an incubator to
hatch eggs during these classes. We will study how to successfully hatch eggs and how to raise
chickens successfully and humanely. We will study livestock nutritional demands and how to calculate a feed diet.  We will learn how to produce vegetables all year round.

Design and Visual Communication (formerly known as technical drawing or graphics) is a subject that teaches students how to develop, express, and communicate creative design ideas through sketching, drawing, and computer-aided design.

Core Focus Areas

• Design Thinking: Learning how to brainstorm, plan, and solve visual or physical problems.
• Visual Communication: Mastering freehand sketching, rendering, and technical drawing to present concepts clearly.
• Spatial and Product Design: Designing everyday items (product design) or buildings and interior spaces (spatial design).

Core Areas of Study - The course is project-based and generally splits into two major categories: 

• Spatial Design: Focuses on architecture, interior design, landscape design, and environmental spaces (e.g., designing houses or public structures).
• Product Design: Focuses on industrial design, manufactured items, and consumer goods (e.g., electronic items, furniture, or packaging)

Key Skills Learned

• Freehand Sketching: Quickly putting ideas down on paper to communicate a concept. 
• Color Rendering: Applying color, shading, and texture to drawings to make them look realistic and 3D. 
• Instrumental Drawing: Using precise tools, rulers, and geometric principles to create technical plans like floor plans or multi-view orthographic drawings. 
• CAD and Digital Modeling: Utilizing professional software (computer graphics programs) to generate 3D digital designs. 
• Design Thinking: Investigating user needs, evaluating materials, and iteratively improving a product or space to solve a specific problem.

IGCSE 1st year

The objectives of this course is to develop a depth of understanding to pass IGCSE Economics in Year 11 

we will be develping understanding and skills focused on :  

·       define, measure and understand some basic economic concepts and apply those concepts in some Case Studies 

·       develop further the skills of constructing and explaining diagrams meaning and implications in detailed paragraphs.

        widen your scope of study and examine the operation of the New Zealand economy to find solutions to some of the major problem.

·       develop the understanding and skills required to maintain and manage a business

The aims are to enable learners to:

• Read a wide range of texts, fluently and with good understanding, enjoying and appreciating a variety of language
• Read critically, and use knowledge gained from wide reading to inform and improve their own writing
• Write accurately and effectively, using Standard English appropriately
• Work with information and with ideas in language by developing skills of evaluation, analysis, use and inference

Content Overview

Cambridge IGCSE First Language English offers learners the opportunity to respond with understanding to a rich array of reading texts during the course as a whole. Learners will use these texts to inform and inspire their own writing, and write in a range of text types for different purposes and audiences. 

Learners will develop both their speaking and their listening skills, deliver a presentation, respond to questions and engage in conversations.

Learners are encouraged to become appreciative and critical readers, writers, speakers and listeners.

Learners will be exposed to a variety of topics like media theory, reporting, digital media production, and film analysis, with a focus on how media reflects and influences society across different cultures. Learners will explore elements of Film, Journalism and communication while producing a media product. Learners will work either individually or as part of a group to complete this work.

The aims are to enable students to: 

• Engage critically and creatively with a diverse and fast-changing media world.
• Understand and explain how media products construct and communicate meaning, through close analysis of the interaction of media language and audience responses.
• Apply practical skills creatively, the ability to analyse their own and published media products

Year 10 food technology focuses on practical cooking skills, food safety, and ingredient science. Students learn through hands-on preparation, the design process, and nutritional analysis. 

Practical Skills and Safety

• Practicing safe hygiene and proper use of kitchen tools.
• Learning fundamental cooking methods like baking, boiling, and frying.
• Developing precise measuring, cutting, and presentation techniques. 

Food Science and Nutrition

• Exploring how ingredients change through physical and chemical reactions (such as aeration or gluten formation).
• Studying macro-nutrients like proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.
• Assessing individual nutritional needs and healthy eating guidelines. 

Design and Sustainability

• Applying the technological design process to plan and modify recipes.
• Investigating sustainable food practices, local sourcing, and food miles.
• Creating custom food products or meal kits tailored for specific user needs.

Welcome to Year 10 Geography & History!

Step into the past and explore the modern world in this dynamic, two-part course designed to build a deep understanding of our planet and its history. Over the year, you will split your focus across two core disciplines:

• Geography (2 Terms): Dive into natural processes and geographic systems. You’ll learn how to read topographic maps, investigate extreme natural events, explore Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and develop resource interpretation skills.
• History (2 Terms): The history of Samoa and their relations with New Zealand. Imperial China. Shogunate Japan and the rise of modern Japan.  Examine the origins and impact of the First World War—including New Zealand’s vital role. 

This course provides a strong foundation and hands-on skill development to prepare you directly for Cambridge IGCSE Geography and History in Year 11.

Welcome to Year 10 Geography & History!

Step into the past and explore the modern world in this dynamic, two-part course designed to build a deep understanding of our planet and its history. Over the year, you will split your focus across two core disciplines:

• Geography (2 Terms): Dive into natural processes and geographic systems. You’ll learn how to read topographic maps, investigate extreme natural events, explore Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and develop resource interpretation skills.
• History (2 Terms): The history of Samoa and their relations with New Zealand. Imperial China. Shogunate Japan and the rise of modern Japan.  Examine the origins and impact of the First World War—including New Zealand’s vital role. 

This course provides a strong foundation and hands-on skill development to prepare you directly for Cambridge IGCSE Geography and History in Year 11.

In Year 10 Hard Materials Technology (Curriculum Level 5), students blend design thinking with practical workshop skills to create functional physical products. They transition from following basic instructions to solving  more complex design problems by manipulating resistant materials like wood, metal and plastics. 

• Design Brief: Students follow a set brief.
• Concept Generation: Using freehand sketching, technical drawing, and sometime Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software if appropriate to visualize ideas.
• Planning and Prototyping: Learning project management, scheduling steps, and creating mock-ups to test if a design will work before final production. 

2. Technological Knowledge: Students study how and why things work, building a foundational understanding of engineering and manufacturing principles. 

• Material Properties: Understanding how different resistant materials behave, why certain materials are chosen for specific environments, and how materials are combined and joined. 

3. Nature of Technology (Societal & Environmental Impact)Level 5 places a strong emphasis on looking at technology critically through a broader lens.

• Sustainability: Students are encouraged to evaluate the environmental impact of material choices. 
• Codified Knowledge: Students are introduced to industry safety standards, codes of practice, and design laws.

Practical Workshop Skills continue to be built in the workshop building muscle memory and tool confidence, which lays the groundwork for Senior material technology pathways.

• Tool Competency: Safe operation of hand tools, power tools and workshop machinery.
• Typical Projects: Designing and manufacturing items.

Topics covered in Maths classes

• C1: Number
• C2: Algebra & Graphs
• C3: Coordinate Geometry
• C4: Geometry
• C5: Measurement
• C7: Transformation and Vectors
• C8: Probability
• C9: Statistics 

What to bring for Maths Class 

• Calculator (Casio FX82AU)  
• Pens, pencils, eraser, ruler, highlighter
• 1J8 Maths Exercise book
• Chromebook or Laptop 
• Compass and Protractor (when required) 

Topics covered in Maths classes this year

• E1: Number
• E2: Algebra & Graphs
• E3: Coordinate Geometry
• E4: Geometry
• E5: Measurement
• E6: Trigonometry
• E7: Transformation and Vectors
• E8: Probability
• E9: Statistics

Topics covered in Maths classes this year

• 1: Number
• 2: Algebra & Graphs
• 4: Geometry
• 5: Measurement
• 8: Probability
• 9: Statistics

The Year 10 course will prepare students for Year 11 Music.

The aims are to enable students to: 

• Investigate different music contexts, including the reasons why we make music.
• Apply knowledge of the elements of music, structural devices and stylistic conventions as they develop their practical skills.
• Prepare, rehearse, and present performances to an audience.
• Reflect on their own and others’ music, both live and recorded.
• Grow in self-confidence and performance skills. 

Course Overview

Learners will be exposed to a variety of musical contexts and instruments. Theory skills will be extended as students learn to play a number of pieces of music on a variety of instruments, including voice. Learners will develop their practical knowledge and build their self-confidence with solo or group performances. 

Course Overview

The St Kevin’s Junior Health and Physical Education course allows students to develop knowledge and understanding about how physical activity can enhance well-being in many different ways. Skill development, teamwork, discussing social influences, and fun are the fundamental goals with our junior students. Students will have the opportunity to engage in traditional and cultural activities as well as investigate health-related fitness components. The Health curriculum develops critical thinking about social influences on self and others and allows an in-depth understanding of spiritual, physical, and mental and emotional well-being.  

The aims are to enable learners to:

• Become active participants in a range of sporting and physical contexts. 
• Enhance motor skill development.
• Engage in interpersonal skill use for the benefit of all involved. 
• Develop leadership capabilities in a variety of contexts.
• Explore how societal factors influence all areas connected to individual well-being.

Ngā Kōhatu - Touchstone

I am connected
I have connected others
(Sometimes this connection is broken)

Develop understanding of our inter-connectedness with one another and with God as we share our spiritual journey

Jesus connected his disciples to one another and to the world. He showed that following him involved building community in order to build the reign of God. He was rarely alone, and prayed often to God.

Course Overview:

Term 1: Journeys of Freedom

This Content Area invites our rangatahi to explore the idea of life as a journey of faith. They will develop an understanding that the Bible tells the story of our relationship with God through a journey from Creation to Revelation. Through four key biblical journey stories, they will consider God’s invitation to journey with others and reflect on how these stories connect with their own Hīkoi Wairua. Students will also explore the freedom to accept or reject God’s invitation and examine how the Bible has been used in different ways, including to justify injustice such as slavery and racism, but also as a powerful source of hope, freedom and liberation. They will consider how biblical texts have inspired songs and prayers for freedom and have the opportunity to create their own responses. 

Term 2: The Gift of Vocation - Why am I here? 

This unit invites our rangatahi to explore vocation as a call to relationship, work and purposeful living. They will consider some of the key issues and challenges facing our world today and explore how the Catholic Church responds to them. Students will examine the different ways we are called to live out our relationship with God and others, and will learn how discernment can help us recognise and respond to God’s call in our lives. In particular, they will be introduced to Ignatian discernment and decision-making as a practical way of discovering where God may be leading them. 

Term 3: Our History: From Persecution to Power (The Medieval Church

How did a small group of Jesus’ followers become a worldwide Church?

This topic explores the development of Christianity from its beginnings as a community within Judaism to becoming a major spiritual, social, and political force. Students will investigate how Christianity spread from the Holy Land to different parts of the world and how the Church developed and responded to the challenges it encountered along the way.

Students will explore key concepts including evangelism and the spread of Christianity to Europe, Africa, and Asia; the challenges and achievements of the Church throughout its history; and the development of Christendom and the relationship between the Church, political and social power, and other faith communities.

Students will also examine the life of St Mary and the stories of Christians whose faith and actions continue to inspire others. Through these key concepts, students will develop an understanding of the history and development of the Catholic Church from Pentecost through to the late medieval period, around 1450.

Term 4: Images of God: What does God look like? 

This topic allows students to explore how God is represented in both the Old and New Testaments. Students will examine the meaning and significance of these images and consider what they reveal about the nature and identity of God.

Students will investigate the role of artists and art in communicating ideas about God, exploring religious art such as icons, paintings, sculptures, stained glass, and religious architecture. They will consider how artistic representations of God have developed over time and how they have shaped our understanding of faith.

The topic also explores issues surrounding justice and representation in religious art, as well as the impact of digital media and freedom of expression. Finally, students will broaden their understanding by examining images and representations of God in the Islamic and Hindu traditions.

This is the beginning of learning towards iGCSE. Students are taught the first half of the iGCSE Combined Science syllabus.

The aims are to enable learners to:

• Acquire scientific knowledge and understanding of scientific theories and practice
• Develop a range of experimental skills, including handling variables and working safely
• Use scientific data and evidence to solve problems and discuss the limitations of scientific methods
• Communicate effectively and clearly, using scientific terminology, notation, and conventions
• Understand that the application of scientific knowledge can benefit people and the environment
• Enjoy science and develop an informed interest in scientific matters that support further study.

Content Overview

This course allows our students to experience a wide range of physical contexts. They will develop leadership potential, interpersonal skills use and teamwork in the physical setting. The real focus is on having fun in the practical sense. A wide range of contexts will be used that enhance the core Physical Education program. The course is also beneficial to students who wish to follow the Cambridge IGCSE program in the senior school. If you like to be active, then this is the perfect option. 

The aims are to enable learners to:

• Become active participants in a range of sporting and physical contexts. 
• Enhance motor skill development.
• Engage in interpersonal skill use for the benefit of all involved. 
• Develop leadership capabilities in a variety of contexts 
• Gain an insight into the theoretical factors that underpin Cambridge IGCSE Physical Education.
• Explore how societal factors influence all areas connected to individual well-being. 

The aims of Year 10 Visual Art are to enable learners to:

• Understand the use of perspective in drawing and painting.
• Develop painting skills in acrylic and watercolour.
• Analyse contemporary artists' work and develop new ideas.
• Follow a design brief to create an original design.  
• Create a finished artwork for exhibition around the school and in the community.
• Evaluate their finished work.

Content Overview - Visual Art - Toi Ataata

Students will build on their drawing and painting skills, learning about atmospheric and linear perspective in Western Art. They will learn the basics of composition and create a finished still life painting. They will then study both traditional and contemporary kōwhaiwhai by Māori artists and use their research to develop their own ideas for a personal kōwhaiwhai panel. They will learn the tikanga for carving safely in the studio and produce a finished kōwhaiwhai panel that is carved and painted.

Additional Information

This course will prepare students for further study in the Visual Arts in Year 11. Students will need an A4 Visual Diary. All other materials will be provided in class.

To investigate and communicate the “Big Ideas” in Agriculture. 

These include:

• Livestock and Soil Management
• Primary production in New Zealand

To participate in a range of agricultural activities.  These include:

• Field Trips to farmers and growers
• Practical skills such as sheep yard work, riding farm bikes

To become aware of the range of careers and opportunities in the Primary Sector in New Zealand

Year 11 Design and Visual Communication (DVC) focuses on spatial and product design, freehand sketching and rendering, and technical drawing. Students learn to turn design ideas into visual solutions while exploring how things work and look. 

Core Skills and Topics

• Spatial & Product Design: Designing indoor/outdoor spaces or functional everyday products.
• Freehand Sketching: Drawing 3D objects using crating lines, perspective, and isometric views.
• Rendering & Tone: Adding light, shadow, and color to show different materials.
• Technical Drawing: Creating accurate 2D and 3D working drawings with proper measurements and symbols.
• Design Thinking: Researching a problem, generating creative options, and refining a final choice.
• Computer-Aided Design (CAD): Using digital software tools to plan and present ideas. 

Year 11 Economics is focused on the 2-year IGCSE Economics course

Content Overview:

The syllabus enables learners to read, interpret and evaluate texts through the study of literature in English. Learners develop an understanding of literal meaning, relevant contexts and the deeper themes or attitudes that may be expressed. Through their studies, they learn to recognise and appreciate the ways in which writers use English to achieve a range of effects, and will be able to present an informed, personal response to the material they have studied.

The syllabus also encourages the exploration of wider and universal issues, promoting learners’ better understanding of themselves and of the world around them.

Content Overview:

The syllabus provides learners with the opportunity to gain further knowledge and understanding of international poetry, prose and drama as they study all three forms.  Learners develop skills in analysis and interpretation of texts, and are encouraged to express their personal response. Learners explore the conventions of genres of texts and the context in which works have been written, read and received.

English As a Second Language

Content Overview

The aim of this course is to develop vocabulary and English skills in Migrant and International English Learners. The course is multi-level with foundation and level assessments that relate to the Common European Framework (CEFR) and the New Zealand English Language Intensive Programme (ELIP). These frameworks will seek to prepare learners for the NZQA Literacy and Numeracy Common Assessment.

Assessment Overview

• 5 Reading Credits (Literacy). Please note that this standard is required to obtain an NCEA qualification and the credits do not contribute towards the overall credit count.  
• 5 Writing Credits (Literacy) Please note that this standard is required to obtain an NCEA qualification and the credits do not contribute towards the overall credit count.
• 10 internally assessed credits. 

Welcome to Year 11 Geography!

Geography is the study of people and places—how we shape our world and how it shapes us. In this course, you will investigate dynamic natural environments and explore how human populations interact with the planet across local, regional, and global scales.

• Physical Geography: Focuses on changing river environments, coastal environments, ecosystems (including rainforests and Antarctica), tectonic hazards, and an expanded core unit on climate change. 
• Human Geography: Covers changing populations, urban environments (towns and cities), economic development, changing industries/economies, and resource provision for food and energy

Cambridge IGCSE History focuses on 20th-century international relations, examining how major global conflicts, ideologies, and peace efforts shaped the modern world. Students build core skills in source analysis, critical thinking, and structured essay writing.

Skills we will be develop are :  

• Source Evaluation: Assessing the reliability, bias, and usefulness of primary and secondary documents.
• Historical Concepts: Analyzing cause and consequence, change and continuity, and differing perspectives.
• Argumentation: Constructing clear, evidence-backed written arguments and structured essays

Topics being covered will included: 

• The Treaty of Versailles: The peace terms and their immediate aftermath.
• The League of Nations: Successes, failures, and the road to international breakdown.
• The Second World War: Causes and escalation in Europe and the Asia-Pacific.
• The Cold War: Superpower tensions, containment, and global crises from 1945 onwards

Year 11 hospitality course introduces students to commercial kitchen operations, basic cookery techniques, and food safety through practical and theoretical learning, helping them build foundational life skills and early vocational pathways for the food and service sector. 

• Safety and Hygiene: Safe food handling, personal hygiene, and correct knife care and usage.
• Practical Cookery: Basic food preparation, cooking methods, and baking simple dishes or snacks.
• Industry Awareness: Exploring career pathways, sectors, and job roles within the wider hospitality and tourism industry.
• Nutrition and Menu Basics: Understanding food groups, basic nutrition, and how ingredients come together. 

Key Learning Goals

• Gain hands-on experience in a commercial or school training kitchen.
• Learn teamwork, time management, and communication under pressure.
• Earn introductory credits or foundational certificates (such as ServiceIQ pathways in New Zealand schools).

Year 11 Hard Materials Technology students undertaking NCEA Level 1 Manufacturing Unit Standards  learn foundational, industry-aligned engineering trades and workshop skills. The curriculum transitions students away from pure classroom design toward structured, project-based industrial manufacturing. These vocational standards focus on the safe manipulation of "resistant materials" (primarily engineering metals, alloys, and wood) to construct physical products.

1. Health and Safety Practices

• Workshop Culture: Learning basic trade-level workplace safety culture and hazard identification.
• PPE Protocol: Selecting and correctly wearing personal protective equipment like safety glasses, boots, and ear defenders.
• Machine Safety: Following strict standard operating procedures for basic isolation, machine guards, and power tool management. 

2. Engineering Calculations and Measurement

• Trade Math: Applying arithmetic and basic applied geometry directly to a manufacturing context.
• Precision Measuring: Interpreting millimeter measurements using steel rulers, calipers, and basic engineering gauges.
• Material Allowances: Calculating allowances needed for material thickness, cutting kerfs, bending, and joining components. 

3. Interpreting Technical Specifications

• Orthographic Layouts: Reading and interpreting engineering drawings, component details, and manufacturing job prescriptions.

4. Core Workshop Fabrication Techniques

• Marking Out: Preparing the material surface and scribing layout lines accurately onto resistant materials before making permanent cuts. 
• Material Manipulation: Performing basic engineering workshop cutting (using hacksaws, files, and chisels) and bending operations. 
• Engineering Machining: Learning to safely configure and operate mechanical tools like drill presses or basic engineering lathes under close supervision.
• Assembly and Fastening: Joining machined components together using fixed mechanical fasteners, rivets, thread cutting, or introductory thermal techniques like MIG welding. 

5. Trade Completion Activities

• Tolerance Verification: Testing the finalized components against the master specification to self-assess dimensional accuracy. 
• Finishing Processes: Polishing, deburring sharp metal edges, cleaning up surfaces, and applying defensive finishes to completed articles. 
• Workshop Housekeeping: Returning shared tooling to correct storage, lubricating equipment, and categorizing waste for environmental recycling.

Topics covered in Maths classes this year

• C6: Trigonometry
• C2 Part 3: Algebra expressions
• C3  Part 3: Algebra Graphs
• C5 Part 3:  Mensuration
• General revision of topics covered in junior classes:C1 Number, C2 Algebra, C3 Coordinate Geometry,  C4 Geometry,              C5 Mensuration, C7 Transformations and vectors, C8 Probability, C9 Statistics

Topics covered in Maths classes this year

• C6: Trigonometry (Exact values using surds; Non right angled triangles - sine and cosine rules; area of triangles and sectors)
• C2 Part 3: Algebra - quadratic equations by completion of squares and formula, simultaneous equations with nonlinear functions) 
• C3  Part 3: Algebra & Graphs (Kinematics,sketching and plotting of parabolas, reciprocal and exponential curves
• C1.2:  Sets (problems involving 3 sets)
• C9: Statistics - Ogives, Histograms with unequal widths
• C    Differentiation and integration of polynomial functions including fra
• General revision of topics covered last year:C1 Number, C2 parts 1 & 2,C3 parts 1 & 2,  C4: Geometry, C5: Measurement, C7 Transformations and vectors (including position vectors, parallel vectors and collinearity), C8: Probability (using Venn diagrams and tree diagrams)

What to bring for Maths Class 

• Calculator (Casio FX82AU)  
• Pens, pencils, eraser, ruler 
• 1J8 Maths Exercise book
• Chromebook or Laptop (fully charged)
• Compass and Protractor (when required) 

Objectives:

• Develop an interest in and enjoyment of music
• Work to your musical strengths in your chosen instrument (voice is an instrument)
• Improve your understanding of music theory
• Develop practical performance skills as individuals and within a group 
• Utilise good self discipline and time management skills

Content Overview

Through the study of music theory and performance based projects, students will develop a deeper understanding of themselves as they explore different contexts, spirituality, emotions, and the ideas of others. Students can build confidence as artists by bringing their own experiences and cultures to their music making.

Music is taught in a multi-level classroom.  NCEA is available at levels 1, 2, and 3.  Students may choose to study at whatever level they feel is appropriate given their skill level.

Topics covered in class that relate to the Numeracy CAA

• N1: Number
• N2: Maths Relationships
• N3: Spatial Properties and Representations
• N4: Location and Navigation
• N5: Measurement
• N6: Statistics and Data
• N7: Probability and Chance
  
  NCEA Level 2 Achievement Standards
  

  There will also be an opportunity for students in this course to sit a variety of other NCEA standards which we know are at a level Numeracy learners can access. These will be offered to students on an individual basis according to how they progress through the year.  

  In the second half of the year, this will be the focus of students' learning time if they have achieved the CAA in the first half of the year. Those that have not achieved the CAA will have the opportunity to continue working towards their goals for the year and an individual plan will be made according to each student's needs (this may include working on NCEA internals and the CAA simultaneously or only on skills for the CAA)

  
  

  What to bring for every class 

  • Calculator (Casio FX82AU)  
  • Pens, pencils, eraser, ruler 
  • 1J8 Maths Exercise book
  • Chromebook or Laptop 
  • Compass and Protractor (when required)
  
  

The aims are to enable students to:

• Develop their knowledge and understanding of the theory underpinning physical performance in a modern world. 
• Use and apply this knowledge and understanding to improve their performance. 
• Perform in a range of physical activities, developing skills and techniques, and selecting and using tactics, strategies and/or compositional ideas.
• Understand and appreciate safe practice in physical activity and sport.
• Understand and appreciate the benefit of physical activity and sport for health, fitness and well-being

Content Overview

Candidates will study all of the following topics:

• Anatomy and Physiology
• Health, fitness and training
• Skill acquisition and psychology
• Social, cultural and ethical influences

Candidates will also undertake four different physical activities throughout the year.

Ngā Kōhatu - Touchstone

I am trusted
I have trusted
(Sometimes this trust is betrayed)

Recognise the taonga of being a person of integrity, what happens when we lose integrity, and what we can do to repair it.
Jesus trusted his disciples to live his way and teach others what he had taught them. They often misunderstood or took a wrong path, and he would teach them again and trust them again.

Course Overview:

Module 1: Te Rongopai Good News 

The Gospels - How do we know about Jesus? 

Young people will be introduced to the four Gospels within their historical and cultural contexts, exploring both the similarities and differences between them. They will focus closely on one Gospel to develop their reading, interpretation and analytical skills. Through this study, they will explore what the Gospel teaches about Jesus and what it means to live as a Christian today, while also considering what its message would have meant to its original audience.

An important part of this Content Area is helping young people recognise that they can bring their own experiences, questions and perspectives to their reading of the Gospels. Their understanding is enriched through personal reflection while remaining grounded within the wider tradition and interpretations of the Catholic Church.

Module 2: Ā Tātou Whakapapa Our Story

Our History: The Church in Aotearoa - What is the Catholic story in Aotearoa?

Young people will gain an understanding of the history of the Catholic Church in Aotearoa New Zealand. They will recognise that Māori had an all-encompassing, complex and cohesive spiritual worldview before colonisation and explore the responses of both Māori and the early Catholic missionaries as these two worlds encountered one another. Students will become familiar with key people, groups and events in the development of Catholicism in Aotearoa, as well as the experiences of the first Catholic immigrants and those who arrived in later generations.

Students will explore some of the challenges faced by Catholics in Aotearoa during the 20th century, recognising that many of these challenges were influenced by events and attitudes in their countries of origin. Through this study, young people will develop a sense of Catholic identity and an appreciation of the positive contributions made to New Zealand society by individual Catholics, Catholic institutions, tangata whenua and diverse immigrant communities. Attention to significant places and spaces of prayer will also highlight the ongoing inculturation of the Catholic faith within Aotearoa.

Module 3: Te Atua God

Beliefs and Believing: Catholicism and Buddhism - What do people believe about God?

Young people will explore the nature of belief in God and the transcendent within the Catholic tradition through an introduction to the Apostles’ Creed. They will also encounter belief in the transcendent through another religious tradition, Tibetan Buddhism, providing an opportunity to explore how different traditions understand, name and respond to what is ultimately beyond the human experience.

Through comparing these traditions, young people will identify similarities and differences in the ways beliefs about the transcendent are expressed through ritual, worship and daily life. They will develop an appreciation of the Catholic Church’s teaching that other religions contain elements of truth and holiness, and that the Church respects what is true and holy in other religious traditions.

An introduction to Nostra Aetate, the Second Vatican Council’s landmark document on the Church’s relationship with other religions, will provide young people with an important foundation for understanding and engaging respectfully in interfaith relationships in the twenty-first century.

Module 4: Kia Noho Hāhi Being Church

Being Human - How can I have a good life?

Young people will explore how living a good and meaningful life is closely connected to the choices and decisions they make, particularly those involving moral values and responsibilities. They will consider how Christian moral teaching is not simply about rules or what God requires of us, but is rooted in God’s love and directed towards the flourishing, dignity and well-being of every person. They will recognise that our mana and personal integrity are reflected in the way we value, respect and care for both ourselves and others.

The principle of Human Dignity will be explored in depth as the foundation of Catholic moral and ethical teaching. Young people will apply this principle to three contemporary issues relevant to life in Aotearoa New Zealand, considering how a Catholic understanding of human dignity informs responses to these issues. Where appropriate, issues connected to the Consistent Ethic of Life may also be explored.

The students study the remaining topics towards iGCSE Combined Science.

The aims are to enable students to:

• Increase their understanding of the technological world
• Take an informed interest in scientific matters
• Recognise the usefulness (and limitations) of the scientific method, and how to apply this to other disciplines and in everyday life
• Develop relevant attitudes, such as a concern for accuracy and precision, objectivity, integrity, enquiry, initiative and inventiveness
• Develop an interest in, and care for, the environment
• Better understand the influence and limitations placed on scientific study by society, economy, technology, ethics, the community and the environment
• Develop an understanding of the scientific skills essential for both further study and everyday life

Content Overview

The course will include Level 2 Achievement Standards.  The students will have time to develop their physical fitness as well as sport specific skills during class time.  As well as this they will cover important topics such as recovery, tactical awareness, sports psychology, goal setting, interpersonal skills, and leadership.  Sport specific coaches will be used to develop each students’ skills in their chosen code.

Objectives

The objective of the St Kevin’s Sport Performance Programme is to develop our sports people and give them physical, mental and emotional skills to perform at a high level.  Accountability, commitment, and integrity will be key focus areas for this group of young people, not only as athletes, but as people and students.

Assessment Overview

Three Level 2 Internal assessments.

Objectives:

• Develop an interest in and enjoyment of drama and theatre 
• Understand the dramatic process of moving from script to performance 
• Build skills in devising original drama 
• Develop practical performance skills as individuals and within a group 
• An understanding of, and engagement with, the role of actor, director and designer in creating a piece of drama 
• An understanding of how performers communicate with an audience

Content Overview
Drama is taught in a multi-level classroom.  NCEA is available at levels 1, 2, and 3.  Students may choose to study at whatever level they feel is appropriate given their skill level.
Most Drama is taught through the medium of individual works created for assessment and as the skills are required in real time. We explore the work of playwrights and Drama theorists, as well as creating original work and interpretations. If possible the whole class ultimately works towards a major public production.

Objectives of Year 11 Visual Art & Design:

• To develop creativity, solve artistic problems and to improve understanding in a variety of visual arts fields.
• Skills will be developed in drawing, painting, photography, design and sculpture.
• To offer opportunities to extend and develop art into further learning and potential career options.
• Year 11 Visual Art provides a good foundation for Years 12 and 13 Painting, Sculpture, Photography or Design.

Content Overview

NCEA Level 1 is a comprehensive course that involves all aspects of practical work. Over the year students cover internal and external achievement standards. Students will research and document a number of authentic contexts during the development of original work. This includes a day trip to a local place of significance to gather visual and cultural information. Students will then experiment with different art mediums, and develop their ideas into a personal portfolio that sits within an overall theme.

As well as drawing and painting, the course also covers studies in DSLR photography (documentary, studio, and digital editing), design including an introduction to the Adobe Creative Cloud applications (Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign). 

Topics covered in class that relate to the Numeracy CAA

• N1: Number
• N2: Maths Relationships
• N3: Spatial Properties and Representations
• N4: Location and Navigation
• N5: Measurement
• N6: Statistics and Data
• N7: Probability and Chance

NCEA Level 2 Achievement Standards

Objectives 

To investigate and communicate the “Big Ideas” in Agriculture.  These include:

• Livestock growth and development, behaviour and reproduction.
• Primary production environmental issues

 To participate in a range of agricultural activities.  These include:

• Field trips to farmers and growers
• Practical skills such as tractor driving, animal handling, water troughs, fencing etc

To explore the range of careers and opportunities in the Primary Sector in NZ

Work experience option (up to one day)    

Content Overview

• Primary producers produce for a market
• Producers systematically manage life processes
• Production systems must be sustainable
• Producers must make a profit

Objectives of Year 12 Art Design:

• To develop your skills in all aspects of Art Design.
• Understand how to use Adobe Creative Cloud Apps such as Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.
• To produce finished artworks based on research ideas developed in the study of existing design works. 
• To encourage you to develop and work as a designer to express your ideas and design style.
• To understand the implications of the use of AI in design work and how to create ethical designs that uphold copyright.

Content Overview

Students complete internal standards that build their ideas and design making skills as they work towards the external folio (12 credits). Students will work towards a minimum of 16 credits, but can achieve more if necessary.

Access to Adobe Creative Cloud, DSLR cameras and computers are provided by the College. Students will need to buy their own SD card and USB drive for storing their files.  

Objectives of Year 12 Art Painting:

• To produce finished artworks based on research ideas developed in Painting.
• To develop your skills in planning, decision making, conceptual thinking and knowledge in a range of drawing and painting processes.
• To encourage you to develop and work as a visual artist to express your ideas.

Content Overview

Students complete internal standards that develop their ideas and build their drawing and painting skills as they work towards the external folio (12 credits). Students will work towards a minimum of 16 credits, but can achieve more if necessary.

Objectives of Year 12 Art Photography:

• To develop your skills in all aspects of Photography.
• Understand how to operate a DSLR camera in the lighting studio and edit using Adobe Photoshop.
• To produce finished artworks based on research ideas developed in the study of established photography practice.
• To encourage you to express your ideas through your photography.
• To understand the implications of the use of AI in photography and how to create original photos that uphold copyright.

Content Overview

Students complete internal standards that build their ideas and photography skills as they work towards the external folio (12 credits). Students will work towards a minimum of 16 credits, but can achieve more if necessary.

Access to Adobe Creative Cloud, DSLR cameras and computers are provided by the College. Students will need to buy their own SD card and USB drive for storing their files.  

Objectives of Year 12 Art Sculpture:

• To produce finished artworks based on research ideas developed in the study of established sculpture practice. 
• To develop your skills in planning, decision making, conceptual thinking and knowledge in a range of sculptural contexts such as object based, installation and performance.
• To encourage you to develop and work as a visual artist to express your ideas through the medium of sculpture.

Content Overview

Students complete Internal standards that build their ideas and skills in sculptural contexts as they work towards the External folio (12 credits). Students will work towards a minimum of 16 credits, but can achieve more if necessary. 

Biology is the study and investigation of the variety and complexity of living things. 

This study stimulates our curiosity, and helps us appreciate how humans and other organisms live.  We need knowledge of the living world to understand the impact of human activities, and to make informed decisions on complex biological issues affecting the survival of living organisms, including humans.  

Candidates for Cambridge International AS Level Biology study the following topics:

1.  Cell structure
2.  Biological molecules 
3. Enzymes
4.  Cell membranes and transport
5.  The mitotic cell cycle
6.  Nucleic acids and protein synthesis 
7. Transport in plants
8.  Transport in mammals
9.  Gas exchange

The aim of the course is to provide a variety of learning experiences relevant to students which both stimulate student interest in Chemistry and allow students to gain an understanding of the material world around them.  Students will undertake a variety of experiences from laboratory work, literary research in the search for understanding of chemical concepts and observations of the world around them.  

Physical chemistry 

1. Atomic structure 
2. Atoms, molecules and stoichiometry 
3. Chemical bonding 
4. States of matter 
5. Chemical energetics 
6. Electrochemistry 
7. Equilibria 
8. Reaction kinetics

Inorganic chemistry 

9 The Periodic Table: chemical periodicity 

10 Group 2 

11 Group 17 

12 Nitrogen and sulfur

 Year 12 students participate in a Level 2 Building, Construction, and Allied Trades Skills (BCATS) programme. These standards transition students from basic woodworking to real-world, hands-on civil works and landscaping construction. 

Students learn how to safely operate, manage, and care for heavy machinery and machinery-related equipment. 

• Select the right tool: Identify and choose the correct power tools—such as circular saws, drills, jigsaws, and routers—appropriate for specific building tasks. 
• Maintain equipment: Perform basic maintenance, including battery charging, checking electrical leads for faults, and keeping components clean.
• Apply safety controls: Set up independent workstations, use personal protective equipment (PPE), and implement secure clamping and hazards management before turning on a machine. 
• Execute projects:  Safely use portable power tools to successfully build at least two separate BCATS projects. [1] 

Students are introduced tp foundational civil infrastructure and landscaping trade skills. 

• Calculate and order: Apply math to determine exact volumes of aggregate, cement, and water, then complete formal material order forms. 
• Prepare the ground: Physically excavate a designated site, build timber formwork (shuttering) to hold the wet concrete, and lay down compacted hardfill.
• Mix and lay: Correctly mix concrete, pour it into the formwork, level and finish the surface smoothly, and properly cure it so it achieves full structural strength. 

Students Lay Paving Blocks which focuses on external landscaping and ground preparation. This integrates seamlessly alongside the concrete module, students learn to: 

• Estimate materials: Map out a paving area to calculate the exact quantities of paving blocks, bedding sand (such as crusher dust), and base course required. 
• Prepare subgrade: Excavate the site to a uniform depth, apply and level the base materials, and compact the ground to prevent future sinking. 
• Lay and finish: Fit paving blocks tightly according to a set layout pattern, cut blocks safely to fit edges, and complete the job with jointing sand and final compaction. 

Broad Transferable Skills Learned

By completing these standards, a student builds a well-rounded vocational toolkit: 

• Workplace Documentation: Keeping a running Level 2 work diary and completing real-world trade order forms.
• Applied Mathematics: Using basic geometry, area, and volume calculations to order precise material loads.
• Site Management: Successfully managing tool safety, cleaning up a job site, and cooperating effectively within a team environment. 

Year 12 Design and Visual Communication (DVC), assessed under NCEA Level 2 in New Zealand, focuses on advanced design thinking, visual narrative development, and spatial or product design.  The curriculum demands a balance of artistic creativity, architectural or engineering conventions, and strong time-management skills. 

Core Project Contexts

• Spatial Design (Architecture): the design of physical spaces—such as a public seating area, landscape environment. This involves studying environmental site conditions, human traffic flow, and sun angles. 
• Product (Industrial) Design: You will develop functional items like outdoor furniture. This requires deep consideration of ergonomics, material durability, and internal mechanics. 

 Key Skills You Will Develop

• Ideation & Design Movements:  Students research specific historical design eras or movements (such as Bauhaus, Brutalism, or Mid-Century Modern) and directly integrate those design philosophies into your initial concepts. 
• Advanced Drawing Systems: Students move past simple sketching into formal presentation methods, using 2D and 3D instrumental drawing techniques, orthographic projections, and complex perspective views. 
• CAD & 3D Modelling: Digital tools form a massive part of the curriculum. Student will have the opportunity to use software like SketchUp to build virtual models and create 3D computer renderings.
• Visual Annotations & Narratives: Students must write concise annotations next to their sketches to justify design decisions, explaining why a material, shape, or function works best for the user.

The Year 12 NZQA Economics course (NCEA Level 2) introduces students to macroeconomics by exploring real-world economic issues in New Zealand and global contexts. Students use economic models, concepts, and statistical data to understand how government policies and societal factors influence the wider economy 

The aims are to enable learners to:
• Enjoy the experience of studying English language and reading literature
• Communicate effectively, accurately and appropriately in writing
• Develop the interdependent skills of reading, analysis and communication
• Develop an appreciation of texts in a range of forms and styles produced for a variety of audiences and from different periods and cultures
• Build a firm foundation for further study of language and literature.

Content Overview:

Year 12 AS Language and Literature in English will provide learners with the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to produce writing to specific briefs and for given audiences. They will also gain further knowledge and understanding of international poetry, prose and drama.

In studying for the Language component of the syllabus, learners will be able to practise sustained, accurate, fluent and consistent writing. They will produce informed responses, appropriate to the specific form, style, context and audience.

Learners will study two texts in preparation for the Literature component. This will further develop their skills of analysis and interpretation and encourage a personal response to the texts studied. Learners will explore the conventions of genres of texts and the contexts in which works have been written, read and received.

Objectives:

• Enjoy the experience of reading literature
• Develop an appreciation of and an informed personal response to literature in English in a range of texts in different forms, and from different periods and cultures 
• Communicate effectively, accurately and appropriately in written form
• Develop the interdependent skills of reading, analysis and communication
• Analyse and evaluate the methods writers use in creating meaning and effects
• Encourage wider reading and an understanding of how it may contribute to personal development
• Build a firm foundation for further study of literature.

Content Overview

Learners completing the AS English Literature syllabus will study a range of texts in the three main forms: prose, poetry and drama. Set texts are offered from a wide range of different periods and cultures.

Learners will develop skills of reading and analysis of texts, and are encouraged to undertake wider reading to aid understanding of the texts studied. They will learn skills of effective and appropriate communication, including the ability to discuss the critical context of texts.

Geography is the study of how people and places. It seeks to interpret the world and how it changes over time – past, present, and future.

• Explore natural geographic spaces in New Zealand and around the world. 
• Explore cultural geography in New Zealand and around the world. 
• To explore and understand environments as the home of people.

Learners will study both the social and physical aspects that impact people here in New Zealand and on a global scale. Students will study patterns, geographical skills, development, sustainability, and natural processes using a range of case studies to support the theory they are learning.

• A Natural Landscape
• Exploring urbanisation and the urban development of a major city
• The globalisation and evolution of Hip Hop music
• Blood Diamonds as a Global issue
• Applying Geographic Skills to various contexts
• Conduct geographic research

European option: Modern Europe, 1774–1924 1

The French Revolution and Reign of Napoleon Bonaparte, (France, 1774–1814)

 What were the causes and immediate consequences of the 1789 Revolution? 

 What were the causes and immediate consequences of the 1789 Revolution? 

 How and why did France become a republic by 1792? 

How well was France governed in the period 1793–99? 

What caused the rise and fall of Napoleon Bonaparte? 

The rise of modern Germany, 1815–71 

What were the causes of the Revolutions of 1848? 

 What happened during the 1848–49 revolutions and what were their consequences? 

 What happened during the 1848–49 revolutions and what were their consequences? 

 Why was Bismarck appointed as Minister-President and what were his aims in the period up to 1866?

How and why was German unification achieved by 1871? 

The Year 12 hospitality course build directly on skills and knowledge learnt in year 11 and introduces students to commercial kitchen operations, basic cookery techniques, and food safety through practical and theoretical learning, helping them build foundational life skills and early vocational pathways for the food and service sector. 

• Safety and Hygiene: Safe food handling, personal hygiene, and correct knife care and usage.
• Practical Cookery: Basic food preparation, cooking methods, and baking simple dishes or snacks.
• Industry Awareness: Exploring career pathways, sectors, and job roles within the wider hospitality and tourism industry.
• Nutrition and Menu Basics: Understanding food groups, basic nutrition, and how ingredients come together. 

Key Learning Goals

• Gain hands-on experience in a commercial or school training kitchen.
• Learn teamwork, time management, and communication under pressure.
• Earn introductory credits or foundational certificates (such as ServiceIQ pathways in New Zealand schools).

Year 12 Hard Materials Technology students a specific combination of NCEA Level 2 unit standards where they participate in a practical, hands-on program that bridges engineering worksite safety, mechanical machining, and timber construction.

By combining these three standards, a student gains a multi-disciplinary portfolio. They prove they can stay safe in a high-risk workshop environment, machine metal components using engineering tools, and build standalone timber structures from a set of technical plans.

Learning includes:

Introductory theory and practical safety standard essential for any student working with heavy machinery or engineering equipment. Students learn to identify and manage risks before they begin manufacturing.

A substantial engineering standard allowing students to transition from basic hand tools to operating complex, industrial machinery.

Undertaking project planning, woodworking, and construction techniques.

Pure Mathematics 1 (Year 1)

• 1.1: Quadratics
• 1.2: Functions
• 1.3: Coordinate Geometry
• 1.4: Circular Measure
• 1.5: Trigonometry
• 1.6: Series
• 1.7: Differentiation (of polynomial functions and fn of a fn)
• 1.8: Integration (polynomials and function of a linear function, area under lines and curves.)

Course Content:

2.4Apply trigonometric relationships in solving problems

AS91259 Credits 3           Internally assessed

This standard focuses on methods from:

• length of an arc of a circle
• area of a sector of a circle
• sine rule
• cosine rule
• area of a non-right angled triangle

2.6Apply algebraic methods in solving problems
AS91261 Credits 4             Externally assessed
This standard focuses on methods from: 

• manipulating algebraic expressions, including rational expressions
• manipulating expressions with exponents, including fractional and negative exponents
• determining the nature of the roots of a quadratic equation
• solving exponential equations
• forming and solving linear and quadratic equations
• solve simultaneous equations
• 2.7Apply calculus methods in solving problemsAS91262 Credits 5            Externally assessedThis standard focuses on methods from: 
  • derivatives and anti-derivatives of polynomials given in expanded form 
  • gradient functions
  • gradient at a point
  • equation of a tangent
  • turning points where f’(x) =0 and their nature
  • function from a derived function
  • rate of change problems
• 2.14 Apply systems of equations in solving problems91269                                 Credits 2               Internally assessed• form and use linear and quadratic equations • form and use pairs of simultaneous equations, one of which may be non-linear• connecting different representations of equations or inequations • interpreting solutions of a system of equations or inequations in context. 2.1 Apply co-ordinate geometry methods in solving problems91256                                 Credits 2               Internally assessed
  • gradient of a line
  • distance between two points
  • equation of a tangent
  • equation of perpendicular
  • midpoint of a line

To enable students to experience the Mathematics as practically applied in Building, Concreting, Paving,  Painting and Decorating trades in a  real world situation along with providing a valuable knowledge base for those students considering a career in the Electrical, Plumbing, Bricklaying and soft and Hard Plastering trades

This links the reason for Mathematical principles being used to enable construction projects being able to be successfully completed.

COURSE OVERVIEW

• The Year 12 Mathematics with Statistics programme offers 14 credits towards NCEA Level 2
• There will be only one opportunity for further reassessment with the internal assessment standards and a re-sit will be offered where practical and possible. You have 7 days to appeal your grade as per the schools NQF policy.
• The School’s Derived Grade examinations in Term 3 offers you a chance to assess your progress against the externally assessed standards. There are no opportunities to re-sit the external standards (except in the following year).

Standards Offered 

Objectives        

Learners develop a set of transferable skills, including the skill of thinking critically about mediated information, understanding its rhetorical qualities, and being aware of the significance of its conditions of production and reception. Learners will also be able to practise this skill to communicate their own ideas in a variety of forms. These skills can be applied across a wide range of subjects and equip learners well for progression to higher education.

Content Overview       

 • Language: How the media communicate meanings through their forms, codes, conventions and techniques

 • Representation: How the media construct the social world, including the portrayal of ideas, individuals and groups

 • Industry: How and why media texts are produced, distributed and circulated 

• Audience: How audiences are constructed and addressed by media texts, and how audiences interpret and respond to media texts.

Objectives:

• Expand your interest in and enjoyment of music
• Work to your musical strengths in your chosen instrument (voice is an instrument)
• Build your understanding of music theory as you work to higher levels
• Solidify your practical performance skills as individuals and within a group 
• Utilise good self discipline and time management skills

Content Overview

Through the study of music theory and performance based projects, students will develop a deeper understanding of themselves as they explore different contexts, genres, emotions, and the ideas of others. Students can build confidence as artists by bringing their own experiences and cultures to their music making.

Music is taught in a multi-level classroom.  NCEA is available at levels 1, 2, and 3.  Students may choose to study at whatever level they feel is appropriate given their skill level.

The aims are to enable students to:

• Provide a knowledge and understanding of the conceptual basis, structure and function of a selection of physical education activities
• Develop understanding and problem-solving skills (interpretation and evaluation)
• Develop planning and practical skills for effective performance
• Foster an ability to relate practice to theory, and theory to practice
• Develop an understanding of the physiological, socio-cultural and psychological factors which influence physical education
• Provide an experience which is valuable, both as a means of personal development and as a foundation for employment or more advanced study.

Content Overview

In 2027, Physical Education will be both NCEA Level 2 and AS Level. The AS course will continue into 2028. The AS content will allow 14 credits to be gained in the NCEA system in 2027. Achievement standards include:

• Demonstrate understanding of the application of biophysical principles to training for physical activity (4 Credits)
• Perform a physical activity in an applied setting (4 Credits)
• Analyze the application of risk management strategies to a challenging outdoor activity (3 Credits)
• Application of a social responsibility model (3 Credits)

Objectives

• Acquire knowledge and understanding and develop practical skills, including efficient, accurate and safe scientific practices 
• Learn to apply the scientific method, while developing an awareness of the limitations of scientific theories and models 
• Develop skills in data analysis, evaluation and drawing conclusions, cultivating attitudes relevant to science such as objectivity, integrity, enquiry, initiative and inventiveness 
• Develop effective scientific communication skills, using appropriate terminology and scientific conventions
• Understand their responsibility to others/society and to care for the environment 
• Enjoy science and develop an informed interest in the subject that may lead to further study

Content Overview

The aim of the course is to provide a variety of learning experiences relevant to students which both stimulate student interest in Physics and allow students to gain an understanding of the physical world around them.  Students will undertake a variety of experiences from laboratory work to literary research in the search for understanding of physical concepts and observations of the world around them. 

Candidates for Cambridge International AS Level Physics study the following topics: 

1 Physical quantities and units 

2 Kinematics 

3 Dynamics 

4 Forces, density and pressure 

5 Work, energy and power 

6 Deformation of solids 

9 Electricity 

10 D.C. circuits 

Ngā Kōhatu - Touchstone
I am challenged 
I have challenged others 
(Sometimes people take the easy way) 
 
Understand that we are challenged to live lives of courage, integrity and justice even when this might cause personal inconvenience and sacrifice. 
Jesus didn’t always have it easy. He was continuously asked difficult questions and placed in difficult situations. His death on the Cross was the ultimate challenge to him and to his disciples. 

Module 1: Te Rongopai Good News

The Prophets, Called to Confront - How do we know what God wants for the world?

Young people will be introduced to the world of the Old Testament prophets and explore how God has spoken through human beings throughout history. They will consider the unique way in which Jesus fulfilled this prophetic role and how the Church continues the prophetic mission today, particularly through the ministry of the Pope and bishops. Through exploring the social and historical context of the prophets and their messages, young people will develop an understanding of the call to listen to God and respond to the needs of their time.

Young people will explore the prophetic call to justice, righteousness and a return to God, considering how these themes are reflected in the life and teachings of Jesus and remain relevant in the world today. They will recognise that prophets, both past and present, often demonstrate courage by standing up for what is right, sometimes at great personal cost. This will provide opportunities for them to reflect on the need for prophetic voices today and their own call to speak and act for justice.

Module 2: Kia Noho Hāhi Being Church

Just Love - How do Catholics contribute to society?

Young people will be introduced to the principles of Catholic Social Teaching and explore how Scripture and Tradition guide the Church’s understanding of justice, peace and the dignity of every person. They will consider how Catholic teaching connects with ideas such as human rights and helps Catholics respond to issues of justice and peace in society.

Through exploring current issues, young people will develop an understanding of how Catholic Social Teaching calls individuals and communities to act justly and work towards a more peaceful and equitable society. They will consider how faith can lead to practical action that promotes the dignity and wellbeing of all.

Module 3: Ā Tātou Whakapapa Our Story

The Reformations, Challenge and Change - Are Catholics Christians?

The Catholic Church has always faced challenges and experienced change, although there have been times in history when these changes have happened more rapidly. In this unit, you will explore the Reformation of the 16th century and its impact on the Church and wider society. You will also consider the idea of semper reformanda – “always reforming” – and how this reflects the Church as a living and growing Body of Christ. By looking at events before, during and after the Reformation, you will see that the Church has continued to respond to new challenges and changes throughout history, including those it faces today.

As you explore the religious controversies of the past, you will discover that there were good and courageous people on different sides, as well as examples of injustice and actions that caused harm. You will be encouraged to consider why people made the choices they did and to develop a deeper and more balanced understanding of the past. You will also discover how decisions, beliefs and actions from centuries ago continue to influence society in Aotearoa New Zealand today.

Module 4:  Te Atua God 

God’s Promise - What does God want for me? 

This area invites young people to reflect on the promise of life with God and to explore how faith can enrich and deepen our lives, both now and in the life to come. Students will consider how a relationship with God, with others, with themselves and with creation can lead to lives of hope, purpose and joy. They will explore the Catholic spiritual tradition and discover how it provides insights and practices that can support and strengthen a life of faith.

Students will explore the meaning of holiness and how understandings of holiness have developed throughout the history of the Church, recognising that all people are called to holiness in the circumstances of their own lives. They will investigate the history and purpose of religious life and consider how religious communities have responded to God’s call throughout history and the opportunities for religious life today. Students will also examine the teachings of Jesus and the Church that encourage people to live joyful and meaningful lives. Finally, they will explore the Christian belief in Christ’s death and resurrection and consider how this gives hope for life after death. Catholic teachings about the afterlife will be considered alongside commonly held ideas about justice, encouraging students to reflect on what the Catholic faith offers in response to some of life’s deepest questions.

Objectives

The objective of the St Kevin’s Sport Performance Programme is to develop our sports people and give them physical, mental and emotional skills to perform at a high level.  Accountability, commitment, and integrity will be key focus areas for this group of young people, not only as athletes, but as people and students.

Content Overview

The course will include Level 2 Achievement Standards.  The students will have time to develop their physical fitness as well as sport specific skills during class time.  As well as this they will cover important topics such as recovery, tactical awareness, sports psychology, goal setting, interpersonal skills, and leadership.  Sport specific coaches will be used to develop each students’ skills in their chosen code.

Assessment Overview

Approx. 10 Level Two Internal assessment credits.

Students completing a Year 12 Textile course (NCEA Level 2) gain advanced practical garment construction techniques, project management skills, and an understanding of material science and sustainable design practices. Students learn to transform original creative concepts into functional, quality physical outcomes.

Practical and Technical Skills

• Advanced construction: Master complex sewing and assembly techniques, such as tailoring collars, cuffs, lining bodices, and inserting invisible zips.
• Material manipulation: Test and manage variable fabric characteristics like stretch, drape, fraying, thickness, and strength.
• Applied design: Use specialized fabric modification methods like screen printing, appliqué, or laser cutting.
• Pattern work: Adapt commercial or block patterns to alter fit, size, and structural features for specific end users.

Design and Cognitive Learning

• Technological practice: Understand design briefs, develop specifications, and execute research and stakeholder consultation.
• Functional modelling: Trial, test, and evaluate prototypes to ensure fitness for purpose before final production.
• Visual communication: Translate abstract ideas into clear concept drawings, specifications, and portfolios.
• Resource efficiency: Plan logical production sequences and optimal fabric lay plans to economize time and minimize waste. 

Broad Contexts and Sustainability

• Sustainable fashion: Explore ethical production, textile recycling, and the environmental impacts of fast fashion.
• Industry awareness: Understand historical and contemporary design trends, copyright laws, and workplace health and safety protocols.

Objectives

• Learn to share, develop, and extend ideas to realise a shared goal and serve the intention of the drama.
• Examine and challenge established ideas and prejudices. 
• Critical and creative thinking and innovation. 
• Generates new ideas and reflects on trends in society.

Content Overview

Drama is taught in a multi-level classroom.  NCEA is available at levels 1, 2, and 3.  Students may choose to study at whatever level they feel is appropriate given their skill level.

Most Drama is taught through the medium of individual works created for assessment and as the skills are required in real time.  We explore the work of playwrights and Drama theorists, as well as creating original work and interpretations.  If possible the whole class ultimately works towards a major public production. 

The programme aims to ensure that at the end of the year, students have a combination of practical skills and theoretical knowledge that will enable them to continue to make informed choices about their career options in the primary industry. The programme provides students with transferable skills in literacy and numeracy and instils work ready skills through practical training opportunities in realistic working environments.

The topics covered incorporate skills in theoretical and practical agriculture to enable students to transition into the primary industries workforce.

Topics covered include

• Safe working practices
• Water supply system
• Fencing
• Tractor operation
• Quad/motorbike operation

Pathways is a course designed for students who are transitioning from school to the workplace. Students will be given the opportunity to complete Unit Standards that will assist in making them work ready.  The course is composed of standards that will be completed during class time.   All standards are Unit Standards and therefore there are no external exams or course endorsements, no UE Writing, Numeracy or approval. This course is available for Level 2 students. 

Topics covered in class that relate to the Numeracy CAA

• N1: Number
• N2: Maths Relationships
• N3: Spatial Properties and Representations
• N4: Location and Navigation
• N5: Measurement
• N6: Statistics and Data
• N7: Probability and Chance

NCEA Level 2 Achievement Standards

English As a Second Language

Content Overview

The aim of this course is to develop vocabulary and English skills in Migrant and International English Learners. The course is multi-level with foundation and level assessments that relate to the Common European Framework (CEFR) and the New Zealand English Language Intensive Programme (ELIP). These frameworks will seek to prepare learners for the NZQA Literacy and Numeracy Common Assessment.

Assessment Overview

• 5 Reading Credits (Literacy). Please note that this standard is required to obtain an NCEA qualification, and the credits do not contribute towards the overall credit count.  
• 5 Writing Credits (Literacy). Please note that this standard is required to obtain an NCEA qualification, and the credits do not contribute towards the overall credit count.
• 10 internally assessed credits.  

Objectives 

To investigate and communicate the “Big Ideas” in Agriculture.  These include:

• Livestock growth and development, behaviour and reproduction.
• Primary production environmental issues

 To participate in a range of agricultural activities.  These include:

• Field trips to farmers and growers
• Practical skills such as tractor driving, animal handling, water troughs, fencing etc

To explore the range of careers and opportunities in the Primary Sector in New Zealand

Work experience option (up to one day)    

Content Overview

• Primary producers produce for a market
• Producers systematically manage life processes
• Production systems must be sustainable
• Producers must make a profit

Objectives of Year 13 Art Design:

• To produce finished artworks based on research ideas developed through the study of designers' work and personal investigations.
• Extend your knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud Apps (Photoshop, Illustrator, In Design, Premiere Pro and After Effects).
• To develop your skills in planning, decision making, thinking and knowledge in a range of design contexts.
• To encourage you to develop and work as a designer to express your ideas.
• To understand the implications of the use of AI in design work and how to create ethical designs that uphold copyright.

Content Overview

In Level 3 Design you will have the ability to complete 2 (4 credit) internal Achievement Standards and the external folio standard (14 credits). Students will work towards a minimum of 14 credits, however they can choose to complete more if needed.

Access to Adobe Creative Cloud, DSLR cameras and computers are provided. Students will need to buy their own SD card and USB drive for storing their files. 

Objectives of 13 Art Painting

• To produce finished paintings based on research ideas developed through the study of artists' work and personal investigations.
• To develop your skills in planning, decision making, thinking and knowledge in a range of painting processes.
• To encourage you to develop and work as a visual artist to express your ideas.

Content Overview

In Level 3 Painting you will have the option to complete 3 (4 credit) internal Achievement Standards and an external folio standard (14 credits). Students will work towards a minimum of 14 credits, however they can choose to complete more if needed. Students who are interested in digital painting may wish to complete an extra moving image internal. The portfolio can also be completed in full digital painting if students prefer to work in this medium.

Objectives of Year 13 Art Photography

• To produce finished artworks based on research ideas developed through the study of photographers' work and personal investigations.
• To develop your skills in planning, decision making, thinking and knowledge in a range of photography processes.
• Extend your knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud Apps (Photoshop, Premiere Pro and After Effects).
• To encourage you to develop and work as a photographer to express your ideas.
• To understand the implications of the use of AI in photography work and how to create ethical photographs that uphold copyright.

Content Overview

In Level 3 Photography you will have the ability to complete 3 (4 credit) internal Achievement Standards and the external folio standard (14 credits). Students can choose to extend their learning with a moving image project in Term 1. Students will work towards a minimum of 14 credits, however they can choose to complete more if needed.

Access to Adobe Creative Cloud, DSLR cameras and computers are provided by the school.  Students will need to buy their own SD card and USB drive for storing their files.   

Objectives of Year 13 Art Sculpture:

• To produce finished artworks based on research ideas developed through the study of artists' work and personal investigations.
• To develop your skills in planning, decision making, thinking and knowledge in a range of sculptural contexts.
• To encourage you to develop and work as a visual artist to express your ideas.

Content Overview

In Level 3 Sculpture you will have the ability to complete 3 (4 credit) internal Achievement Standards and the external folio standard (14 credits). Students will work towards a minimum of 14 credits, however they can choose to complete more if needed.

Students who have the capacity and interest will be offered the opportunity to complete a Scholarship submission in Sculpture.

Why Study Cambridge International AS Level Biblical Studies?

Studying Cambridge International AS Level Biblical Studies helps learners develop a deep, critical understanding of Christian history, texts, and beliefs, enabling them to think and argue intelligently about the subject. 

Core Reasons to Study the Subject:

• Textual Knowledge: Gain detailed knowledge of specified biblical texts from both the Old and New Testaments.
• Critical Thinking: Develop an enquiring, analytical approach to interpreting ancient writings and religious ideas.
• Historical Context: Explore the life and historical environment of the early Church and Ancient Israel.
• Philosophical Engagement: Reflect on profound ethical, moral, and philosophical questions from a Christian perspective.
• Academic Foundation: Build a rigorous foundation for future university-level studies in theology, history, philosophy, or religious studies.

Paper 1 The Four Gospels
1.1 The person of Jesus
1.1.1 Introduction to Jesus’ life in the gospels
1.1.2 Key events in Jesus’ life and ministry
1.1.3 Miracles
1.1.4 The seven ‘I am’ sayings in John’s Gospel
1.2 The teaching of Jesus
1.2.1 The kingdom of God and the nature of God
1.2.2 Ministry to the marginalised
1.2.3 The demands of discipleship
1.3 The passion and resurrection narratives
1.3.1 Jesus’ final evening with the twelve disciples
1.3.2 The trials of Jesus
1.3.3 The crucifixion and burial
1.3.4 Resurrection narratives

Paper 2 The Development of Christianity
2.1 The origins and expansion of the early Church
2.1.1 The Christian community in Jerusalem
2.1.2 The early expansion of Christianity
2.1.3 Further expansion of Christianity in the Acts of the Apostles
2.2 The Christian community in Corinth
2.2.1 Division and unity
2.2.2 Issues relating to Christian life
2.2.3 Worship
2.3 The Christian Church in the Roman world
2.3.1 Tensions between Christians and non-Christians
2.3.2 The social status of many early Christians

Biology is the study and investigation of the variety and complexity of living things. 

This study stimulates our curiosity and helps us appreciate how humans and other organisms live.  We need knowledge of the living world to understand the impact of human activities and to make informed decisions on complex biological issues affecting the survival of living organisms, including humans.  

1. Infectious diseases 
2.  Immunity 
3. Preparation for NCEA L3 Biology Internal and External Assessments 
   ● Homeostasis 
   ● Animal and Plant Responses 
   ● Research for informed response to a socio-scientific issue

The aim of the course is to provide a variety of learning experiences relevant to students which both stimulate student interest in Chemistry and allow students to gain an understanding of the material world around them.  Students will undertake a variety of experiences from laboratory work, literary research in the search for understanding of chemical concepts and observations of the world around them.  Candidates for Cambridge International AS Level Chemistry study the following topics:

Year 13

Organic chemistry 

13 An introduction to AS Level organic chemistry 

14 Hydrocarbons 

15 Halogen compounds 

6 Hydroxy compounds 

17 Carbonyl compounds 

18 Carboxylic acids and derivatives 

19 Nitrogen compounds 

20 Polymerisation 

21 Organic synthesis

Analysis 

22 Analytical techniques

The learning gained from achieving these two specific unit standards equips students with a combination of advanced practical knowledge in building materials and fundamental expertise in mechanical engineering hardware. 

Learning focuses on advanced material handling, procurement, and application for complex construction projects.

• Material Identification: Developing an in-depth understanding of various building and trade materials (such as timber grades, manufactured boards, metals, or composites)
• Selection Criteria: Learning how to evaluate project documentation to select the precise types, quantities, and grades of materials needed for a specific construction job.
• Safe Handling & Storage: Mastering how to transport, handle, and store materials properly to avoid damage and comply with Health and Safety at Work protocols. 
• Practical Utilization: Gaining hands-on experience using selected materials effectively and efficiently to minimize waste during structural or multi-stage building projects. 

The students complete a Level 3  BCATS Student Work Diary or training log

• Project Stage: Identify what phase of the project you are working on (e.g., footings, framing, interior lining).
• Site Conditions: Record date, active hours, and regular weather updates (weather impacts materials like concrete or timber moisture).
• Materials Tracker: Log quantities used, wastage percentages, and delivery states.
• Tools & Machinery: Document specific plant machinery or hand tools utilized and confirm safety checks were completed.
• Health & Safety Records: Note active Site-Specific Safety Plans (SSSP) or Job Safety Analysis (JSA) protocols followed.
• Reflective Practice: Add a short evaluation of your performance, noting what went well and what skills need improvement.
• Sign-off: Entries must be signed, timed, and dated by both the student and the supervising assessor or builder.

In Year 13 Design and Visual Communication (DVC), students master  advanced spatial and product design, complex computer-aided modeling (CAD), professional rendering, and working drawings. They refine independent design thinking to solve sophisticated architectural or industrial challenges for NCEA Level 3. 

Core Design Contexts

• Spatial Design: Plan, resolve, and detail complex interior, architectural, or landscape environments.
• Product / Industrial Design: Innovate, prototype, and refine functional everyday items or complex manufactured goods.
• Design Movements: Research and analyze historical or modern design eras to inform aesthetic and functional decisions. 

Technical Skills & Graphics Practice

• Advanced Drawing: Execute sophisticated freehand sketching, instrumental orthographic views, and multi-view projections.
• Working Drawings: Produce precise production-ready details, measurements, and specifications for complex constructions.
• Digital Media: Utilize professional programs like Adobe Photoshop, Sketchup, InDesign, and 3D modeling software.
• Visual Presentation: Build compelling visual narratives and portfolios to pitch concepts to a target audience. 

The Year 13 [NZQA] Economics course covers NCEA Level 3.

 It explores advanced microeconomic efficiency, market failure and government intervention, and macroeconomic influences on the New Zealand economy. 

Students typically complete a mix of internal and external achievement standards worth around 15 credits

Microeconomic Efficiency: Market equilibrium, consumer and producer surplus, and the efficiency of different market structures using marginal analysis.

Market Failure: Why free markets fail to allocate resources efficiently or fairly, and how the government steps in to fix these issues.

Objectives

• Enjoy the experience of reading literature
• Develop an appreciation of and an informed personal response to literature in English in a range of texts in different forms, and from different periods and cultures 
• Communicate effectively, accurately and appropriately in written form
• Develop the interdependent skills of reading, analysis and communication
• Analyse and evaluate the methods writers use in creating meaning and effects
• Encourage wider reading and an understanding of how it may contribute to personal development
• Build a firm foundation for further study of literature.

Content Overview

Learners completing the AS English Literature syllabus will study a range of texts in the three main forms: prose, poetry and drama. Set texts are offered from a wide range of different periods and cultures.

Learners will develop skills of reading and analysis of texts, and are encouraged to undertake wider reading to aid understanding of the texts studied. They will learn skills of effective and appropriate communication, including the ability to discuss the critical context of texts.

Objectives

• Develop understanding and use of English language in the context of contemporary topics
• Encourage and appraise a broad range of topics
• Develop a wider awareness and knowledge of contemporary issues through reading
• Develop independent reasoning skills
• Develop the skills of interpretation, analysis, evaluation and persuasion
• Develop skills in writing structured and developed arguments, and present reasoned explanations
• Develop the ability to present a point of view clearly, and consider and reflect upon those of others.

Content Overview

Students completing the Cambridge International AS Level English General Paper develop a set of transferable skills. These include comprehension, constructing an argument, presenting views, and writing English coherently and persuasively. Students can apply these skills across a wide range of subjects, and these skills equip them well for progression to higher education or directly into employment.  

English As a Second Language

Content Overview

The aim of this course is to develop vocabulary and English skills in Migrant and International English Learners. The course is multi-level with foundation and level assessments that relate to the Common European Framework (CEFR) and the New Zealand English Language Intensive Programme (ELIP). These frameworks will seek to prepare learners for the NZQA Literacy and Numeracy Common Assessment.

Assessment Overview

• 5 Reading Credits (Literacy). Please note that this standard is required to obtain an NCEA qualification, and the credits do not contribute towards the overall credit count.  
• 5 Writing Credits (Literacy). Please note that this standard is required to obtain an NCEA qualification, and the credits do not contribute towards the overall credit count.
• 10 internally assessed credits.  

Welcome to Geography! 

This course explores the connection between people and the Earth. At Level 3, we move beyond basic descriptions to critically examine how complex physical and human processes interact to shape environments across Aotearoa New Zealand and around the world.

Geography is the study of how people and places. It seeks to interpret the world and how it changes over time – past, present, and future.

• Explore natural geographic spaces in New Zealand and around the world.
• Explore cultural geography in New Zealand and around the world.
• To explore and understand environments as the home of people.

Throughout the year, you will develop high-level research, critical thinking, and spatial analysis skills using contemporary, real-world case studies. The curriculum focuses on four main areas:

• Interacting Natural Processes: Investigate how interacting natural forces (such as coastal processes, volcanism, or fluvial systems) shape a distinct New Zealand environment.
• Cultural Processes: Analyse how human activities (such as tourism development or urbanisation) alter geographic environments locally and internationally.
• Geographic Inquiry & Fieldwork: Conduct primary research in the field—collecting data, analysing spatial patterns, and evaluating your inquiry process to answer real-world geographic questions.
• Contemporary Issues & Events: Critically evaluate different values, perceptions, and decision-making processes behind significant contemporary geographic events and localised environmental issues.

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The Year 13 NZQA History course (NCEA Level 3) is an advanced study of the past. It focuses heavily on historiography, the contested nature of historical events, and how different forces shape human society. Students typically complete around 20 to 25 credits split between internal research projects and external exams, building strong critical thinking and essay-writing skills for university 

Contested History: Examining how and why historians view the same past events differently.

Research and Evidence: Evaluating primary and secondary sources for reliability, bias, and usefulness.

Significant Contexts: Studying major international or New Zealand-based historical turning points, trends, or conflicts (such as race relations, political divides, or global conflicts).

Independent Inquiry: Conducting a personal research study on a topic of the student's choice

European option: Modern Europe, 1774–1924 1

The French Revolution and Reign of Napoleon Bonaparte, (France, 1774–1814)

 What were the causes and immediate consequences of the 1789 Revolution? 

 What were the causes and immediate consequences of the 1789 Revolution? 

 How and why did France become a republic by 1792? 

How well was France governed in the period 1793–99? 

What caused the rise and fall of Napoleon Bonaparte? 

The rise of modern Germany, 1815–71

What were the causes of the Revolutions of 1848? 

 What happened during the 1848–49 revolutions and what were their consequences? 

 What happened during the 1848–49 revolutions and what were their consequences? 

 Why was Bismarck appointed as Minister-President and what were his aims in the period up to 1866?

How and why was German unification achieved by 1871? 

Year 13 begins to focus on developing advanced vocational skills and practical industry knowledge aligned to foundational NZQA unit standards. The curriculum shifts from basic food preparation to the complexities of commercial catering and café operations. 

Advanced Barista & Beverage Skills

• Espresso Mastery: Students learn how to extract espresso shots accurately, texture milk to commercial standards, and prepare the full range of standard café beverages.
• Equipment Management: Training involves the regular cleaning, maintenance, and troubleshooting of commercial espresso machinery.
• Product Knowledge: Understanding different coffee bean origins, roasts, and beverage presentation styles. 

Commercial Catering & Culinary Skills

• Refined Cookery Techniques: Students prepare and cook complex dishes under high-pressure, commercial kitchen constraints. 
• Function Management: Planning, portioning, prepping, and plating food in large quantities, functions, or school-run events.
• Menu Planning: Designing menus tailored to specific culinary themes, nutritional constraints, or dietary preferences.
• Nutritional Planning: undertaken for all practical.

Workplace Health, Safety & Compliance

• Food Safety: Adhering strictly to standard operating food hygiene regulations (such as Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point or HACCP protocols).
• Commercial Safety: Identifying hazards and practicing injury prevention methods unique to fast-paced, high-risk commercial kitchen environments. 

Employability & Transferable Soft Skills

• Teamwork & Leadership: Working collaboratively in a busy environment to deliver seamless food services.
• Time Management & Multitasking: Prioritizing tasks effectively under tight time constraints to ensure food and drinks are delivered promptly. 
• Problem Solving:  navigating workplace pressure.

Pure Mathematics 1 (Year 1)

• 1.1: Quadratics
• 1.2: Functions
• 1.3: Coordinate Geometry
• 1.4: Circular Measure
• 1.5: Trigonometry
• 1.6: Series
• 1.7: Differentiation (of polynomial functions and fn of a fn)
• 1.8: Integration (polynomials and function of a linear function, area under lines and curves.)

Pure Mathematics 1 (Year 1)

• 1.1: Quadratics
• 1.2: Functions
• 1.3: Coordinate Geometry
• 1.4: Circular Measure
• 1.5: Trigonometry
• 1.6: Series
• 1.7: Differentiation (of polynomial functions and fn of a fn)
• 1.8: Integration (polynomials and function of a linear function, area under lines and curves.)

        Pure Mathematics 2 (Year 2)

To enable students to experience the Mathematics as practically applied in Building, Concreting, Paving,  Painting and Decorating trades in a  real world situation along with providing a valuable knowledge base for those students considering a career in the Electrical, Plumbing, Bricklaying and soft and Hard Plastering trades

This links the reason for Mathematical principles being used to enable construction projects being able to be successfully completed.

Course Overview

• The Year 13 Statistics programme offers up to 14 credits towards Level 3 NCEA.
• There will be only one opportunity for further reassessment with the internal assessment standards and a re-sit will be offered where practical and possible. You have 7 days to appeal your grade as per the schools NQF policy.
• The School’s Derived Grade examination in term 3 offers you a chance to assess your progress against the externally assessed standards. There are no opportunities to re-sit the external standards (except in the following year).

COURSE CONTENT

3.9 Investigate bivariate measurement data 

AS91581 Credits 4          Internally assessed 

This standard involves:

• posing an appropriate relationship question using a given multivariate data set
• selecting and using appropriate displays, identifying features in data
• finding an appropriate model
• describing the nature and strength of the relationship and relating this to the context
• using the model to make a prediction, communicating findings in a conclusion.

** LAPTOP or CHROMEBOOK required**

Objectives        

Learners develop a set of transferable skills, including the skill of thinking critically about mediated information, understanding its rhetorical qualities, and being aware of the significance of its conditions of production and reception. Learners will also be able to practise this skill to communicate their own ideas in a variety of forms. These skills can be applied across a wide range of subjects and equip learners well for progression to higher education.

Content Overview       

• Language: How the media communicate meanings through their forms, codes, conventions and techniques
• Representation: How the media construct the social world, including the portrayal of ideas, individuals and groups
• Industry: How and why media texts are produced, distributed and circulated 
• Audience: How audiences are constructed and addressed by media texts, and how audiences interpret and respond to media texts.

Objectives:

• Refine your craft as a musician
• Work to your musical strengths in your chosen instrument (voice is an instrument)
• Deepen your understanding of music theory
• Become a confident  performer  as an individual artist and within a group 
• Utilise good self discipline and time management skills

Content Overview

Through the study of music theory and performance based projects, students will develop a deeper understanding of themselves as they explore different contexts, genres, emotions, and the ideas of others. Students can build confidence as artists by bringing their own experiences and cultures to their music making.

Music is taught in a multi-level classroom.  NCEA is available at levels 1, 2, and 3.  Students may choose to study at whatever level they feel is appropriate given their skill level.

Equipment

Instrument (either owned or hired from the school), drummers must have their own sticks, electric guitarists must have their own leads/pedals.

Objectives

• Experience the enjoyment of a variety of physical activities
• Manage and evaluate appropriate training methods
• Develop knowledge of training principles, techniques and planning to enhance personal sporting performance
• Experience competition in a range of activities
• Critically evaluate EOTC procedures in the school environment.

Content Overview

In 2027, Physical Education will be both NCEA Level 3 and revision for those students who are planning to sit the AS Level paper (Content delivered during 2026). 

This course continues to build on subject matters explored in previous years. Specific emphasis will be placed on skill acquisition principles, an evaluation on a training program initiative and safety in the outdoor environment. Practical performance is also assessed.

Assessment Overview

All standards are internally assessed. 14-18 NCEA credits are available.

Objectives

Year 13 covers topics that prepare students for the Level 3 NCEA Physics Achievement Standards. Physics is the branch of science in which people explore the physical world around them and seek to understand and describe the phenomena they encounter.  Learning in Physics is inspired by a simple wonder at the way things are and a compelling curiosity about why they work the way they do.  A study of Physics spans the limits of our universe - from the subatomic to the size of galaxies - and develops skills and knowledge that are useful in today’s world and important in further learning.

Content Overview

Candidates for Cambridge International AS Level Physics complete study of the following topics: 

7 Waves 

8 Superposition 

11 Particle physics 

Students will study Translational Motion, Rotational Motion, Simple Harmonic Motion, Practical Physics (Internal) and Electricity

Ngā Kōhatu - Touchstone

I am challenged
I have challenged others
(Sometimes people take the easy way)

Understand that we are challenged to live lives of courage, integrity and justice even when this might cause personal inconvenience and sacrifice.
Jesus didn’t always have it easy. He was continuously asked difficult questions and placed in difficult situations. His death on the Cross was the ultimate challenge to him and to his disciples.

Module 1: Te Atua God

Jesus: Real and Radical - Why does Jesus matter?

Young people will grow in their understanding of the historical world into which Jesus was born and explore how a real person called Jesus made a profound impact through his attitudes, actions and teachings. They will consider how his followers came to recognise him not only as a historical figure, but as the Son of God, whose identity, life, death and resurrection are profoundly miraculous and meaningful for all humanity and creation. This learning provides opportunities for personal reflection and participation in liturgies centred on the passion of Christ.

Young people will explore the Catholic understanding that Jesus does not remain in the past as a historical figure, but is alive and present in the Church and the sacraments today. His teachings continue to challenge the values and assumptions of dominant cultures, inviting us to consider how we live and the choices we make. Through this exploration, young people will reflect on the significance of Jesus for all people and how a relationship with him can shape our lives and our understanding of eternity.

Module 2 : Te Rongopai Good News

Paul: The Message and the Mission - Why are Paul and the Letters important?

Young people will be introduced to the life of St Paul and his Epistles, particularly the undisputed letters, exploring them within their historical context and in relation to the communities he addressed. They will examine key themes including grace, living a Christian life and being part of a Christian community, considering these through a Catholic lens while comparing them with other Christian understandings. Rangatahi will explore resources and methods of interpretation that can deepen their understanding of Paul’s writings and consider the radical nature of his teachings, their significance for Christianity, and how they might be understood and lived out today.

Module 3: Kia Noho Hāhi Being Church

Ethics - How do we know what God wants for the world?

Young people will explore the foundations of ethics, including different ethical theories and the distinctive foundations, sources and principles of Catholic Ethics. They will develop an understanding of how Catholics form and use conscience and apply a Catholic ethical method when considering moral decisions and issues affecting individuals and society. Through exploring selected issues such as poverty and wealth, the changing role of women, work and leisure, bioethics, the influence of the media and the Christian response to creation, young people will consider how Scripture and Church teaching inform Catholic perspectives and challenge the values and norms of society and the state. They will be encouraged to apply Catholic ethical principles to real-life situations and consider how faith can guide choices that promote human dignity, justice and the common good. 

Objectives

The objective of the St Kevin’s Sport Performance Programme is to develop our sports people and give them physical, mental and emotional skills to perform at a high level.  Accountability, commitment, and integrity will be key focus areas for this group of young people, not only as athletes, but as people and students.

Content Overview

The course will include Level 2 Achievement Standards.  The students will have time to develop their physical fitness as well as sport specific skills during class time.  As well as this they will cover important topics such as recovery, tactical awareness, sports psychology, goal setting, interpersonal skills, and leadership.  Sport specific coaches will be used to develop each students’ skills in their chosen code.

Assessment Overview

7 Level 3 Internal assessment credits.

14 Level 3 Unit Standards for Coaching.

Silent study. 

The three Level 3 New Zealand Qualification Authority (NZQA) Achievement Standards combine to provide a comprehensive, 18-credit practical curriculum in Materials and Processing Technology (specifically focused on Textiles / Fashion Design). Together, they transition a student from an initial design concept to a fully realized, professional-grade physical product. 

Practical design and Technical Skills

• Design Ideation: Translating a design brief or stakeholder need into initial aesthetic and functional design concepts. 
• Functional Modelling: Using technical drawing,  and basic physical mock-ups to test the feasibility of a design before making it. 
• Broad Context Evaluation: Analyzing how the design impacts and fits into the wider world, including its sustainability, cultural appropriateness, and ethical lifecycle (maintenance and ultimate disposal). 
• Stakeholder Integration: Synthesizing feedback from end-users to justify and refine design choices. 

• Material & Component Selection: Testing, trialling, and selecting the exact materials and construction methods needed to fulfill a design brief. 
• Iterative Prototyping: Learning how to build a physical prototype and rigorously test it within its intended social and physical environment. 
• Refinement & Evaluation: Identifying design flaws through trialling, resolving technical issues, and validating whether the final prototype truly fulfills its purpose. 

• Advanced Material Manipulation: Gaining independence and high accuracy in executing complex textile techniques (such as advanced pattern cutting, structural shaping, or specialized stitching).
• Manufacturing Efficiency: Planning a production schedule to utilize time, effort, and fabrics economically while minimizing waste.
• Quality Assurance: Performing constant quality tests throughout the fabrication process to ensure the product meets rigid, professional specifications.
• Workplace Safety: Strict adherence to health and safety regulations while operating commercial or complex machinery. 

Broad Contexts and Sustainability

• Sustainable fashion: Explore ethical production, textile recycling, and the environmental impacts of fast fashion.
• Industry awareness: Understand historical and contemporary design trends, copyright laws, and workplace health and safety protocols.

Objectives

• Learn to share, develop, and extend ideas to realise a shared goal and serve the intention of the drama.
• Examine and challenge established ideas and prejudices. 
• Critical and creative thinking and innovation. 
• Generates new ideas and reflects on trends in society.

Content Overview

Drama is taught in a multi level classroom.  NCEA is available at levels 1, 2, and 3.  Students may choose to study at whatever level they feel is appropriate given their skill level.

Most Drama is taught through the medium of individual works created for assessment and as the skills are required in real time.  We explore the work of playwrights and Drama theorists, as well as creating original work and interpretations.  If possible the whole class ultimately works towards a major public production.. 

Assessment Overview

NCEA Internal and External assessments with up to 18 credits. 

Pathways is a course designed for students who are transitioning from school to the workplace. Students will be given the opportunity to complete Unit Standards that will assist in making them work ready.  The course is composed of standards that will be completed during class time.   All standards are Unit Standards and therefore there are no external exams or course endorsements, no University Entrance credits.  This course is available for Level 3 students 

Topics covered in class that relate to the Numeracy CAA

• N1: Number
• N2: Maths Relationships
• N3: Spatial Properties and Representations
• N4: Location and Navigation
• N5: Measurement
• N6: Statistics and Data
• N7: Probability and Chance

NCEA Level 2 Achievement Standards