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All students must study the subjects listed under the Compulsory Core Subjects tab below. These subjects are also indicated by a dark blue band with the letter 'C' on the left side.
Semester courses run for approximately four and a half months each. Each course is approximately 50 lessons.
Select six subjects, two of them being back-up subjects, each being three lessons per week.
Option Subjects appear under the Options Subjects tab below and are indicated by a light blue band with the letter 'O' on the left side. Subjects which are By Application appear under both the Options Subjects tab and the By Application tab below and are indicated by a teal green band with the letter 'A' on the left side.
The selection of a language or Ballet and Dance Studies equates to two of your subject options because they are full-year courses, that is, they run in both Semester 1 and Semester 2.
If studied for a full year, Te Reo Māori equates to two of your subject options. If studied for one semester, it is one of your options.
Curriculum Option Selections for 2025 closed on Wednesday 21 August 2024.
Lessons per week:
3
The Year 9 ACEE programme operates as a one-semester option subject. This programme is open to students who are academically gifted and/or talented.
For full information on the ACCE programme, please refer to the Academic Extension and Enrichment (ACEE) section here.
Course costs: $150* per annum (includes registration fees for the Academy Philosophy Conferences, Model EU, and Model UN Conferences).
*Estimated disbursed course costs
For further information, see Ms Hampson.
Lessons per week:
3
Knowledge and understanding of the principles and practices associated with food and fibre production in New Zealand.
The purpose of this course is to provide students, both urban and rural, with an introduction to the New Zealand primary industries with a focus on agriculture.
Agriscience is an excellent option for students who are interested in animals, farm life and Science. There is an emphasis on project based inquiry learning, allowing students to explore areas of interest. Dairy, sheep, and beef farming are covered in detail, as are horses, pigs and chickens. There will be the opportunity to discover the many different careers available in the agriculture industry, from on-farm practical jobs to science-based endeavours.
Students will be given the opportunity to conduct their own farm management simulation, looking at financial and production impacts.
Topics studied are:
Course costs: $50.00* approximately for one field trip.
*Estimated disbursed course costs
For further information, see Mrs Cloughley.
Lessons per week:
3
Developing practical skills within an Art context.
This course aims to develop and extend practical Art making skills. Students will also learn to use vocabulary relevant to the Visual Arts and broaden their understanding of Art by studying both international and New Zealand artists. Through a series of varied exercises, students are introduced to different Art making techniques. Practical class work includes drawing, painting, printmaking, street art, photography and 3D modelling.
The course provides an essential foundation for further study of the Visual Arts in Year 10 and beyond.
Course costs: $65.00* for materials.
*Estimated disbursed course costs
For further information, see Ms Swadel.
Lessons per week:
3
Build the key skills to ensure that students are able to achieve to their potential in both their schooling and in sport.
Semester Programme (17 weeks), runs in both Semesters 1 and 2, students participate in one semester only.
This innovative sports programme is designed for students who are determined to work hard to achieve their sporting and academic goals and develop skills and understanding around balance and performance. The course aims to build sports specific knowledge and develop growing awareness by building a sporting performance plan in an environment which encourages physical, academic, and personal growth and achievement. The key focus is on the development of skills such as organisation and planning, as well as athletic education.
Course content:
Selection criteria: It is desirable that applicants are a proven high-level performer in their respective current schools. Only a set number of places are available each year. Students are selected to enter on an application basis.
Exemptions: Any student on a Ballet/Music Scholarship or selected for the ACEE programme may not be able to participate in the Athlete Sports Development programme, due to possible timetable constraints.
Course costs: $90.00* maximum for the year.
*Estimated disbursed course costs
The expression of interest form must be completed by 9.00am on Monday 5 August, so that applications can be reviewed before Option selections open on Tuesday 13 August.
Students new to the Secondary School in 2025: Parents/caregivers of new Secondary School students beginning at St Andrew’s College in 2025 must complete the Expression of Interest form on behalf of their child. Then, if the student is accepted, choose Athlete Sports Development when they make their child's Year 9 Option selections.
If students are not accepted, Athlete Sport Development will not be available in their Options selection.
Current students in Years 9–12: Current students in Years 9–12 must complete the Expression of Interest form themselves.
If you require further information, please contact Teacher in Charge of Athlete Sport Development and Athlete Sport Performance Programmes, Mr Gain.
Lessons per week:
3
Understanding the art of dance: establishing balletic technique, exploring dance genres, and experiencing performance.
Entry Requirements:
New students require suitable ballet background (recent examinations results at Highly Commended or above) and a short audition with Artistic Director, Dr Cairns. Current Year 8 students require recent Year 8 examination results at Highly Commended or above, or entry by Head of Department discretion.
Counts as two options and requires full year of study.
St Andrew’s College Ballet Academy Diploma – First Year
The Ballet Academy Diploma Programme commences with the Year 9 Ballet and Dance Studies course and continues through to Year 13, with graduates receiving their five-year Diploma. The Year 9–11 programmes are integrated within the school day, offering a seamless transition from academic class to Ballet Studio. Quality tuition focuses on classical technique with development of the dancer’s musicality and artistry (with annual Ballet examination). In addition, to train today’s current dancer, students are extended beyond the balletic frame into various dance genres (jazz, national, character, lyrical and contemporary). This builds a strong foundation of knowledge and prepares them for the NCEA Dance programme which commences in Year 10, adding further academic rigour to the programme.
Performance work is a highlight; opportunities include the annual ‘Dance Revue’, Ballet Academy production season, showcases, and more as available. Guest tutors are invited to take classes, giving students the experience of masterclasses, open work, and new repertoire. Additional classes include Dance/Pilates, Pointe (Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced), and extension classes as available.
Student outcomes:
With three classes per week, students deepen their understanding of the art form, by:
Course costs: $85.00* per term (includes guest tutors, repertoire half tutu and character skirt use, and other incidentals).
*Estimated disbursed course costs
Additional costs: Examination fees, costume hires and optional classes.
The expression of interest form must be completed by 9.00am on Monday 5 August, so that applications can be reviewed before Option selections open on Tuesday 13 August.
Students new to the Secondary School in 2025: Parents/caregivers of new Secondary School students beginning at St Andrew’s College in 2025 must complete the Expression of Interest form on behalf of their child. Then, if the student is accepted, choose Ballet when they make their child's Year 9 Option selections.
If students are not accepted, Ballet will not be available in their Options selection.
Current students in Years 9–12: Current students in Years 9–12 must complete the Expression of Interest form themselves.
If you require further information, please contact Ballet Academy Artistic Director, Carolyn Cairns, at CCA@stac.school.nz.
To view the course pathways flowchart for Ballet and Dance Studies in Years 9–11 and the Ballet Company in Years 12–13, click here.
Lessons per week:
3
Developing drawing skills within a design context.
Design and Visual Communication (DVC) is an area of learning within the New Zealand Curriculum where students learn about design, develop their practice of designing, and develop their design thinking in specific contexts. Contexts can include: architecture, landscape, interior design, town planning, naval architecture, industrial design, automation design, fashion design, packaging design, furniture design, engineering.
The students develop an awareness of design by using visual communication skills to conceptualise and develop design ideas. They apply their visual literacy through using sketching, digital modes and other modelling techniques to effectively communicate and present design ideas. Students learn that designers identify the qualities and potential of design ideas in terms of the broad principles of design (aesthetics and function) and of sustainability.
Working towards achieving high standards of presentation is expected. Assessment is based on course work looking at Design Heritage, Design Thinking and Visual Communication.
Course costs: A list of required stationery is provided and the items on this list should be purchased prior to starting the course. Items of a consumable or specialised nature are carried by the department and the costs for these can be disbursed to student accounts.
For further information, see Mr Kerrison.
Lessons per week:
1
This is a short course in Year 9 aimed to develop students’ ability to effectively use a computer to support their learning in other Curriculum areas during their time at St Andrew’s College.
Elements of the course will include practicing the skills needed to create digital outcomes, exploring digital citizenship within their lives, and developing understanding of computational thinking. Students will do this by having an opportunity to design and produce quality, fit-for-purpose digital outcomes to show their learning.
Students interested in extending their knowledge and skills in digital technology are encouraged to also take the Digital Technology option.
For further information, see Mrs Duncan.
Lessons per week:
3
Develop basic skills and understanding in a digital environment.
An introduction to Digital Technology for students with a passion for Technology.
Working in groups, students will develop solutions to identified issues. Through this process they will have the opportunity to experiment with new technologies and develop a solution-based mindset. There will also be a focus on the collaborative skills often sought after in today’s economic world.
Emphasis for this course will be:
This course will be a good introduction for students interested in or curious about a pathway into NCEA Digital Technology.
Course costs: Most software used is open source. There may be a small charge for licensing costs. Additional costs may be incurred for competition fees (optional).
For further information, contact Mr Adams or Ms Lee.
Lessons per week:
3
Exploration of the foundation skills of Drama.
Drama prepares students for life beyond the College by building confident communication skills, skills in reading body language and subtext, working collaboratively, thinking analytically, creatively, and independently. The course aims to provide students with a depth and breadth of experience to take in future pathways.
This course provides students with a variety of drama experiences and encourages them to explore their creativity by selecting and refining ideas to achieve performance goals. Students experiment with the use of drama techniques of voice, body, movement, and space in both scripted and devised drama. Students are introduced to drama elements, conventions, and technologies, and learn how these aspects combine to convey meaning. They work individually and collectively in their analysis and creation of drama, supporting each other’s learning with peer feedback and feed forward. They learn the foundation skills to give them a head start in NCEA Drama in Year 11.
Students are encouraged to audition for the Years 9–10 productions.
Note: students can study both Media and Drama in Year 9.
For further information, see Mr Wiseman.
Lessons per week:
3
A study of money, its purpose, uses, and impact in the world of consumers.
The main objective of this course is to foster an interest in, and give a basic understanding of, today’s world of commerce and economics, particularly as it applies to consumers.
The emphasis is on individual students and their immediate groupings such as family/whānau.
A simplified approach is adopted in which the emphasis is not on detail and theory but on life/living skills, such as managing personal limited means, being able to make informed choices, and being aware of differing values and the opportunity cost of such decisions. A key element of the course is the use of Banqer High, an online simulation which helps students see the impact of their financial decisions.
Some of the units of work studied are the relationship between wants and scarce resources, the development of money, cash and credit buying, income, budgeting, consumer protection, saving and marketing.
Course costs: $20.00* for Banqer High subscription.
*Estimated disbursed course costs
For further information, see Mr Temple.
Lessons per week:
4
The study, use, and enjoyment of the English language and its literature.
This programme enables students to develop the skills needed to understand, use, and create oral, visual, and written texts. Through engaging with a range of texts, students will become increasingly skilled and sophisticated speakers and listeners, writers and readers, presenters, and viewers.
Year 9 English provides students with opportunities to engage with and develop the key skills and competencies of the New Zealand Curriculum (Curriculum Levels 4 to 5) in diverse contexts. In doing so, students will gain a better understanding of language, literature, and the world around them.
Course costs: $20.00* for English Basics workbook. Education Perfect may be used for this course and disbursed costs will reflect the number of subjects using this programme across the student’s timetable.
*Estimated disbursed course costs
For further information, see Mrs Ball or Ms Kilbride.
Lessons per week:
3
A study of English for academic purposes.
Entry Requirements:
Entry into this course is based on an English assessment completed on admission.
This course is for students who do not have English as their first language and wish to improve their language skills for mainstream classes. Students can enrol in a single option semester. This course is run in addition to mainstream English classes and is designed to assist students to write clear and accurate English, to read with understanding, and to speak fluently and clearly.
Each course is carefully structured according to individual needs and there is a strong emphasis on subject support. Ongoing assessment gives students valuable feedback on their progress and helps indicate which English courses would be most appropriate for them in the future.
For further information, see Ms Christine Fildes.
Lessons per week:
3
A practical course of study to develop design and sewing skills.
In Fabric Technology, students will learn skills through creating products that are personalised, innovative, and useful.
Students will learn to critique existing technological products and use the understandings gained to inform their own practice. Students will be encouraged to produce sustainably, as they consider the needs of and potential impacts on stakeholders and the environment.
Class work includes making a fabric storage bag, functional modelling pocket designs, and learning pants construction by making a pair of shorts with their chosen pocket. Students then apply their new knowledge to make their choice of pants using fabric they source from a fabric retailer.
The aim of the course is to equip students with basic pattern making skills and knowledge of construction techniques as a foundation for further study of Fabric Technology in Year 10 and beyond.
Course costs: $25.00* for materials supplied by the school. Students will be required to purchase their own fabric from a fabric retailer.
*Estimated disbursed course costs.
For further information see Mrs Thomson or Mrs Duncan.
Lessons per week:
3
Develop skills and knowledge related to food choices, and how it impacts on physical well-being
Students will learn how to apply understanding, knowledge and skills to select food choices for themselves. The focus will be on snacks and foods from the milk and milk product group.
The specific skills they are developing include:
Course costs: Food costs and some photocopy costs will be disbursed.
For further information, see Mrs Duncan.
Lessons per week:
3
Understanding and using familiar expressions and everyday vocabulary in simple contexts.
Full year, double semester, counts as two options.
Spoken by 275 million people in 56 countries worldwide, French is one of the official languages of the United Nations and the International Olympics Committee. In Year 9 French, students study topics such as introductions/greetings, descriptions, school, likes/dislikes, home and family, time, leisure activities, and aspects of French culture. The four skill areas of listening, reading, writing and speaking are all emphasised. Using fun activities, students are encouraged to speak individually, in pairs and in group role-play situations as the speaking skill is critical in early learning of a second language. Students establish a good basic vocabulary and learn some of the basics of French grammar.
An online textbook is used which enables students to readily access the textbook at home and catch up on any missed work. Regular use is also made of suitable websites, where students reinforce their learning in class at their own pace and in a fun way. The websites Linguascope, Education Perfect and ImmerseMe are also used to enable students to learn French interactively online. Cultural elements and aspects of typical French life are integrated into our learning over the course of the year in order to allow students to deepen their understanding of another culture.
Course costs: $50.00* for online subscriptions.
*Estimated disbursed course costs
For further information, see Ms Taylor.
Lessons per week:
3
The study of how people and the environment interact.
This course is designed to introduce students to Geography by having them study a broad range of local, national and global topics. The course encourages students to think critically about the world in which they live, and to understand the responsibility they have in relation to other people, the environment, and long-term sustainability of the planet.
From this course, students will develop an understanding of:
Potential themes that may be covered, depending on student interests:
For further information, see Mr Boulton.
Lessons per week:
3
A study of people, places, and change over time.
This course is designed to introduce students to History by studying some of the places, people, events, and changes that have shaped the world we live in today. It encourages students to ask questions about the past, make good decisions about people and events, and to look carefully at clues from the past so that they can decide for themselves what really happened and why.
Students will gain knowledge, skills and experience needed to understand the causes and consequences of past events which are of significance to New Zealanders and that shape the lives of people and society.
Topics covered will include:
For further information, see Mr Faulls.
Lessons per week:
3
This subject is designed for students who need further support, over and above their English class, with reading and writing.
This subject is designed for students who need further support, over and above their English class, with reading and writing.
Run as a semester class, Literacy focuses on developing students’ key skills; vocabulary, decoding, reading fluency, and comprehension.
Each course is adapted to identified learner needs and there is a strong emphasis on building basic skills that will enable academic success in the future. Please note, students might be invited into this course in the second semester, depending on what needs emerge in the first half of the year.
For further information, see Mrs Rule.
Lessons per week:
3
Within the context of Hard Materials Technology, students develop skills and knowledge to manage resources to produce a designed outcome.
Students gain knowledge of a range of materials and processes through a ‘Design and Make’ programme. They will have an opportunity to produce individualised projects.
They will gain:
Given various briefs, students engage in the design process to develop their own project outcomes. Students are given the opportunity to experience a wide range of materials and manufacturing processes to produce their work.
The course consists of design briefs which focus on a range of materials and processes. Students are encouraged to extend and advance their knowledge to a higher level.
There are two areas of learning and students will be placed in whichever area their timetable allows. Both areas of learning use the same process to develop skills and knowledge.
Course costs: Materials and consumables used and applied finishes.
For further information, see Mr Hamilton or Mr Murphy.
Lessons per week:
4
Exploration and use of patterns and relationships in quantities, space, time, and data.
The course covers achievement objectives from Levels 4 and 5 of the Mathematics strands of the New Zealand Curriculum. All classes follow the core Curriculum objectives and students also work at their individual level (Levels 3 to 5). Middle band classes may have an additional teacher for one period each week to support individual and small-group needs.
The top band classes are streamed into four smaller groups to cater for the lateral extension built into the programme.
Course costs: A Casio FX82 Scientific Calculator is required, subscription to Education Perfect, and an online textbook.
For further information, see Mrs Streeter.
Lessons per week:
3
An exploration of the foundation skills in Media production.
This semester course is mostly based in our professional broadcast studio, beginning with basics of broadcast television, both in front of and behind the camera. Students experience both the creative and technical aspects of television production, and learn how the whole production team, from a director to camera operator, work together to create a TV show.
The key competencies that underpin this course are: teaching teamwork, problem-solving, leadership, and discipline. The course culminates in the student’s planning and producing a 30-minute live show, under real studio conditions. The show may include a variety of music and dance, as well as interviewing and presenting.
This course would suit students who have an interest in all things media and want to know more about how media products are planned and produced; from writing, directing, and performing, to technical operations.
We encourage all Media students to join our after-school Film and Broadcasting Academy, where students can gain even more experience and develop their production skills in preparation for our Year 10 and senior Media Studies courses.
Note: students can study both Media and Drama.
For further information, see Ms D'Arcy.
Lessons per week:
1
Exploration of sounds and technologies for creating, interpreting, and representing music ideas.
This course, taken by all Year 9 students for one lesson per week, covers the following areas:
For further information, see Mr Ferguson.
Lessons per week:
3
This course is for students who wish to extend themselves with music beyond what the core Music course is able to do. It is expected that students will already have limited experience learning an instrument or are starting to learn an instrument at the beginning of Year 9.
This course is primarily practical and gives a grounding in performance, composition, and theory.
The elements of music and listening skills will be explored so that students will be better able to determine the differences in tone-colour, texture, phrasing, harmony, and contrasts. The theory component is included for students wishing to continue Music in future years.
The course, with its emphasis on performance skills, often results in the formation of a ‘classroom orchestra’ where all students (whether beginners or more advanced) are given a part to play within their own ability.
This experience of playing together assists students when later writing their own music, boosts their listening skills, and often results in them continuing their study of an instrument with a private tutor when the semester is completed.
Course costs: students may be required to use the 'Music Ecademy' and Melodics.com online learning tools at a cost of $50.00* for a one-year subscription.
*Estimated disbursed course costs
For further information, see Mr Ferguson.
Lessons per week:
3
The well-being of students, other people, and society through learning in movement and health-related contexts.
Physical Education and Health is all about the students. The focus is on their well-being (Hauora), the way that they learn to move, how they develop relationships in teams and groups, and how physical activity and health is influenced by different aspects of society.
This course fosters critical thinking and action and enables students to understand the role and significance of physical activity for individuals, peers, and society.
The course is assessed through practical performance, reflective logs, and unit assessments.
The Physical Education learning areas are:
For further information on Physical Education, see Ms Register.
The Health learning areas are:
For further information on Health, see Mrs Stirling.
Lessons per week:
1
A study of the background, scriptures, themes, key events, and key people which have been influential in the development of Christianity.
Topics for study are:
Introduction to the Bible;
Jesus of Nazareth – the theories behind his death and resurrection;
Christian focus project – research and art work;
Good and Evil in the world today;
The Nativity story – symbols and traditions of Christmas.
For further information, see Rev. Morrow.
Lessons per week:
4
Investigating, understanding, and explaining our natural world, physical world, and the wider universe.
Science involves generating and testing ideas, and gathering evidence – including by making observations, carrying out investigations and modelling, and communicating and debating with others – in order to develop scientific knowledge, understanding and explanations.
The course begins with an introduction to the equipment and methods of Science, including working safely in the laboratory, and follows the learning strands of Living World, Material World, Physical World, and ‘Planet Earth and Beyond’.
The interrelationship of living things in communities, the biology of life at the level of cells, and the way living things reproduce, make up the Living World segment.
The Material World is studied through the theme of interactions including atoms, molecules, the periodic table, mixtures and compounds, and the reactions of substances.
The Physical World is considered through the role of energy as an overarching theme in most units, and in the study of the nature of light.
The ‘Planet Earth and Beyond’ section studies Astronomy.
An emphasis of this course is on Science skills and the skills of experimental planning, collection of data, and the interpretation of results throughout all topics. There will be an emphasis on SOLO Taxonomy to deepen students’ thinking skills.
Course costs: Purchase of a Write On workbook, a $20.00* Education Perfect subscription, and an online NZCER: Thinking with Evidence test.
*Estimated disbursed course costs
For further information, see Mrs Marsh-Smallman.
Lessons per week:
3
How people participate and take action in society in the past and in the present.
The Social Studies course focuses on how societies work and how people can participate as critical, active, informed, and responsible citizens. Contexts are drawn from the past, present and future, and from places within and beyond New Zealand.
Students will be given the opportunity to collaborate, inquire and be creative in their thinking.
Students will investigate a range of topics. These will include:
Throughout the year, emphasis will be placed on developing the skills that students will need when they take Social Science subjects at NCEA level. These include paragraph writing skills, information literacy strategies needed for effective research, comprehension, inquiry, group work, critical thinking, social decision making, understanding different perspectives, mapping, and graphing skills. An examination of current events and issues forms an integral part of the course.
For further information, see Mrs Proffit.
Lessons per week:
3
Students can choose to do one semester (counts as one option) or a full year, double semester (counts as two options).
This beginners’ course covers the fundamentals of Te Ao Māori (the Māori world) with the development of language and culture being the main focus points. It involves a more in-depth exposure to the aspects provided in the compulsory Year 9 Tikanga course, but has a heavier emphasis on the language component of that programme.
The course provides the time and opportunity for students to learn a range of aspects across theory, written, spoken, aural and practical learning. Students are provided with the opportunity to improve/gain confidence in pronunciation, reading/writing, and begin to develop insight and depth in their understanding of Māori language and culture. They will be given personalised programmes to follow dependent on their level of learning and experience.
Course costs: This course will have associated costs that may cover things such as workbooks, online learning, trips, and other items as the programme is developed.
For further information, see Matua Wiremu Pickering.
Lessons per week:
1
All Year 9 students take this course for one lesson per week.
The course will expose students to a wide range of aspects of Māori culture. Students will learn basic Te Reo Māori, Tikanga (culture), myths and legends, Māori history, Toi Māori (Māori art), Māori games and waiata. There is the also the opportunity for students to join the Māori and Pasifika group, which is open to all students and operates outside this course.
For further information, see Matua Wiremu Pickering.