Art

Year 8 Digital Technology

Year 8 Digital Technology

Drama

Year 8 Food Technology

French

Health And Physical Education

Music

Te Reo Maori

The focus of this course is to provide students with practical and useful drawing, CAD (Computer added design) and scale modelling design skills that aim to prepare them for Yr. 10 and beyond. Students will continue to use Design and Visual Communication techniques with VR (Virtual reality) being introduced at this level which will help them in future if they take a pathway in the design world. DVC will teach budding architects/designers/Engineers and any creative student everything from design theory to accurately draw three Dimensional designs – both by hand, computer and with scale modelling.

Packaging Design:

Packaging Design Maquettes:

Rocket Design and Creation:
 

Why choose Year 9 Digital Art? Because it’s creative, hands-on, and above all – fun!

In today’s world, creativity is a powerful skill. It’s valued in every industry and seen as a top leadership quality for the future. Digital Art encourages ākonga to think independently, take creative risks, and build resilience – learning that it’s okay to make mistakes and try again.

What’s this course about?
This course is all about learning by doing through digital art-making. Ākonga will explore a wide range of creative processes, techniques, and materials while developing their skills in both photography and design: basics of iPad photography, as well as key digital art practices such as character design, creative photo editing, composite photography (combination of two or more different images to create a new one), and digital illustration.

All learning is 100% on iPads with Apple Pencils - we supply 1 iPad and Apple Pencil per student!

The units of work are:

1. Photography 3D Cube: Ko wai ahau? Still Life Photography using iPad Lightroom camera (Professional Mode), Lightroom for editing and Photoshop for layout arrangement.
2. Digital Illustration / Character Design (3D Paper Toy): Kaitiaki of Te Ranga. Digital Illustration using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop (iPad with Apple Pen - supplied).
3. Digital Composite / Collage: Surrealist Creature Surrealist Composite Photography (hand and digital processes), Photography using iPad Lightroom camera (Professional Mode), Lightroom for editing and Photoshop for editing composite.
   

This course has been created as an introductory course for the specialist courses available in the senior school – it is a prerequisite for the Year 11 Digital Art course.

This course is a step into the exciting world of Digital Technology in which students can get creative with interactive technologies such as web development (and what makes great design!), robotics using Arduino and Vex, and creating animations.

In this course we will explore the process of web design.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XvOoi03t_2UR49Etn0xUCG3CbFiX5Ycb/view?t=3

We will explore what makes good web design.

We will create animations using html5 canvas and JavaScript

Or Robotic Arm:

We will also battle with Vex robots

Why study Drama? 

Firstly, perhaps the most important reason to take Year 9 Drama – is that it is FUN and always hands-on! 

This course promotes motivation to learn by emphasising active hands-on engagement and creative risk-taking. Part of the joy of all Drama courses is that you don’t just study Drama: you do it. Through purposeful play, both individual and collaborative, drama students discover how to link imagination, thoughts, and feelings. They will learn to interpret and communicate ideas, practice problem solving, extend their creative thinking skills. Drama permeates our everyday lives and serves a variety of purposes. It enables us to understand ourselves, the people around us, and the world in which we live. 

Drama education increases creativity and open-mindedness. Creativity is cited by business leaders as the top leadership competency for the future. Studying Drama teaches determination and resilience – qualities useful to any career. It teaches us that it is okay to fail, to not get things right the first time and to have the courage to start again.

This course has a practical focus and emphasizes three essential skill areas: 

● The building of self-confidence and self-esteem this emerging through the increased exposure to informal performance situations in the safety of the Drama classroom. 

● Development of social skills and the ability to work collaboratively and tolerantly with others – learning how to negotiate and compromise.

● Development of creativity through the creation and devising of your own material given a framework or scaffolding, through interpretation of stimuli and being challenged to explore different forms. 

We will journey practically through various basic performance techniques and explore the foundations of theatre as we know it, through exploration of theatre forms such as Greek Theatre, Commedia dell ‘arte and Musical theatre. 

This is a one-year course aimed at giving students an insight into the technology process. It involves collaboration, problem solving and a variety of hands on activities.

We ask that a contribution of $115 is made to cover the take-home component of food for students selecting this course.

Year 9 French - Bonjour et bienvenue!

Did you know that French is one of the six official languages of the United Nations? And that it is spoken in approximately 30 countries around the world? Not only that, but by learning French you are helping your understanding of language in general and ensuring that your brain grows beautifully. Yes, the neuro-science is in - learning a language is good for you. 

(And it's pretty handy to know a European language when you set off to explore the world :) 

Join in! Parlez-vous français?

The focus of this course is to learn the basics of everyday French - you will learn to listen, read, speak and write about a variety of topics, while having FUN! Your learning topics will include school, family and pets, describing people, likes and dislikes and - of course - FOOD! (Fancy crêpe-making anyone? How about some croissants? Escargots??)

A range of opportunities to communicate will be offered to you. Also learn about some traditional foods, festivals, celebrations and more.

Watch the You Tube clip in schoolpoint too!

Year 9 Hard Materials Technology

The course is focused on developing a wide range of practical skills across a variety of materials throughout the year, along with building on knowledge that will prepare students for Year 10 Hard Materials and into Senior Technology. The units of work we cover over the year are:

**Manufacture of an acrylic mobile phone stand, focusing on measuring, marking out and manipulation of materials. 

**CAD design using SketchUp, which leads into our 3D printing unit.

**3D printing of models, which is an awesome skill to learn. (Have a look below at a couple of examples of what you could be capable of doing) 

**Major unit on FLIGHT where we learn about the principles of flight and also manufacture your own Co2 Gas Glider. Watch the video clip below of a flight from previous years.

**Engineering unit focusing on manipulation of mild steel and sheet metal to create 'Stick men figures'. Different welding techniques such as MIG and spot welding will be covered. 

This course is well suited to students who are wishing to continue with Hard Materials in Year 10 (See link to Year 10 course https://aquinas.schoolpoint.co.nz/courses/course/6e8f16fbb6f611b642892184828a35ae 

Due to health and safety, student numbers are limited so get in quick guys !! 

Course fees for materials of take-home component is $40

CAD drawing of fishing drone bracket, ready for printing. 

This is a 3D printed bracket that can be fitted on the Aquinas College drone. This turns it into a fishing Drone. See this fitted on the video below. 

Acrylic bending with mobile phone stand.

Course cost for take home component of materials $40

 Year 9 

Money Skills for Life

 Want to start learning about money and how to grow and manage it?

In this course, you’ll dive into the basics of budgeting, saving, banking, and smart spending. You'll learn how to plan and make informed financial decisions. 

 This course is aimed at making financial literacy accessible and enjoyable for middle school students, helping them develop a foundation for responsible money management as they grow. Students will develop confidence and good habits when dealing with money.

 Start your journey to better understand money in a fun and engaging way.

 By taking Year 9 Personal Finance students will learn ‘Money Skills for Life’ including:

• Financial Goal Setting
• How to generate Income
• Basic budgeting skills
• Saving Skills and the importance of Future Saving
• Banking and Compound Interest
• Understanding debit and credit
• Kiwi Saver
• On-line buying and scams
• Impulse buying
• Social Responsibility and Giving
• Planning for Purchasing a Product
• Authentic learning experiences

Year 9 Music is designed for Ākonga who wish to broaden their musical experience and gain valuable transferrable skills in the creative industries.

Ākonga will develop skills in composition, critical listening, music technology and music in context, where they can build confidence in their value as musicians that bring their own experiences and culture to explore how music relates to their sense of identity.

Ākonga will work both independently and collaboratively to produce and perform music, expressing music through practical application. 

It is recommended that students are learning a musical instrument or vocals either privately or through the school itinerant music programme for the duration of this subject. 

Why choose Year 9 Practical Art? Because it’s creative, hands-on, and above all – fun!

In today’s world, creativity is a powerful skill. It’s valued in every industry and seen as a top leadership quality for the future. Practical Art encourages ākonga to think independently, take creative risks, and build resilience – learning that it’s okay to make mistakes and try again.

This course is all about ‘learning by doing’. Ākonga will develop their practical art-making skills using a range of processes, techniques and materials. It’s active, engaging, and encourages problem-solving through art making.

The course is structured around three connected units, all exploring the big idea: Whanaungatanga – A sense of belonging: Ko wai au? (Who am I, and how do I belong?)

The units of work are:

1. Mixed Media
2. Printmaking
3. Painting

This course has been created as an introductory course for the specialist courses available in the senior school – it is a prerequisite for the Year 11 Practical Art course.

The Year 9 Te Reo Māori programme is a continuation of the foundational courses at Year 7 and 8. This course allows students to learn about many different aspects of Te Reo Māori:

- learn about the language and how you may go about applying it in your daily lives

- build your skills in the language to complement your understanding of tikanga Māori

- engage in practical opportunities to embed the language

This course is intended for all proficiency levels of Te Reo Māori, and will set the foundation for successful transition into the senior school.

Nō reira, nau mai, haere mai ki te ako i te reo me ōna tikanga.

Design and Visual Communication (DVC) develops creative problem-solving, visual thinking, and technical drawing skills that are essential for success in a wide range of industries. Students learn how to clearly communicate their ideas through both traditional and digital graphics, preparing them for further study in areas such as architecture, engineering, product design, interior design, and digital media.

The focus of the Year 10 course is to strengthen and extend the foundation skills gained in Yr. 9 and prepare students for the demands of Level 1 NCEA DVC. 

NOTE - Students can take Yr. 10 DVC even if they haven't taken it in Yr. 9

Over the year, students will build confidence in technical and freehand drawing, develop skills in CAD (Computer aided design), create accurate scale models, and explore design through VR (Virtual Reality). These experiences help students combine creativity with practical, real-world application—skills that are highly valued by employers and tertiary providers alike.

Product design and rendered drawing:

Drawings and CAD design of "My Space"

Scale Modelling:

Why choose Year 10 Digital Art?
Because it’s creative, hands-on, and above all – fun!

In today’s world, creativity is a powerful skill. It’s valued in every industry and seen as a top leadership quality for the future. Digital Art encourages ākonga to think independently, take creative risks, and build resilience – learning that it’s okay to make mistakes and try again.

What’s this course about?
This course is all about learning by doing through digital art-making. Ākonga will explore a wide range of creative processes, techniques, and materials while developing their skills in both photography and design: basics of DSLR photography, including how to use a photography studio, as well as key digital art practices such as type-based design, layout, creative photo editing, and digital illustration.

All learning is supported with access to a class set of iPads and Apple Pencils (1:1 ratio), and ākonga can continue their work using Adobe Creative Cloud applications on their own BYOD devices.

Ākonga also have opportunities to share their work in both virtual and public gallery exhibitions.

The course is structured around three connected units, all exploring the big idea: Whanaungatanga – A sense of belonging: Ko wai au? (Who am I, and how do I belong?)

The units of work are:

1. Minizine Design: Typography Design (communicating Pepeha) using Collage, Scanography to Sabotage Type, Adobe Photoshop & Illustrator.
2. Digital illustration: Taha Whānau Portrait Photography & Digital Illustration using DSLR cameras, Studio Lighting, Adobe Lightroom, and Adobe Photoshop (iPad with Apple Pen - supplied).
   
3. Photography Mini-Folio Board: A Day in the Life - Documentary & Still Life Photography using DSLR cameras & Scanography (camera-less photography), Adobe Lightroom (editing), and Adobe Photoshop (folio layout).

This course has been created as an introductory course for the specialist courses available in the senior school – it is a prerequisite for the Year 11 Digital Art course.

In this course we will explore concepts that help prepare students for further learning in Digital Technologies. Students will learn the basics of programming through projects such as game development, animation, robotics using Arduino, and 3D modelling and animation. This is an exciting course for those wanting to get creative with the opportunities these technologies provide.

We use Blender to create 3D models and animate them

For our game creation project, we use gamemaker, and create our own characters and game.

Using both virtual and real circuits, we will create and program our Arduino to flash LEDs, respond to switches, check distances, and move things with a servo.

We will then create animations using html canvas and javascript.

Stories and swordfights

Drama fosters self-discipline, confidence and teamwork and develops skills in interpreting, researching, negotiating, problem-solving and decision making. Drama students are creative and empathetic people who can think on their feet. These skills are highly valuable not only during school and in university but as life skills. 

Drama provides students with a safe space to create and collaborate. 

Drama enables students to link their own imaginations, thoughts, and feelings with drama practice and history. They develop cognitive skills and gain an understanding of themselves and their wider communities. They investigate the forms, styles, and contexts of drama and recognise that it can affirm or challenge attitudes and values. They work collaboratively to develop ideas, to express feelings, to experiment with sound and action within a dramatic space, and to reflect on live and recorded drama. 

Students gain knowledge about theatre and its contribution to social and cultural commentary, employment, and recreation. They appreciate that drama, whether intended for audiences or not, provides significant opportunities for expressing cultural and personal identity. 

Year 10 Drama is a practical, hands-on course that explores Drama conventions, techniques and elements. These are explored through prose and poetry. Students are introduced to the art of poetry performance, to storytelling, to Shakespeare where there are cauldrons, costumes, and sword fights.

The highlight of the year is the class production in which students perform for family and friends and celebrate a dynamic year of theatre and performance. 

In 2024, the students also had the opportunity to attend a production in Auckland. This is a wonderful opportunity to experience live theatre at it's best.

For any questions, please contact [email protected]

The Enterprise Studies course focuses on entrepreneurial skills. 

Specifically students will

1. Run a business for market day

2. Be introduced to concepts relevant to a   Senior Business pathway. Specifically students will get a taste of subjects offered in the Senior College, e.g. Economics, Accounting, Commerce and Business Studies. 

Students will  have the opportunity to put their entrepreneurial skills to the test with a market day. Students will learn how to think creatively and work in teams to create and promote a product to sell on a school market day.

An emphasis is placed on students developing financial literacy life skills. Students will build knowledge and develop skills in managing money and income. Students will understand the importance of setting goals, savings, budgeting, borrowing, and investing. Topics such as insurance, kiwi saver, home ownership, careers, etc are studied. Being financially literate will allow students to make better and more informed decisions in their own personal lives. 

Food Technology involves the study of food product development. Students will be encouraged to explore, develop and package food products that are nutritionally sound. All work is new, practically based and students will develop an understanding of food technology and nutrition.

We ask that a contribution of $115 is made to cover the take-home component of food for students selecting this course.

The focus of this course is to provide students with practical and useful French, and it aims to prepare them for NCEA Level One. Students will start to use a variety of language to communicate about familiar topics that would be useful to them if they were to want to talk about their life as a high school student in New Zealand or if they were to travel to a French-speaking country.

Perhaps you'd like to do an exchange to a French-speaking country as a senior school student? Allez!

The course has a strong cultural content as students start to explore the French lifestyle and society in more depth and activities are built into the course to allow them to gain personal experience of this. The following topics are covered: Leisure Activities; Where I Live and My House; Clothing; Recipes and Shopping for Food; Ordering in a Restaurant.  

Year 10 Hard Materials Technology

The course is the building block for Level One Product Development (Hard Materials) in Year 11. 

It focuses on the development of a unique design and product to address an issue within a given context. 

Students will generally choose to work within the context of either Human Powered Vehicles or Personal Bluetooth Speakers as our two main areas of learning.

This course encourages the use of planning and self-management skills, problem solving strategies and practical application of design and manufacture. Students will formulate a brief and use SketchUp CAD to model their design, prior to manufacture. This can be seen in the video below, as well as a range of products that have been produced by our students in previous years. 

Course fees for materials of take-home component is $50. (Longboard or small rechargeable Bluetooth speaker)

NB: This will increase to $100 if students are designing the larger 100watt Bluetooth speaker system. 

Large 50watt Bluetooth speaker.

Using the drill press to bore 200mm speaker holes.

Students producing their own Manufacturing Process video. 

Scott and the Tiki he produced using the CNC router. This is the 2-pot resin stage. 

Callum attaching the trucks to his long board.

Ella's CNC engraved design on the bottom of her board.

Jarrod's awesome dish-washing liquid paint job on his finished board. 

Jeremy's thruster surf board crafted from solid paulownia timber. 

Course cost for take home component of materials $50 minimum. (Small speaker project or longboard) This will increase with products that require larger amp and speakers or excess materials.

This full year course builds on from our Year 9 Hard Materials course and has been designed as a hands-on practical workshop based course. 

The intention of this class is to continue to develop the skills learnt in Year 9 Hard Materials, through manufacturing products to a high standard. 

The intention is to combine costing, marketing and manufacture to produce a class set of Briarcliffe Lawn chairs, as well as an additional set that can be sold to the wider community to finance each students' own chair, and potentially turn a profit. 

Additionally, with our new dedicated Engineering workshop from 2026 we will be running a metal-based programme involving fabrication and welding. Once again, the object of the programme is to develop skills in this area of hard materials. 

Please note: Unlike our other Year 10 Hard Materials class, Year 10 Industry Skills will be limited as far as individual design and brief development is concerned.  

If you love hands-on practical workshop classes, then this is the subject for you!

Numbers limited to 24

Painted examples of the Briarcliffe lawn chairs we will be making. These are often referred to a Cape cod chairs but our design is far superior with a concave back. 

These will be made from solid Macrocarpa with a natural boiled linseed oil finish to highlight the grain.

MIG welding and CNC machining has become very popular in our Year 9 and 10 Hard Materials courses so we focus on building on this with incorporating these skills into our projects.  

Year 10 Music is designed in preparation for Level One NCEA Music.

Ākonga will develop skills in composition, critical listening, music technology and music in context, where they can build confidence in their value as musicians that bring their own experiences and culture to explore how music relates to their sense of identity.

Ākonga will work both independently and collaboratively to produce and perform music, expressing music through practical application. 

Why choose Year 10 Practical Art?
Because it’s creative, hands-on, and above all – fun!

In today’s world, creativity is a powerful skill. It’s valued in every industry and seen as a top leadership quality for the future. Practical Art encourages ākonga to think independently, take creative risks, and build resilience – learning that it’s okay to make mistakes and try again.

This course is all about ‘learning by doing’. Ākonga will develop their practical art-making skills using a range of processes, techniques and materials. It’s active, engaging, and encourages problem-solving through art making.

Ākonga also have opportunities to share their work in both virtual and public gallery exhibitions.

The course is structured around three connected units, all exploring the big idea: Whanaungatanga – A sense of belonging: Ko wai au? (Who am I, and how do I belong?)

The units of work are:

1. Koru & Kowhaiwhai Inspired Stylised and Symbolic Canvas Artwork
2. Taha Whānau | Contemporary Portrait Painting – with optional digital illustration using an iPad
3. Mini Folio Board – combining drawing, scanography (camera-less photography), and mixed media painting

This course has been created as an introductory course for the specialist courses available in the senior school – it is a prerequisite for the Year 11 Practical Art course.

The Year 10 Te Reo Māori programme strives to build upon the foundations set in the Year 9 course, giving students the opportunity to explore Te Reo Māori in practical situations and use it to communicate and build relationships with speakers of Māori. 

Students will learn through a series of topics, each with a cultural component aimed at deepening their knowledge and understanding of local tribal history through visits to significant locations and some practical activities. This includes completing a practical component in which the students learn the customs, protocols and skills associated with both tradtional and contemporary Māori art forms and crafts. 

The course also aims to prepare the students for NCEA Level One. 

Students are required to complete five REACH assessments one of which will be the practical component and the End of Year Examination.

Please note: Students can choose either Commerce /Economics or Commerce/Accounting.

In this course students will use an Accounting lens to study the Commerce standards.

Why study Commerce?

• Learn new capabilities (using models to aid pricing decisions and make informed decisions for individuals and businesses.)
• Prepare for a career in business.
• Authentic opportunities like running a business.

Commerce is the use and exploration of accounting, economic, and business concepts and models to make sense of society and solve problems. In this subject, ākonga will build the knowledge, skills, and values they need to navigate and participate in, the economic world. They will learn how participants in the economic world make financial and non-financial decisions, and they will analyse how these decisions impact sustainability. Concepts studied include sustainability, interdependence, innovation, scarce resources and financial statements.

Students will engage with critical thinking and analysis, explore different perspectives through Commerce and develop their understanding of the role of Commerce in society.  

Studying Commerce will enable students to see where Commerce could lead them beyond school and allow for richer learning in Level 2 Accounting, Business Studies and Economics.

Students studying Commerce standards can also gain Level 1 Numeracy and Literacy.

Please note: Students can choose either Commerce /Economics or Commerce/Accounting.

This course will use an Economics lens when covering the Commerce standards. (Commerce / Economics).

Specifically students will study the demand / supply market model in preparation for deeper learning for Level 2 Economics.                               

                                                     Why study Commerce / Economics

*Learn new capabilities and make decisions using models

*Prepare  for L2 Economics

*Prepare for a career in Business

Study Commerce through the lens of Economics and learn how to make better decisions. understanding the importance of opportunity costs and trade-offs.

Students will build the knowledge, skills, and values they need to navigate and participate in the economic world. They will learn how participants in the economic world make choices from scarce resources using financial and non-financial information.

There will be a focus on foundation economic knowledge including demand, supply and markets. Other concepts studied include interdependence, innovation, opportunity cost and financial statements.

Studying Commerce / Economics will prepare students for richer learning in Level 2  Economics, Accounting, and Business Studies.

Students studying Commerce standards can also gain Level 1 Numeracy and Literacy.

Students will be given the opportunity to develop their financial intelligence via buying and selling shares in the ASX Stock-market game and win $500 as the top performing NZ school (Aquinas won in 2024).

Design and Visual Communication involves design thinking, visual communication, and design heritage. It covers ideation, development, and communication of purposeful design ideas. This includes product and spatial design.

Product design creates functional items for daily life. Spatial design involves shaping three-dimensional spaces for human use, drawing from architecture, interior design, and more.

Visual communication ensures the effective presentation of design concepts. Design heritage encompasses design history, culture, and awareness, considering ethical and cultural aspects.

Designers adapt ideas to people's needs while being mindful of impacts. Learning Design and Visual Communication develops skills to express ideas, encouraging experimentation and improvement for meaningful and future-oriented design. This cultivates confidence, resilience, and ethical responsibility in design.

While redesigning the luge carts we had to test run the track and skyline in the process.

Embedding streamlining era into a design brief.

Design the City experiment

Ideation

Spatial design Concepts 

Creating a final design 

Development of an idea expressed with pen and ink 

Rendered drawing standard exemplar

Presentation unit

Why study Digital Art? Firstly, perhaps the most important reason to take Year 11 Digital is that it is FUN!

We live in an image-saturated world where more importance is placed on visual literacy than ever before. In Year 11 Digital Art ākonga develop visual literacy and aesthetic awareness as they manipulate and transform visual ideas to solve problems. This course promotes motivation to learn by emphasising active engagement, diligence and creative risk-taking. 

This course develops students' practical art-making skills through the teaching of a variety of processes with an emphasis placed on ‘learning through doing'. Year 11 Digital Art introduces ākonga to the basic principles of DSLR Photography, Studio Photography, and Digital Art-Making (illustration & print media layout) through the Adobe Creative Cloud applications: Lightroom, Photoshop, & Illustrator. Contemporary established practices (artist models) are introduced with a focus on extending knowledge into personal practice. 

The course structure is designed to promote independent work habits and develop knowledge and skills chosen by our ākonga. This course is divided into three interralted units: one stand-alone unit (resolved artwork - skateboard), two connected external standards (workbook and folio panel), all exploring a central theme - Ko wai au? (Who am I?):

• Internal Achievement Standard: Skateboard Design / Resolved Artwork exploring connections between a local place of historical significance & a place of personal significance. DSLR photography and Deconstructivism typography-based design processes will be used. 

• External Achievement Standards: Workbook & NCEA Folio Panel - Body of related artworks exploring the whakataukī: 'Ko au te whenua, ko te whenua ko au' - 'I am the land and the land is me' and the concept of Tūrangawaewae. DSLR photography, scanography (camera-less photography), studio photography, digital illustration, and digital collage composite design processes will be used. 

External Work Book Student Examples

External Folio Panel Student Examples

 Throughout this course, ākonga can participate in public group art exhibitions: virtual galleries and off-site gallery locations.

Exhibition: 2nd Act - Historic Village, People's Gallery.

This is a course designed to help prepare students for the digital age through learning problem solving skills, computer science concepts and tools such as 3D modelling and software development. As we seek to inspire students to become digital creators, we will develop projects that will challenge and stimulate your personal creativity. To do this, there will be a focus on continued learning of the skills necessary to unleash that creativity. This will include iterative design and problem solving, integration of digital media and information, plus research, testing, production and evaluation. Students will explore and create a variety of different original outcomes including their own animation and computer game. It is intended to lead into Digital Technologies Level 2.

We will also look into the area of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) an look at what makes good design in this area.

This video explains why good system design is important.

The frustrations of lag in computer systems.

Drama is for everyone: 

Te toi whakairo, ka ihiihi, ka wehiwehi, ka aweawe te ao katoa.

Artistic excellence makes the world sit up in wonder.

Drama students are creative and empathetic people who can think on their feet. These skills are highly valuable, not only during school and in university but as life skills. Drama provides students with a safe space to create and collaborate. 

Year 11 Drama is a dynamic, collaborative course in which the students are involved in creating content that explores various styles and genres of theatre. 

Students will explore a range of works by both local and international playwrights. They will, through practical exploration, perform excepts from various theatre forms. These theatre forms demand different skills and teach a variety of performance techniques. Alongside the practical exploration, students gain insight into the socio-political background of the times in which these works were developed. 

Perhaps the most exciting component of the Year 11 course is devising an original story using elements and conventions of Drama.

In 2023, the class explored physical theatre. Links to their performances can be watched here:

Taniwha - Physical theatre performance: (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Va8_9R8Qch-AI4lSnecKzY4EIbICqYqw/view?usp=drive_link)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kyMm7VkFh28YCLtjbfaZVa0f_DGe-7x-/view?usp=drive_link

While in 2024, students performed in "Scenes from a Climate era", a topical Epic-style production which was student-directed.

This is attended by family and friends, and is often the highlight of the year. Other productions include:

Living with Lady Macbeth by Rob John

The Bald Prima Donna by Eugene Ionesco 

Missing Dan Nolan by Mark Wheeler

That time, that place by Ken Misusawa

These works offer our students the opportunity to experience other times and places. They explore the lives and worlds of others and develop a deeper understanding of themselves and empathy for others. They will engage in the way in which drama can uplift and sustain the mana of communities, groups and individuals.

The Level One English programme covers oral, written and visual language and encourages students to explore language and literature, think critically and process information.  

There is a focus on developing students’ abilities to communicate clearly and effectively in a range of situations. 

Students will work on two Achievement Standards that are internally assessed, and two that are externally assessed - one completed in class and one in the NCEA exam at the end of the year. 

This course is the start of qualifications for the Food Technology or Hospitality industry and a starter course for Year 12 Food Technology. Students will develop a portfolio of design ideas through research and will use their ideas to design and manufacture a food product for a particular purpose.

Materials and Processing Technology is a hands-on, creative subject that encourages ākonga to explore the three strands of the technology curriculum through the design and creation of fit-for-purpose outcomes. The practice of technology is grounded in intervention by design and ākonga will have multiple opportunities to demonstrate this.

Ākonga who study Materials and Processing Technology will develop knowledge about materials, techniques, and processes which are intrinsic to their application and use. They will learn to plan projects and develop specifications through design concepts and the use of briefs. They will create outcomes that address a need or opportunity.

Ākonga will cultivate life-long practical skills and learn to incorporate collaboration into their technological practice. They will also develop an understanding of sustainable practices through research and application.

Food Technology is a growing fast collaborative subject and is highly desired by Universities. If you have any queries regarding food technology, please email [email protected]

We ask that a contribution of $145 is made to cover the take-home component of food for students selecting this course.

Year 11 French focuses on developing the students' ability to understand and use the language to communicate within familiar contexts. It aims to give students the skills to interact in everyday situations and connect, both linguistically and culturally, with French-speaking communities.  

Students will start to use a greater variety of tenses and more complex language to be able to understand information about, and to communicate about: Exploring Familiar Places; My Social Life and Celebrations; Making Plans; Daily Routines and Chores; Holidays; Healthy Living. 

Students will complete two internal achievement standards and two external achievement standards.

Geography focuses on the relationship between people and the environments that they live in. This course is designed for students who wish to gain a good understanding of the world they live in and the challenges it faces.

 NCEA Level 1 Geography provides students with the broad, foundational knowledge needed to support specialisation at Levels 2 and 3. The Big Ideas in Geography are overarching ideas that cover geography teaching and learning. 

There are four big ideas that we study in Level 1: 

• Environments connect people and people connect to environments 

• Environments are shaped by natural processes 

• Knowledge involves the relationship between people and environments

 • Perspectives and power influence environments. 

We offer three geography assessments in Level 1. These include two internal assessments and one external assessment. All the achievement standards are now worth 5 credits each. The external standard requires students to learn about a wide range of natural processes. Internal standards focus on the wetlands of Tauranga Moana and pōhutukawa habitats in Mount Maunganui. The latter will be supported by a field trip to Mount Maunganui in Term 3.

 Total Credits: 15: 5 External, 10 Internal

• Geography 1.1 – Demonstrate understanding of the spatial distribution of phenomena and its impacts within te taiao [5 Credits, Internal]
• Geography 1.2 – Explore te taiao using data [5 Credits, Internal]
• Geography 1.3 – Demonstrate understanding of how natural processes operate within te taiao [5 Credits, External]

Year 11 Product Development

This course is a launch pad for level 2 Product Development  (Hard Materials) and students who may be considering pursuing a career in Industry or Engineering fields.

Materials and Processing Technology is a hands-on, creative subject that encourages ākonga to explore the three strands of the Technology curriculum through the design and creation of fit-for-purpose outcomes. The practice of technology is grounded in intervention by design and ākonga will have multiple opportunities to demonstrate this.

Ākonga who study Materials and Processing Technology will develop knowledge about material properties, techniques, and processes which are intrinsic to their application and use. They will learn to plan projects and develop specifications through design concepts (including CAD) and the use of design briefs. They will create outcomes that address a need or opportunity.

Ākonga will cultivate life-long practical skills and learn to incorporate collaboration into their technological practice. They will also develop an understanding of sustainable practices through research and application.

The two contexts for 2026 will generally be 'Jewellery' and 'Signage' but students are able to work within an alternative context or pursue a line of innovation if they have a passion to solve an issue through design and manufacture.  

Because the process is individualized, the range of issues and products is huge! 

We also attend the National Fieldays at Mystery Creek each year to visit the innovation centre and experience what new and exciting products are being developed. This is a highlight every year!

Base course fee for materials of take-home component is $80, unless supplying own materials. This may increase depending on volume of material used. 

If you have any further questions about this course or other Product Development courses at Aquinas College, please email me [email protected] and I will be in contact. 

Year 11 Technology students at the National Fieldays, Mystery Creek . 

These are a range of products that have been produced by students over the years. 

Signage examples in the 2025 class. This project had to reflect whakapapa and include feedback from whanau. 

Examples of 2 pot resin casting as part of the 'Signage' project in Term Two and Three.

Course cost for take home component of materials $80 (Can vary depending on product)

STUDYING HISTORY gives you a huge advantage for any job, especially those that involve working with people. Careers like journalism, law, business, medicine, administration, political studies etc all need skills learned in History.

Studying History gives meaning to the world you live in, it helps you understand what’s going on in the world and why!

History is much more than Kings, Queens, Facts & Dates!…..We look at the significance of major world events, perspectives on these events and work like detectives using historical sources to help us piece together historical  stories from local, national and international settings. 

AND....

   A                

LOOK OUT FOR INFORMATION COMING UP ON THE 2026 HISTORY TRIP TO VIETNAM - ONE PLACE LEFT!!!

11MAT is our General Mathematics programme, aimed at equipping students with the skills at Level 1 to progreess into enabling them to progress onto any of the mathematics courses on offer at Level 2 (Statistics, Calculus or General).  The study and application of the skills across the breadth of the Mathematics Curriculum - covering the Number, Algebra, Geometry, Measurement, Probability and Statistics strands andwill be at a level that will enable students to access all of the available grades in the relevant Achievement Standards. 

This course includes the Level 1 Mathematics external assessment, AS91947, at the end of the year which predominantly focuses on the Algebra and Geometry strands. Sitting this exam is a pre-requisite for the Level 2 Calculus and Statistics courses (12MAC and 12MAS).

Students intending on taking Level 2 Calculus and/or Level 2 Physics in the future will find this mathematics option (11MAT) the best preparation for that pathway as opposed to Year 11 Mathematics with Statistics (11MAS)

Students will continue to develop skills within all six areas of the Mathematics Curriculum - Number, Algebra, Geometry, Measurement, Probability and Statistics; however this course has a stronger focus on Statistics with less Algebra than the Year 11 MAT General Mathematics course and the exam at the end of the year will be the report-based 1.3 Statistical Literacy external assessment. Sitting this exam is a pre-requisite for the Level 2  Statistics course (12MAS). 

The Statistics element of this course involves working with data, analysing graphs and making sense of statistical studies and claims. 

The study and application of the mathematics curriculum will enable students to achieve at all levels of the Achievement Standards in this course. This course leads on to the Year 12 General Mathematics or Statistics course but is not suitable students wishing to progress to the Year 12 Calculus course. It is also not recommended that students intending to study Physics in Year 12 choose this course and instead select 11MAT - General Mathematics.

Year 11 Music is based on the NCEA (Level One) prescription set by the Ministry of Education and is assessed internally and externally.  

Ākonga will study areas of Composition, Critical listening, Music Technology and Music in context, where they can build confidence in their value as musicians that bring their own experiences and culture to explore how music relates to their sense of identity.

Ākonga will work both independently and collaboratively to produce and perform music, expressing music through practical application. 

Why study Practical Art? Firstly, perhaps the most important reason to take Year 11 Practical Art is that it is FUN!

We live in an image-saturated world where more importance is placed on visual literacy than ever before. In Year 11 Practical Art ākonga develop visual literacy and aesthetic awareness as they manipulate and transform visual ideas to solve problems. This course promotes motivation to learn by emphasising active engagement, diligence and creative risk-taking. 

This course develops students' practical art-making skills through the teaching of a variety of processes with an emphasis placed on ‘learning through doing'. Year 11 Practical Art explores observational & expressive drawing, printmaking, painting and mixed media. Contemporary established practices (artist models) are introduced with a focus on extending knowledge into personal practice. 

The course structure is designed to promote independent work habits and develop knowledge and skills chosen by our ākonga. This course is divided into three interralted units: one stand-alone unit (resolved artwork - skateboard), two connected external standards (workbook and folio panel), all exploring a central theme - Ko wai au? (Who am I?):

• Internal Achievement Standard: Skateboard Design / Resolved Artwork exploring connections between a local place of historical significance & a place of personal significance. 

External Achievement Standards: Workbook & NCEA Folio Panel - Body of related artworks exploring the whakataukī: 'Ko au te whenua, ko te whenua ko au' - 'I am the land and the land is me' and the concept of Tūrangawaewae. 

External Work Book Student Examples

Throughout this course, ākonga can participate in public group art exhibitions: virtual galleries and off-site gallery locations.

Exhibition: 2nd Act - Historic Village, People's Gallery.

The Religious Education course follows the New Zealand National Religious Education Syllabus as determined by the NZ Catholic Bishops’ Conference. It is a full academic course assessed through Achievement Standards. The topics studied are as follows: Understanding the Gospel Story, Reverence for Life and The Trinity. One-day retreats are completed at Year 11 with opportunities for students to celebrate Eucharist and Reconciliation throughout the year. 

In 2021 a discipleship class will be run in Year 11 where students are encouraged to grow and share their personal faith while also undertaking the academic 11REL course. Students will have an opportunity to opt into this class after their Year 10 retreat in Term 4 this year. 

Science helps our understanding of the world around us. Everything we know about the universe, from how trees reproduce to what an atom is made up of, is the result of scientific research and experiment, intertwined with our learnings from the past. This foundational course builds knowledge to enable students to become active and informed global citizens who understand human impacts on our world.  The topics in this course are based on the areas of Biology, Chemistry and Physics, and are designed to prepare students for entry into Year 12 Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Tauranga Moana is the overarching local context for knowledge development in 11SCI.

The exact course outline is subject to change due to the current modification and refinement of Achievement Standards available.

The course provides students with the opportunity to gain 15 Level 1 NCEA credits across 3 Achievement Standards. There is a mix of both theory and practical work. The course is broken down into three main areas of work:

Term 1. The Great Expedition.  Students work in groups to complete the Expedition.  This sees the students run from Papamoa beach to Mauao, camp the night, cross the harbour in sea kayaks to Memorial Park, then run back to school via the Kopurererua Valley. The assessment is based around the students' reflection on the kotahitanga/teamwork they demonstrated during the trip (5 credits)

Term 2. Practical performance.  Students participate in either Basketball & Volleyball. They will identify movement strategies related to their chosen context. They will be assessed on their practical demonstration of these strategies. (5 credits)

Term 3 Hauora / Well being. Students participate in different movement experiences (Rippa Rugby, Pickle Ball,  and reflect on how their Hauora was influenced. (5 credits)

Throughout these units of work, the concepts of functional anatomy, biomechanics and the bodies responses to exercise are interwoven.

Students are expected to participate fully in all practical and class based lessons.

Whether your goal is to pronounce Māori words correctly, to introduce yourself in te reo Māori with confidence, or improve your chances of landing your future job, we’ve got you covered. The Level One Te Reo Māori programme offers a rich cultural experience that allows students of all abilities to learn in an engaging way. Students work in partnership with their whānau and teacher to develop a learning programme that they can feel proud of. The students are given plenty of opportunities to be internally assessed for Level One Te Reo Māori achievement standards and unit standards. These standards also help prepare all of the students for external assessment at the end of the year. Nō reira, nau mai, haere mai ki te ako i te reo me ōna tikanga.

There’s no better way to understand te reo than to speak it.

This Biology course explores the living world, investigating ecological patterns and the reasons for them. It will explore animal and plant processes at the cellular level, leading to an understanding of DNA and genetics. The interaction of genetics and the environment in gene expression is then examined. It is useful and often essential for students intending to enter tertiary studies in biology, nursing, medicine, veterinary and related fields. It is also useful if you have an interest in furthering your general understanding of the living world.

Welcome to Chemistry at Aquinas College. Chemistry is the study of everything in our material world. Chemicals make up everything around us. Chemistry provides understanding of why metals, non-metals and compounds behave the way they do. You will be introduced to Organic Chemistry, the chemistry of carbon, and see why plastics are replacing metals in many everyday items. What is Green Chemistry, biodegradable plastics, and the search for better batteries.

The course builds on your understanding of the particle nature of matter and the structure of the atom. One Achievement Standard is a practical based internal assessment. All of the practical work demonstrates the properties and nature of the chemistry being studied. Chemistry requires the study of what we can see by observing chemical reactions as well as what we can imagine at the particle level as atoms and compounds interact.  

Order of Teaching – Redox Internal, structure-bonding and thermochemistry, Qualitative analysis Internal, Organic, Chemical reactivity.

This course is designed to prepare students for concepts and learning in Level 3 Chemistry.

This course is designed for students who intend to progress on to Mathematics – 13MAC (NCEA Level Three) the following year.  The course covers these areas of learning: Algebra, Graphs, Trigonometry, Coordinate Geometry and Calculus.  

The Calculus exam at the end of the year is a compulsory part of this course. Sitting this exam is a pre-requisite for the Level 3 Calculus course (13MAC). 

This course is ideal for students considering careers in Engineering, architecture, logistics and software development.

This course is primarily internally assessed and allows students to gain a good number of Level Two credits across a wide range of topics such as Simulations, Questionnaire Design, Statistics and Probability. Students will learn how to run controlled statistical experiments, how to make inferences from sample data from a population and there will also be an element of design using Graphs. 

Students taking this course should be comfortable with the idea that a significant amount of their work will be analysing data and writing reports. The Probability exam at the end of the year is a compulsory part of this course. Sitting this exam is a pre-requisite for the Level 3 Statistics courses (13MAS). 

The course prepares students for the Level Three Statistics course or could lead onto the Level Three Mathematics  course.

via GIPHY

Physics is the study of the physical world and related phenomena. Students will make sense of the physical world through practical and problem-solving activities. This will help them expand their ability to think, understand scientific language and symbols, relate to others and act independently. Physics is recommended for courses at tertiary level relating to the medical profession, architecture and design, engineering, electronics, aviation, geology, computing and meteorology, among many others.

Please note: Students can choose either Commerce /Economics or Commerce/Accounting.

In this course students will use an Accounting lens to study the Commerce standards.

Why study Commerce?

• Learn new capabilities (using models to aid pricing decisions and make informed decisions for individuals and businesses.)
• Prepare for a career in business.
• Authentic opportunities like running a business.

Commerce is the use and exploration of accounting, economic, and business concepts and models to make sense of society and solve problems. In this subject, ākonga will build the knowledge, skills, and values they need to navigate and participate in, the economic world. They will learn how participants in the economic world make financial and non-financial decisions, and they will analyse how these decisions impact sustainability. Concepts studied include sustainability, interdependence, innovation, scarce resources and financial statements.

Students will engage with critical thinking and analysis, explore different perspectives through Commerce and develop their understanding of the role of Commerce in society.  

Studying Commerce will enable students to see where Commerce could lead them beyond school and allow for richer learning in Level 2 Accounting, Business Studies and Economics.

Students studying Commerce standards can also gain Level 1 Numeracy and Literacy.

Why study Accounting?

• Career Opportunities 
• Critical thinking 
• Decision making 
• Global business understanding

Studying Accounting provides a solid foundation for various careers and equips students with practical skills. It’s a versatile field that offers valuable knowledge applicable in both personal and professional contexts.            Accounting enhances Financial Literacy.

This course involves the processing of financial transactions using computer software, XERO and the reporting and analysis of financial information. 

A major study of accounting subsystems (Inventory and Accounts Receivable) will be undertaken including investigations involving local businesses.

Art Design enhances ākonga (students) perception skills: designers tend to be more observant, conscious people. This course is taught in a way to encourage ākonga to examine the world around them. In Year 12 Art Design ākonga develop visual literacy and aesthetic awareness, as they manipulate and transform visual ideas to solve problems and explore abstract concepts. 

This course facilitates the development of independent work habits – transferable skills that can be utilised in other curriculum areas and in a wide range of tertiary courses and careers, whilst studying a subject that inspires and excites. This course will develop skills such as: 

• communication, 
• critical and creative thinking, 
• problem-solving, 
• the ability to research and analyse, 
• adaptability, 
• independence, and 
• innovation.

The course structure is designed to promote independent work habits and develop knowledge and skills chosen by our ākonga. This course is divided into two related units of work: internal achievement standards AS2.2+2.3, taught as one body of work, and the external folio board. These units are practical skills-based using contemporary print media design, brand identity, and established practice with an ākonga (student) defined proposal that links to an overall theme: Making a Positive Social Change.

• The internal standard explores a set of sub-briefs, creating a series of promotional media: logo, magazine double-page spread layout & a large-scale poster design. 
• The external standard expands on work generated for the internal to create a sequential body of work (2-panel folio board). This unit explores additional sub-briefs of their choosing. Sub-briefs explored in previous years have ranged from social media accounts, website design, clothing (artwork/type/design on clothing), business stationery, and packaging design.

Throughout this course, ākonga can participate in public group art exhibitions: virtual galleries and off-site gallery locations.

. .

Gallery Exhibition: 2nd Act - Historic Village, People's Gallery.Exhibition: 2nd Act - Historic Village, People's Gallery.

This Biology course explores the living world, investigating ecological patterns and the reasons for them. It will explore animal and plant processes at the cellular level, leading to an understanding of DNA and genetics. The interaction of genetics and the environment in gene expression is then examined. It is useful and often essential for students intending to enter tertiary studies in biology, nursing, medicine, veterinary and related fields. It is also useful if you have an interest in furthering your general understanding of the living world.

Why Study Business?

• Learn communication and project management skills
• Unlock the entrepreneur inside you
• Learn how to run a business

Students will have opportunities to study large businesses in a national (NZ) context. The focus is on practical applications, and students will be given the opportunity to run their own business with a community well being focus. Opportunities for field trips and liaising with large businesses will be provided. 

Themes at Level Two include leadership, motivational theories, market research and corporate social responsibility.

Welcome to Chemistry at Aquinas College. Chemistry is the study of everything in our material world. Chemicals make up everything around us. Chemistry provides understanding of why metals, non-metals and compounds behave the way they do. You will be introduced to Organic Chemistry, the chemistry of carbon, and see why plastics are replacing metals in many everyday items. What is Green Chemistry, biodegradable plastics, and the search for better batteries.

The course builds on your understanding of the particle nature of matter and the structure of the atom. One Achievement Standard is a practical based internal assessment. All of the practical work demonstrates the properties and nature of the chemistry being studied. Chemistry requires the study of what we can see by observing chemical reactions as well as what we can imagine at the particle level as atoms and compounds interact.  

Order of Teaching – Redox Internal, structure-bonding and thermochemistry, Qualitative analysis Internal, Organic, Chemical reactivity.

This course is designed to prepare students for concepts and learning in Level 3 Chemistry.

This is a design and visual communications course. Two areas of design are studied: Spatial design: architecture/landscape/interior; Product design. It incorporates a range of drawing modes i.e. freehand sketching, 2D instrumental drawing, 3D instrumental drawing, modelling and digital applications. This course has a portfolio assessment for both external and internal achievement standards.

While redesigning the luge carts we had to test run the track and skyline in the process.

Embedding The streamlining Era into a product design brief for the luge cart redesign task

Presenting to the general public while working on The Design the City program run by Waikato University.

Conceptualizing ideas within the design your dream house unit.

Developing the architectural experience within the dream house brief.

Martian base design

Presentation unit

A future unit is designing a visitors centre for Canopy Tours, after experiencing the delights they have to offer first.

In this course students will further develop and apply their computational thinking as well as their digital planning, design and development skills. Achievement standards for this course are centred around computing science, databases, electronics and programming. 

Using a variety of modern digital tools, students will work through the technological process. This will include iterative design and problem solving, integration of digital media and information, plus research, testing, production, evaluation and maintenance. Students will explore and create different original outcomes including a database sourced website and computer program. Electronics using the Arduino platform will also be covered, creating an autonomous vehicle for the project. 

We ask that a contribution of $50 is made to cover the take-home component of food for students selecting this course.

It is intended to lead into Digital Technologies Level 3 and will be beneficial for future training in Computer Science and IT related industries, whilst the problem-solving skills and technological skills gained will help prepare students for the increasingly diverse technologies of our future.

Year 12 Drama will develop from the previous year with new theatre forms/ styles and plays being investigated through the assessment standards. However, Level 1 Drama is not a pre-requisite for Level 2 Drama. The course continues to be a primarily practical one that explores four areas: The purpose of Drama in our lives and communities. Developing our understanding and use of the elements, techniques, conventions, and technologies of Drama. Developing students’ ideas through innovation, imagination, and the use of personal experiences. 

As with Year 11 Drama, a variety of theatre forms are explored through this course such as Greek Theatre, Commedia dell’ Arte, Elizabethan theatre, Melodrama, Musical theatre and Epic theatre. These theatre forms demand different skills and teach a variety of performance techniques. Alongside the practical exploration, students gain insight into the socio-political background of the times in which these works were developed.

Students co-operate and collaborate with others to execute ideas into action. Finally, Drama is concerned with communicating and interpreting; through discussion and writing about our own and others’ work as well as through the study of play scripts. 

Preparation for the two external standards is done in class time as part of the course and is highly recommended. 

*Course Recommendation: 16 – 18 credits (combination of internal and external standards)*

Economics is about the world around us.

Year 12 Economics is a study of macro-economics. Students will study the NZ economy.

Why study 12 Economics?

• Learn a way of thinking
• Apply market models to the NZ Economy
• Learn that all decisions have trade-offs
• Prepare for a career in business

12 Economics Wellington Trip 

12 Economics explores the New Zealand economy. News and current events will be used to explore the macro-economic issues of housing, trade, unemployment, economic growth, equity and inflation. A particular focus will be on the cost of living crises and the economic recovery in NZ.

Students will gain an understanding of the causes and effects of each issue using economic models. Students will  develop an awareness of government policies (fiscal/ monetary policy and trade policies) that may be implemented to address these issues, and how these policies can impact on various groups in society. 

Opportunities will be given to develop financial capability with the Stock-market game.

Play to Your Strengths!

The Level Two English programme covers oral, written and visual language and encourages students to explore language and literature, think critically and process information. There is a focus on embedding abilities to communicate clearly and effectively in a range of situations, and to analyse texts.  

This course enables students to fulfill the literacy requirements for further tertiary studies.  

Students will work on Achievement Standards that are internally assessed, or externally assessed in the NCEA exams at the end of the year. 

All students will complete the writing portfolio (2.4, internal) and then choose two other internals from those listed below. This allows students to “play to their strengths”. 

Students are expected to complete TWO externals.

The total credits you would earn from this course is 16-21.

Students will develop a portfolio of design ideas through research and will use their ideas to design and manufacture a convenience meal for a stakeholder. Food testing, sensory evaluations and product design, food hygiene and safety make up this course.

Food Technology is a growing fast collaborative subject and is highly desired by Universities. If you need to know the difference between food tech and hospitality or if you have any queries regarding food technology, please email [email protected]

We ask that a contribution of $145 is made to cover the take-home component of food for students selecting this course.

The Year 12 French course focuses on raising students’ level of language to allow them to understand information about, and to communicate within less familiar contexts. Language becomes increasingly complex as students build up a wide repertoire of structures and tenses and they start to use the language to communicate less formulaically and more generally. 

The course covers the following topics: The future and the world of work; My life and relationships; Travel and tourism, Health; Going on an exchange. 

Students will complete three internal achievement standards, including two portfolios, and two external achievement standards.

This course involves the study of natural landscapes, urban settlements, disparities within and between countries, and continues the development of geographic skills. More advanced field work and studies of global and local issues is also required.

Geography focuses on the relationship between people and the environments that they live in. This course is designed for students who wish to gain a good understanding of the world they live in and the challenges it faces. Level 2 covers the natural environment of Ōtanewainuku (external assessment), differences in development between western and eastern Germany (external assessment), the compound 1080 debate (internal assessment), urban growth in Tauranga (internal assessment), and a major research project (internal assessment).

                                                                                                         IN YEAR 12 .....

                             If you did Yr. 11 History you will continue to build on the skills you started at Level One. 

                                       If you are new to History, you will learn new topics not done at Level One. 

                                 Topics:

                                                                               - The Assassination of the Russian Royal Family, 1918

                                                                               - The Vietnam War

                                                                               - The Fall of the Berlin Wall, 1989

     Internal Assessments will allow you to research and explore  aspects of New Zealand History.

 A highlight is an annual trip to Wellington! 

                                AND....

LOOK OUT FOR INFORMATION COMING UP ON THE 2026 HISTORY TRIP TO VIETNAM - ONE PLACE LEFT!!

This course is a continuation of qualifications for the hospitality industry. While the primary focus is on unit standards for cooking, there will be service units covered. All hospitality focuses on practical work for the industry.

Food Technology is a growing fast collaborative subject and is highly desired by Universities, Hospitality is a more hands on vocational course but also has many career opportunities. If you want to know more about  the difference between food tech and hospitality or if you have any queries regarding Hospitality, please email [email protected]

We ask that a contribution of $110 is made to cover the take-home component of food for students selecting this course.

This course is designed for students who intend to progress on to Mathematics – 13MAT (NCEA Level Three) the following year.  

The course covers these areas of learning: Graphing, Networks, Geometry, Statistics and Probability. It aims to combine some of the topics offered in the Statistics course with some of the topics offered in the Calculus course. The course aims to avoid the more difficult Algebra topics but there is still a small amount within some standards. This is a great course for students still wanting to do parts of each strand of Mathematics and Statistics.

Students who want to progress onto L3 Statistics are required to pass the Probability External which will be part of this course.

This course is designed for students who intend to progress on to Mathematics – 13MAC (NCEA Level Three) the following year.  The course covers these areas of learning: Algebra, Graphs, Trigonometry, Coordinate Geometry and Calculus.  

The Calculus exam at the end of the year is a compulsory part of this course. Sitting this exam is a pre-requisite for the Level 3 Calculus course (13MAC). 

This course is ideal for students considering careers in Engineering, architecture, logistics and software development.

This course is primarily internally assessed and allows students to gain a good number of Level Two credits across a wide range of topics such as Simulations, Questionnaire Design, Statistics and Probability. Students will learn how to run controlled statistical experiments, how to make inferences from sample data from a population and there will also be an element of design using Graphs. 

Students taking this course should be comfortable with the idea that a significant amount of their work will be analysing data and writing reports. The Probability exam at the end of the year is a compulsory part of this course. Sitting this exam is a pre-requisite for the Level 3 Statistics courses (13MAS). 

The course prepares students for the Level Three Statistics course or could lead onto the Level Three Mathematics  course.

via GIPHY

The Level 2 Media Studies programme covers oral, written and visual language and encourages students to explore the role of the media, think critically, collaborate, and process information. 

Students will consider roles of journalism, media ethics, issues of representation, aspects of genre, and the creation of media texts. A variety of media will be explored, including advertisements, news, film and websites. 

The practical component of the course will require the design and production of a media product using a range of technologies and narrative approaches. 

Students will work on Achievement Standards that are internally assessed, or externally assessed in the NCEA exams at the end of the year. 

Students will complete all the Achievement Standards on offer.

Media Studies Trip to Auckland 

A fun course of study is tailored to individual Ākonga strengths and interests in Music. Two strands are available:  Making Music and Music Studies where Ākonga can specialise in Performance, Composition and Musical Knowledge. Ākonga will continue to develop their skills in composition or instrumentation, musical in context and will extend their skills in critical listening.  In the Making Music strand, Ākonga have the opportunity to perform pieces they are preparing in their instrumental lessons to gain credits towards NCEA in Group and Solo Performance, including a second instrument. 

Ākonga will study areas of Composition, Critical listening, Music technology and Music in context, where they can build confidence in their value as musicians that bring their own experiences and culture to explore how music relates to their sense of identity.

Ākonga will work both independently and collaboratively to produce and perform music, expressing music through practical application. 

*Course Recommendation: 16 – 18 credits (combination of internal and external standards)*

Painting is not only an art form but is a way of seeing the world. We teach in a way that encourages ākonga (students) to examine and respond to their world. In this course, ākonga learn to work independently to construct meaning, produce artwork, and respond to and value others' feedback and criticism. They learn to use their imagination to engage with unexpected outcomes and to explore multiple solutions. 

This course enables ākonga to grow their personal style, which will support and empower them in their choice of expression. Drawing is used to generate, analyse, clarify and regenerate ideas. Using their study of artists' works, ākonga will be able to extend ideas and produce new work using conventions appropriate to the painting media being used. Ākonga may integrate digital painting into their units of work (optional).

Painting equips ākonga with transferable skills that can be used in a wide range of tertiary courses and careers, whilst studying a subject that inspires and excites them. This course will develop skills such as: 

• communication, 
• critical and creative thinking, 
• problem-solving, 
• the ability to research and analyse, 
• adaptability, 
• independence, and 
• innovation. 

The course structure is designed to promote independent work habits and develop knowledge and skills chosen by our ākonga. This course is divided into two related units of work: internal achievement standards AS2.2+2.3, taught as one body of work, and the external folio board. These units are practical skills-based, using contemporary painting processes with an ākonga (student) defined proposal.

• The internal standard explores related series (set tasks), creating a series of artworks based on established practice, exploring a wide range of conventions that can be applied to their own selected subject matter. Emphasis is placed on learning by doing and taking creative risks.
• The external standard expands on work generated for the internal to create a sequential body of work (2-panel folio board). This unit explores additional series investigating unexpected directions, selected and directed by the ākonga. 

Throughout this course, ākonga will have the opportunity to participate in public group art exhibitions: virtual galleries and off-site gallery locations.

Firstly, perhaps the most important reason to take Year 12 Photography – is that it is FUN! 

This course promotes motivation to learn by emphasising active hands-on engagement and creative risk-taking. Ākonga develop visual literacy and aesthetic awareness, as they manipulate and transform visual ideas to solve problems. They explore abstract concepts and learn to interpret and communicate ideas, practice problem solving, extend their creative thinking skills and engage in personal research. 

This course facilitates the development of independent work habits – transferable skills that can be utilised in other curriculum areas and in a wide range of tertiary courses and careers, whilst studying a subject that inspires and excites. This course will develop skills such as: 

• communication, 
• critical and creative thinking, 
• problem-solving, 
• the ability to research and analyse, 
• adaptability, 
• independence, and 
• innovation.

Year 12 Photography examines the basic principles of photography (DSLR camera) & digital editing processes (Adobe Lightroom CC & Photoshop) and extends this knowledge into personal practice. 

The course structure is designed to promote independent work habits and develop knowledge and skills chosen by our ākonga. This course is divided into two areas:

• The first unit of work is a practical skills-based investigation exploring a teacher-supplied conceptual theme/context using visual metaphors to communicate a whakatauākī. Note - This body of work consists of two internal achievement standards taught as one unit.

. .

The second is an independent practical investigation working with an ākonga-defined proposal to create a sequential body of work (2-panel folio board). 

Throughout this course, ākonga can participate in public group art exhibitions: virtual galleries and offsite gallery locations.

Virtual Exhibition: Exhibition walk-through

. . .

Exhibition: 2nd Act - Historic Village, People's Gallery.

Physics is the study of the physical world and related phenomena. Students will make sense of the physical world through practical and problem-solving activities. This will help them expand their ability to think, understand scientific language and symbols, relate to others and act independently. Physics is recommended for courses at tertiary level relating to the medical profession, architecture and design, engineering, electronics, aviation, geology, computing and meteorology, among many others.

Year 12 Product Development 

This course builds on the processes, skills and knowledge developed during our Year 11 course. Students will engage in a deeper process of problem solving and product development within a context negotiated with Mr Nicholson. This will be client and wider community based (School Aquinas Issues) and may involve the execution of advanced skills and processes such as CNC programming and machining, CAD design and 3D printing.

This is project based learning at its absolute best!

If you have any further questions about this course or other Product Development courses at Aquinas College, please email me [email protected] and I will be in contact.  

Our new Boardroom table made by Roisin Boyle and Jaime Triggs.

Reception counter made by Ryan McCarthy and Jamie Sutherland

A very happy Board of Trustees around their new table.

Outdoor Chess area in the Maths block.

Presentation multi-media lectern in the staff room, by Connor Strong.

Liam stitch welding rails to legs on the Social Science's Aquinas Issues outdoor tables in 2020.

Roisin spraying the legs of the Boardroom table. 

Outdoor seating area in the staff room courtyard.

Music stand transporter for the Arts faculty. 

Mobile mixing desk, multi media transporter for Arts faculty. Adam and Simran.  

New 6.5 metre Mountain bike trailer designed and manufactured by Antony Death and Lily Richards in 2021 for our Outdoor Education classes. This holds 19 bikes and allows us to transport bikes to locations such as The Redwoods in Rotorua, Oropi gorge and the Timber Trail in Pureora. 

Eric, Jacob and Holly. New Lectern and Altar for the College Chapel 2023. 

Crafted from Solid Heart Matai and Kauri.

Custom jewellery box from NZ native timbers. 

These are just a handful of the products that students have been involved with over the years. 

The Religious Education course follows the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Religious Education Curriculum and is a full academic course. Topics include: Religions of the World/ Loss, Grief, Death and Dying; Justice and Peace; The Christian Understanding of Sexuality. There will also be an opportunity to take part in a retreat and the sacrament of reconciliation during the course of the year.

This is an Achievement Standard course including both theory and practical work. This is a step up from the Year 11 course and requires students to apply knowledge and understanding in order to examine sporting movement. Over the course of the year students will engage and participate in multiple different sporting contexts.  The highlight of the year is always the Mt Ruapehu Snow trip where they spend 3 days down on the mountain.

Students will participate in these activities and produce written reports about the body’s responses and the interrelationship between biophysical principles. Topics include biomechanical and skill analysis, methods & principles of training, risk management and the demonstration of socially responsible behaviour.

While it is an advantage to have completed Y11 Sport Science it is not an essential requirement.  

Have a voice. Learn to speak te reo Māori with confidence.

The Level Two Te Reo Māori programme covers more than reading, writing, speaking and listening. It approaches Te Reo Māori with a holistic point of view. Students are given the opportunity to learn through customary practices, which develops their understanding of Tikanga Māori as well as Te Reo Māori. 

Students are encouraged to participate in formulating their own learning pathways. All pathways give the students the opportunity to both gain internally assessed Level Two Te Reo Māori achievement standards and unit standards. These standards also prepare them for the externally assessed Level Two achievement standards.

Learning Biology will give students more meaning and relevance to the world around them. Biology is a fascinating subject that will open student minds to new ideas in genetics, genetic engineering, homeostasis, plant and animal Biology, evolution and human evolution. Doing Biology in the senior school will give students a broad knowledge base that will lead them into Health Sciences, agricultural science, conservation and many more areas.

Chemistry enables us to develop a range of useful materials such as pharmaceuticals for curing and treating diseases, substances that protect the environment, technologically advanced structures for building, and materials that can be used as alternative energy sources. Chemistry is fundamental to understanding climate change and wise use of the world’s energy and water resources.

https://mhchem.org/221/z/mp4/c...

This course covers the learning areas of Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus and is for students with major interest in the continued study of Mathematics, Physical Science, Engineering or Economics. There will be elements of modelling using real-life data and design/animating work as well as more traditional forms of assessments. Students should be aware that competence in Algebra and Calculus is essential in order to be successful and they must have attempted the Level 2 Calculus exams in order to select this course.

Students will have some flexibility in the standards they sit although there are some common standards that it is expected everyone will undertake.

Students will develop mathematical skills and understanding in the curriculum areas: Statistics and Probability. Students will apply these skills to current datasets and research of interest to them. They will develop skills enabling them to run statistical experiments in a fair way as well being able to analyse statistics found in the media and determine their credibility.

The internal assessments for this course (12 credits) are reports based around the Statistical Inquiry Cycle: Posing an investigative question, planning to and collecting relevant data. Producing relevant graphs to analyse and drawing conclusions. 

The external assessments are a compulsory element of this course and students must have attempted the Level 2 Statistics exam in order to select this course.

The course is suited to students interested in studying Sciences, Social Sciences, Health Sciences or Business at Tertiary Level.

This course is an extension of the content and ideas covered in Level Two Physics. It will cover concepts in Electricity, Mechanics and Waves in a more in-depth manner, ensuring that students have a deeper understanding of many common but seldom thought about ideas. Physics is recommended for courses at tertiary level relating to the medical profession, architecture and design, engineering, electronics, aviation, geology, computing and meteorology, among many others.

In this course students will further develop and apply their computational thinking as well as their digital planning, design and development skills. Achievement standards for this course are centred around computing science, databases, electronics and programming. 

Using a variety of modern digital tools, students will work through the technological process. This will include iterative design and problem solving, integration of digital media and information, plus research, testing, production, evaluation and maintenance. Students will explore and create different original outcomes including a database sourced website and computer program. Electronics using the Arduino platform will also be covered, creating an autonomous vehicle for the project. 

We ask that a contribution of $50 is made to cover the take-home component of food for students selecting this course.

It is intended to lead into Digital Technologies Level 3 and will be beneficial for future training in Computer Science and IT related industries, whilst the problem-solving skills and technological skills gained will help prepare students for the increasingly diverse technologies of our future.

Choose accounting for a world of opportunities. From versatile careers and financial literacy to global prospects and problem-solving skills, accounting equips you for success in business and life.

This course assists students in cultivating the ability to make well-informed decisions and nurtures the growth of robust analytical skills and critical thinking capabilities that are applicable in both professional and personal spheres.

We study Partnerships, Companies and Manufacturing businesses in practical situations.

A study of a current publicly listed New Zealand company is undertaken as part of this course.

Art Design enhances ākonga (students) perception skills: designers tend to be more observant, conscious people. This course is taught in a way to encourage ākonga to examine the world around them. In Year 13 Art Design, ākonga develop visual literacy and aesthetic awareness, as they manipulate and transform visual ideas to solve problems and explore abstract concepts. 

This course facilitates the development of independent work habits – transferable skills that can be utilised in other curriculum areas and a wide range of tertiary courses and careers, whilst studying a subject that inspires and excites. This course will develop skills such as: 

• communication, 
• critical and creative thinking, 
• problem-solving, 
• the ability to research and analyse, 
• adaptability, 
• independence, and 
• innovation.

The course structure is designed to promote independent work habits and develop knowledge and skills chosen by our ākonga. This course is divided into two related units of work: internal achievement standards AS3.2+3.3, taught as one body of work, and the external folio board. These units are practical skills-based using contemporary print media design, brand identity, and established practice with an ākonga (student) defined proposal that links to an overall theme: Making a Positive Social Change.

• The internal standard explores a set of sub-briefs, creating a series of promotional media: logo, magazine double-page spread layout & a large-scale poster design. 
• The external standard expands on work generated for the internal to create a sequential body of work (3-panel folio board). This unit explores additional sub-briefs of their choosing. Sub-briefs explored in previous years have ranged from social media accounts, website design, clothing (artwork/type/design on clothing), business stationery, and packaging design.

Scholarship Design (workbook portfolio) is offered as an additional program alongside the external standard. This work starts at the start of Term 2.

 Throughout this course, ākonga will be able to participate in public group art exhibitions: virtual galleries and off-site gallery locations.

. . .

Exhibition: 2nd Act - Historic Village, People's Gallery.

Learning Biology will give students more meaning and relevance to the world around them. Biology is a fascinating subject that will open student minds to new ideas in genetics, genetic engineering, homeostasis, plant and animal Biology, evolution and human evolution. Doing Biology in the senior school will give students a broad knowledge base that will lead them into Health Sciences, agricultural science, conservation and many more areas.

Akau: YES Regional Champions                      Akau at YES Nationals Wellington 2020 (representing BOP)

Discover the entrepreneur within, with your first business start-up.

Students will have the opportunity to set up and run a real business in the community using the Young Enterprise Scheme (YES). Each YES company creates their own product or service and brings this to market over an extended six month period (worth 9 NCEA credits).

Students will learn transferable (soft) skills, such as collaboration, communication, problem solving and creativity.

The focus is on practical applications, and students will use the YES (Young Enterprise Scheme) to run their own business which needs to be innovative, sustainable with consultation from experts.(Please note the YES program is optional and costs $35 per student.)

For the externals, students will have opportunities to study NZ businesses operating in global markets. This will involve NZ businesses that export and import. Opportunities for field trips and liaising with NZ multi-national companies will be provided. Themes at Level Three include innovation, change management, intellectual property and strategic decision making.

A study of Business Studies has cross-curricula connections with many subjects including Economics, Accounting, Art, Media Studies and Technology.

For example

•  Art student could be the Marketing Director and be responsible for creating a companies marketing (brand, logo and labels.)
• Media Studies students could create the companies web-page (online e-commerce platform to sell products).
• Technology students could create an innovative product (to be commercialised by YES company)
• Accounting student could be the Chief Financial Officer responsible for keeping accounts - cash flow forecasts / income statements). 

             Anmoldeep and Bella at Little Big Markets The Mount

Chemistry enables us to develop a range of useful materials such as pharmaceuticals for curing and treating diseases, substances that protect the environment, technologically advanced structures for building, and materials that can be used as alternative energy sources. Chemistry is fundamental to understanding climate change and wise use of the world’s energy and water resources.

https://mhchem.org/221/z/mp4/c...

This course focuses on a study of two design areas: Product/Engineering Design; Environmental/Architecture Design. The combination of ideation and extensive creative thinking is used coherently to form a resolved solution. Scholarship Graphics is available at this level.

While redesigning the luge carts we had to test run the track and skyline in the process.

Embedding The streamlining Era into a product design brief for the luge cart redesign task

Presenting to the general public while working on The Design the City program run by Waikato University

Conceptualizing ideas within the design your dream house unit.

Developing the architectural experience within the dream house brief.

Ideation stage

Developing the architectural experience within the dream house brief.

Martian base design

Presentation unit

A future unit is designing a visitors centre for Canopy Tours, after experiencing the delights they have to offer first.

In this course students will also learn how to design and develop a database and incorporate this into their solution. Problem solving, research, planning, trialling and evaluation skills learnt from previous courses will be fully utilized in this course.

Electronics with the Arduino board will be taught and assessed using practical tasks. 

We ask that a contribution of $50 is made to cover the take-home component of food for students selecting this course.

This course will be beneficial for future training in Computer Science IT related industries, whilst the problem-solving skills and technological skills gained will help prepare students for the increasingly diverse technologies of our future. Scholarship is available for selected students.

Year 13 Drama, will develop from the previous year with new theatre forms/ styles and texts being investigated through the assessment standards. The course continues to be a primarily practical one that explores four areas: The purpose of Drama in our lives and communities. Developing our understanding and use of the elements, techniques, conventions, and technologies of Drama. Developing our ideas through innovation, imagination, and the use of personal experiences. 

We develop twenty-first-century skills such as cooperation and collaboration with others to execute these ideas into action. And finally, Drama is concerned with communicating and interpreting; through discussion, writing and analysis of students’ own and others’ work, as well as through the study of various scripted and devised theatrical texts. 

Preparation for the two external standards is done in class time as part of the course and is highly recommended. 

*Course Recommendation: 16 – 18 credits (combination of internal and external standards)*

Year 13 Economics looks at micro and macro -economics. 

We delve into the workings of the economy as a whole and consider how decisions are made in a modern market economy such as New Zealand’s. We also look at the efficiency of markets and what role the government plays in allocating resources, particularly where the market does not result in equitable outcomes. In this course students will attain a level of economic literacy and understanding which will allow them to develop a continuing interest in contemporary economic issues. 

Themes covered include government policy, market structures and equity. This course is particularly suited to students considering further study in business related fields.

Students will visit Waihi Mine as part of the Market Failure unit.

Waihi Mine Field Trip 2020

Year 13 Engineering 

This is a full Level Three Achievement Standards course that is based around essential engineering skills and knowledge. This includes such skills as CAD drawing and 3D printing, basic CNC programming and machining, practical engineering skills using Digital Read Out (DRO) machinery.

Students wishing to study Engineering at Tertiary level will find the skills and knowledge of this course align beautifully their first year of university. New Zealand Universities such as Canterbury and Waikato recommend L3 Technology for students wishing to pursue a career in Engineering.

There is no pre-requisite for this subject, however some practical experience would be an advantage, but not necessary.

An alternative Technology Scholarship programme is also available for highly motivated students.
See Mr Nicholson for more details.

If you have any further questions about this course or other Product Development courses at Aquinas College, please email me [email protected] and I will be in contact.

Short video clips of parts of the 2 Stroke air compressor engine that students machine from scratch.

Course cost for take home component of materials $80

YEAR 13 English - CHOICE! 

That’s what you get when you take Level 3 English. Choice. You will keep exploring different ways of writing, for varying audiences and purposes.  

And why do UNIVERSITIES still value Level 3 English? Because they know you have refined NOT ONLY your writing skills, but your critical thinking skills as well. 

Want to become an Engineer? Take English. 

Fancy being a Lawyer? English is for you! 

Plan to be the best Tradie out there? Improve your oral and written skills through your English programme.  

The Year 13 English programme covers oral, written and visual language and encourages students to explore language and literature, think critically and process information.  Students will be expected to show an inherent ability to communicate clearly and effectively by this stage.  

At Level 3 there is a focus on students developing more complex abilities to make judgements about texts. This course enables students to fulfil the literacy requirements for further tertiary studies. Students will work on Achievement Standards that are internally assessed, or externally assessed in the NCEA exams at the end of the year.  

All students will complete the writing portfolio (3.4, internal) and then choose two other internals from those listed below, after consultation with their teacher about their overall individual goals. 

Students should choose ONE or TWO external standards to complete.

The total credits earned in this course is usually between 16 and 21.

Students will develop a portfolio of design ideas through research and will use their ideas to design and manufacture a food product for an charity based external client. Food testing, sensory evaluations and product design, as well as food hygiene and safety make up this course. 

Food Technology is a growing fast collaborative subject and is highly desired by Universities. If you have any queries regarding food technology, please email [email protected]

We ask that a contribution of $145 is made to cover the take-home component of food for students selecting this course.

The Year 13 French course focuses on raising students’ level of fluency and independence in the language. Students will leave the course with a full range of tenses and complex language. The main aim of the course is to build students’ confidence in using French to communicate confidently with others in any real-life situation. The course covers the following topics: The environment; Technology and social media; Immigration, racism and inequalities; Cinema and French Literature. Students will complete three internal achievement standards, including two portfolios, and two external achievement standards.

Students will study Natural Processes. This is to be in a N.Z. geographic environment, and will include the study of a coastal region with processes associated with waves, ocean currents and wind. This will involve field work. Cultural Processes will include tourism development in the Waitomo area. There will also be a field trip to Waitomo. Students will also be given the opportunity to apply geographic concepts and skills to help understand different environments.

Geography focuses on the relationship between people and the environments that they live in. This course is designed for students who wish to gain a good understanding of the world they live in and the challenges it faces. The Level 3 course covers the interacting natural processes in a coastal environment, how the cultural process of tourism has shaped the Waitomo environment, global patterns and processes, significant contemporary events, geographic research and the application of geographic concepts and skills.   

 There will be a non-compulsory field trip to Waitomo with an approximate cost of approximately $110.00

                               Why study History in Level 3?

  History is a subject you can take at school which covers all the skills you need for University, Tech, Trade Studies and beyond!   

You continue to develop SOFT SKILLS and HARD  SKILLS that are essential to the 21st-century workforce market Place...

  And you learn about influential events of the 20th Century  that continue to  impact into the 21st  Century

This course is primarily internally assessed and focuses on practical opportunities to use Mathematics in real-life contexts (preparing for a hangi, logistics in planning a school event, animated graphics etc). Students who are interested in gaining a subject endorsement will have the chance to sit an optional external standard. The course is ideal for students with an interest in trades or business and is a University Entrance subject.

This course covers the learning areas of Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus and is for students with major interest in the continued study of Mathematics, Physical Science, Engineering or Economics. There will be elements of modelling using real-life data and design/animating work as well as more traditional forms of assessments. Students should be aware that competence in Algebra and Calculus is essential in order to be successful and they must have attempted the Level 2 Calculus exams in order to select this course.

Students will have some flexibility in the standards they sit although there are some common standards that it is expected everyone will undertake.

Students will develop mathematical skills and understanding in the curriculum areas: Statistics and Probability. Students will apply these skills to current datasets and research of interest to them. They will develop skills enabling them to run statistical experiments in a fair way as well being able to analyse statistics found in the media and determine their credibility.

The internal assessments for this course (12 credits) are reports based around the Statistical Inquiry Cycle: Posing an investigative question, planning to and collecting relevant data. Producing relevant graphs to analyse and drawing conclusions. 

The external assessments are a compulsory element of this course and students must have attempted the Level 2 Statistics exam in order to select this course.

The course is suited to students interested in studying Sciences, Social Sciences, Health Sciences or Business at Tertiary Level.

The Level 3 Media Studies programme covers oral, written and visual language and encourages students to explore the role of the media, think critically, collaborate, and process information. 

Students will develop their skills of analysis, research media issues, and complete a genre study. 

They will be introduced to a range of new theoretical approaches that will prepare them for any further tertiary study. 

The practical component of the course will require the design and production of a media product using a range of technologies and narrative approaches. 

Students will work on Achievement Standards that are internally assessed, or externally assessed in the NCEA exams at the end of the year. Students will complete all the Achievement Standards on offer.

Media Studies Trip to Auckland

A specialised course of study is tailored to individual Ākonga strengths. Two strands are available:  Making Music and Music Studies.  Internal assessments cover areas of Performance, Composition and researching music works in context including analysis. Ākonga will continue to develop their skills in composition or arranging or songwriting, music works in context and will extend their skills in critical listening where they can build confidence in their value as musicians that bring their own experiences and culture to explore how music relates to their sense of identity. In the Making Music strand, Ākonga have the opportunity to perform pieces they are preparing in their instrumental lessons to gain credits towards NCEA in Group and Solo Performance, also including a second instrument. 

Outdoor Education is predominantly a practical based course and offers students the opportunity to gain mainly unit standard credits but also some achievement standard credits. There are costs associated with some of the off site activities. 

It is a fun and interesting student centered course where the focus is on learning through doing in a practical outdoor context in the stunning Bay of Plenty and Central North Island. Activities include Surfing, Bush Survival Skills, Mountain Biking, Adventure Based Learning, Teamwork, Co-operation and communication, Tramping, Teaching Physical Skills and White Water Rafting. Students gain skills that they can apply in many aspects of life.

Painting is not only an art form but is a way of seeing the world. We teach in a way that encourages ākonga (students) to examine and respond to their world. In this course, ākonga learn to work independently to construct meaning, produce artwork, and respond to and value others' feedback and criticism. They learn to use their imagination to engage with unexpected outcomes and to explore multiple solutions. 

This course enables ākonga to grow their personal style, which will support and empower them in their choice of expression. Drawing is used to generate, analyse, clarify and regenerate ideas. Using their study of artists' works, ākonga will be able to extend ideas and produce new work using conventions appropriate to the painting media being used. Ākonga may integrate digital painting into their units of work (optional).

Painting equips ākonga with transferable skills that can be used in a wide range of tertiary courses and careers, whilst studying a subject that inspires and excites them. This course will develop skills such as: 

• communication, 
• critical and creative thinking, 
• problem-solving, 
• the ability to research and analyse, 
• adaptability, 
• independence, and 
• innovation. 

The course structure is designed to promote independent work habits and develop knowledge and skills chosen by our ākonga. This course is divided into two related units of work: internal achievement standards AS3.2+3.3, taught as one body of work, and the external folio board. These units are practical skills-based, using contemporary painting processes with an ākonga (student) defined proposal.

• The internal standard explores related series (set tasks), creating a series of artworks based on established practice, exploring a wide range of conventions that can be applied to their own selected subject matter. Emphasis is placed on learning by doing and taking creative risks.
• The external standard expands on work generated for the internal to create a sequential body of work (3-panel folio board). This unit explores additional series investigating unexpected directions, selected and directed by the ākonga. 

Scholarship Painting (workbook portfolio) is offered as an additional program alongside the external standard. This work starts at the start of Term 2.

Throughout this course, ākonga will have the opportunity to participate in public group art exhibitions: virtual galleries and off-site gallery locations.

. 

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This course enables ākonga to grow their personal artistic style, which will support and empower them in their choice of expression. Using studies of artists' works, ākonga will be able to extend ideas and produce new work using conventions appropriate to the photography. 

Photography equips ākonga with transferable skills that can be used in a wide range of tertiary courses and careers, whilst studying a subject that inspires and excites them. This course will develop skills such as: 

• communication, 
• critical and creative thinking, 
• problem-solving, 
• the ability to research and analyse, 
• adaptability, 
• independence, and 
• innovation.

Year 13 Photography is a specialist course that consolidates ākonga knowledge and understanding of practical skills (DSLR camera & studio photography) and digital editing processes (Adobe Lightroom CC & Photoshop).

The course structure is designed to promote independent work habits and develop knowledge and skills chosen by our ākonga. This course is divided into two units:

• The first unit of work is practical skills-based, using contemporary established painting practice as a source of motivation, linked to the conceptual theme Ko wai ahau? (Who am I?): teacher-directed theme & stylistic approach ākonga directed. This body of work is two internal achievement standards taught as one unit.
• The second is an independent practical investigation working with an ākonga-defined proposal to create a sequential body of work (3-panel folio board).

Scholarship Photography (workbook portfolio) is offered as an additional program alongside the external standard. This work starts at the start of Term 2.

Throughout this course, ākonga will be able to participate in public group art exhibitions: virtual galleries and off-site gallery locations.

Exhibition: 2nd Act - Historic Village, People's Gallery.

This course is an extension of the content and ideas covered in Level Two Physics. It will cover concepts in Electricity, Mechanics and Waves in a more in-depth manner, ensuring that students have a deeper understanding of many common but seldom thought about ideas. Physics is recommended for courses at tertiary level relating to the medical profession, architecture and design, engineering, electronics, aviation, geology, computing and meteorology, among many others.

This course will be an academic programme related to the Catholic Bishops Religious Education Curriculum at Year 13. Topics of work include: Ethics, Sects and Cults, and Finding Meaning in Today’s World. Religious Studies is an approved subject for University Entrance. Students will also participate in a Year Level retreat and reconciliation throughout the year. Students opting for this course must commit to the work ethic required to meet the academic rigour of Level 3 Achievement Standards. 

This course is a practical based programme inspired by the New Zealand Bishops RE curriculum aim to “enable young people to develop ways of integrating faith and life and culture.” Students will plan and carry-out social actions in the community, engage with contemporary ethical issues, and participate in an in-school mentoring programme with junior students. While this course will not contribute towards University Entrance, all credits will count towards Level 3 NCEA. The Faith in Action class is strongly recommended for students who are looking at alternative pathways to gaining Level 3 credits.

This is an Achievement Standard course including both theory and practical work. In order for students to gain success in this challenging course, learners must be self-directed and motivated. There are three main practical activities throughout the year, including a 3 day snow camp and a physical challenge ( 5km/10km run, Aquathon). Students need to examine and show critical understanding of their performance within these activities. 

Topics include safety management systems, current physical activity issues or trends impacting on NZ society, improving sporting action based on biomechanical analysis and devising strategies to achieve a physical outcome.

While it is an advantage to have completed Y12 Sport Science it is not an essential requirement.  

Ki te kāhore he whakakitenga

ka ngaro te iwi

Nau mai, whakatau mai rā

Expand your understanding of Te Reo Māori and Tikanga Māori in a fun and engaging way. The Level Three Te Reo Māori programme covers more than reading, writing, speaking and listening. It approaches Te Reo Māori with a holistic point of view. Students are given the opportunity to learn through customary practices, which develops their understanding of Tikanga Māori as well as Te Reo Māori. 

Students are encouraged to participate in formulating their own learning pathways. All pathways give the students the opportunity to both gain internally assessed Level Three Te Reo Māori achievement standards and unit standards. These standards also prepare them for the externally assessed Level Three achievement standards.

It isn't too late to join us and improve your chances of getting a job. All are welcome.

Tikanga Māori is the customary practices and behaviours that Māori implement in their lives, especially during kaupapa. The creation of the Year 13 Tikanga course was to explore and understand these customary practices and behaviours so that students know how to engage in kaupapa Māori. We look at the history of Tangata Whenua and tauiwi and the differing perspectives that have derived from these histories over the years. Students also plan, prepare and produce a hāngi during the time of Matariki. Students also engage in Rongoa Māori and learn about kaitikitanga for our ngāhere. This course is very engaging and quite often the students in this class will be called upon to attend kaupapa Māori around Tauranga Moana to gain exposure to iwi and hapu tikanga. There are no prerequisites for this course, it is meant for every student at any level of their te ao Māori journey. 

Please note, that this is a unit standard-based course as these units allow for more of a practical-based teaching and learning style.

Why study Tourism:

The New Zealand Certificate in Tourism is designed to be a two-year programme of study. It provides students with an opportunity to gain a mixture of NCEA Level 2 and Level 3 credits. The Certificate requires students to study 50 credits over a two-year period. 

The full two-year programme of study ensures people awarded with this qualification are able to demonstrate knowledge of tourist characteristics and needs, the business of tourism, destination New Zealand, world tourist destinations, and work roles in tourism. 

Tourism offers a wide variety of career choices, from dealing face-to-face with visitors, hosting tours and leading tourism activities, through to management and tourism strategy or marketing roles. It is an exciting and dynamic industry that makes an important contribution to New Zealand’s economy.

The Tourism Unit standards at Aquinas College consist of industry (Service IQ) created and moderated internally assessed standards. Indigenous values of manaakitanga and whanaungatanga in relation to travel and tourism will be encompassed in the holistic outcomes of this qualification

This qualification has been specifically designed for secondary school students and provides students with an introduction to the tourism industry.  It recognises the knowledge and skills required as a base for further training in the tourism industry. For students who are interested in entering the tourism industry in a range of positions, and to provide a credential that will support their future employment opportunities to work, across the different tourism career pathways. 

If students only study Tourism for one year they can still be credited with the NCEA credits at the appropriate level but will not qualify for the New Zealand Certificate in Tourism.

A top priority in the Future Pathways Department at Aquinas College is to create opportunities and provide courses of learning that empower students to take an active role in Vocational education and experience.

During the course of the year students will get the opportunity to visit several Tourism Operators and participate in Workplace practice.

In this course students will further develop and apply their computational thinking as well as their digital planning, design and development skills. Achievement standards for this course are centred around computing science, databases, electronics and programming. 

Using a variety of modern digital tools, students will work through the technological process. This will include iterative design and problem solving, integration of digital media and information, plus research, testing, production, evaluation and maintenance. Students will explore and create different original outcomes including a database sourced website and computer program. Electronics using the Arduino platform will also be covered, creating an autonomous vehicle for the project. 

We ask that a contribution of $50 is made to cover the take-home component of food for students selecting this course.

It is intended to lead into Digital Technologies Level 3 and will be beneficial for future training in Computer Science and IT related industries, whilst the problem-solving skills and technological skills gained will help prepare students for the increasingly diverse technologies of our future.