Learning Areas

Our goals in Year 9 and 10 English students are to develop the effective communication skills of: 

• Making meaning of ideas or information they receive (listening, reading, and viewing)

• Creating meaning for themselves or others (speaking, writing, and presenting)

Teachers tailor programmes for each English class and student, based on ability, interests, school CARE values and essential skills and objectives from the New Zealand Curriculum.

Our literacy goals revolve around accelerating  Year 9 and 10 students’ reading and writing skills in a variety of texts in a wide range of contexts based on the needs and interests of our students.  

Literacy is a key skill and is enhanced by our teachers’ and students' involvement in the Te Ara Tuhura Cluster, which is underpinned by the concepts of Learn, Create and Share.  Our English Learning Team teachers have been, and are part of the ALL Programme (Accelerated Learning in Literacy) which is a Ministry of Education initiative and  intervention to improve literacy. 

All programmes in Junior and Senior English are underpinned by a set of processes and strategies, where teachers and students develop knowledge, skills, and understandings related to:

• text purposes and audiences

• ideas within language contexts

• language features that enhance text

• the structure and organisation of texts.

The Senior English Learning Area teachers create programmes for senior students that cater for all levels of ability and we work alongside students to help them set and then achieve their academic goals. 

These goals include: NCEA Levels 1, 2 and 3 credits; NCEA Literacy; University Entrance credits in Reading and Writing; and Scholarship qualifications in English.

The Sciences Learning Area offers a wide variety of Science programmes from Year 9  to Year 13. 

At Mairehau High School, the Science Learning Area consists of Junior Science, Year 11 Science, Senior Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Science is compulsory for students in Years 9-11 and optional from Year 12.

Our courses provide authentic, collaborative and independent learning opportunities. These enable students to develop their Science Capabilities, Scientific Literacy, and a lifelong interest in Science. Students are provided with opportunities to follow pathways from school to tertiary institutions and industry.

The aim of technology in education is to encourage students to use a variety of means to adapt to practical problems in society. 

It encourages risk taking, lateral and divergent thinking, the development of multiple solutions to problems, trial and error, teamwork, and the management of resources effectively and efficiently.

The Mathematics learning area offers a wide variety of Mathematics and Statistics programmes from Year 11  to Year 13. Each class is tailored to fit the needs of the students.  At Year 12 and 13 there is the opportunity to begin to specialize by doing both Mathematics and Statistics in separate courses.

Junior Mathematics covers all strands of the curriculum with the focus of gaining core skills and applying these to real life situations.

All classes have a Google Classroom which the student can access from home. This allows them to keep up to date with their work and review the current topics.  Students are also offered the opportunity to go to Cantamaths and enter a variety of international and national individual competitions.

Within Humanities, Mātauranga pūkenga tangata, we aim to approach a range of concepts surrounding the influence, development, and changes that occur within different societies. 

Junior students study a mix of the humanities which is guided by student interest. 

Senior topics include: Social Literacy, World History, Geography and Tourism.

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Within the Arts, Nga Toi, we aim to introduce and extend student interest and capability in the Arts .

At Mairehau High School, the Arts Learning team consists of Music, Art, Photography, and Performing Arts including Drama and Dance.

Each of these subjects run compulsory courses for one term in year 9 and thereafter students have the opportunity to choose from Art, Performing Arts and Music at Years 10 to 13, and Photography at Levels 2 and 3. 

Our courses cater to the needs of our students by designing  courses relevant to their interests and skills and  to furthering their capacity for lifelong learning.

Within languages, we aim to expand our students' understanding of the world around them. Languages are intertwined within cultures and the context of where they are used, developing with complex human identities.

By learning a language, students come to appreciate different cultures and learn new ways of thinking about, questioning, and interpreting the world and their place in it.

At Mairehau we currently offer Te Reo Māori from year 9-13.