The following courses are available for study in 2024

Biological and Chemical Sciences:   11Scb   Full Year

Course Description: This course is designed for students who have a real interest in the Sciences. Topics covered are Biology and Chemistry. This course can be taken on its own or with 11Ele or 11 Sca. Students who study this course are strongly advised to study 11Sca. Students who study this course ought not study 11Sci.

Recommended Entry Criteria: Students need to be achieving at Level 5 across all topics in the Year 10 Science exam. This course has limited numbers.

Qualifications to be gained: Level 1 Achievement Standards credits

Level 1 Literacy credits: 5 

Next step: 12Che, or 12Bio

Contact Person: Mr Richards, Mr Patrick, Ms Readman.

Physics, Earth and Space Science: 11Sca   Full Year

Course Description: This course is designed for students who have a real interest in the Sciences. Topics covered are Physics, Earth and Space Science. This course can be taken with Electrotechnology 11Ele. Students who study this course are strongly advised to study 11Scb. This course should not be taken with 11Sci.

Recommended Entry Criteria: Students need to be achieving at Level 5 across all topics in the Year 10 Science exam. This course has limited numbers.

Qualifications to be gained: Level 1 Achievement Standards credits

Level 1 Numeracy credits: 5 

Next step: 12Phy, or 12Ele

Contact Person: Mr Richards, Ms Readman.

Science:   11Sci   Full Year

Course Description: This course is designed for students who may wish to pursue a career in Science while still keeping other options open. The course covers Biology, Physics and Chemistry and is the pathway to studying those subjects at Year 12 level. This course can also be taken with 11Ele. Standards in this course are also taught in 11Sca and 11Scb so it would be unwise to study 11Sci and either 11Sca or 11Scb.

Recommended Entry Criteria: Operating at Level 4 and 5 in the Year 10 Science exam. 

Qualifications to be gained: Level 1 Achievement Standards

Next step: 12Bio, 12Che, 12Phy, 12Ele or 12Scg

Contact Person: Mr Richards

Science General:   11Scg   Full Year

Course Description: This course will be offered to students for whom a full Achievement Standards course with external examinations is not appropriate. The course covers various topics from all areas of Science. This course is not appropriate for students who aspire to a career in Science such as Health, Aircraft Pilot, Engineering, Nursing, or any other career that requires tertiary Science qualifications.

Recommended Entry Criteria: Mostly operating at Level 3 and some Level 4 in the Year 10 Science exam.

Qualifications to be gained: Level 1 Achievement Standards with a practical bias.

Level 1 Literacy credits: 6

Next step: 12Scg

Contact Person: Mr Richards

Electrotechnology:   11Ele   Full Year

Course Description: The areas of focus in this project based course are knowledge of basic electronic components, construction of circuits, programming and interfacing the Picaxe microcontroller.

This course should be taken in conjunction with another Year 11 Science course.

Recommended Entry Criteria: Working at Level 4 or above of the Science and Mathematics curricula. Entry may be denied if an applicant’s behaviour was unsatisfactory in Year 10 Electrotechnology.

Qualifications to be gained: Level 1 Achievement Standards and Level 2 Unit Standards.

Next step: 12Ele.

Contact Person: Mr Calder

Science General:   12Scg   Full Year

Course Description: This course is designed for students who do not qualify for 12Bio, 12Phy or 12Che but wish to continue in Science. It is a continuation of 11Scg. This course is not appropriate for a student who wishes to pursue a tertiary career in Science.

Recommended Entry Criteria: previous study of 11Sci, 11Ele or 11Scg

Qualifications to be gained: Level 1 and/or Level 2 Achievement Standards

UE Literacy: No

Next Step: Work force or other Year 12 or 13 subjects, (but not 13Bio, 13Phy, or 13Che unless by arrangement with the Head of Science).

Contact Person: Mr Richards or Ms Readman

Biology:   12Bio   Full Year

Course Description: This course introduces students to the following areas of Biology: Animal adaptations, Cell processes, Gene expression.

It also involves investigating Patterns in Ecological Communities using a field trip and an extended practical investigation.

Recommended Entry Criteria: minimum of 12 credits from 11Sci or 11Scb including M or E pass in one of the following units in either the school or NCEA examinations: Bio 90948, 90928, 90925, 92020, 92022. Also a minimum of 8 credits from 11Enb/11Ena is recommended.

Qualifications to be gained: Level 2 Achievement Standards credits

UE Literacy: Yes (4 Writing credits)

Next step: 13Bio

Contact Person: Mr Patrick, Mr Bell

Chemistry:   12Che   Full Year

Course Description: This course teaches students the knowledge and skills to make effective use of the materials we use. The syllabus offers an understanding of the many processes encountered in everyday life and the composition of the world around us. Year 12Che needs to be studied before Year 13Che can be considered.

Recommended Entry Criteria: Minimum of 13 credits from 11Sci, 11Sca/Scb (including an M or E pass in either Achievement Standards 90944 or 90947), and 10 credits from 11Mat. Students will need to have studied 12Che before 13Che can be considered.

Qualifications to be gained: Level 2 Achievement Standards credits

UE Literacy: No

Next step: 13Che

Contact Person: Ms Readman

Electrotechnology:   12Ele   Full Year

Course Description: This course combines Electronics theory with the development of practical skills in electronic circuit design, construction and problem solving. 

Recommended Entry Criteria: Minimum of 14 Achievement Standards credits in 11Mat/Max or C pass in 11Mac, or a minimum of 8 credits in 11Ele, if studied.

Qualifications to be gained: Level 2 Achievement and Unit Standards credits.

UE Literacy: No

Next step: 13Ele

Contact Person: Mr Calder

Physics:   12Phy   Full Year

Course Description: This course is an important foundation for a significant number of future study options. Physics aims to model the world at a fundamental level and so provides a platform supporting Engineering, Chemistry and Medicine. Physics ideas will be explored in the contexts of Motion, Electricity, Waves and Light using practical examples. A reasonable level of algebra is required and students will need to develop their trigonometry skills as the year develops.

Recommended Entry Criteria: Achievement Standard 90940 (Science) AND Achievement Standard 91027 or 91028 or 91029 (Mathematics)

Qualifications to be gained: Level 2 Achievement Standards credits

UE Literacy: No

Next step: 13Phy 

Contact Person: Mr Calder 

Biology:   13Bio   Full Year

Course Description: This course is a more advanced course in Biology for those who have enjoyed 12Bio. It covers; Animal behaviour and Plant responses, Applications of Biotechnological Techniques, Homeostasis, and also trends in Human evolution.

The course also involves an investigation on an aspect of the ecological niche of an organism.

Recommended Entry Criteria: minimum of 12 credits from 12Bio if studied. Students must have gained a pass mark in at least one of Achievement Standards 91156 and 91159 in the school or NCEA examinations. If Biology was not studied at Y12 a minimum of 10 credits from 12Ena/12Enb is required.

Qualifications to be gained: Level 3 Achievement Standards.

UE Literacy: Yes - 6 credits Reading and 9 credits Reading or Writing.

UE Approved: Yes

Contact Person: Mr Patrick

Chemistry:   13Che   Full Year

Course Description: This course is an extension of 12Che and introduces some aspects of Biochemistry. Students who have enjoyed practical work in Year 12 will look forward to the experiments done in Year 13.

Recommended Entry Criteria: minimum of 13 credits from 12Che

Qualifications to be gained: Level 3 Achievement Standards credits

UE Literacy: No

UE Approved: Yes

Contact Person: Ms Readman

Electrotechnology:   13Ele   Full Year

Course Description: This course is aimed at providing pre-employment and pre-tertiary training in this exciting and fast expanding industry. There is an emphasis on micro-processor and robotic technologies, with the opportunity to design and build a self-selected project.

Recommended Entry Criteria: Minimum of 14 credits from Level 2 Electrotechnology (gained from 11Ele and/or 12Ele) or other evidence of outstanding work.

Qualifications to be gained: Level 3 Unit Standards credits

UE Literacy: No

UE Approved: No

Contact Person: Mr Calder

Physics:   13Phy   Full Year

Course Description: This course is an important foundation for a significant number of future study options. This course continues to develop the ideas and skills from 12Phy; with the introduction of rotational motion in mechanics, AC electricity with capacitors and inductors in electricity, and a significant advance in the ideas of modern Physics including the wonderful world of quantum. 

Recommended Entry Criteria:

• minimum of 13 credits in 12Phy

• Good algebra and trigonometry skills

• It is highly recommended that Calculus is studied

Qualifications to be gained: Level 3 Achievement Standards credits

UE Literacy: No

UE Approved: Yes

Contact Person: Mr Calder