ST GEORGE’S CELEBRATES 175 YEARS

This year St George’s Grammar School celebrates 175 years as the oldest independent school in southern Africa. Looking back on the 175-year history we reflect on some of the major milestones:

1848 St George’s Grammar School was founded by Bishop Robert Gray on the grounds where the St George’s Cathedral is located today.

1897 Mr Samuel Pinchin was appointed as Headmaster and both his son and grandson attended the school. One of the sports houses at the school is named after him.

1903 The first school prospectus was printed.

1904 The school moved into a new building (designed by Sir Herbert Baker) next to the St George’s Cathedral. This building was declared a national monument 82 years later.

1906 Late in the year, the school’s past pupils’ association, The Old Georgian Union, held its first ever dinner. This would go on to become an annual event.

1924 Mr Cecil Shaw, after whom another of the school’s sports houses is named, was appointed vice-principal. He had a great passion for Cadets and led the school to win most of the interschools Cadet competitions.

1935 Rev Cecil Tugman was appointed Headmaster and the 3rd sports house at the school is named after him.

1936 The school managed to purchase the Bloemendal estate, thanks to Rev Tugman and his wife, who not only used their own savings but also had the foresight of eventually having the whole school on one campus in addition to having enough space for all sporting facilities.

1948 The school celebrated its Centenary.

1949 The Prep School moved to the Bloemendal campus and was housed in prefab buildings.

1956 The swimming pool was opened on the Bloemendal campus and the interhouse gala was held.

1966 Mr Graham Dods was appointed Headmaster and went on to be the longest serving Headmaster in the school history having been with the school for 17 years. The building that houses the school’s Library and IT centres was named after him.

In August of this year, the Prep School officially moved into the newly built classroom block, which also housed a school hall.

1984 Mr Paul Cannon is appointed as Headmaster.

1989 The first girls joined the school.

1998 Mr Barry Hart was appointed Headmaster and the school celebrates 150 years.

2004 The school joins the international Round Square association.

2011 Mr Julian Cameron, the current Head, is appointed.

2020 The school successfully navigates the COVID 19 pandemic.

2023: A CELEBRATION OF 175 YEARS!

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In the past 175 years, St George’s Grammar School has had the privilege of educating many dynamic girls and boys to become citizens of the world, whether it be in the field of medicine, teaching, the arts and many more.

We look forward to welcoming you to one of our Open Days small group tours and showing you how your child can flourish in our truly diverse environment.

For further information and to book your place on one of the tours, please visit www.sggs.co.za to do an online booking for one of the tours or contact Chantal on marketing.admissions@sggs.co.za www.sggs.co.za

Cannons Creek Independent School is pleased to share the news that Mr Angus Morton has taken over the reins from Mr Mike van Haght, as High School Principal and Executive Head. The announcement was made to staff by Mr Jan de Waal (Transitional Board Chair) towards the end of the 2022 academic year.

Mr Morton has spent the largest part of his career in the independent school sector. He was a founding staff member of Somerset College in 1997. As a Deputy Head at Somerset College, he oversaw the academic and pastoral programmes. After leaving Somerset College at the end of 2006 Mr Morton spent two years as a Chemistry teacher at The Leys School in Cambridge, United Kingdom. Thereafter he joined Elkanah House High School as the Head of the Physical Sciences Department where he was appointed Head of Elkanah House High School in 2020. In 2022, Mr Morton became Head of Physical Sciences at Somerset West Private School. He describes himself as a passionate educator who is deeply committed to the holistic, relevant and valuesbased education that is common to all the schools that he has served in. His approach to education goes beyond academic achievement and focuses on the acquisition of skills, attitudes and values. He believes that all schools should remain at the forefront of authentic innovation and challenge as they prepare their matriculants for the changing world they will face.

Mr Morton’s family is central to who he is and they spend much time together in the mountains or around a fire or pool. Relationships are key to him and this is no less true in his school life.

Mr Morton matriculated from Westerford High School and completed his Bachelor of Sciences degree and Post Graduate Higher Diploma in Education at UCT. When asked why he had applied for the post, he responded, "I have always taught in schools that emphasise the development of whole young people, helping them to reach their full potential with a broad holistic curriculum. I believe that this is most likely to be achieved in an environment where pupils believe they are respected and cared for. Cannons Creek is a small community school, a nurturing environment conducive to building healthy relationships and offering a broad, full programme. It is just the right fit." 

Open Day

Robotics

Tech Kids Teaching Kids

Congratulations go to Texpand, winners of the 2023 Western Cape Regional Competition with their competition alliance partners, Syre. Texpand goes to the National Competition on 25th February with hopes to qualify for the World Championships to be held in Texas.

Texpand is a Pinelands based robotics team who, for two years running, has won the SA FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), a robotics competition for teenagers. The competition engages learners in competitive robot games through which they are able to learn valuable STEM, life and business skills.

Texpand has been privileged to be able to spend time with the bright grade 7 learners at Silverlea Primary, in Athlone, who were just starting in robotics. They had been sponsored a wonderful robotics lab with equipment, but did not have technical coaches and reached out for assistance in August 2022.

Texpand jumped into action since their mission centers on expanding STEM skills through robotics. Robotics can be made available to more people if the need for expensive and scarce technical coaches is reduced. This has been achieved in their own team, where they learned to access online resources to teach themselves, access the expertise of more experienced teams in the USA and used this information to teach other kids. The Texpand team (aged 13-16) spent many hours teaching and running workshops at Silverlea, on mechanical design, coding, systems control and basic maths for robotics. With Texpand’s support the Silverlea team produced great outcomes, competing in the regional FIRST Lego League competition, placing 3rd in the game and winning the award for best design! Hanaan from Silverlea said “Our session with the Texpand team was so much fun. I thought that Robotic Design and Coding was hard to understand but with their assistance I realized that it’s not that bad.”

Friday 3 March Programme runs

8:45 - 10:30am

We are a thriving, competitively priced independent school in Pinelands with small classes, using a rich and stimulating curriculum, and striving to serve the child as a whole person.

8 Protea Close Pinelands

RSVP 021 532 1816 admin@graceprimary.org www .graceprimary.org

If you would like to learn more about the ‘living education’ offered by Grace Primary, please join us at this event to see the school in action and ask all your questions.

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There are high hopes for a continued partnership to help develop Silverlea and other schools into thriving and selfsustaining robotics teams, with the more experienced students learning how to pass their skills on to their younger schoolmates.

To learn more about Texpand’s work at Silverlea or support them in their mission, see texpand.org.za 