Trickle-down effects: How have developments in senior secondary school social studies shaped practice in junior secondary social studies?

Since the introduction of senior social studies for the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA ) in 2002, some progress has been made towards developing a unique identity for the subject. This progress has clarified a number of unresolved tensions relating to the nature and purpose of social studies, which have recurred during its 65-year history in New Zealand. This paper will explore how recent developments in senior social studies can productively influence pedagogy in junior secondary school social studies classes, thus improving the credibility and status of the subject at both levels in the secondary school context.