Celebrating academic distinction at Nova Pioneer with commendable performances in their Cambridge A-Level, AS-Level and IGCSE examinations.

 

Nova Pioneer Schools, a pan-African independent school group that builds and operates world-class, affordable schools, offering students grades from preschool through to senior school, with established campuses in South Africa and Kenya, proudly announces the noteworthy achievements of their students in the Cambridge A-Level, AS-Level and IGCSE examinations. 

The school network offers Cambridge, an internationally accredited curriculum, where students can write their A-Level, AS-Level and IGCSE examinations, across their Ormonde, Midrand and West High Schools. The noteworthy performance of these learners is a testament to the innovation-driven education provided by Nova Pioneer, which is dedicated to developing future leaders and Innovators for the African Century.

 

Student Spotlight

 

Top performing A-Levels student, Isabel Enechi, who is set to study Dentistry in the European Union, exemplifies the high calibre of Nova Pioneer’s students. “I am particularly proud of my classmates who successfully completed the year – it was collectively one of our most difficult years, and witnessing the resilience and determination within our cohort has been a great source of inspiration.”

Enechi credits her achievements to the school’s ethos. “My school has played a crucial role in my journey by instilling in us culture principles like ‘Joy of Learning’ and ‘Always Growing’. The push for ongoing learning and growth has fueled my interest in Health Sciences and my passion for Dentistry”, she adds.

Nova Pioneer’s commitment to excellence is further reflected in the accomplishments of its AS Level scholars. Arjun Thulsie, recipient of the University of Pretoria’s (UP) Dux Scholar Award and future UP Actuarial Science student, is testament to the resilient spirit and academic prowess fostered at Nova Pioneer. “Looking back I am the most proud of having the opportunity to give back some good results to the Nova Pioneer Ormonde community, it’s a shared victory.”

In moments of hardship, Nova Pioneer’s supportive community has been pivotal. “When times were uncertain and life was really happening to my family and I, Nova Pioneer gracefully offered a helping hand. I will be eternally grateful to everyone at Nova Pioneer for embracing my pursuit of knowledge. Since day one, Nova Pioneer has academically supported and cheered me on through the world’s best teachers!”, shares Thulsie, emphasising the school’s nurturing environment.

Fellow classmates, Kewell Moodley, who secured the top position globally for Cambridge International IGCSE Business Studies in 2022, and Ungowakho Madolo, were both recently accepted for a Biomedical Engineering degree at the University of the Witwatersrand. 

“Not only did our amazing teachers help me significantly, but the culture principle of ‘High Expectations’ stuck with me throughout. The idea that we should always strive to do our best and compete only with our past selves helped me a lot. I can’t forget all the wonderful people at Nova Pioneer who kept me sane,” said Madolo. 

Nova Pioneer’s IGCSE students, who have exceeded expectations with a total of 32 A*, 85 A’s, 198 B’s and 239 C’s, felt a sense of relief and excitement, and concurred that they were ready to tackle the new year head-on.  

With aspirations to pursue a range of careers from Nanotechnology, Thermodynamics, Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Medicine and Finance, students are pleased that all the hard work they have put in has paid off. 

When asked about their journey in class, Bhavesh Thulsie from Grade 10 IGCSE said, “Nova Pioneer has helped by providing amazing teachers and a coach who were always available and willing to help and always provided helpful and meaningful feedback.”

Simphiwe William a Grade 10 IGCSE student said, “I am most proud of how I was able to prepare myself mentally, physically, and emotionally for my examinations. The teachers motivate and encourage us. They were always there to assist us with any and all questions we had. Nova really helped us stick to their culture principle of ‘High Expectations’.”

Theuns Opperman, the school leader for Nova Pioneer Ormonde Secondary, said, “Our students have performed exceptionally well and we are proud of all our learners and their individual accomplishments! Nova Pioneer has a record of achieving a 90%-100% pass rate at A-levels and we are happy to report that this has been accomplished once more”.

“In the coming weeks, as data becomes available from Cambridge International, we will be comparing our students’ performance to that of students worldwide and fully expect our students to continue Nova Pioneer’s custom of outperforming global benchmarks,” said Opperman.

“It brings immense joy to partake in the triumphs of our students and the enthusiasm they exude for their future endeavours. Listening firsthand to their stories, it’s clear that Nova Pioneer has constructed a strong base for their dreams. The outcomes they’ve achieved are a testament to our students’ persistent efforts and resolve, augmented by the unwavering encouragement and motivation provided by their educators,” expressed Opperman.

“Innovation in education is at the heart of Nova Pioneer’s curriculum, empowering its students with not only knowledge but also the culture principles essential for leadership and lifelong learning. As Nova Pioneer celebrates these young achievers, it continues to pioneer a path of academic and personal development, setting its students on a trajectory towards becoming the leaders and innovators the world needs,” said Opperman.

 

Cultivating a Foundation for Student Achievement 

 

Cambridge is a flexible curriculum that offers students a number of pathways for exit. At a senior school level, there are three main exit examinations: IGCSE which is Cambridge’s version of a General Academic Literacy band, followed by AS and then A-levels. A-Levels are a recommended 13th year at a high school level and provides students a world-recognised and very highly regarded exit qualification to widen the scope of their university studies both locally and internationally. Depending on how students perform in their IGCSE and AS levels, A-levels improves their exit results and gives students the opportunity to improve their options of getting into their preferred course.  

Nova Pioneer works closely with each student and their families, often as early as Grade 8, to create an individual pathway. Families are consulted throughout their time at Nova Pioneer Ormonde to ensure clarity and understanding of the recommended exit pathway. 

As a school network, Nova Pioneer also does extensive predictive work and is happy to report that their AS and A-level students performed in line with or better than expected, whilst their students writing IGCSE outperformed all expectations. Many of their AS students have opted to stay with the school for A-levels to ensure an even more competitive set of results. 

 

Ready to Excel Beyond the Classroom 

 

Departing Nova Pioneer students who have completed their A-Levels, leave feeling confident as they know what they want to pursue beyond school. Chief of Schools, Rahel Wondwossen says this was made possible through the support of the Post School Success (PSS) Team and the school’s Psycho-social Support Team.

Wondwossen explains, “We established the PSS Team with the aim of equipping students with practical tools for preparation in life after school. The team supports students in understanding their options and what benefits and challenges each may come with.” 

The PSS team, in collaboration with the Psycho-social Support team, provides students with personalised assessments and career guidance based on each of their unique talents and skills. Nova Pioneer’s emphasis on critical thinking, problem-solving, and leadership training is rooted in their vision to empower generations of innovators who will drive progress across the continent. The PSS Team’s strategy is particularly integral, as it guides students in their exploration of career and higher education options, equipping them with practical tools and knowledge for life after school.

Wondwossen added, “By focusing on the unique strengths and interests of each student, Nova Pioneer fosters a community of forward-thinking leaders. The nurturing of such talent is essential to their mission of influencing the socio economic landscape of Africa, which requires a cadre of creative and adaptable leaders.”

“In addition to academic excellence, the school pledges continued engagement with its alumni, underscoring the importance of a supportive network in cultivating long-term success. The resilience and adaptability instilled in students are the qualities envisioned by Nova Pioneer to resonate through their alumni’s future initiatives and leadership roles, expressed Wondwossen.

As Nova Pioneer celebrates these achievements, it strengthens its resolve to inspire and support students to shape a promising horizon for Africa.

 

Beats by Dre Open Day Competition Terms and Conditions

 

 

• The Beats by Dre competition will run from 14 October until 31 October 2023
• In order to be eligible for entry into the competition, the following steps need to be completed:
  • Attend Nova Pioneer’s Open Day event on Saturday, October 14, 2023, at any of our campuses, including Ormonde, Paulshof, Ruimsig, Boksburg, Midrand, and North Riding.
  • Your child must be assessed at the Open Day on 14 October 2023.
  • Participants must complete the enrolment process by October 31, 2023.
• Completing the enrolment process is subject to all admissions requirements. We draw your attention to the following specific requirements:
  • Space being available in the requested grade
  • An entry assessment completed and passed to establish grade readiness
  • An affordability assessment completed with financial clearance for admission granted. 
  • Payment of the full enrolment fee
  • Only participants who have met the criteria mentioned above will be entered into the prize draw.

• The winner will be selected at random from the pool of eligible entries. The draw will take place after the enrolment fee payment deadline, on a date specified by Nova Pioneer.
• The winner will be notified via the contact information provided during the Open Day registration process. Nova Pioneer will make reasonable attempts to contact the winner. If the winner cannot be reached within a reasonable period or does not claim the prize, a new winner will be selected.
• The prize is a set of Beats Solo3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones (Beats by Dre Iconic Collection) – Matte Black. The prize is not exchangeable, transferable or exchangeable for cash. 
• The winner must collect their prize in person at a Nova Pioneer campus or another location specified by Nova Pioneer. The prize must be collected within a reasonable period as communicated by Nova Pioneer.
• Nova Pioneer staff do not qualify for entry into this competition.
• By participating in this campaign, participants agree that their name and likeness may be used by Nova Pioneer for promotional purposes without further compensation.
• Nova Pioneer respects your privacy and will handle all personal information in accordance with applicable privacy laws and our Privacy Policy.
• Nova Pioneer reserves the right to modify, suspend, or terminate the campaign, in whole or in part, at any time without prior notice.
• Nova Pioneer and its affiliates, employees, and representatives shall not be responsible or liable for any loss, damage, injury, or any other claim arising from or in connection with the campaign or the use of the prize.
• Participation in the campaign constitutes acceptance of these terms and conditions.
• This campaign is subject to the laws of South Africa and any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the South African courts.

 

 

Nova Pioneer parents share in our mission of building the next generation of innovators and leaders and thus, we look to them to help us find more families who share our vision and values. This is because we believe in building a community of like-minded people who want to come along for the journey, and share in our story, as we continue to expand our offering throughout South Africa.

Once your child is enrolled at Nova Pioneer, you become part of our supportive and passionate community – a group of parents from all walks of life – who all contribute to our school in various ways for the betterment of our students’ education. It is through this community that our school Culture Principles come alive, even at home. 

 

Benefits of growing our community

At Nova Pioneer, we know how important it is to build community. Who better to help us do this than our very own parents? As an existing Nova Pioneer parent, you could qualify for a referral discount (R3500 off your tuition for a period of one year) when you refer a parent and they successfully enrol their child at any of our Nova Pioneer campuses.

 

What does “Successful Enrolment” look like: 

Step 1: Current family/ parent talks to a friend and tells them about Nova Pioneer.

Step 2: The prospective parent completes an online application form and in the ‘how did you hear about us’ section, they select ‘referred by a current parent’ and write the full name of the parent and student who referred them. We can only identify the family that referred you if they give us your first and last name.

Step 3: The prospective parent attends a Nova Pioneer event and the learner completes, and passes, an assessment. 

Step 4: The prospective parent, who is very excited about Nova Pioneer, then completes all online forms and submits required documentation before our Finance Team completes the affordability check and gives go-ahead for enrolment fee payment.

Step 5: The prospective parent then pays the grade-relevant enrolment fee to secure their child’s spot. 

Step 6: The referral is then flagged to our Finance Team, who will pick up the name from the original application, and ensure your account reflects the referral discount once the student has started.

 

Which parents are eligible for the R3500 discount? 

• When the parent applies to Nova Pioneer via our website, they must state that they were referred to by you (name and surname) when they complete the ‘how did you hear about us’ section.  
• The referred parent needs to successfully enrol at Nova Pioneer by completing the full admissions process (detailed below).
• Referred students cannot have a sibling currently or previously enrolled at Nova Pioneer. 
• The referral discount is awarded to the youngest child – if you have only one child at Nova Pioneer, that child will receive the discount. 
• You will be entitled to a R3500 discount per referral. 
• If you are not yet an enrolled parent, you ONLY qualify for this discount once you have confirmation of enrolment.
• The discount is non-transferable and cannot be substituted for cash or a refund.
• The referral discount will not be applied should the student account be in arrears at the point in time that the discount is allocated.
• This discount is awarded per enrolled student that is referred, up to five students (or a maximum tuition discount of R17500)
• Nova Pioneer staff do not qualify.
• Terms and conditions apply.

 

Nova Pioneer Schools for Innovators and Leaders, recently celebrated their Ormonde Senior School students’ Cambridge A-Level results, with 83% of Nova Pioneer’s graduating class already achieving University Exemptions. Nova Pioneer students exceeded the global subject pass average in English, Physics, Chemistry, Geography, Business and History.

Nova Pioneer is a pan-African independent school group that builds and operates world-class, affordable schools, offering students grades from preschool through to secondary. The school offers Cambridge, an internationally accredited curriculum, where students can write their IGSCE, AS-Level and A-Level examinations.

The A-Level year is ostensibly the equivalent of Grade 13 at a high school level and provides students a world-recognised exit qualification to widen the scope of their university studies both locally and internationally and, depending on how they performed in their IGCSE and AS levels, gives students the opportunity to improve their options of getting into their preferred course.  

Theuns Opperman, the school leader for Nova Pioneer Ormonde Secondary, said that he was proud of students’ results as they, again, did Nova Pioneer’s “Always Growing” culture principle proud.

“It is a pleasure to share in our students’ successes and excitement about their futures and to hear personally from them how attending Nova Pioneer has laid the foundations for  their aspirations. Their exceptional results reflect the tremendous diligence of our students and their tenacity, as well as the unstinting support and inspiration of their teachers,” said Opperman.

“We believe these results demonstrate the value in the completion of an A-Level year for those who wish to apply to the top South African and international tertiary institutions, and also for those students wishing to improve on their previous year’s AS level results.”

 

Academic excellence a priority 

 

Chief of Schools, Rahel Wondwossen said they were proud of the results achieved by their Grade 13 class of 2022. 

“I wish to commend our students and teachers for their commitment and hard work. The results achieved this year are a testament to their hard work and dedication leading up to this point and will underpin their successful progression into the future. Many of our students have now earned the necessary grades to secure places at universities locally or internationally should that be their plan,” said Wondwossen.

“We want to see students leave Nova Pioneer with the best possible academic qualifications for them and a love of learning that will remain with them for life. We are passionate about ensuring excellent outcomes for our pupils in order to improve their life opportunities. Thus, we are exceptionally proud of what the students have achieved,” she said.

 

Student spotlight

 

Top performing student in 2022, Andrew Williamson who will be pursuing his tertiary education at Stellenbosch University says he is excited about the newfound independence he will gain and finding both like-minded people and unlikely friends at university. 

“I’m most proud of the increased effort I have put into my studies this year. It was far more intensive than last year and it allowed me to discover a level of endurance that I didn’t know I had.”

When asked about what she is most proud of when looking back on 2022, top performer Sinovuyo Titi says, “If I had to pick just one, I would say I’m proud of my growth on how to adapt in uncomfortable situations. The past year has been a roller coaster academically and mentally and I taught myself that the only way to achieve your goals is to navigate through your challenges with a Novaneer “Solutions First” mindset. In that way, you don’t allow inconvenience to overwhelm you and you learn to overcome it.”

Isabel Enechi, another top performer receiving A’s in English and Maths says, “I think I’ve grown to really understand my psyche, and this has helped me in achieving a lot of goals I set for myself this year.” 

 

 

Prepared to thrive post school

 

Departing Nova Pioneer students who have completed their A-Levels, leave feeling confident as they  know what they want to pursue beyond school. Wondwossen says this was made possible through the support of the Post School Success (PSS) Team and the school’s Psycho-social Support Team.

Wondwossen explains, “We established the PSS Team with the aim of equipping students with practical tools for preparation in life after school. The team supports students in understanding their options and what benefits and challenges each may come with.” 

The PSS team, in collaboration with the psycho-social support team, provides students with personalised assessments and career guidance based on each of their unique talents and skills. They support students in cultivating pathways for success after leaving Nova Pioneer.  For many of our students, that may be university, but others pursue launching businesses amongst other pursuits.  Our PSS program, with the aid of our other support structures, supports students in their self discovery of passion and interest as they lead our communities beyond Nova Pioneer.

Both teams have, and continue to, support all students’ as they explore their options to study further or to pursue other paths.

“Also, it is important to note that the journey of a Nova Pioneer student does not end with their exit examinations – once a Novaneer, always a Novaneer. We look forward to engaging with our Novaneers who will now be part of Nova Pioneer’s active and networked pan-African Alumni community,” she added. 

Nova Pioneer is currently operational in both South Africa and Kenya with the  mission to develop generations of innovators and leaders who will shape the African Century. 

It’s that time of the year again and we have an exciting incentive to share. 

Stand a chance of receiving 25% of the first term’s tuition fees in 2023 if you pay your enrolment fee between the 21st of November and the 16th of December. Lookout for a pop-up ‘Mystery Day‘ each week, on a specific day between this period (21 Nov-16 Dec) and if you made payment on this day, you are one of the lucky winners to receive 25% of your child’s first term’s tuition in 2023. 

 

Term’s and Condition’s below: 

• The campaign runs from 21 November 2022 to 16 December 2022.
• During the campaign, there will be six randomly selected ‘Mystery Days’. These dates will be selected prior to the campaign commencing by an independent party and kept confidential. These dates will not be made public and will only be known by that party and only revealed the day after the ‘Mystery Day’ date has passed. 
• Should a prospective parent make their enrolment fee payment on any one of these ‘Mystery Days’, they will receive 25% off their Term 1 fees for 2023 at Nova Pioneer.  
• The ‘Mystery Day’ will only be publicised the day after and those parents, who made payment, will be informed that they will have the discount applied to their Term 1 fees in 2023, at Nova Pioneer.
• Parents are required to pay at least 50% of their enrolment fee on one of these ‘Mystery Days’, in order to qualify for the discount. 
• Parents who have already part-paid their enrolment fee would not be considered for the discount. That is, settling of- or contribution to a partial enrolment fee payment will not qualify for a discount should said part payment be made on a ‘Mystery Day’.
• A parent’s eligibility of this discount is provisional on there being space available in the requested grade – spaces are limited.
• Only “enrolment fee” payments will qualify for entry should the payment take place after all of Nova Pioneer’s due processes have been completed (e.g. an academic assessment, an affordability assessment, documentation verification etc.). 
• The discount will be applied to tuition costs, equivalent to 25% of the amount due for tuition for the Term 1 2023, specifically.  The discount cannot be used for any other Term’s tuition costs or on non-tuition costs.
• The discount will be 25% of the termly fees of the students grade regardless of their school fees payment option (i.e Monthly, Termly or Annually) The offer is non-transferrable and cannot be substituted for cash or a refund.
• The offer is non-transferrable and cannot be substituted for cash or a refund
• In order to benefit from the offer, the student needs to be enrolled at Nova Pioneer in January 2023.
• The discount can only be applied to the tuition costs for the child for which the refundable enrolment fee is intended, and cannot be applied to any other child’s fees.
• Nova Pioneer staff do not qualify.
• This does not apply to any current students making top-up enrolment fee payments.

Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity! Apply today!

“Teaching is conceptual and intellectual, abstract and concrete, creative, and sequential. It’s about people but framed through ideas. It’s about content, hearts, minds, the past, the future–whatever we can imagine, teaching and learning are both causes and effects.”-Teach Thought Staff

It has been said that “those who can’t do, teach,” which means that getting a job teaching how to do something is easier than actually doing it. This is obviously a lighthearted jab at one of history’s most noble professions – imagine the hands that carved the Venus of Willendorf or Beethoven composing the Moonlight Sonata – the care, patience, love, and intention that went into it, and now imagine every teacher as an artist responsible for shaping masterpieces whose impact will influence future generations. Every master must pass through the hands of a teacher, meaningful change begins with a teacher, and educational transformation begins with teachers.

Annually on the 5th of October,we celebrate the critical role of teachers in transforming learners’ potential by ensuring they have the tools they need to take responsibility for themselves, for others and for the planet. We call on countries to ensure that teachers are trusted and recognised as knowledge producers, reflective practitioners, and policy partners.It is truly an honour to reflect on the crucial role played by one individual who has devoted their life to what one of our senior resident Pre-Primary teachers (Asmaa Khan) refers to as a “calling, an opportunity to inspire, give the young ones a space where they can dig into their curiosity and explore the world around them.”

The bow from which every arrow springs, a career from which every career is created-the challenges that our educators face should not be solely theirs; it is our collective responsibility to improve the conditions that pave the way to developing our leaders.

The theme of World Teachers’ Day, 2022, “the transformation of education begins with teachers,” is incredibly appropriate. It serves to remind us we are because our teachers are.

In appreciation of our educators we close with the wise words from one of our star educators Ms Ilhaam Patel, “my role as a teacher at Nova Pioneer is to create a safe and exciting environment for my students to develop a passion for acquiring skills and knowledge to make the world a better place in the future. My role is to nurture each individual learner and appeal to their unique interests and personalities so that they can contribute to our ever-changing society. Nova Pioneer has created an environment that allows me to work towards these objectives. We are Greater Together as a school and an organisation, working to develop future leaders and innovators beyond the borders of African countries.”

 

Guest: Masego Solomons 

Nova Pioneer South Africa Alumni Chapter President and Law student at Varsity College, Masego Solomons , joins Jabu to chat about the ongoing process behind the formation of Nova Pioneer South Africa’s Alumni Chapter and being elected as President of the Chapter. Masego also shares her biggest learnings from her experience in church and youth leadership and her thoughts on the negative socio-cultural constructs about women in leadership positions particularly in Africa.

To listen in – Click here

Want to become a Novaneer? Apply to Nova Pioneer now by visiting www.novapioneer.com. Remember to select “Novaneer Podcast” on the “How did you hear about us” section of the online application.

To listen to the full episode, gain early access to the latest episodes and bonus content, become a patron for as little as $5 per month. Visit Novaneer Podcast’s Patreon page to sign up today.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or whichever podcast platform you use. Doing this helps grow the reach of the Novaneer Podcast and helps us improve the podcast content offering to you. Your contribution to and feedback of the podcast is invaluable. Email your thoughts, comments, questions and voice recordings to novaneerpod@gmail.com.

Produced by Jabu Mtwa. Theme music by Hazy.

Guest: Tshegofatso Langa

Wits University B.A. Law student and Golden Key International Honour Society member, Tshegofatso Langa, returns to the Novaneer Podcast for a special exam preparation advice session. In this episode, Langa shares his top tips for preparing for a Cambridge level exam and discusses vital academic practices that he employs that have helped him achieve excellent grades in A-Levels and university.

 

To Listen in – Click here

Want to become a Novaneer? Apply to Nova Pioneer now by visiting www.novapioneer.com. Remember to select “Novaneer Podcast” on the “How did you hear about us” section of the online application.

To listen to the full episode, gain early access to the latest episodes and bonus content, become a patron for as little as $5 per month. Visit our Patreon profile to sign up now.

Your contribution to and feedback of the podcast is invaluable. Email your thoughts, comments, questions and voice recordings to novaneerpod@gmail.com.

Produced by Jabu Mtwa. Theme music by Hazy.

Guest: Josh Elder (Co-founder of Nova Pioneer)

On this episode, extended interview with Siegel Family Endowment Director and Head of Grantmaking, Joshua Elder, Josh talks about moving to South Africa for a teaching post in Cape Town, the story behind co-founding Nova Pioneer in 2014. Josh also discusses his experience being Nova Pioneer’s first Chief Academic Officer, the importance of student-teacher 360 degree feedback cycles and having a house named after him at Nova Pioneer.

To listen in – click here

Want to become a Novaneer? Apply to Nova Pioneer now by visiting www.novapioneer.com.
Remember to select “Novaneer Podcast” on the “How did you hear about us” section of the online application.

To support the podcast, gain early access to the latest episodes and bonus content, become a patron for as little as $5 per month. Visit Novaneer Podcast’s Patreon page to sign up today.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or whichever podcast platform you use. Doing this helps grow the reach of the Novaneer Podcast and helps us improve the podcast’s content offering to you. Your contribution to and feedback of the podcast is invaluable. Email your thoughts, comments, questions and voice recordings to novaneerpod@gmail.com.

Produced by Jabu Mtwa. Theme music by Hazy.
*episode titles and descriptions are subject to change