School life at Māngere College is about more than what happens in the classroom. Our students are encouraged to take part, try new things, celebrate who they are, and build strong connections with others. Through sport, culture, the arts, leadership, wellbeing support, and learning beyond the classroom, we create opportunities for every student to belong, grow, and succeed.
The Art Department at Māngere College teaches incremental Drawing, Painting, and Printmaking skills and ideas, which are progressively individualised.
For many years, the Art Department has consistently performed highly in the NCEA assessment, with success rates above the national average in both the internal and external assessment. We are aspirational in our approach to student success, with almost all Art students passing NCEA Art at Level 1, 2, and 3, with significant numbers of Merit and Excellence subject endorsements each year.
All Year 9 students complete one term of financial education, giving them a foundation in basic money matters. In Students can then choose from a range of Commerce subjects, including Accounting, Economics, and Business Studies. These subjects support future pathways in business, finance, management, marketing, banking, tourism, consultancy, self-employment, and many other career areas.
Students learn about budgeting, business planning, marketing, pricing, production, trade, employment, inflation, economic growth, and government decision-making. Commerce subjects provide practical skills that are useful in any profession.
The Careers Department is a welcoming and supportive space where students can seek guidance about future study, training, employment, and career options. We support students with finding employment opportunities in the community, organising driver licence pathways, exploring academic and vocational study options, and accessing additional support to help them succeed in their chosen field.
We encourage students to be independent, ask questions, take initiative, and actively engage in planning their future. Whether students already have a clear goal or are still exploring their options, our team is here to help them make informed decisions and take positive steps toward their next pathway.
The English Department helps students build strong reading, writing, speaking, and critical thinking skills. Our reading programme supports students to become confident, independent readers, while our writing programme helps them write clearly across a range of styles and purposes. Students are also encouraged to share their ideas through speaking, discussion, debating, and spoken word opportunities.
We value the cultures, identities, and heritage of our students and reflect this through the language, literature, and texts we teach. Our teachers aim to build strong relationships, set high expectations, and support every student to grow with confidence, curiosity, and integrity.
For those students who have recently arrived in New Zealand, ESOL classes gives them the opportunity to develop their English in a safe environment, often in smaller classes. Those students who are in the mainstream but still needing some help with their English will also often have the opportunity to get teacher aide assistance in their mainstream class.
Our ESOL classes are planned around current themes that seek to develop language used across the curriculum, and often incorporate practical elements in the classroom. School trips into the school garden and the community strive to teach elements of our community and New Zealand life.
The Languages Department at Māngere College encourages students to explore language, culture, identity, and communication. Communication is at the heart of our learning. Students learn to use language to make meaning, understand how language works, and explore the connection between language and culture.
We support students to grow in confidence and reach their full potential through whanaungatanga, tautoko, tika, and pono. The 5 different Languages we teach here are Te reo Māori, Cook Islands Māori, Lea Faka Tonga, Gagana Samoa and Mandarin.
At Māngere College, Mathematics supports students from everyday numeracy skills through to preparation for further study and future career pathways. Students are encouraged to explore mathematical ideas in different ways, make connections across learning areas, and use technology appropriately in their learning. Senior students are guided to choose Mathematics courses that align with their interests, goals, and future pathways.
Our staff provide extra support through tutorials outside of class, including one-to-one help where needed. Students also have opportunities to take part in Mathematics competitions and external programmes such as Pacific Academy, which supports senior students preparing for Mathematics and Statistics externals.
The Performing Arts Department supports students to build confidence and self-expression through Dance, Drama, and Music. Students learn in a safe and supportive environment where they develop the ability to express ideas through performance and composition. Students have opportunities to share their talent at showcases, competitions, and awards ceremonies.
Our teachers and tutors work closely with students to broaden their creative skills and expose them to different styles, perspectives, and performance opportunities. We also connect with external professionals, organisations, and mentors to support student growth and success in the Performing Arts. Our students are always at the centre of our teaching and decision-making.
Science at Māngere College helps students explore, question, and understand the world around them. Students investigate living, physical, material, and technological aspects of their environment through observation, measurement, experimentation, and creative thinking.
Our Science Department is well resourced and supported by experienced, knowledgeable staff. Junior students learn across the main strands of Science, while senior students can specialise in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.
Students are given opportunities to take part in practical experiments, collaborative learning, and hands-on activities that build curiosity, confidence, and critical thinking.
The Social Sciences Department at Māngere College helps students understand the world around them and their place within it. Students explore how societies work and how people can participate as critical, active, informed, and responsible citizens. Learning includes Te Ao Māori, Pasifika world views, local contexts, and global issues.
All students study Social Studies in Years 9 and 10. In the senior school, students can continue into specialist subjects including History, Geography, and Sustainability.
In Years 9 and 10, students build inquiry, decision-making, and critical thinking skills. Year 9 focuses on Tūrangawaewae – A Place to Stand, exploring identity and belonging. Year 10 focuses on Global Citizenship, helping students understand and respond to global challenges. Senior students explore Aotearoa, the Pacific, Tāmaki Makaurau, and wider global issues through History and Geography. They are encouraged to ask questions, investigate topics that interest them, and develop their own views as active citizens.
Through Sustainability, students work with community partners to design solutions for a more sustainable future, with a focus on kaitiakitanga and caring for our local environment, including Te Manukanuka o Hoturoa and Māngere Mountain Te Pane o Mataoho.
Technology at Māngere College gives students the opportunity to explore practical, creative, and digital learning through hands-on projects and real-world problem solving.
In Year 9, students rotate through a range of short courses, including Food Technology, Fabric Technology, Digital Technology, Hard Materials, and Design and Visual Communication. These courses give students a taste of the different Technology pathways available.
In Year 10, students choose full-year courses such as Digital Technology, Food Technology, Fashion, Wood Technology, Design and Product Development, and Multi Materials Technology. These courses allow students to develop practical skills and confidence through project-based learning.
From Years 11 to 13, students can specialise in a range of NCEA Technology subjects, including Building and Construction, Catering, Digital Technology, Design and Visual Communication, Fashion, Metal Technology, Automotive, Hospitality, and Travel and Tourism.
Technology subjects combine practical and written skills, helping students develop creativity, precision, problem-solving, and career-focused knowledge. Senior students work on projects that inspire them while preparing for employment, apprenticeships, training, or further study.
Health and Physical Education at Māngere College supports students to make informed choices about their wellbeing, stay active, and work positively with people of all cultures and abilities.
Through Health Education, students explore the factors that influence wellbeing, including social, cultural, environmental, physical, and emotional factors. Junior students learn about hauora, positive relationships, mental health, nutrition, drug and alcohol education, and sexuality education. In senior Health, students examine these topics in greater depth and investigate current health issues in Aotearoa New Zealand and around the world. Health is a university-approved subject.
Physical Education focuses on movement, participation, teamwork, leadership, and the role physical activity plays in individual and community wellbeing. Junior students take part in a range of activities such as aquatics, adventure-based learning, anatomy, international games, and skill development. Senior students build deeper knowledge in areas such as anatomy, biomechanics, training programmes, outdoor education, leadership, performance improvement, and officiating.
Our aim is to help students think critically, develop confidence, take responsibility for their wellbeing, and contribute positively to their communities.