The social sciences learning area is about how societies work and how people can participate as critical, active, informed, and responsible citizens. Contexts are drawn from the past, present, and future and from places within and beyond New Zealand.

Through the social sciences, students develop the knowledge and skills to enable them to: better understand, participate in, and contribute to the local, national, and global communities in which they live and work; engage critically with societal issues; and evaluate the sustainability of alternative social, economic, political, and environmental practices.

Students explore the unique bicultural nature of New Zealand society that derives from the Treaty of Waitangi. They learn about people, places, cultures, histories, and the economic world, within and beyond New Zealand. They develop understandings about how societies are organised and function and how the ways in which people and communities respond are shaped by different perspectives, values, and viewpoints. As they explore how others see themselves, students clarify their own identities in relation to their particular heritages and contexts.

Classical Studies is about exploring the people, places, and ideas of the ancient world and understanding their influence on modern society. Ākonga will critically engage with classical literature, art, history, and philosophy to consider how these cultures have shaped contemporary values, beliefs, and institutions. Through this study, students gain a deeper understanding of cultural heritage and human connections, fostering critical thinking, empathy, and a broader perspective on the world.

Geography is about our environments and the interconnections between the land, water, vegetation, climate and people. We ask the question “What Is Where, Why There, and Why Care?”. Geographic thinking helps students to participate in the world as critical, empathetic, informed, and responsible people. It considers where features of an environment are, how they interconnect, and how they can change over time with or without the influence of people.