our LEARNING FACULTIES
JUNIOR FACULTY
Year 7 & 8 are pivotal developmental years in a child’s education. In the junior faculty we pride ourselves on inspiring students to take risks, be brave, determined and to be the best they can be. We understand that the transition from primary school to secondary can be challenging and offer supportive homeroom environments and regularly invite parents and whanau into the school to celebrate success with their children.
Teaching and learning in Y7 & 8 homerooms is mostly delivered through inquiry-based learning programmes. Students are provided opportunities to inquire into a range of concepts and themes and there is a strong focus on ensuring learning is authentic and linked to the real world. Learning is fun and students are often put into situations that challenge them and require problem-solving and collaborative skills. While teaching and learning is often student driven, there is also a focus on ensuring students master the basics in reading, writing and mathematics.
Students are taught to appreciate and enjoy our environment and the outdoor lifestyle it promotes and are given opportunities to learn in the local environment across all subject areas. Eg Science in our local river, Outdoor education experiences at Tawharanui, Omaha, Mangawhai etc
Years 7 & 8 lay down the foundation for a student’s time at Mahurangi College therefore the school values and lifelong learning habits are a focus of both classroom and schoolwide learning. We explore our school values with the students and teach them the competencies of lifelong learning that will prepare them for their secondary years and beyond.
Students in Year 7 & 8 experience specialist teachers in Physical Education and the arts and technology programmes. Students are given taster rotations in the different arts and technology disciplines such as art, music, drama, dance, electronics, food technology, digital technology and more.
ENGLISH FACULTY
Welcome to the English Department! This is where some deep thinking goes on. It is a collaborative space where we (teachers and students alike) ponder some of the big questions: Who am I? What is our moral nature? Is consumerism out of control? What does it mean to be a citizen? While we investigate these and so many other questions, we explore how others have discussed the very same questions in various mediums including (but not bound to) literature, film, social media and journalism. We develop and sharpen our critical thinking skills, our writing skills and our speaking skills to name a few.
There is so much opportunity to combine creativity and personal strengths into the inquiries students pursue. In the middle school students commit to service within the community, which they plan and lead. Giving students the time and space to develop confidence in self-direction and self-management is key to strengthening curiosity and resilience. We offer experiences which are varied (pop up globe, art gallery, jump, malls and temples) to initiate personal writing that is authentic to each student.
Our senior courses are thought-provoking, demanding and thorough in developing the skills to excel in NCEA English at all levels. We provide a range of courses to best suit each students needs. We want all students determined to produce their personal best.
Students of English can expect to be challenged and stretched in all directions. We look forward to having you and your whānau jump on board for the journey.
MATHEMATICS FACULTY
The Mathematics and Statistics is probably the most diverse collection of teachers you will come across at Mahurangi College. What all of us have in common is our desire to pursue excellence in both our own practice and in students’ learning.
No matter what their interest we will work to encourage students’ curiosity and to help them foster a determined attitude. Indeed if students need help after lessons, we run a caring and supportive homework club and for students who wish to challenge themselves further we support their participation in competitions and innovation challenges.
It’s highly likely that every Mahurangi student will be with us until at least year 12 and we pride ourselves on the relationships that we build with our students and we look forward to working with them.
SCIENCE FACULTY
In Science we need to ensure that every citizen has the scientific literacy to participate fully in society. There are clear strands of scientific knowledge described in the curriculum as The Physical, Material, and Living Worlds and Planet Earth and Beyond.
At the core of science is the need for students to learn how scientists work to identify and solve the mysteries and problems of the world. They are challenged to be curious and ask questions then look for the solutions themselves. As they probe these ideas to greater depth they often find that there are no simple solutions. They are then encouraged to be persistent, innovative and creative in finding solutions. Those who excel are the individuals we will be depending on to shape our future.
Science is not just a classroom exercise so students are also expected to make connections between the science classroom, their community and the environment around them. This may mean valuing and respecting the environment or evaluating the ideas of others on issues where there are several points-of -view.
Science at Mahurangi College provides students with a pathway to an important and challenging future.
SOCIAL SCIENCES FACULTY
Our vision for a Mahurangi College social sciences student is that our students will be confident, curious, collaborative, independent, reflective and resilient learners. They will use their languages, cultural knowledge and values. They will be competent and creative users of technology who will challenge themselves and excel when learning. When taking action about local and global issues our students will become empathetic and caring thinkers, who are connected to our place, diverse environments and different communities. They will see the “big picture” to what is going on around them. We work together to achieve this through our teaching and learning programmes and the positive learning partnerships that develop across our community.
The big ideas within the junior social studies course include relationships - whanaungatanga, diversity, sustainability - kaitiakitanga and leadership. Students learn through guided and more open inquiry, and are encouraged to blend face to face and online learning to develop their questioning, thinking and communication skills. Students can choose the time, place, people and societies that they learn more deeply about.
Our senior courses in the Social Sciences pose questions about the world around us, explore different perspectives and often seek to find solutions to challenging and complex problems. All courses offer education outside the classroom (EOTC) as day and/or overnight trips.
We have courses across five departments; classical studies, commerce, geography, history and tourism. These courses support and value the diverse needs of our students. Each course offers achievement standards or unit standards for NCEA Levels 1 - 3. All courses develop the lifelong learning habits of participating and contributing, relating to others and managing self in collaborative learning environments.
We welcome members of our community to support the learning in our programmes, sharing their knowledge and skills for example, and welcome you to “our place”.
ARTS FACULTY
The arts faculty is a lively and vibrant part of the school's culture.
It is most notably known for its national award-winning performances in Stage Challenge and its outstanding achievements NCEA Visual Arts with students featuring in the NZ Top Art Exhibition tour.
It is the home of the Mahurangi Performing Arts Academy which offers a specialist program aimed at nurturing the talent of young performers. Specialist training is given in the areas of music, drama and dance.
Mahurangi is also highly involved in the community in projects where students give back and work alongside local residents and groups as well as putting on exceptional theatre productions which are a highlight of the school year.
We offer a diverse range of subjects for students to explore. These include: Dance, Drama, Music and Visual Art (including Painting, Photography and Design). These are available from year 7-13, giving students the opportunity to try different subject areas and develop their talents through personalised learning paths in the senior school..
The arts faculty prioritises students self expression and collaborative learning between teachers and students, that work to foster excellent results and enjoyable learning.
HEALTH & PHYSICAL EDUCATION FACULTY
A lively, vibrant area of the school where all students are actively engaged in a wide range of physical activities. We aim to deliver a high-quality physical education curriculum that inspires all students to succeed and excel in sport and other physically-demanding activities. This includes guidance for students to become physically confident in a way which supports their health and fitness, as well as providing opportunities to compete in sport and other activities, whilst building character and helping to embed values such as fairness, resilience, teamwork and respect.
In line with the national curriculum for physical education, we aim to ensure that all students:
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develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities
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are physically active for sustained periods of time
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develop interpersonal skills and leadership
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develop healthy, active lifestyles
The school has enviable standards across competitive sports to achieve at national level in a variety of codes. Our aims are to offer all students the opportunity to discover their sporting talent, to enjoy it no matter what their ability, to appreciate the importance of fitness and to find something which gives them a real sense of achievement. This spreads across into NCEA level where achievement is again very high and students are provided with numerous opportunities to embed lifelong learning habits.
TECHNOLOGY FACULTY
Technology is the creative and purposeful use of human knowledge, skills and physical resources to solve practical problems. Technology is part of our daily lives, both at home and at work. Technology education develops a wide range of skills including problem solving, design, construction, critical thinking, analysis, synthesis and evaluation.
LEARNING LANGUAGES FACULTY
Language development is essential to intellectual growth. It enables us to make sense of the world around us. The ability to use spoken and written language effectively is fundamental to learning and to effective participation in society and the workforce.
ENGLISH, ENGLISH FOR SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES, MEDIA AND LANGUAGES
English, Maori and Spanish, both oral and written, are offered by the Language Faculty. The pursuit of an alternative language provides personal, social, economic and cultural benefits. ESOL, Media Studies courses are also offered.
MEDIA STUDIES
Media studies is the study of the mass media as an academic subject. At Mahurangi College students who take media studies actively explore, analyse, create, and enjoy the media and its products.
Media studies examines the dynamic role of the media in society, how the media constructs messages about individuals, communities, and cultures and how media products are produced, controlled, and distributed.
Through media studies students gain the knowledge and skills to conceive, plan, and design media products that engage audiences.
Media studies can lead to a career in the creative industries in the areas of, design, marketing, advertising, journalism, public relations, television, film, radio, publishing, fashion. Students who complete tertiary training in media studies go on to careers in media production and analysis, public service and non-governmental organisations, teaching and research.