Opihi College

Curriculum


Opihi College is committed to delivering the revised New Zealand Curriculum (2010) with teachers demonstrating and expecting students to follow the key competencies, which assist young people as they progress beyond the secondary school setting.

Junior
Students entering in Year 7 and 8 are taught for nine hours per week (out of 25) in “homerooms”.  These classes are taught by experienced primary trained staff and are a real strength of the school.  The homeroom teachers deliver the English and Social Studies curricula with the other subjects delivered in specialist classrooms usually by specialist secondary teachers.
In Years 7 and 8 the Health, Careers, Technologies, Languages, Visual and Performing Arts learning areas are delivered in a modular structure.
In Years 9 and 10, student choose options from Art, Technologies and Languages spending the remaining 19 hours in English, Science, Mathematics, Social Studies, Health, Careers, Physical Education and Movement.
We encourage our students to make the most of opportunities to demonstrate their abilities and develop personal confidence.  Activities include: speeches, debates and competitions as organised ‘extras’ to our curriculum.

Senior
Opihi College offers a very large range of secondary subjects.  Most class sizes are small, as low as five in some Year 13 subjects.  Where there are senior students wishing to study a subject not available, we offer on-line learning through the Video Conference network or through Te Kura (The Correspondence School).

Gifted and Talented
Opihi College offers a variety of opportunities for students to extend themselves through a Gifted and Talented programme which presents students with a variety of opportunities beyond the formal school environment.