The science enrichment programme is part of the school’s enrichment programme run in conjunction with the Learning Centre, and has been running successfully for the last five years.

The intent of the enrichment programme is to challenge and maintain the interest of able students in Science through the provision of an alternative science pathway into the senior school. This programme is not designed primarily to fast track students up through the year levels (although some advanced material is covered in some courses). Rather, it extends their knowledge base at each level and prepares them very thoroughly for their senior sciences, should they choose to continue them.

One of the key goals of the programme is to prepare interested students for scholarship in science related subjects by the time they complete Year 13.

Students who are chosen for the programme in Year 9 are placed in two classes and work through what we term an enrichment Science course for the year. This course, in addition to Year 9 work, covers some Year 10 work to prepare them for the following year.

Year 10 enrichment students work through the level 1 NCEA Science course that typically Year 11 students do and sit the achievement standards, both internal and external.

The classes the following year (their Year 11 year) work through a special Advanced Science course which is a mixture of more demanding level 1 Physics, Chemistry and Biology standards, before entering Year 12 courses the following year.

Students in the Year 10 programme opt in on the understanding that they also will complete the Advanced Science course the following year. Keeping the students together for their science learning has been hugely advantageous for their learning as NCEA results show.