Headmaster’s Address Term 2 2022

Dear Parents, Students and Staff

Just as it has been worldwide, the 2022 Academic year continues to be a time of great uncertainty for the entire St Peter’s College community. However, we at St Peter’s College celebrate the resilience, positivity and creativity of our students and staff, who continue to adapt superbly to these quite unique circumstances.

I have been enormously proud of them all and have genuinely enjoyed watching them rise to the challenges and do things they did not believe they could. The adaptability, determination and positivity have been striking and humbling to see: the industrious approach to schoolwork; the impressive logistical and physical efforts of our sports department, the number and quality of our creative arts team, both in lockdown and since our return, the enjoyment of intellectual clubs such as the Tour de Maths, Public Speaking and Debating and the food donation projects to mention but a few. Thank you and well done to all, but particularly to our Matric students who have processed a turbulent time, mostly calmly, but always with dignity and an undeflected sense of purpose. We wish them well as they get some rest but also consolidate material in the coming weeks as part of their Prelim Examination journey.

It would be entirely wrong not to acknowledge the very real hardship and loss that so many in our community have suffered, not only during the Covid outbreak but also the impact of the continuous load shedding and the fuel price hikes; it has taken lives and livelihoods and changed the landscape for so many.

Indeed, it has been an extraordinary term. We once again enjoyed record numbers of interest in the College, we have interviewed and received applications for more places at St Peter’s College than ever before and the acceptance rate rose again. It is evident to me that the culture of what we offer at St Peter’s College is what families want for their children, a down to earth but ambitious, co-educational school that allows individuality to flourish within a broad and forward-thinking education. With this healthy interest at all points of entry, including Grade 9-11, there is every expectation that the College will receive its biggest contingent of new students in its history when we open for the 2023 Academic year in January.

Campus Development

On the back of these confident predictions, the St Peter’s College Council granted authorisation to move to the next stage of planning and preparation for exciting capital development, the first significant investment in our academic infrastructure since the onset of COVID-19 in 2020. The building of our new state of the art Maths Centre next to the Administration Block is complete and will meet the demand for the growth in student numbers. Our school environment generates a great deal of positive feedback from the wider community where we have had many comments from prospective parents and students who were impressed by the number of outstanding facilities and what the College has to offer. We are adding to this already impressive array of facilities with the building of the Indoor Centre, which is due for completion in November.

The design of the St Peter’s College campus revolves around a series of focal points to support our holistic learning philosophy - a green, sustainable urban environment, an open and conducive learning community and a reflection of shared values of community and culture. We offer an educational environment designed to nurture our students' intellectual, physical, social, spiritual and emotional development.

SATISA Conference

The St Peter’s College Executive team, comprising of Rui Morais, Brian Armitage, Nosipho Nkosi, Fr Kabelo Motlhakane and Shelly Matthews, had the opportunity of attending the inaugural SATISA (South African Transformation for Independent Schools Association) conference, which was held at St Stithians College from the 07-09 July 2022.

Both St Peter’s College, represented by Fr Kabelo Motlhakane, and the St Peter’s Preparatory schools, represented by HR Manager Shuia Hamilton Baloyi were founding members of SATISA and integral in the organization of the inaugural conference.

The conference's theme was Ithemba, Ideologies and Practices of care towards belonging. The following link explains what SATISA is, its Vision, what it does and what it wants to achieve with this initiative:  https://www.isasa.org/what-is-satisa/

Staff Matters

With the tragic passing of our senior Geography teacher, Francois du Toit, the College has managed to secure a Geography teacher for January 2023. In the interim, some of our current Geography teachers, together with the assistance of a locum teacher, have been teaching Francois’ Geography classes.

Each term brings positive change. This includes a few additions to our staff. English teacher Alexis Homveld has accepted a teaching position at a Curro school in Pretoria and is replaced by Chenise Pillay, who joins us from Abbots College. Maths teacher Siyabonga Kumalo has accepted a teaching post at Steyn City and is replaced by Oratile Dibetsoe, who joins the College from CBC Mount Edmund in Pretoria. English teacher Nadia Ismail has resigned, and Kelsey Gallon will join the College at the start of October after working her notice period at Curro Aurora.

Holiday School Activities

Once again, St Peter’s College will be a hive of activity these holidays, and I am deeply indebted to the many members of our staff who give their time so willingly to ensure that our students are the recipients of the many experiences on offer during the August holidays our students will have the opportunity to participate in Swimming, Soccer, Water Polo, Basketball, Cricket and Tennis clinics.

Perhaps the most tremendous success of the term, however, features very little within these pages. It is merely the fact that students and staff simply found ways to carry on, to keep learning, keep smiling and to make the best of these situations.

For my part, I am enormously grateful for your continued support and encouragement. I am looking forward to the new Term enormously and wish everyone the very best for a little rest over the August holiday.

In Futurum Fortiter

Rui Morais

Headmaster