At Newcastle Grammar School, the Secondary School curriculum for each year level is deliberately designed to develop the academic potential of each student, with the pursuit of excellence and personal best.
The School follows the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA). In addition, students can pursue elective subjects aligned with their own interests, goals and talents including iSTEM (Years 9 and 10), Languages (French, Japanese and Mandarin), Design and Technology, Creative and Performing Arts, Food Technology and Psychology. We offer an Accelerated Program in Mathematics, Business Studies and Biology to support students with skill and passion to excel in these areas.
As students enter their final years of schooling in Years 11 and 12, they access a broad range of electives, specialty subjects and learning pathways, including extension courses, to ensure they are prepared for lives of meaning and success following graduation. Combined with our unique co-curricular program, MyNGS Passport , the Visible Wellbeing program and the School’s large network of industry connections, Newcastle Grammar School graduates are superbly equipped with the freedom and support to embark on their own outstanding futures.
Curriculum
Years 7-8
Chinese
Drama
English
French
Geography
History
Japanese
Mathematics
Music
PDHPE
Positive Education
Religious Education*
Science
Technology
Visual Arts
Year 9
Chinese
Commerce
Computing Technology
Design and Technology
Drama
English
Entrepreneurship
Food Technology
French
Geography
History
Information Technology
iSTEM
Japanese
Mathematics
Maths Acceleration
Music
Outdoor Education
PASS (Physical Activity and Sport Studies)
PDHPE (Personal Development, Health and Physical Education)
Psychology
Religious Education
Science
Visual Arts
Year 10
Biology
Business Studies (Acceleration)
Chinese
Commerce
Computing Technology
Design and Technology
Drama
English
Entrepreneurship
Ethics and Religious Education
Food Technology
French
Geography
History
Industrial Technology
Information Technology
Japanese
Mandarin
Mathematics
Maths Acceleration
Music
Outdoor Education
PASS (Physical Activity and Sport Studies)
PDHPE (Personal Development, Health and Physical Education)
Psychology
Science
Visual Arts
Year 11
Ancient History
Biology
Business Studies
Chemistry
Chinese Continuers
Design and Technology
Drama
Earth and Environmental Science
Economics
Engineering Studies
English Advanced
English Extension 1
English Standard
French Continuers
Geography
Hospitality
Japanese Continuers
Legal Studies
Mathematics Advanced
Mathematics Extension 1
Mathematics Standard
Modern History
Music 1 and 2
PDHPE
Physics
Society and Culture
Software Design
Studies of Religion 1
Visual Arts
Year 12
Ancient History
Biology
Business Studies
Chemistry
Chinese Continuers
Chinese Extension
Design and Technology
Drama
Earth and Environmental Science
Economics
Engineering Studies
English Advanced
English Extension 1 and 2
English Standard
French Continuers
French Extension
Geography
History Extension
Japanese Continuers
Japanese Extension
Legal Studies
Mathematics Advanced
Mathematics Extension 1 and 2
Mathematics Standard
Modern History
Music 1 and 2
Music Extension
PDHPE
Physics
Society and Culture
Studies of Religion 1
Visual Arts
Read more about Newcastle Grammar School’s academic success here
The Newcastle Grammar School graduates of today will transition into a vastly different world to that of generations past. As secondary educators, we must prepare students today for the uncertainties of tomorrow. NGS graduates will be charged with the responsibility of tackling some of the world’s most complex problems.
Teachers in the Secondary School design learning experiences within the New Pedagogies for Deep Learning framework. This approach recognises the importance of highly effective processes and practices in supporting students to develop the competencies they will require to participate in the highly complex world they will graduate into. These competencies are taught simultaneously with the disciplinary knowledge and skills in all subjects, recognising the importance of these global competencies in a holistic education.
These six competencies and the dimensions they incorporate, are embedded in the learning experience at NGS:
Character
- Proactive stance toward life and learning to learn
- Grit, tenacity, perseverance and resilience
- Empathy, compassion and integrity in action
Citizenship
- A global perspective
- Commitment to human equity and wellbeing through empathy and compassion for diverse values and world views
- Genuine interest in human environmental sustainability
- Solving ambiguous and complex problems in the real world to benefit citizens
Collaboration
- Working interdependently as a team
- Interpersonal and team-related skills
- Social, emotional, and intercultural skills
- Managing team dynamics and challenges
Communication
- Communication designed for audience and impact
- Message advocates a purpose and makes an impact
- Reflection to further develop and improve communication
- Voice and identity expressed to advance humanity
Creativity
- Economic and social entrepreneurialism
- Asking the right inquiry questions
- Pursuing and expressing novel ideas and solutions
Critical Thinking
- Evaluating information and arguments
- Making connections and identifying patterns
- Meaningful knowledge construction
- Experimenting, reflecting and taking action on ideas in the real world
