Curriculum

Option Choices for 2013

The following can be downloaded as whole documents.

NZQA Information and Assesment Procedures

Application for Financial Assistance
Application for Financial Assistance Info
March Candidate Info Sheet
HGHS Senior Students 2013

The Academic Programme

At Hamilton Girls' High School we aim to promote learning as a life-long process by providing students with programmes suited to their needs.  Multi level study is a feature of our flexible timetable.  All students are assessed regularly and full reports are issued to parents twice yearly.

Courses

YEARS 9 & 10

Students follow a general course of study common to all schools, in line with the New Zealand curriculum.  This specifies the eight learning areas (Learning Languages, English, Mathematics, Science, Technology, Social Sciences, the Arts, and Health and Physical Education) which students need to cover for a broad and balanced education.

At Year 9 level, All Year 9 students follow a compulsory course of study comprising the Arts, English, Languages, Mathematics, Physical Education and Health, Science, Social Sciences and Technology.  Students select two languages which they study for two terms each. The Arts learning area is delivered through Drama, Art, Music and Maori Arts and Crafts which are studied for one term each.

At Year 10 level, students choose three options to complete their programmes.  All Year 10 students study English, Mathematics, Physical Education, Science, Social Studies and Technology.  Students also choose three options from the following:  Art, Drama, Economics, Enterprise Studies, Environmental Geography, ESOL, French, Graphics, History, Japanese, Maori Language, Music, Spanish, and Digital Technology.

YEAR 11

In keeping with the New Zealand Curriculum, students will be required to undertake study in five or six subjects, four of which will be an English, a Mathematics, a Science and a  Recreation option.  To cater for the range of student abilities there are at least four courses operating within each of the English, Mathematics, Science and Recreation programmes.  Students then select two other subjects from those listed below.  Some students who are high achievers may be able to take another subject instead of a Recreation option.  To apply to do this, a letter, signed by a parent or caregiver that outlines clearly why you want to take a subject other than Recreation, is to be attached to your option form for the consideration of the Y11 Dean and a Deputy Principal. 

All courses will be assessed against achievement or unit standards towards the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA Level 1).

Accounting, Advanced Physical Education Outdoors or Sports, Art, Drama, Economics, French *, Geography, History, Hospitality, Independent Living, Digital Technology, Japanese *, SPEC, Music, Social Studies, Spanish *, Te Reo Maori, Technology: Food, Technology: Graphics, Technology: Resistant Materials and Technology: Soft Materials. 

Note: * If you wish to do these subjects at Level 2 you MUST do them at Level One first.

You may take Advanced Physical Education Outdoors or Sport.  It is recommended that you take only one Technology subject.  If you want to change a subject after you have submitted your option form and before you start in 2010 you must see your Dean.  (Places may not be available in some subjects after 9 September.)
 
The maximum number of days you can have outside the classroom on subject based activities (Education Outside the Classroom) in the school year is 12.  (Days out of school are recorded in the subject information).  You must choose an extra subject.  You will be placed in this subject if we are unable to place you in either subject 5 or 6.

YEAR 12

Students must undertake a study in English (at Level 1 or 2), a Recreation and  four option subjects. 

Students may choose from the following subjects/papers:
Accounting, Advanced Physical Education Outdoors or Sports, Applied Science, Art Design, Art History, Art Painting, Art Photography, Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Classical Studies, Computer Studies or Digital Technology or Information Management (Begineers), Drama, Economics, English or English Applications or International English or Te Reo Pakeha, English Second Language, Early Childhood English, Environmental Sustainability, French, Geography, History, Hospitality, Japanese, Legal Studies, Mathematics or Mathematics with Extensions, Media Studies, Music, Physics, Social Studies, Spanish, SPEC, Te Reo Maori, Technology: Food, Technology: Graphics, Technology: Resistant Materials and Technology: Soft Materials, Tourism. 

High achieving students may apply to take another subject instead of a Recreation option.  A letter, signed by a parent/caregiver, that clearly outlines why the application is being made, is to be attached to the option form for the consideration of the Dean and a Deputy Principal.  You may undertake a multi-level course, i.e. a mix of Level 1 and Level 2 subjects.

You can do

  • Advanced Physical Education Outdoors or Sport
  • Mathematics or Mathematics with Extensions
  • Computer Studies or Digital Technology
  • Hospitality  or Technology: Food
  • At most, two Technology subjects
  • You should not choose a Recreation option that is similar to a full option.

Recreation is two periods of Independent Living, 1 period of Leadership Coaching and six periods of the Recreation subject of your choice. You must take EITHER a full year option or three modules for the year from the Modular Recreation section.  The maximum number of days out of school on subject-based activities (Education Outside the Classroom) is 12. (Days out of school are recorded in the subject information).

YEAR 13

There are no compulsory courses; however, some Tertiary courses have enrolment prerequisites. Consult the Careers Counsellor or your Dean and select your subjects carefully.

All Year 13 students must take five subjects. These subjects may be at Level 1, 2 or 3.

High achieving students who wish to apply to do six options may apply to the Principal in writing.  If you are a high achieving student there is a 'Scholarship' award for very able students. Only ONE Visual Art and ONE Technology subject may be taken towards Scholarship. Separate external scholarship examinations are held at a similar time to other external Level 3 examinations. Please consult Heads of Departments for further information.

The maximum number of days you can have out of the classroom on subject-based activities (Education Outside the Classroom) is twelve (see the subject guide).  Level 3 candidates for NCEA must apply for permission to attend STAR courses.  All students must study five subjects.  Each application will be considered on its individual merits.

University Entrance

If you are thinking of going to university it is important that you check the entry requirements of your proposed university course very carefully. Some courses require particular standards and grades and a minimum number of credits at certain levels. 

The requirement for University Entrance is that students:

  • Have a minimum of 42 credits at Level 3 or higher, and
  • At least 14 of these credits must be from each of two subjects from the approved subject list below
  • A further 14 credits at Level 3 or higher may be from no more than two additional domains on the National Qualifications Framework, or be approved subjects

    AND
  • At least 14 credits at Level 1 or higher are to be in Mathematics.

    AND
  • At least 8 credits at Level 2 or higher must show reading and writing skills in English or Te Reo Maori (4 credits in reading, 4 in writing).

Approved subjects for University Entrance offered at this school are :
Accounting, Biology, Chemistry, Classical Studies, Computing, Design (Practical Art), Drama, Economics, English, French, Geography, Graphics, History, History of Art, Japanese, Mathematics with Calculus, Mathematics with Statistics and Modelling, Media Studies, Music, Painting (Practical Art), Photography (Practical Art), Physical Education, Physics, Printmaking (Practical Art), Science, Social Studies, Spanish. Te Reo Rangitiha or Te Reo Maori, Technology.

Credits may be acculumated over more than one year.