FROM THE DESKS OF THE PRINCIPALS ...
Thomas More College
From left: Matthew Davies – High School Headmaster; Anny Breedt –Junior Primary Headmistress; Gary Balarin –Senior Primary Headmaster.
Children are naturally exuberant and curious, and have a desire to make meaningful connections with the world around them.
At Thomas More College we recognise these characteristics and embrace them, by cultivating a passion for life and learning. each pupil’s journey is marked with multiple growth opportunities geared towards exploring and developing the best version of themselves. Staff partner with parents in their joint commitment to harness the talent and strengths of every child, inspiring them to become Tomorrow’s leaders Today.
Our comprehensive curriculum ensures that the range of subjects, sports and cultural offerings as well as spiritual and social engagements establish a balanced, well-rounded child, who is capable of making a difference in the world. in the face of rapid change, our pupils will experience a future different from the world we know, therefore, a proficient teaching methodology incorporating digital literacy is vital in imparting the necessary skills needed to succeed. We believe that effective collaboration, critical thinking and creativity promote a growth mindset for lifelong learning.
At Thomas More College, our dedicated teaching faculty ensures that students consistently achieve outstanding matric results, preparing them for a successful future. We foster a culture built on core values of purpose, belonging, personal effort, and a positive attitude – all anchored in our Christian-based ethos. As a result of this, we embrace a strong moral code. Our students develop confidence in their identity and are empowered to make meaningful contributions to society. looking ahead, Thomas More College is committed to our promise to provide inspired education. This year marks the launch of our new Sport high Performance Centre, which will feature a gym, a hockey pavilion, and biokinetic services to nurture and enhance our sporting talent. As we continue to grow and pursue excellence, we are guided by the words of ron Garan: “We are limited only by our imagination and our will to act.”
Al-Falaah College
Al-FAlAAh College continues to shine as a leading institution committed to academic excellence and spiritual growth. Serving learners from Grades 00 to 12, we provide a nurturing environment where students develop independent thinking, strong islamic values, and a solid foundation guided by the principles of the Qur’an and Sunnah.
Our holistic approach balances academic rigor with personal and spiritual development, ensuring that each learner experiences a sense of belonging and empowerment. This unique ethos of ‘experience the feel’ is supported by a passionate team of qualified educators dedicated to shaping wellrounded future achievers.
Through innovative teaching methods and a commitment to excellence, Al-Falaah College has become synonymous with producing outstanding achievers who excel both academically and spiritually. As we look to 2025, we remain steadfast in our mission to inspire success and nurture individuals who will make a meaningful impact on the world, insha’Allah.
Since inception, and for over three decades running, Al-Falaah College has maintained a 100% pass rate in the dBe national Senior Certificate exams. in 2024, we achieved 100% Bachelor passes, Alhamdulillah – an honour that places Al-Falaah among a handful of schools out of the 6 933 exam centres nationwide that can claim this accomplishment. We’ve now achieved 100% Bachelor passes in five of the last nine years, with 99% in two others. What’s more, 27% of our students earned distinction aggregates, while securing an equally impressive distinction rate of 2.8 distinctions per learner. By the grace of Allah, this solidifies our place among South Africa’s top-performing schools. While we secured an impressive number of distinctions at the top end, special care was taken to ensure no student was left behind. To this end, we are especially gratified that every student passed every subject, including the all-important gateway subjects like Mathematics, Physics, Accounting, and life Sciences.
Al-Falaah College remains dedicated to nurturing future leaders through an innovative approach rooted in islamic values, inspiring learners to excel academically and spiritually. The school looks forward to continuing this proud tradition of excellence.
Our Lady of Fatima
Our Matrics of 2024 have upheld the tradition of academic excellence at Our lady of Fatima, achieving an impressive group average of 75%. This accomplishment is a testament to the nurturing environment fostered between teachers and learners – one that ensures every child feels supported on their educational journey. it is especially fitting that this year’s top achiever, Julia Wellbeloved, who was named on the ieB Outstanding Achievers’ list, spent all 12 years of her schooling within our walls.
DCS
While we celebrate our girls’ academic achievements, we are most proud of the well-rounded young women they are becoming as they leave our school. Our educational approach is deeply rooted in the four dominican pillars: Study, Prayer, Service, and Community. We are committed to nurturing not only their minds but also their faith, hearts, and sense of family and connection. Beyond the classroom, our extensive extra-mural programme offers countless opportunities for our girls to explore their passions. As school life is about more than just academics – it’s also about making memories and building lifelong bonds – we actively encourage each girl to find her place to shine.
We look forward to another enriching and memorable year together as Sisters in Blue.
Zaffar Ahmed, Principal
Chantal Lourens, Principal
FROM THE DESKS OF THE PRINCIPALS ...
Highbury Preparatory School
IN a world where we find ourselves being influenced by artificial intelligence, the tumultuous growth of fake news and deep fakes, a key role in a modern education is to develop critical thinking and reading skills in our children. Highbury’s reading programme is scaffolded to develop strong reading and comprehension skills in our boys. A recent article in the Independent on Saturday stated:
“As traditional media is responsible for less and less of the information we receive, it’s especially important to be able to critically evaluate what you read.”
We need our boys to think critically and to grapple with concepts, ideas and positions that are taken in the texts they read. As global media morphs, a quality education system will develop the skills for society to read and think critically. The second area we are focusing on is Emotional Awareness. Developing emotional awareness enables people to manage emotions effectively and avoid being derailed by a sudden strong emotion. Research indicates that children with higher emotional intelligence are better able to pay attention, are more engaged at school, have more positive relationships and are more empathetic.
The third focus area in 2025 is that of developing Digital Responsibility within the Highbury community. There are many educational benefits to technology and the applications of technology in education cannot be denied. However, not all the information placed online is benign and we have much to do to protect the children and prepare them for the online space they find themselves in. When we take the first letter for these words, the R for Reading, the E for Emotional Awareness and the D for Digital Responsibility we get the word RED. Two images come to mind when thinking about RED. The first image is that of a red traffic light. The red traffic light tells us to stop. As a society, we need to stop and think about the current state of reading in the world. We need to
Eden College
EDEN College, though modest in size, fosters a warm and inclusive environment where learners, from the age of 2 years old to 18 years old, are embraced as part of a close-knit community. With a focus on small class sizes, we prioritise individualised attention to facilitate academic growth.
At Eden College, our commitment to cultivating a sense of community goes beyond just the physical space. We believe in creating a supportive environment where every individual is valued. We take pride in celebrating the unique qualities of each student and we strive to create an environment where everyone feels empowered to be their authentic self.
Our school boasts a vibrant arts and cultural programme alongside a dedicated sports department, ensuring an educational experience that creates confidence and versatility in our learners. In addition, we also offer a wide range of extracurricular activities to cater to diverse interests and talents. Whether it’s through art, music, sports, or community service, we encourage our students to explore their passions and develop a well-rounded skill set that will serve them well in the future.
stop and think about the impact that unsupervised and age inappropriate technology is having on our children and we need to grow our emotional intelligence. The second image to think about when we think of the word RED is a heart. As a community, we want to grow the influence of kindness and compassion in our school and society. The Highbury theme for this year is RED.
Our commitment to excellence and dedication to our students have been the driving forces behind our success. Our dedicated staff ensure that each learner receives the guidance they need to thrive academically and personally. With our experienced educators and personalised approach to learning, we are proud to continue our tradition of
Orient Islamic School
AT Orient Islamic School (OIS), we don’t just educate – we innovate. Our commitment to future-forward learning blends cutting-edge technology, academic excellence, and global exposure, ensuring our students are prepared for success in an ever-evolving world. This past year and more have been filled with remarkable achievements. Our students have excelled across various disciplines, earning prestigious awards and representing Orient Islamic School on national and international platforms.
A Digital-First Approach
From interactive classrooms to digital learning tools, OIS integrates technology into education, fostering creativity, problemsolving, and real-world skills.
Achievements
OIS students continue to excel on prestigious platforms, earning top awards in academics, leadership, and innovation. Our participation in international events, including a standout highlight was the recent Abu Dhabi trip, where our earners gained invaluable global exposure and showcased their football talents on an international stage. This reflects our commitment to shaping confident, well-rounded global citizens.
Award-Winning Excellence
We were proud to have achieved a 100% pass rate for six consecutive years, second place in KZN independent schools, third place for the Association of Muslim Schools (AMS) and second place for the Umlazi District Excellence awards. OIS stands as a beacon of quality education, where tradition meets innovation, and students are empowered to dream big, think critically, and lead boldly.
At OIS, we are not just preparing students for the future – we’re helping them create it. Enroll today and experience the future of education, today.
St Mary’s DSG
WHEN the Matric results are released we celebrate their achievements and this important milestone in their lives. To get them to this point requires a combination of encouragement from the parents and teachers, and the students working together to structure their time so that they are able to make the most of all the opportunities during their final year.
helping learners achieve outstanding results. As we look towards the future, we remain committed in our mission to inspire and empower the next generation. Join us at Eden College, where education goes beyond the classroom to inspire a lifelong love of learning.
In the challenging circumstances in which we find ourselves, how do teachers and parents raise and educate children well? Academic results are one thing, but there is so much more that contributes to being a successful adult. The surest way to future-proof our students is to ensure that they have experienced a holistic approach to education. They need to have opportunities to experience challenging situations where they have to think for themselves, work well with others and persevere during setbacks. The idea of “preparing the child for the road” and not the “road for the child”, is more important now than ever before. There are many articles referencing the significant role Emotional Intelligence plays in one’s career. Equally important is the ability of young adults to have clear values and to be able to think critically while navigating modern digital media.
St Mary’s DSG has been refining its approach to holistic education for decades and will remain committed to this philosophy because we see the
Imtiaz Saib Executive Head Orient Islamic School
Jonathan Manley
Christa Booysens
Roland Lacock
EDEN DURBAN
Pre-Primary | Preparatory | High School
den Schools Durban offers the best quality co-educational private schooling from Sunshine Group (grade 0000) to Matric in KZN. Eden Durban has the highest academic standards, expert teaching and a caring supportive environment that extends beyond the classroom. Our leaner’s horizons are broadened and they challenged to become more involved, thus developing their social, leadership and communication skills.
Matric Results
Eden’s Philosophy: Holistic Education
Eden Schools are committed to provide a balanced holistic education to produce well-rounded, accomplished, self-disciplined and confident individuals. In addition to offering a wide range of learning areas, we encourage our students to participate in various sports and extra-mural activities such as soccer, cricket, swimming, basketball, netball, sailing, dance, chess, debating, public speaking, eco projects and community outreach programmes.
Our matric results each year are outstanding. Eden has ranked as one of the top five schools in South Africa for our NSC matric results for the past 5 years. In 2022 and 2023 our top learner was ranked 3rd in Independent schools in KZN. We have had 100% bachelor passes since our inception in 2007.
The Secret to Eden’s Success
The secret to our success is firstly due to our small classes, and the warm, friendly, family atmosphere we cultivate and secondly to our experienced, caring teachers who are prepared to go the extra mile, giving extra lessons when needed. The children at Eden are happy to come to school. At Eden we strive to provide a unique and vibrant educational experience for our students. We celebrate the diversity of cultures in a cosmopolitan South Africa and respect religious practices and holidays of various faiths.
Note from a Past Parent
Eden is a school where the teachers go beyond the normal requirements of teaching. They form bonds with the children. They understand that not every child fits into the same mould. The smaller classes made it easier for a learner to block out the white noise and focus on the teacher’s voice. Here the spirit is not choked but encouraged to develop each in their own unique way.
We have a strong programme of arts and culture enabling our music, dance, drama and art students to have the opportunity to perform in festivals, productions, shows and exhibitions. Our Preparatory learners yearly perform at the Hilton Art Festival.
Extension at Eden
At Eden, we extend our children by encouraging out-the-box thinking and developing problem solving skills. Our children excel at various Olympiads such as the South African Mathematics Olympiad, Conquesta, the Computer and Physics Olympiad and the English Olympiad.
As a centre of excellence, Eden College Durban’s vision is to be a leading institution in educating boys and girls to enable them to become responsible young men and women who will make significant, positive contributions to the situations faced in South Africa and the world.
PRE-PRIMARY (Sunshine Group - 0000 to Grade 00)
Love and laughter; work and play
PREPARATORY (Grade R to Grade 7)
Growing happy children
COLLEGE (Grade 8 to Grade 12)
The genesis of genius
