Year 12 English
Full year course
Level 2 English is a rich, multi-genre senior English course that develops students’ ability to think critically, communicate effectively, and craft sophisticated written, visual, and oral texts. The programme balances creative and analytical tasks across poetry, film, extended written texts, and unfamiliar texts. Students will write in a range of styles, analyse language features, and engage with texts that explore diverse themes and voices.
The course prepares students for both internal assessments and external exams, including close reading, creative writing, an oral presentation, and essay writing. Emphasis is placed on building confidence, originality, and independence in thinking and expression.
Recommended Prior Learning: Year 11 English or equivalent.
Contact Teacher: Danni Cole
Outcomes
Endorsement available: Yes
Internal credits: 12
External credits: 8-12
Total credits: 20-24
UE Reading credits: 8
UE Writing credits: 14
Possible next steps: Year 13 English
Find more details in our Course outline 2025.
Full year course
The Year 12 Writer's Workshop (12ENW) is designed to provide an in-depth exploration of writing as art, process, and product. We will read and analyse texts across a range of voices and forms. You will work on a portfolio of writing throughout the year, alongside a range of assessment tasks that put your skills into practice. If you love to write, love the idea of writing, or want to develop your understanding of text further, this is the course for you.
Recommended Prior Learning: 11ENW, or a strong interest in writing.
Contact Teacher: Ms Scarlett McAvinue Northcott
Outcomes
Endorsement available: Yes
Internal credits: 12
External credits: 8-12
Total credits: 20-24
UE Reading credits: 8
UE Writing credits: 14
Possible next steps: Year 13 English
Find more details in our Course outline 2025.
Full year course
English through a Philosophy Lens (12ENP) is designed as an introduction into philosophical ideas. You will be introduced to ideas such as Existentialism, Nihilism, and Theology, providing a solid foundation in which to engage with a range of literature, in addition to demonstrating your understanding by creating texts of your own using a variety of modes.
Recommended Prior Learning: None
Contact Teacher: Ms Sarah Marchant
Outcomes
Endorsement available: Yes
Internal credits: 12
External credits: 8-12
Total credits: 20-24
UE Reading credits: 8
UE Writing credits: 14
Possible next steps: Level 3 English through a Philosophy Lens or any other Level 3 English course.
Find more details in our Course outline 2025
Year 13 English
Full year course
Our Literature Through The Ages English course (13ENL) is for students who wish to understand the evolution of literature over time, and enjoy exploring the past in order to better understand the present. An exciting journey through the literature of the past to the present; examining poetry, short stories, extracts and much more which showcases the exhilarating movement of language through time, both in Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond.
Recommended Prior Learning: 12ENG , 12ENP or 12ENW
Contact Teacher: Ms Sarah Marchant
Outcomes
Endorsement available: Yes
Internal credits: 13
External credits: 8-12
Total credits: 21-25
UE Reading credits: 12
UE Writing credits: 14
Possible next steps: Tertiary Study
Find more details in our Course outline 2025.
Full year course
Year 13 English Unbound (13ENU) is for students who want to develop independence and critical self-evaluation skills, and want the freedom to make their own choices. In this course you will choose your own ideas and the texts to explore them. You will plan your own workflow and initiate teacher check-ins to have your understanding evaluated before internal assessments. The four weekly lessons will be structured as a lecture, a tutorial, and two independent study periods (with teacher oversight). This class allows you to opt into taking the Victoria University Comms Course "The Art of Writing" in the first trimester (March-June), enrolling as a secondary student but getting points towards a university degree.
Recommended Prior Learning: 12ENG , 12ENP or 12ENW
Contact Teacher: Ms Sarah Marchant
Outcomes
Endorsement available: Yes
Internal credits: 11-14
External credits: 8-12
Total credits: 19-26
UE Reading credits: 8-12
UE Writing credits: 8-14
Possible next steps: Tertiary Study
Find more details in our Course outline 2025.
Full year course
The Sci-Fi and Sociology English course (13ENS) is for students who are interested in finding out what Science Fiction and Sociology teach us about society, human nature, and ourselves. Why do similar patterns of behaviour seem to emerge across time? What patterns of behaviour might we see emerge as technologies change? This course will examine a range of fiction and non-fiction texts to allow you to produce essays, speeches and creative writing in response to these questions.
Recommended Prior Learning: 12ENG , 12ENP or 12ENW
Contact Teacher: Ms Sarah Marchant
Outcomes
Endorsement available: Yes
Internal credits: 13
External credits: 8-12
Total credits: 21-25
UE Reading credits: 12
UE Writing credits: 14
Possible next steps: Tertiary Study
Find more details in our Course outline 2025.
Full year course
Please note: at this stage it is uncertain whether or not this course can run in 2026.
Year 13 Keeping It Real (13ENK) is for students who much prefer reading and discussing non-fiction texts as they explore real-world issues. Is non-fiction an objective, neutral depiction of facts? Or is it just as likely as fiction to be swayed by concealed biases? This course will consider a range of non-fiction writing from a selection of historical, sporting, opinion and journalistic sources. Students will produce their own essays, opinion pieces and speeches in response.
Recommended Prior Learning: 12ENG , 12ENP or 12ENW
Contact Teacher: Ms Sarah Marchant
Outcomes
Endorsement available: Yes
Internal credits: 13
External credits: 8-12
Total credits: 21-25
UE Reading credits: 12
UE Writing credits: 14
Possible next steps: Tertiary Study
Find more details in our Course outline 2025.
Full year course
Year 13 English through a Philosophy Lens (13ENP) is for students who want to explore philosophical ideas through a range of texts. This is a critical reading and writing course that caters for students who are wanting to develop skills for university, and for those interested in developing philosophical arguments, and exploring philosophical questions.
Recommended Prior Learning: 12ENG , 12ENP or 12ENW
Contact Teacher: Ms Sarah Marchant
Outcomes
Endorsement available: Yes
Internal credits: 13
External credits: 8-12
Total credits: 21-25
UE Reading credits: 12
UE Writing credits: 14
Possible next steps: Tertiary Study
Find more details in our Course outline 2025.
Full year course
Our Year 13 Internal Course (13ENI) is for students who enjoy literature, and are interested in developing awareness of how texts shape their understanding of the world. This is a critical reading and writing course that engages students using contemporary texts. This is an internal assessment course with one optional external.
Recommended Prior Learning: 12ENG, 12ELU, 12ENW, 12ENP or upon discussion with the Learning Area Leader.
Contact Teacher: Ms Sarah Marchant
Outcomes
Endorsement available: Yes (with external)
Internal credits: 20
External credits: 4 (optional)
Total credits: 20-24
UE Reading credits: 4-8
UE Writing credits: 6-10
Possible next steps: Tertiary study
Find more details in our Course outline 2025.
Full year course
This course is designed to support aspirational and high-achieving students who are ready to extend their thinking, writing, and analytical skills beyond the standard Level 3 curriculum. Students in this course will complete a carefully selected combination of NCEA Level 3 English standards that support high-level engagement with language, literature, and ideas.
This is an open-entry course.
Recommended Prior Learning: 12ENG , 12ENP or 12ENW
Contact Teacher: Ms Sarah Marchant
Outcomes
Endorsement available: Yes
Internal credits: 13
External credits: 8-12
Total credits: 21-25
UE Reading credits: 12
UE Writing credits: 14
Possible next steps: Tertiary Study
Find more details in our Course outline 2025.
Media Studies
Full year course
This course is designed for students who have an interest in the visual language of film. It includes both the study of film (history and analysis) and practical experience in producing short films. You need to have enthusiasm for both the theory and practical applications within the media, the ability to devise ideas about narrative film and to be able to work independently.
Through exploring how and why media texts are developed, produced, and distributed you will gain an appreciation of the impact of media on shaping perceptions, social ideologies and perpetuating dominant ideologies. Through developing this understanding you will be able to be more discerning towards the way media texts impact your view of the world and gain a critical understanding of how the views of others are shaped.
Recommended Prior Learning: 11English or 11 History
Contact Teacher: Dan Slater
Outcomes
Endorsement available: Yes
Internal credits: 14
External credits: 4
Total credits: 18
UE Reading credits: 4
UE Writing credits: 4
Possible next steps: Level 3 Media Studies
Find more details in our Course outline 2025
Full year course
Media Studies is designed to develop your critical thinking and analytical skills. Through the examination, analysis and critical application of a range of theories, along with the practical application of your understanding of the production process, you will gain the confidence to be more discerning about the impact of media on society.
This is a Level 3 NCEA Media Studies course. It offers students the opportunity to study a number of aspects of film theory, undertake research and film production.
Through exploring how and why media texts are developed, produced, and distributed you will gain an appreciation of the impact of media on shaping perceptions, social ideologies and perpetuating dominant ideologies. Through developing this understanding you will be able to be more discerning towards the way media texts impact their view of the world and gain a critical understanding of how the views of others are shaped.
Recommended Prior Learning: 12 English or 12 History
Contact Teacher: Dan Slater
Outcomes
Endorsement available: Yes
Internal credits: 17
External credits: 4
Total credits: 21
UE Reading credits: 4
UE Writing credits: 7
Possible next steps: Tertiary (University or Broadcasting School)
Find more details in our Course outline 2025.
ESOL
Full year course
This course may be for you if English is not your first language, and you are interested in achieving University Entrance Literacy and/or going on to tertiary study.
NCEA Level 2 English aims to develop skills in English through the use of a variety of achievement standards. This course will help you to:
Improve your communication skills such as reading, writing, speaking, viewing and listening.
Develop your critical thinking skills.
Improve your ability to understand and respond to texts.
Prepare you for the demands of academic writing at university.
Recommended Prior Learning: 11ELU or 11ENG
Contact Teacher: Ms Sarah Marchant
Outcomes
Endorsement available: Yes
Internal credits: 19
External credits: 4
Total credits: 23
UE Reading credits: 14
UE Writing credits: 10
Possible next steps: 13ENI
Find more details in our Course outline 2025