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. 

Week 8 Term 3 - Teacher Practice: Connecting Theme to our world - 91925 Theme Essay (September 07 - September 11)

I’ve been using a new resource that I created for my English class when we study The Dark Horse, and it’s been a game-changer for the way my students approach thematic analysis. The guide moves us beyond the classroom by asking students to take powerful themes—like redemption, the reality of mental health in Aotearoa, or the influence of gang culture—and connect them directly to our own backyard. Instead of just summarizing the film, students are encouraged to look at characters like Genesis and Mana and find the mirrors of those experiences in our current social, historical, and cultural landscape.

The real strength of this approach is how it balances structure with deep reflection. By using a straightforward scaffold, including the P.E.E.L. (Point, Evidence, Explain, Link) framework, it takes the intimidation factor out of essay writing. Whilst some people are against paragraph structures, for my students this is helpful. It gives students the scaffolding they need to build solid arguments without feeling overwhelmed. Because the framework grounds their writing in specific evidence from the film, they stop retelling the plot and start analyzing why these stories matter, which makes for much more insightful and mature writing.

Ultimately, I love this approach because it turns a standard English assignment into a meaningful conversation about identity and society. It isn't just about ticking boxes for an assessment; it’s about giving students the tools to articulate their own understanding of the world around them. By the time they finish their essays, they’ve done more than write a piece of analysis—they’ve engaged with some tough, important realities and found their own voice in the process. That is, for me, exactly what teaching English should be about.

Week 7 Term 3 - Totara House: Uike Kātoanga’i ‘o e lea faka-Tonga 2026 (August 31 - September 04)

Tongan Language Week 2026

In Week 5 Term 3 we celebrated Uike Kātoanga’i ‘o e lea faka-Tonga (Tongan Language Week). The theme for Tongan Language Week 2026 is "Ko 'etau hiva, ko e fe'unu mahu'inga ia ki he mo'ui 'a e Tonga - Our music is a vital strand of our Tongan culture". As a House, we really wanted to lean into this theme, so we came together to learn a Hiva Kakala. A Hiva Kakala is a beautiful traditional Tongan song, often performed in happy and celebratory contexts like weddings, birthdays, and social gatherings, making it the perfect choice to embrace the culture.

Totara House practicing Hiva Kakala with Mrs Vaioleti

We were so fortunate to have our Tongan staff members, Mrs Ana Vaioleti and Mr Dana Moala, leading the way and teaching us the song, with great support from Sione Tangi. We all really enjoyed the process of learning the Hiva Kakala and discovering how it plays such a special part in celebrating life's big moments. It was a great way for us to connect more deeply with the Tongan culture through music and shared learning.

Totara House: Hiva Kakala @ TLW Assembly 2026

Totara House Tongan Group 2026

Totara House really loves participating in these language weeks because they are the perfect opportunity for us to exercise our House value of Unity. It gives us a chance to come together to learn, understand, appreciate, and celebrate our Pacific languages. Seeing our students step up and commit to the practice showed exactly what our House is about—supporting one another, having a go, and being a strong, unified aiga.