Academic Programme

At Ao Tawhiti Unlimited Discovery we offer a personalised programme of learning for the student athletes at the Institute of Football. All students will have the opportunity to gain University Entrance and they will be able to do this through a programme of learning that uses football as the context. 

All students will have a Learning Advisor, from Ao Tawhiti, that will support and guide them through their personalised programme of learning. This Learning Advisor will also be responsible for supporting their pastoral needs and communication with home.

Students will work with both a timetabled programme of classes and with real life learning projects that support students to achieve an NCEA qualification hrough a football context. Students could also work with Te Kura ( Correspondence School) to supplement their programmes or other online resources.

Across a week, students will work at both the ChristChurch United Campus and the Ao Tawhiti Campus.

How the Learning programme works... there are two main elements.

# Element 1 - Project FC - Delivered at Christchurch United

Learning experiences and projects delivered through Footballing contexts will allow students to gain NCEA Credits in English, Business Studies and Media. These experiences will be predominantly based at the Christchurch United Football Centre, but may include off site experiences and working alongside industry experts.

Students will be immersed in Footballing contexts like...

• Football Theory: Game Models, Phases and Principles

• Mental Skills for High Performance

• The Business and Economics of Sport

• Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Sports Sector

• Intro to Coaching – Methodology

• Practical Internship

Examples of the types of projects and assessments students might work on are.... 

• Creating a Footballing film that includes student playing highlights, focussing on their development through the game, explaining their journey within Football. 

• Creating a media package that promotes Physical Activity, Fitness and Nutrition. Students will investigate a current issue that could be combatted by society being healthier and promote this through their media. 

• Students will research and design a Football coaching programme that is supported by online resources and promoted through the use of Social Media. Students will deliver this programme in local schools across the City. 

# Element 2 - Timetabled Classes - Delivered at Ao Tawhiti

• Students will attend 3 classes per week. These will occur across 2 days of the week, from 10am -2pm and will be accessed at the Ao Tawhiti Campus on St Asaph Street in Christchurch.

• Subjects on offer across the Ao Tawhiti Timetable are... All Sciences, English, All Maths, Tourism, Visual Art, Dance, Drama, Hospitality, Geography, Climate Change, Te Reo Maori, Philosophy, History, Design, Media, Music, Business Studies, Psychology, Health, Physical Education, Architecture, To see the more information about our classes please feel free to browse the following link. 

• The Classes will be self selected by student athletes, in consultation with parents and their Homebase Learning Advisor, and should factor into their long term qualification goals. 

• Classes are delivered at NZ Curriculum Levels at Ao Tawhiti, not Year levels. For example, you will see Level 8 classes happening, not Year 13. In a Level 8 class you might see Year 10-13 students.

• Choosing these classes may also support an element of their Project FC projects. For example, if a student is needing to understand how Photoshop works, so that they can create an industry standard brochure, they might join a media class in the timetable.

The Campus