Middle School
The Pulteney Middle School curriculum is tailored to the needs of the adolescent leaner, noting that this time at school can significantly impact the success of a student’s ongoing academic pursuits and study habits.
Experiential learning and lessons using real-life experiences, how to behave in certain scenarios and problem solving are all strong features in Middle School programming.
As students are also encouraged to participate in outdoor education and travel, and to immerse themselves in the arts, culture, and historical learning experiences as way to explore their own interests and talents.
Pulteney’s city location is also utilised for student participation in community events, such as Walk a Mile for Hutt St Centre, visits to local businesses and “City Week”.
The Australian Curriculum is fully implemented across all eight learning areas: English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities (History, Geography, Economics and Business and Citizenship), Technology, Languages, The Arts (Music, Drama, Visual Art, Design, Dance) and Health and Physical Education.
Flythrough Tour of Middle School
Watch our students take part in ‘City Week’
Students in Year 9 take part in ‘City Week’ – an annual team challenge based on a research topic selected by the team. Alongside their teammates, students experience the freedom to investigate our unique city location, conduct interviews, collect data and present their findings in a dynamic expo to parents, peers and community experts. Like all competitions, the authentic highs and lows of working as a team provide meaning learning and personal growth.
Middle School is an exciting time for students to further and deepen their disciplinary and interdisciplinary skills, knowledge and understanding. It provides an opportunity for students to explore their developing interests and passions. At Pulteney Grammar School, our learning program is underpinned by the Australian Curriculum and informed by our central values of authentic relationships and personalisation. We provide a multi -disciplinary and integrated approach with a focus on increasing academic standards. Our approach to teaching and learning in the Middle School is student – centred and designed around the needs of our adolescent learners. It is focused on a positive, technologically enhanced working environment, encouraging student development through social learning and interaction. The professional practice of Middle School teachers includes rigorous planning and preparation to produce engaging and authentic lessons. We aim for our students to develop an understanding of learning; and to develop a maturity and resilience to actively engage in and positively contribute to the wider community. Teaching and learning in the Middle School is creative, innovative, collaborative, rigorous, authentic, and engaging. This curriculum guide provides students and their families with an opportunity to explore the varied elective subjects offered in Year 7 to 9. This guide should be used in combination with conversation with the student’s subject teachers, Learning Area Leaders, Tutor, and Head of House so as to make wise and counselled decisions for the future. We commend this curriculum guide to both parents and students as a valuable resource, as together you make the subject choices to ensure a suitable preparation for the future.
Kind regards,
Craig Mc Farlane
Head of Middle School
