The HVHS learning environment - Our Connected Curriculum

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HVHS learning environment focuses on a New Zealand Curriculum-centred vision for our students. Each of the eight Essential Learning Areas of the NZC addresses a core component of learning to be a young adult in a modern New Zealand, where students learn to interact with issues affecting their world, becoming culturally aware, and where each learns the skills needed to contribute purposefully to their society. Each key competency in the New Zealand Curriculum contributes to those skills, and the curriculum content from the Essential Learning Areas provides the specialist subject underpinning for robust intellectual development and the possession of knowledge.

The HVHS curriculum is structured under nine Essential Learning Area - Learning Pathways, English, Mathematics, Physical Education and Health, The Arts, Learning Languages, Technology, Social Sciences and Science.

Specific subjects sit under one Learning Area umbrella but often draw on learning outcomes and assessment from more than one Learning Area.

Our curriculum offerings include courses we have developed as a part of our learning philosophy which centres on student choice and on shaping the school to fit the student, not squashing the student into a school-shaped box. Our students are at the heart of our systems. All students will have the opportunity to select courses based on individual abilities, interests and talents and career or work goals.

Connected Curriculum

This document helps to ensure we provide a flexible and purposeful pathway for all students. It guides our pedagogical practice and professional learning.

Link to Connected Curriculum 2022

LInk to Māori Achievement Plan 2021

Link to Pasifika Plan 2022

Link to Student Behaviour Management Plan

Link to Parents', Caregivers and Whānau A-Z

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Timetable

Our timetable provides equity across all 8 Learning Areas. Year 9 and 10 students will have three spells per week from each of the eight Essential Learning Areas. Students can begin to specialise more from Year 11. Students take 5-6 subjects in their senior years.

English, Maths, Physical Education, Science, and Social Sciences will be taught in form class groups. The Arts, Learning Languages (including Tikanga Māori) and Technology will be taught in elective groups.  This allows for subject choices within these Learning Areas. 

Literacy and Numeracy programmes are available to support all students to become critically literate and numerate and to be able to realise their full learning potential.

Our timetable provides dedicated time for explicit work on the key competencies of the New Zealand Curriculum, further than what is embedded within Learning Area work. All students will have one spell of mentor time per week.

Our timetable provides regular and consistent start and finsihing times for families. All students will start school at 9am and finish at 3.15pm except for Wednesday when all students will start at 9.30am after staff professional learning. There will be one hour spells on all days except Wednesday morning.

Click here for the timetable structure

Our timetable provides learning for all Year 9 in Tikanga Māori  to ensure that our students are culturally fluent in the country in which they live.

Click here to read more about 9Tikanga

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