South Wellington Intermediate School is a specialist Year 7 & 8 school, which focuses on the specific needs of early adolescents.

Emerging adolescence is an important developmental stage. South Wellington Intermediate School values this time and is set up with the physical, emotional and academic needs of this unique and complex group always at the forefront.

Students are supported to become independent learners, thinkers and actors and we make the most of every opportunity to provide them with a wide, challenging and varied range of experiences.

The variety of subjects we offer give our students the opportunity to interact with a range of staff and help to build positive learning relationships across the school. It is also good preparation for your child’s secondary education.

We encourage you to participate with us in your child’s learning and hope that you will support the many opportunities and activities on offer.

We can’t wait to share the next two years of your child’s learning journey with you.

Nga mihi nui koutou.

Class structure

All our classes are mixed Year 7 & Year 8, and students stay with the same homeroom teacher for the two years that they are with us. This ensures they develop a strong relationship with that teacher, who is responsible for their general wellbeing at school.

The placement of new students is very carefully considered and we seek feedback from students current schools about what is best for them both acedemically, socially and behaviourally. We do not accept parent requests for a particular teacher or group of peers.

Each day students are taught integrated studies usually through the inquiry model.

Homeroom and core subjects

The Homeroom teacher teaches:

• English
• Mathematics
• Social Studies
• Health

Semi-specialisation subjects (semi-spec)

Throughout the week students also go to specialist classrooms for Semi Specialisation Subjects (Semi-spec) taught by teachers whose strengths and passions lie in these areas :

• Science
• Physical Education (P.E.)
• Te Reo & Aotearoa NZ History studies
• Technology subjects including Hard Materials, Digital Technology, Food Technology, Textiles
• Arts subjects including Music, Visual Arts, Film, Drama, Philosophy

Enrichment programmes

As part of the broader curriculum, our students participate in a wide range of elective enrichment subjects. Students spend half the year learning their chosen languages (2) and half the year doing their chosen sports (4). These programmes run weekly on Monday afternoons.

The language options can include French, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Malay, and Te Reo. The sport options can include basketball, table tennis, football, kia o rahi (a Māori ball sport) and many more.

For the this Enrichment Programme, students choose a subject that they are interested in or passionate about from the options provided. The programme runs on a Friday afternoon, for either one term, half a year or the whole year depending on the programme.

Previous options have included:

• Animal Safari
• Theatre Sports
• Building
• Card Art
• Babysitting
• Coding
• Gardening
• Pump Dance
• School of Rock

There are a number of extracurricular sporting, academic, cultural and arts programmes, which students can opt into, and which provide opportunities to extend their interests and passions.

• We run many SWIS sports teams such as water polo, netball, basketball, floorball and touch rugby, who play after school or on weekends.
• We are members of the Wellington Regional Intermediate Schools Sports Association and participate in a range of inter-school sporting events annually.
• We offer ‘Future Problem Solving Club‘ which runs before school and challenges students in critical thinking.
• We participate in events such as the AIMS Games, EPRO-8, Kids Literature Quiz Competition, ICAS examinations (external optional international exams), World Scholars Cup, National writing and art competitions and events, the William Pike Challenge and much more.
• Throughout the year we also participate in social awareness activities such as the 40 hour famine and Pink Shirt Day.