Pictured above: Waterfall Schools is set on the beautiful iThemba Campus, with growing facilities and a focus on biodiversity.
In just five years, Waterfall Schools has made a significant impact on our local community, providing quality independent education at an affordable fee and stimulating thought around the role of a school today.
Since the opening of Waterfall Pre-Primary in 2016, buildings have popped up across the iThemba Campus, including spacious classrooms and a state-of-the-art STEAM Centre, as well as two sports fields. In a relatively short period of time, the schools have developed exponentially, providing a place for over 700 children to learn and grow.
Waterfall Pre-Primary is a home away from home for children from 12 months of age to Grade 00 and has established a strong following in the Upper Highway area. The team is driven by the vision ‘Hand-in-hand as we play, learn and grow together’.
“Our teachers and staff are committed and equipped to develop each little person’s confidence, concentration and age-appropriate life skills, while our hands-on approach ensures that children have the freedom to play and learn in a safe and loving environment,” says Waterfall Pre-Primary Principal Paula Mason. “We are passionate about our little ones learning to make sense of the world around them while still allowing them to be children for as long as possible.”
Hand-in-hand, teachers, children and their families learn, play and grow together at Waterfall Pre-Primary.
At the start of 2022, Waterfall Preparatory turns five! That’s five years of developing an environment where children are honoured for the God-given treasure within them, where children feel safe so that they can learn, where they are encouraged to challenge themselves mentally and physically, and to develop healthy relationships with their peers and teachers.
“One of our purposes as a school is to create a space where children are excited to be and learn,” says Waterfall Prep Headmaster Brad Cooper. “We believe that by identifying the triggers for stress and anxiety, we can hopefully achieve just that.”
“We have intentionally not used assessment to measure children against each other, based on our experience of and belief in age-appropriate emotional development. I firmly believe that we are using assessment in the most positive way. Essentially, our narrative no longer blames assessment for the fear and anxiety that resulted from the build-up of pressure and expectation. Our focus is on what we do with the results of the assessment and how we use these for the benefit of individual pupils.”
Prep pupils enjoy a range of sports, including cross country, hockey, soccer, netball and cricket, with inter-school fixtures, including galas. They also take part in music and drama during the school day, and have access to a number of other extra-murals (some of which are paid for).
This year, Bryony Green takes over as Principal of Waterfall College, as the school turns 18. “An ongoing focus on our students as individuals is key to us remaining connected and ensuring our students can make the most of what we offer in academics, sport, culture and technology,” Mrs Green says.
The College provides 17 IEB subjects to Matric and has always been known for its excellent, subject-specialist teachers, who work with students to help them achieve their best. This is reflected in the school’s 100% IEB pass rate, 17 years running. The school also focuses on service and leadership, aiming to develop community-orientated young adults who are empowered to make a positive difference.
A state-of-the-art new STEAM Centre has ignited the sciences, technology, EGD, art and mathematics at the school, where a maximum class size of 24 means that there is time for individual attention for each student.
Jeanette van der Merwe, who led Waterfall College through its transformation from a school of 37 students in pre-fab classrooms to what it is today, now oversees Waterfall Online and the programme of extra lessons that it provides students across South Africa. This is a convenient, affordable option for students who wish to improve their academic performance. Subjects include English, Afrikaans, Mathematics, AP Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy, Accounting, Information Technology, Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, History and Geography.
Thank you to the children, parents and the wider community who have engaged with our schools as we have grown and developed, challenging us and supporting us as we strive to serve the children in our care. We look forward to learning together in 2022.
Visit us this February, when we will be hosting a series of Open Days.
CONTACT:
- www.waterfallschools.co.za
- 031 710 1824