Junior learning (year 9 and 10)

This is where learners meet with their learning coach to monitor their progress, develop their personalised (Inquiry) programme and develop their individual literacy programme.

Each student is part of a smaller Ako group of up to 26 students who meet four times a week for 75 minutes. Their Ako learning coach monitors their progress, develops their personalised inquiry programme and monitors their learning, achievement and wellbeing. Ako groups have learners from years 9-11, enabling the senior students to guide and role-model for the younger students under the principle of tuākana–tēina. This Check and Connect pastoral care provided during Ako time is a unique and special feature of learning at Rolleston College.

Connected learning is a multi-disciplinary approach to skill and knowledge development. It is delivered in a collaborative environment with opportunities for individual and small group work.

The content is appropriate to the context and the focus is on delivering not only knowledge but also skill and disposition development in a learning environment that is authentic and flexible.

At Rolleston College Horoeka Haemata, learners in year 9 and 10 are part of a Connected learning class. This class is where learners are exposed to the mathematics, science, English and social science learning areas from the New Zealand Curriculum. Learners have a learning ratio of one teacher to 30 learners, with most Connected lessons having 60 learners to two teachers, plus teacher-aides.

Connected learning is driven by ‘big ideas’ rather than specific content. These include ethical dilemmas, weighing up evidence and argument, exploring ways to preserve the past and educate for the future, rebuilding a country or an environment, and instigating a social action project.

Big ideas create authentic and real world learning opportunities for learners. By exploring these big ideas learners will encounter and build skills and knowledge across four learning areas; English, science, mathematics and social studies. At times learning in this class will be specific to a learning area to all for knowledge or a skill to be obtained or mastered and at other times the learning design will have learning tasks that bring learning areas together. This allows learners to see the connections that happen in our everyday lives within their learning. 

The big ideas that drive the year 9 and 10 programme are as follows:

Year 9 – Identity, Movement, Sustainability & Future/Innovation 

Year 10 – Perception, Risk, Disruption & Adventure 

From the big ideas come the key questions that drive the learning tasks from the four learning areas.

Selected learning is where learners can choose from a rotating menu of technology, arts, language, humanities and enrichment options. It is also where the physical education and health programme will focus on involvement and movement and the development of the well-being of all learners.

All year 9 learners choose two options per term making eight in total over the year. All year 10 learners choose two options per semester, totalling four over the year.

The physical education and health curriculum emphasizes movement, well-being, and active participation, fostering a culture of teamwork and interpersonal skills development. Through our dynamic programme, students not only cultivate lifelong skills and confidence but also learn the value of collaboration and effective communication, ensuring they thrive both academically and personally.