Curriculum

Teaching programmes in Middle School are designed to complement and stimulate learning as the students move through the progressive sequence of physiological, academic and emotional development stages. The curriculum is relevant, challenging, integrative and exploratory. Students in Year 7 and 8 are required to follow a set programme and in Year 9 and 10 are offered choices as Option Subjects. More information on specific areas of the curriculum can be found in the Middle School Handbook. Click here to download.

You may also contact the following staff to discuss curriculum matters in the Middle School:

Assistant Principal - Teaching and Learning Years 7-10: Mr Jason Gurney ext 2479
Year 7 Level Learning Leader: Ms Lorene Hurd ext 2332
Year 8 Level Learning Co-ordinator: Mrs Diane Webb ext 2432
Year 9 Level Learning Co-ordinator: Mr Dennis Brown ext 2367
Year 10 Level Learning Co-ordinator: Mr John Osborne ext 2416

IBO Middle Years Programme Co-ordinator: Mr John Osborne ext 2416

NCEA Year 10 2009 Results - Coming Soon!

Approximately 90 out of the 180 students at Year 10 each year do a full NCEA programme in the following subjects: Mathematics, Humanities and Science. Some students do one subject, others do two or three of these subjects accordingly to their ability.Education Outside the Classroom

National Standards

Information for parents about National Standards can be found on the Ministry of Education website.

Group Trips

A number of class or group trips are also offered to students throughout the year. These may be curriculum related, or for a particular year group, or for students interested in performing international community service etc. Visit the International pages for more information about partner school opportunities or click on the experiences we list below, to view more information.

Southern Europe Odyssey: 'Gallipoli' 2010

School Camps

In Week 4 of Term 1, all Middle School students experience Camp Week. Building on skills they already have, these experiences aim to:

Provide students with opportunities for enjoyment, adventure and challenge, both close to home and far away.
Develop students' skills so they can move with confidence and safety in urban, rural and wilderness settings.
Help students develop respect for themselves and others by providing them with opportunities for personal and social development.
Develop independence and interdependence.
Provide opportunities to strengthen links between students and staff.
Introduce students to Year 13 mentors.

Click on the image to see more from camp week this year.

House Points Competition

The House system aims to give students an identity and sense of pride in a supportive, secure environment. The Houses compete for points in a number of sporting, academic and cultural activities that create a closer rapport between students and teachers. Houses also aim to help new students to adapt to the culture of Kristin Middle School. Students belong to one of four House groups, each represented by a flag and logo. When Kristin was founded in 1973 the Houses were named after space probes and rockets from the 1960s and 1970s:

Jupiter – Red
Mariner – Green
Apollo – Blue
Saturn – Yellow

Each week the Sir William Pickering Memorial Trophy is presented to the House with the most points and their flag is raised outside the Middle School Office.

Student Welfare

The fundamental goals of the Middle School Student Welfare Programme is to encourage interaction between teachers and students and to ensure that each student's individual welfare is promoted. Every student needs to have a relationship with at least one adult that is characterised by warmth, concern, understanding and openness.

Each student is placed in a tutor group who meet each school day. Each year level has a Dean, who has overall responsibility for the year group. That Dean begins with a group at Year 7 and moves up each year with the group to the next level.

A close relationship between school and home is also essential for student success. Parents are urged to contact the year level Dean about any matter affecting the welfare of their child.

Future Problem Solving

Future Problem Solving (FPS) is a challenging programme where students discover rich and varied ways of thinking and are taught how to think, not just what to think. It is based on a future scenario - an imagined scene of the future. Students work in teams of four with a coach who facilitates their research into the topic and learning the skills required. Students analyse potential problems set in the future scene and then find ways to solve those problems. Click here to learn more.

Year 9 and 10

The Middle School years are a unique period of rapid physical and mental maturity. In Year 9 especially, we recognise the need to give students every assistance to cope with this important period of transition in their lives. A number of new students also enter the school at this time and a key goal is to provide them with a welcome introduction.

To motivate students entering this period of adolescence to learn, the atmosphere and climate of the school must be positive, safe, secure from bullying, accepting and encouraging. The Middle School at Kristin has, over the years, put many systems in place to ensure that each student's personal and academic development is enhanced.

In Year 9 the tutor system outlined below, provides the pastoral care necessary. A challenging camp allows for personal development and a buddy system is also set up for the new students.

In Year 10 the focus is put on students to become role models for the Middle School. They undertake a leadership programme and are then given the opportunity to join a leadership team and play a part in future developments of Middle School. Responsibility also increases academically as they prepare for Senior School as well as being encouraged to seize all their opportunities and get involved. For more information on Year 10 Leadership, click here.

Year 9 Pastoral Care Programme

In Middle School it is very important that students receive support, encouragement and advice in academic, social and spiritual areas. In Year 9 students take part in a pastoral care programme, they assemble either as a year group or with their Pastoral Care teacher. This takes place in the teaching day and covers such things as;

Chapel Services
Dean's Assemblies which are organised by Class Captains
Showcasing student work
Study skills workshops and career counselling
Guest speakers who present on curriculum related topics
Integration of subjects

Academic Support

In Middle School support classes give students with a learning difficulty extra assistance with English and literacy skills. These are small classes with an individual focus. Students are identified from test results and educational psychologist reports. Students may also be referred by teachers or parents.

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