Week 5 Term 4 - English Department: Junior English Plan for Term 4 (November 09 - November 13)

Year 9 Text Term 4: lamb to the Slaughter

For our Year 9 English classes, we’re diving straight into an engaging Short Text Study running from Weeks 1 through 8, where students are exploring Roald Dahl's gripping short story Lamb to the Slaughter and Taika Waititi’s fantastic short film Two Cars One Night. Our ākonga have already kicked things off by wrapping up their Speech Common Assessment Tasks (CAT), and we are now focusing on sharpening our essay-writing skills to prep everyone for the End of Year Examinations coming up in Weeks 4 and 5. It’s shaping up to be a busy, rewarding, and high-energy finish to 2026. 

Year 10 Text Term 4: The Sniper

Our Year 10s are in for an action-packed Term 4 as we dive straight into our Short Text Study! Running through Weeks 1 to 8, students are exploring Liam O’Flaherty’s gripping short story The Sniper alongside Taika Waititi’s brilliant short film Two Cars One Night. 

Year 9 and Year 10 Visual Text Term 4: Two Cars One Night

The Junior English film study centers around Taika Waititi’s brilliant short film, Two Cars One Night. This unit is designed to help students explore how key film techniques—like cinematography, lighting, sound design, and visual storytelling—work together alongside historical, cultural, and social contexts to shape deeper meaning. From unpacking core themes and characters during the first few weeks to building up toward our final response-to-text assessment, it's shaping up to be a fantastic journey into local cinematic storytelling. After wrapping up their Speech Common Assessment Tasks at the end of Week 1, our ākonga are shifting their focus to crafting powerful response-to-text essays to lock in top-tier preparation for their End of Year Examinations in Weeks 4 and 5. Let's keep this fantastic energy rolling and make it an unforgettable finish to the year. 

Week 4 Term 4 - English Department: Department Goals Term 4 (November 02 - November 06)

As we enter Term 4, our department priorities are focused on driving strong student achievement, maintaining rigorous moderation and administration standards, and setting a firm foundation for 2026. The expectations for our team this term are high, clear, and essential for ensuring academic success and department readiness.

Term 4 Department Goals:

Completing Senior Assessments & External Exam Prep: Ensure all NCEA Level 1, 2, and 3 internal assessments are finalized and submitted on schedule. Thoroughly prepare senior students for their final NCEA external examinations in November.

Completing Priority Administration & Moderation: Fully complete all Internal Moderation Cover Sheets and update Sections 1 and 2 of all Professional Growth Cycle (PGC) documentation to ensure total compliance and academic integrity.

Finalizing 2026 Unit Plans: Review, refine, and finalize all Unit Plans across both Junior and Senior English courses so that all teaching programs and resources are locked in and ready for 2026.

Unpacking and Aligning the Junior Curriculum: Unpack the refreshed Junior Curriculum and systematically align it with our current Tāmaki College Junior English Curriculum to maintain high standards and consistent learning pathways for all ākonga.

Ultimately, these goals are more than just items on an administrative checklist—they represent our shared commitment to empowering our ākonga and enriching our school community. By finishing strong in senior assessments, staying on top of our moderation, and thoughtfully aligning our curriculum for next year, we build an environment where every learner can succeed. Ultimately, these goals are more than just items on an administrative checklist—they represent our shared commitment to empowering our ākonga and enriching our school community. 

By finishing strong in senior assessments, staying on top of our moderation, and thoughtfully aligning our curriculum for next year, we build an environment where every learner can succeed. Achieving these milestones together as a unified team ensures that our students receive the consistent guidance, stability, and high-quality education they deserve as they take the next steps in their academic journeys.

Week 3 Term 4 - English Department: Term 3 Senior English Review (October 26 - October 30)

The following section provides a detailed breakdown of Term 3 academic achievement data across NCEA Levels 1, 2, and 3, offering insight into student performance and progress in Senior English. *The data shown is from Week 9 Term 3 (September 14 - September 18).

NCEA Level 1 English Data Week 9 Term 3

NCEA Level 1 English Data - Here is the summary of the NCEA Level 1 English student achievement data for Term 3:

5 Credits (43.3%): The largest group of students have successfully attained 5 credits.


10 Credits (30.7%): A strong segment of students have achieved 10 credits.


0 Credits (26%): Students who have not yet secured credits for this period.

We extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to our NCEA Level 1 English teachers—Ms Latu, Mrs Harde, Mr Hoosein, and Mrs Lata—for their ongoing commitment, hard work, and dedication to student success.

NCEA Level 2 English Data Week 9 Term 3

NCEA Level 2 English Data - Out of 116 students in Level 2 English, 74 students have 3 credits, and 41 have 0 credits. We look forward to the update of credits for Term 3 once our external verification moderation is completed. We acknowledge Mrs Harde, Mrs Lata, Mr Hoosein, and Mr Sevilla for their dedication and support.

NCEA Level 3 English Data Week 9 Term 3

NCEA Level 3 English Data - According to the Term 3 data, 87.3% of students have attained 3 credits, while 12.7% have 0 credits so far. We look forward to the update of credits for Term 3 once our external verification moderation is completed. We acknowledge Ms Latu, Mrs Harde, and Mrs Lata for their ongoing support and dedication to our Level 3 students.

Week 2 Term 4 - English Department: Term 3 Junior English Review (October 19 - October 23)

Year 13 akonga judging 9TKl's formal writing games

In Junior English, our Years 9 and 10 classes enjoyed a vibrant, highly engaging Term 3. Our primary focus this term centered on visual text study through our film study units, where students explored 'Encanto' in Year 9 English, alongside 'Remember the Titans' and 'Freedom Writers' in Year 10. These engaging visual texts provided rich opportunities for our learners to explore themes, character development, and visual techniques in depth.

Junior English Term 3 2026

For our Common Assessment Task, students focused on Speeches, basing their presentations on an important theme from their visual text study. Year 9 and Year 10 ākonga defined their chosen theme, examined how it was represented within the text, and shared their personal connections to it. We encouraged our ākonga to craft their written speeches using a reflective personal account writing style, and it was inspiring to see them step up with such creativity, confidence, and enthusiasm as they shared their stories and perspectives.

Senior students @ the English Department display @ Careers Evening

We also want to share a special acknowledgement and heartfelt thanks to Ms Amber George and her class 9TKl. They went above and beyond by creating their own books and interactive games structured around Formal Writing concepts. Their dedication, creativity, and reflective approach to learning provided a wonderful highlight for our entire department. 

Week 1 Term 4 - English Department: Term 3 Review (October 12 - October 17)

Term 3 has been a busy, rewarding, and vibrant term for the English Department at Tāmaki College. Across all levels, our focus was on helping our students find and share their authentic voices, while keeping our team connected and supported. That sense of teamwork helped us manage a full schedule of classroom projects, literacy programs, assessment tracking, and moderation, making Term 3 a real success for both staff and students.

In Junior English, our Years 9 and 10 classes worked under the theme “We are storytellers,” which gave students space to express their personal perspectives and ideas. Our primary focus was on film study, exploring a variety of engaging visual texts including Encanto for Year 9 English, as well as Remember the Titans and Freedom Writers for Year 10. Students put their creativity and confidence on display in their Speech Common Assessment Task, sharing their unique voices and stories. Meanwhile, regular library sessions with StepsWeb and independent reading continued to support our core goal of reading for pleasure.

English Department @ the Career Pathway Evening Term 3 2026

Across Senior English, students made steady, encouraging progress across NCEA Levels 1, 2, and 3. A comprehensive review of our Term 3 2026 Senior English data highlights key achievements and areas for growth across all three levels, providing critical insights to guide our targeted support strategies moving into Term 4. Level 1 students built up their credit totals through internal assessment 91924 and Literacy CAAs, with several reaching up to 15 credits. In Level 2, 33 students have already hit their 14-credit target, with others making solid gains across internal standards. Our Level 3 students stayed focused on completing key assessments to secure vital University Entrance literacy and subject credits. This academic progress was kept on track thanks to careful moderation, Derived Grade Exam prep, and regular tracking from our teaching staff.

None of this work happens without the heart and dedication of our English Department team. A sincere thank you to Co-HOLA Mrs Pravina Harde, Ms Anahina Latu, Ms Amber George, Mr Faiyaz Hoosein, Mr Jeiel Sevilla, and Mrs Nivashni Lata for everything you do for our students, department, and school community. Your hard work, support for one another, and genuine care for our learners made Term 3 successful, and we are ready to carry that positive momentum straight into Term 4. 

Week 10 Term 3 - Totara House: Leadership Assembly (September 21 - September 25)

Totara House Student Leaders 2026 with the 2027 Student Leader Applicants

Gathering together for our latest Totara House leadership assembly was such a proud moment for our house family. We took time to pause, reflect, and center our focus on student leadership and the incredible young people stepping forward to serve our community. Looking out at everyone in the room, I felt deeply inspired by the strong sense of unity and care that defines Totara House.

Totara House: Leadership Assembly Term 3 2026

One of the highlights of the assembly was hearing our student leader Mani Kava deliver the reflection. He spoke with such honesty about what it truly means to lead, reminding us all that leadership is about helping each other carry the load. Mani pointed out that we do not have to carry everything on our own or lead entirely as individuals; rather, real leadership means working together as a connected team.

Totara House: Leadership Assembly Term 3 2026

We also heard from our wonderful Year 12 students who applied for leadership roles next year. They shared why they chose to put their names forward, what leadership means to them, and their hopes for Totara House in 2027. Listening to their aspirations was incredibly moving, as they spoke about a genuine desire to serve their peers and make a lasting positive impact on our house.

Totara House: Leadership Assembly Term 3 2026

A true standout moment came when one of them shared a message that really captured the heart of our community. They expressed that their hope is for us to learn to be comfortable together as a house, to lean on each other when we need to, and to help one another out. They reminded us how important it is to stick together and be great examples not just for ourselves, but for other students in the school, because one day everyone will be seniors and leaders who have to guide the next generation.

Week 9 Term 3 - Teacher Practice: Understanding Character - 91925 Character Essay (September 14 - September 18)

Character Profile 

This essay plan is designed to help you dig deep into the characters of The Dark Horse. It kicks off by setting the stage, introducing the main figures—Genesis, Mana, and Ariki—and asking you to really think about their individual journeys, their struggles, and the emotional impact they have on the audience.

Character Essay - Introduction

Next, it breaks down the essay writing process into easy-to-follow scaffolds. The introduction section helps you get started with a hook, mentions the film, and guides you to create a clear thesis statement where you state exactly how your chosen character makes you feel. It’s all about getting your main argument structured right from the beginning.

Character Essay - PEEL 

Following the intro, the document provides a simple P.E.E.L. structure for your three main body paragraphs. This is super helpful because it breaks down exactly what to write: a clear point, specific evidence from the film, an explanation of why that scene matters to you, and a final link back to your main question. It basically gives you a template to make sure your points are solid and connected.

Character Essay - Conclusion

Finally, it wraps up with a conclusion scaffold that helps you tie everything together. It guides you to restate your main point, summarize your three key connections, and leave your readers with a final thought on what this powerful film teaches us about society. It’s a great, simple framework to turn your thoughts into a finished essay.