Plan your learning

Year 9

All students study the core New Zealand National Curriculum requirements in English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Technology and Health & Physical Education.  

Students are also required to select subjects from the other two essential learning areas:
The Arts (Music, Drama, Visual Arts and Dance) and learning languages (German, Chinese, Te Reo Māori, Spanish and ESOL).

Year 10

All students study the core New Zealand National Curriculum requirements in English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and Health & Physical Education. 

Plus

All students will have to choose a language, from:

German, Chinese, Te Reo Māori, Spanish and ESOL (this should be a language previously studied in Year 9)

Plus

All students choose THREE other option subjects, which are studied for the whole year.

The final three years of high school at Glendowie College provides a wide variety of subjects and levels for senior students. It is possible for a student to study across year levels (multi-level studies) if wished.

This means a student is able to select and study subjects at years 11, 12 and 13 levels in the same year. Most students however select their subjects from one year level to gain and complete the national qualification at that level. Students are required to attain a specified level of achievement in a subject before they are permitted to advance to the next level in that subject or a similar one.

Year 11

All students study six academic subjects. Year 11 students take a course of study comprising:

• ENGLISH (either at Year 11, NCEA Level 2 or English for Speakers of Other Languages)
• MATHEMATICS (either at Year 11 or NCEA Level 2)
• SCIENCE (Year 11) - While Science is not compulsory, students are strongly advised to take this subject in Year 11. 
• 3 OTHER SUBJECTS (either at Year 11 level or Year 12 level). 

Year 12

All Year 12 students take a course of study towards gaining NCEA Level 2, comprising:

• ENGLISH (either at Year 11, NCEA Level 2 English, NCEA Level 3 English, or English Speakers of Other Languages)
• 5 OTHER SUBJECTS (at either Year 11, 12 or 13).

All current year 12 students intending to gain University Entrance after Year 13 studies, must also achieve a minimum of 10 literacy credits at Level 2 or higher (5 credits - reading; 5 credits – writing.) There are a variety of subjects that contribute credits to the University Entrance Literacy Requirements.

When selecting courses for Year 12, students should look ahead to Year 13 and beyond taking into account their long term career aspirations.  Level 2 subjects have a combination of both internally and externally assessed standards. 

Year 13

The national qualification for students in Year 13 is Level 3 of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA).   In Year 13, all students take 5 subjects.  Some students may be allowed to take 6 subjects (with Dean and Deputy Principal - Curriculum approval).  When selecting courses for Year 13, students should look ahead to the following year and beyond taking into account their long-term career aspirations.  Like Level 2 subjects, Level 3 subjects also have a combination of both internally and externally assessed standards.

• No subject is compulsory.
• All Year 13 pupils are encouraged to be actively involved in Community Service.
• Students from overseas may be permitted to take ESOL as well as 5 NCEA subjects if timetabling permits. 

All students intending to gain University Entrance after Year 13 studies, must achieve a minimum of 10 literacy credits at Level 2 or higher (5 credits - reading; 5 credits – writing.) There are a variety of subjects that contribute credits to the University Entrance Literacy Requirements.