Year 9 Social Studies

The Social Sciences are dedicated to delivering authentic and engaging learning experiences to Hutt Valley High Schools diverse group of learners . A complex, rapidly changing and interconnected global society means that an understanding of different values, perspectives and cultural context is more important than ever for successfully navigating, and ultimately harnessing the opportunities afforded young people in the 21st Century. 

Students involved in the social sciences at HVHS are encouraged to explore their own interests through a variety of local and global contexts both past, present and future. Students develop key competencies in accordance with the stated aims of the New Zealand Curriculum and teachers endeavour to ensure that: ‘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 Te Tiriti o 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.’

Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories sits within social sciences in The New Zealand Curriculum. It is part of the social sciences learning area because it encourages learners to be critical citizens - learning about the past to understand the present and to prepare for the future.