Thursday 25 October saw the launching of our new ‘Kete Wana’ – our Basket of Inspiration, with presentations in the Cafe and Library to next year’s Year 9 and 10 students and whānau.

This new collection of subjects has resulted from an extensive review of our Junior College curriculum over the past 18 months. From consultation with students, whānau and our staff, we have developed an enormous range of subjects that are designed to give students the opportunity to explore their interests, develop their skills, and engage their passion for learning.

The new structure will see the subjects running for two sessions of 110 minutes per week for a block of 12 weeks. Students will choose six subjects in a year with most of the subjects on offer accommodating both Year 9 and Year 10 learners. There are 56 subjects on offer and they include such things as Creative Media Magic, Hard Out (competitive PE/sport), Gods, Heroes and Monsters, Living the Pai Life, Spanish, Taonga Tech Jewellery, Robo Challenge, Fashion – Make it Wear it, and Write for your Life. The full list of subjects and how they are arranged across the year can be found on the College website.

Response to the new range of subjects has been overwhelmingly positive, with parents and students alike saying how excited they are to be choosing such interesting options, and teachers saying how thrilled they are to be offering such inspiring choices. I’m really looking forward to visiting these classes next year and seeing the students immersing themselves in their learning.