Social Studies
Social Studies is about how people in a variety of cultures, times and
places think, feel and act, interact with others, organise their ways of life and initiate
or respond to change.
General Aim:
Students are able to:
Develop those ideas and skills that will contribute to their
understanding of themselves as part of their society, culture and heritage.
Think clearly and critically about human behaviour and values so that
they make reasoned choices.
Apply their knowledge and abilities to the welfare of people in a
variety of cultural and global settings.
Form 3 Social Studies
Course Content: The course enables students to
understand better the working of different cultures and societies, and the behaviour of
individuals within them, by investigating the formal and informal ways that people
organise themselves to achieve their goals.
Assessment: Tests, assignments and projects using
achievement based assessment, and an end of year examination.
Form 4 Social Studies
Course Content: The course enables students to
understand the choices available to, and made by people, by investigating how and why
individuals and groups initiate and react to social change.
Assessment: Tests, assignments and projects using
achievement based assessment, and an end of year examination.
Geography
General Aim:
To develop an understanding of the environment as the home of people by
studying the natural and cultural features in the environment, and how they interact.
Students are encouraged to develop thinking, practical, social and valuing skills, while
gaining knowledge and an understanding of specific geographic ideas. A large number of
study areas are covered in the four years, and students are introduced to an increasingly
diverse range of ideas, geographic skills, and learning experiences.
Form 4 Geography
Pre-requisite: None.
Course Content: The course covers a variety of themes,
including the local area, natural and cultural environment; current issues and geographic
skills. There are several field trips.
Assessment: Knowledge, understanding of ideas, and
competency of skills are assessed in tests, assignments and an end of year examination.
Form 5 Geography
Pre-requisite: None.
Course Content: The course covers an introduction to
New Zealand's environment, natural hazards (including earthquakes), population studies in
New Zealand and Monsoon Asia, and the use of renewable and non-renewable resources. There
is one local field trip.
Assessment: Knowledge, understanding of ideas, and
competency of skills are assessed by an internally assessed component of assignments
(worth 34%), and the S.C. examination (worth 66%).
Form 6 Geography
Pre-requisite: Form 5 Geography is desirable.
Course Content: The course covers natural and urban
landscapes in a variety of settings in New Zealand and overseas, and inequalities in
development. Field trips include a 5 day trip to Tongariro National Park; others are
Wellington based.
Assessment: Knowledge, understanding of ideas and
competency of skills are assessed internally for Sixth Form Certificate, by the completion
of 5 assignments and an end of year examination.
Form 7 Geography
Pre-requisite: F5 and F6 Geography is desirable.
Course Content: The course is the culmination of three
years study of Geography, and examines the interacting natural processes that form the
Greater Wellington environment. Tourism as a cultural process, and issues of planning and
decision-making, are also studied. There are several field trips including a 4 day trip to
Rotorua.
Assessment: Knowledge, understanding of ideas and
competency of skills are assessed by an internally assessed component of assignments
(worth 34%), and the University Bursaries/Entrance Scholarships examination (worth 66%).
History
General Aim:
To further students' understanding of some major trends and
developments in New Zealand society and beyond. It aims to develop in students a deeper
awareness of themselves as New Zealanders, and an understanding of the past of
Aotearoa/New Zealand, our place in the Pacific and our place in the wider world. History
develops the skills of enquiry, interpretation and communication, and fosters in students
an understanding of other peoples, distant in time and place.
Form 4 History
Pre-requisite: None.
Course Content: The course looks at how we discover the past, covers
ancient civilisations - Egypt and Greece - and looks at society in the Middle Ages. It
also covers New Zealand's involvement in World War I and II, and other significant events.
Assessment: Tests, assignments (including individual research projects)
and an end of year examination.
Form 5 History
Pre-requisite: None.
Course Content: The course covers three main themes: International
Relations, looking at the origins of World War II and New Zealand's search for security
after World War II; Conflict, looking at Ireland from 1909-1922 and Palestine-Israel from
1935-1967; and Race Relations, looking at New Zealand from 1911 to the present, and South
Africa from 1938-1976.
Assessment: An internally-assessed component of
assignments (worth 34%) and the S.C. examination (worth 66%).
Form 6 History
Pre-requisite: 'C' Pass in S.C. History or English.
Course Content: This is a traditional history course,
which looks at the major events and issues which took place in Europe including the
phenomenon of colonialism. The course will include the origins of WWI, the Russian
Revolution, and two of the following themes: Bismarck and the Creation of Germany, the
American Revolution, Conflict in early Australia and the Wiemar Republic and the Nazi
State.
Assessment: Internally assessed for 6th Form Certificate, by the
completion of 5 assignments and an end of year examination.
Form 6 International Relations
Pre-requisite: 'C' Pass in S.C. History or English.
Course Content: This course looks at history in the
'new world', particularly international relations in the post WWII period. The course
covers several broad areas with emphasis given to the Search for Security in the Nuclear
Age and Vietnam. A further two topics will be chosen from Capitalism & Communism, the
Collapse of Communism, and Small Power Conflict since 1945.
Assessment: Internally assessed for 6th Form
Certificate, by the completion of 5 assignments and an end of year examination.
Form 7 History
Pre-requisite: Grade 5 or better in 6FC History,
International Relations, Classical Studies or English.
Course Content: The course covers the history of Tudor
and Stuart England 1558-1667. USA and New Zealand social history are looked at in Special
Studies.
Assessment: An internally assessed component of
assignments (worth 40%) and the University Bursaries Entrance examination (worth 60%). |