Social Sciences: Te ao tangata

Being curious about the world and connected to your place within it is what Social Sciences at WHS is all about. Students engage with social sciences as a discipline of inquiry, learning to ask searching questions, analyse evidence, and think critically about the forces that shape human experience across time and place.

People, places, and society are at the heart of social sciences. Students learn that the world has been shaped by people from many cultures, contexts, and perspectives, and that New Zealand's bicultural foundations, including the constitutional significance of te Tiriti o Waitangi, are central to understanding who we are as a nation.

Years 9 and 10

Years 11 to 13
Students deepen their understanding of how places change and how societies function, with a focus on New Zealand's place in a globalised world.

They engage as critical citizens who explore complex contexts to understand the past, present and future. Students examine significant events and challenges and engage with concepts such as sovereignty, inequality, ethics and power. 
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Students develop strong social sciences practices, including analysing data and sources, evaluating competing perspectives, and making well-reasoned decisions. They learn to construct evidence-based arguments and to appreciate that social sciences knowledge is shaped by the questions we ask and the perspectives we bring.
​Students deepen their understanding of people, places, and societies and begin to specialise. Building on earlier learning, they may study History, Geography, Economics, Business Studies, Tourism or Psychology.

They engage with increasingly complex concepts, conduct in-depth inquiries, and apply social sciences thinking to real-world issues including environmental change, economic inequality, and political conflict. Students develop the skills to evaluate sources critically, construct sustained arguments, and consider the ethical dimensions of human decision-making.

These skills and experiences support pathways into tertiary study and careers in law, politics, journalism, education, and public service.
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What our students take from Social Sciences goes beyond the classroom. We want them to be informed, empathetic, and critically engaged citizens who understand the decisions, histories, and communities that shape the world they are stepping into.

"Critical thinking is the ability to analyse facts, generate and
organise ideas, defend opinions, make comparisons, draw
inferences, evaluate arguments and solve problems."

- Paul Chance, Columbia University

2027 Course Information

Curriculum and Course Option Updates for 2027
Please note that due to changes in the New Zealand curriculum and senior qualifications system, the course information currently on our website is no longer applicable for Year 9 and 10 students enrolling in 2027. We are in the process of updating our course options to reflect these changes.

Updated information about new course options and future pathways will be published on our website later this term. 

For students going into Year 11-13 in 2027, please view our Learning Area overview and Course Options below.