St Patrick's College, Kokstad, KwaZulu Natal

Excellence on your doorstep

For many parents, particularly those with children in Grades Six and Seven, this is a time of decision-making regarding your child’s high school career. It is also a time of marketing promotions by high schools, desperate to fill their classes with the “best” pupils possible. Making the decision as to which school will best suit your child is not always easy and it is important to remember to investigate thoroughly for yourself and not to rely on hearsay and misinformation that is often given out by pressure groups who are trying to “sell” a particular product, usually to ensure that their child has a support group of friends as he or she enters Grade Eight. There will also be the “experts” who will make broad

statements about schools that they know very little about, or based on their time at school some ten to twenty years ago in a very different world to that faced by our children today. This article aims to give the reader facts about St Patrick’s College and hopefully to give you the chance to make an informed decision when contemplating your child’s next move. It is entitled “Excellence on your Doorstep” not because we believe that St Patrick’s is better than all competitors, but because we believe that we can offer an affordable and comparable education without having to send your child away from the family grouping, so vital for the inculcation of values, particularly during the extremely vulnerable early teenage phase of his life. We hope that this information will provide you with a yardstick when comparing schools and that you will ask the same questions of the schools themselves without relying on the “hearsay” of often partisan acquaintances. All good schools will be able to give you factual answers rather than third party anecdotes to these questions.

At College level our learners are equipped for their future careers

What is the teacher:pupil ratio in the school?
St Patricks College has a Teacher:Pupil Ratio of 1:8. It is impossible for your child to “fall into the cracks.” Children are divided into tutor groups where one member of staff takes responsibility for between eight and thirteen pupils’ academic progress. Tutor groups meet three times a week.



Computer Technology - An important part of our curriculum	Individual Academic Attention

Will my child get a fare share of sporting and cultural exposure?
The first question that you need to ask yourself is why you want your child to play sport. Will it be a career option; that is to become a professional sportsman in a particular discipline? If this is the case, then you should identify an academy school in which your child will specialise and send him or her there. For example, I know of children who have received sports scholarships at big schools but may only play that sport during the season. Thus a boy may only play hockey and may not do rugby as well. The argument for this is that he will become an excellent hockey player because of specialisation.

If, however, you would like your child to become an all-rounder, with talents and opportunities to make his or her own choices after school, then a smaller school offers a better option for the following reasons. Firstly, your child will be in almost all the teams, experiencing all the social development that goes with playing matches – often against stronger sides. Secondly, he or she will not be relegated to the “G” team and experience most of his pride in school sport as a spectator or cheerleader. Thirdly, because a smaller school needs every available player, there is a far greater appreciation for effort made. Mistakes and poor ability are not nearly as harshly criticised by one’s teammates and the win-at-all costs mentality is less prevalent.

The argument is the same for cultural experiences such as the School Play, House Plays, Science and Enviro Quizes, etc. A smaller school relies on the maximum participation of all its pupils and the emphasis is on taking part rather than being a spectator.



At the summit of Mt Currie as part of the annual Headmaster's Challenge	Swimming



Rugby	Fun & Friendship

Is Boarding School an Option or do I prefer Day School?
This decision depends largely on your child and your family set-up. There is the misconception about “making him a man” that is so often spoken about for boys. The implication made by proponents of Boarding Schools is that unless you send your child away from you he will remain a boy for ever. I disagree with this for a number of reasons, but largely due to the following viewpoint. Many Boarding Schools depend heavily on tradition and on the creation of a “team or group” ethic. Hence the child becomes part of a sausage factory mentality where we first break him down to size and then mould him into shape. For some boys this is exactly what they need. However, it takes more of a man to be able to become an individual, to stand up for one’s own convictions and yet to be prepared to step out of one’s comfort zone in order to promote the good of a particular society. Many boys just “get lost in the woodwork” at large schools, never reaching their full potential because they are never expected to be more than mediocre.

From the girl’s point of view. Social development takes place at a huge rate between 13 and 16. The girls find a pecking order and deal with issues of sexuality, self worth and morality. Don’t think that the modern girl is any different to the boys in terms of pushing the boundaries.

My belief is that, wherever possible, these children should be experimenting and questioning within the bounds of their own family beliefs and values. What you believe about girls’ fashions and boyfriends? How far is far enough? I would rather have discussions about these issues, as well as those regarding alcohol, smoking and drugs with my child as things occur. An open and questioning relationship with parents can never be replaced by a system – no matter how good it is!

St Patrick's College

Obviously, as the author of this article, I have expressed personal views. One must also acknowledge that there are different schools for different children. For this reason, parents are urged to actively investigate which school will be best for your child and to make the decision from an informed viewpoint rather than giving in to pressure groups or following the old family tradition, purely because it is expected of you. Remember, by the time they reach high school you only have five years of this special time left. Make the most of it.

We at St Patrick’s College invite you to visit the school, to chat about your expectations and to allow us to explain why we believe the we have a winning formula.

Will my child be taught by well-qualified, experienced teachers? The following list of St Patrick’s staff members, their subjects and their mini-cv’s will serve to answer this question:

	Rob Macaulay: Headmaster
	Qualifications: BPrim Ed (WITS), B Ed(UNISA), FDE Management(CESA), LDP (Wits Business School), M Ed (WITS)

	Experience: 23 Years Teaching; 15 Years School Management. Mr Macaulay has published articles in both national and international educational magazines. He is currently the Chairman of the Prep Forum of the KZN branch of the South African Heads of Independent Schools Association and, as such in an alternate member of the National Council for SAHISA.

	Alan Wilcock: Head of Academics (IEB); Mathematics; HSS
	Qualifications: BA(WITS) TTHD(JCE)

	Experience: 45 Years Teaching, 36 Years Management In addition to all his teaching experience, Mr Wilcock has been a moderator for Senior Certificate Geography (1994-1999), the Teacher Representative on the Formal Examinations Committee (1994-1998) and is a consultant in Geography for new assessment practices.

	Revd Barbie Lloyd-Jones: Head of GET Phase; English
	Qualifications: BA Hons; HDE(Rhodes)

	Experience: 31 years Teaching; 10 Years HOD The Revd Lloyd-Jones has been a marker of Matric English for a total of eighteen years. She is also a qualified coach in a number of sporting codes including netball, basketball and tennis.

	Mr Barnabas Sibanda: HOD Academic Tutoring; Accounting; Business Studies
	Qualifications: Dip Acc, Dip Ed, CIS, IEB Assessors, “A” Level Educators Cert: Bus Studs(Cambridge)

	Experience: 27 years Teaching, 12 years Management Mr Sibanda was an “O” Levels Accounting Examiner for 14 years prior to coming to South Africa. He is currently an IEB sub-examiner for IEB Accounting and Business Studies.

	Mr Adolf Groenewald: HOD Student Affairs; Geography
	Qualifications: BA Hons (Stellenbosch), HDE

	Experience: Teaching 6 Years, Management 2 Years Mr Groenewald holds a number of coaching and refereeing qualifications in addition to his teaching ones.

	Mrs Gen Wilcock: Head of IT, CAT and IT Teacher
	Qualifications: B.Sc Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics (UCT); Actuarial subject qualifications obtained (instead of Honours); Post-graduate Teaching Diploma (WITS)

	Experience: 30 years Teaching, 20 Years Management Mrs Wilcock has been an IEB Examiner Computer Studies (Higher Grade and Standard Grade) and IEB Moderator Computer Studies (Higher Grade and Standard Grade). She has also authored and published Computer programming (Pascal and Java) text books for over 10 years – see www.funworks.co.za

	Mrs Relee Townsend: Senior Teacher; Life Sciences; Mathematics
	Qualifications: BSc (Natal), HDE

	Experience: 20 Years Teaching, 2 Years Management Mrs Townsend has taught both Mathematics and Life Sciences during her career. She has five years of experience as a NSC (Matric) marker in Life Sciences.

	Mr Tony Davey: Physical Science; Technology
	Qualifications: BSc (UCT), Grad CE(Hon), BEd(Rhodes)

	Experience: 40 Years Teaching; 10 Years Management (4 as Head). Mr Davey has taught Physics up to “A” Level and Physical Science to Grade 12 for most of his teaching career. He has also been a Headmaster and has held numerous other management positions in schools over the years.

	Mrs Andrea Davey: Life Sciences, Natural Sciences
	Qualifications: BSc (Wits), TTHD (JCE)

	Experience: 42 years teaching, 5 years management. Mrs Davey has been an IEB Life Sciences NSC Marker for 5 years. She is also the co-ordinator of the regional Enviro-Quiz, which takes place annually.

	Mrs Jenny McDonald: Part-Time English and EMS.
	Qualifications: BA, LLB (UKZN), PGCE

	Experience: Mrs McDonald in a non-practicing attorney, who has turned her hand to teaching, completing her PGCE in 2009. She has been teaching at St Patrick’s for two years.

	Mr Graham McLaren: History
	Qualifications: BEd (UNISA), Completing Hons in History at present.

	Experience: Eight Years Teaching Mr McLaren completed an Internship in Cathcart before joining the staff of St Patrick’s in 2007. Academically, he is completing his Honours in History on a 100% scholarship from UNISA based on the marks he attained for his first degree. He intends to continue his studies to Masters Level on completion of the Honours.

	Mrs Roxane Groenewald: Mathematical Literacy, Natural Science
	Qualifications: BSc Hons (Stellenbosch), PGCE (UNISA)

	Experience: Five Years Teaching. In addition to her teaching qualifications, Mrs Groenewald has a number of Sport Science and coaching qualifications.

	Mrs Floss Thring: Counsellor, Music, History
	Qualifications: BA Hons (English), BA Hons (Psychology), CELTA (Cambridge), Christian Counselling Cert(RAU), PGCE (UNISA)

	Experience: 7 Years Teaching, 10 Years Counselling Mrs Thring has many other talents including being a music teacher (piano and guitar) and writing a book for the Zwartberg Farmers’ Association (200 copies sold). She has also been a Life-line Counsellor.

	Mrs Corne Oelofsen: Afrikaans
	Qualifications: HED Hons (TUKS)

	Experience: 9 years Teaching Mrs Oelofsen is also a qualified First Aider, a worship leader in her church and will be attending a course specialising in counselling for parents of children with hearing impairments in April.

	Mrs Hannelie McDougal: Afrikaans
	Qualifications: BSc HHK Ed(PUK)

	Experience: 2 Years teaching, 5 Years Management Prior to using her teaching qualification Mrs McDougal managed a macadamia processing plant in Malawi.

	Mrs Paige Louwrens: Mathematics
	Qualifications: BPrim Ed

	Experience: 15 years Teaching, 3 Years Management Mrs Louwrens began her career as a NSC IEB marker in 2010 and served on the Governing body of a local State school for three years.

	Mrs Leanne Mitchley: Drama and Learning Support
	Qualifications: HDE Rem Ed (Edgewood)

	Experience: 15 Years Teaching Mrs Mitchley has produced two plays that were performed in the Sand Du Plessis Theatre in Bloemfontein and has International School experience.

	Mrs Ruth Larrett: Visual Art
	Qualifications: Mrs Larrett is currently in her fifth year of part time study for her B Ed(UNISA)

	Experience: Teaching 5 years, Commissioned Artist 15 years Mrs Larrett has been teaching Art and has been a commissioned artist for fifteen years. She decided to turn her skills to school teaching five years ago and has taught Visual Art to Gr 12 NSC level ever since.