As part of the option choices for Year 10 students, enrichment offered in Mathematics, Social Sciences, Science and English.
*Classes will only run where sufficent numbers of students are identitifed as suitable.
The process for consideration for these courses is outlined below for you.
The following criteria will be used by academic staff who will make the final decision on placement in an advanced programme:
Consistent academic excellence
Proven high level reasoning skills
Emotional and social maturity
Ability to manage time, and balance academic and other commitments
Independence and self motivation
Consideration of Senior Curriculum pathway
There are advantages and disadvantages to selecting advanced and/or enriched subjects, and there is no expectation that participation in this programme suits all students.
Advantages:
To enable a differentiated programme for students at Year 10
Long term benefit is breadth in overall programme for the Senior Curriculum
Increased challenge
Disadvantages:
Expectations are sometimes unrealistic
Lack of maturity may prevent achievement at the level they could gain in Year 11
Increased anxiety levels when working at a higher level
Teaching staff will identify students for whom enrichment is a suitable programme before the option choices for Year 10 are finalised and students and their parents will be notified of that opportunity.
Year 10 English enriched is aimed at students who enjoy the study of English AND are consistently achieving well above the expected level in assessments. The course you follow will be similar to that of Year 10, with the following adaptations
You will read an extra extended text in class OR a wider range of poetry and short stories
You will be encouraged to broaden your current reading habits through the choices you make about texts in the Reading Programme
You will be encouraged to enter writing competitions and thus develop your writing skills beyond classroom assessment
Some Year 10 students may be invited to consider moving directly to an NCEA Level 2 class, rather than completing the Year 11 course.
Such students will be recognised by their teachers as
showing a level of critical thinking that is well above that of the expected year level
reading widely and understanding/engaging with literature beyond their year level
At Level 2, students will be:
studying a range of literature that requires a sophisticated level of engagement
learning to analyse in depth, building on the describing and explaining required at Year 10 and 11
writing longer original texts, developing and sustaining sophisticated ideas
Mathematics enrichment programs covering Year 10 and 11 content offer ambitious students the chance to accelerate their learning and explore advanced topics. These programs provide a strong foundation in algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and introductory calculus, preparing students for success in their current studies and facilitating a smooth transition to Level 2 Mathematics. Students develop critical thinking skills and mathematical confidence by engaging with challenging material, setting the stage for future academic success.
Outline of Course
Social Scientists study human behaviour to identify issues in society that have been caused by people. They determine actions that people can take in response. Each senior Social Science subject explores these developments from their own unique perspective. The Social Science options in the Senior School are Accounting, Business Studies, Classical Studies, Economics, Geography, History & Tourism. The Year 10 Social Sciences Enriched Course allows students to engage with each of these subjects, giving them an opportunity to determine which subject (or subjects) suit them best.
The theme of the course is ‘Human Rights’ & the units of study are:
Rising to the Challenge - the Holocaust & the Global Refugee Crisis
A Sustainable World – Global Inequality & Ethical Trade
Who We Are – Climate Injustice & Youth Activism
Students will develop a variety of skills demonstrated at Year 11 level:
Investigate an historical event & write an essay
Present data using the geography mapping software ArcGIS
Evaluate the connections between human rights in the classical and modern worlds
Use the skills of an entrepreneur to conduct market research on ethical trade
Prepare a financial statement using the skills of an accountant
Identify how the different components of the New Zealand economy are interdependent of one another
In the end of year examination, students will write an essay communicating knowledge from the units studied and an understanding of the importance of human rights. They will also think critically about how society responds to human rights challenges by analysing sources.
The Year 10 Enriched Sciences Course is a programme that offers an exciting opportunity to engage with the Middle Years Programme (MYP) courses while extending them with equivalent content from the New Zealand Curriculum Level 5 Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Earth and Space Science. The curriculum is designed to provide the fundamental knowledge required for the senior sciences, while developing essential skills to help make informed decisions about scientific ideas encountered in daily life.
Course Structure: Throughout the year, students will explore various scientific concepts and be assessed using the MYP Criterion based assessment through a combination of tests, investigations, and research tasks, allowing them to demonstrate their understanding and skills across different scientific disciplines.
The Scientific Concepts covered:
Carbon Chemistry and Combustion - Explore the fundamentals of organic chemistry and its applications. Conduct practical experiments to understand combustion processes and their environmental impacts.
Life Processes and Environmental Factors - Investigate biological processes and how they are influenced by environmental conditions.
Heat Transfer and Volcanic Features in New Zealand - Study the principles of heat transfer and their relation to New Zealand's unique geological features.
Aspects of Electrostatics, Circuits and Magnetism - Demonstrate understanding of electrical and magnetic phenomena through theoretical and practical work.
This Enriched Sciences Course is designed to challenge and engage high-performing students, providing opportunities to explore advanced scientific concepts and develop critical thinking skills beyond the standard Year 10 curriculum. They will be encouraged to participate in scientific competitions, engage with current research, and develop their scientific writing and analytical skills.
By the end of this course, students will have gained a strong foundation in Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Earth and Space Science, preparing them for success in future scientific studies and developing the skills necessary for advanced scientific inquiry.