At Nova Pioneer, the Valedictory Ceremony is more than just a farewell; it’s a celebration of the exceptional achievements and transformative journeys of our senior students. This year’s event was no exception, shining a spotlight on our outstanding learners and the core values they embody.

One of the most anticipated moments of the evening was the announcement of the Culture Principle Awards, honouring students who have consistently demonstrated Nova Pioneer’s foundational values throughout their five-year journey. These awards, decided through a weighted voting process involving Grade 11 and 12 students and long-serving teachers, highlight the essence of what it means to be a Novaneer.

 

Culture Principle Awards

 

✨ Joy of Learning: Kalem Joffe
Kalem’s unwavering curiosity and love for discovery earned him this award, reflecting his enthusiasm for continuous learning.

✨ Solutions First: Princess Ndlela
For her creative approach to problem-solving, Princess exemplified innovation and resilience.

✨ Servant Leadership: Nhlakanipho Magazi
Nhlakanipho was recognized for his humility and commitment to community-focused leadership.

✨ Greater Together: Bhavesh Thulsie
Bhavesh’s exceptional teamwork and collaborative spirit shone through, inspiring those around him.

✨ High Expectations: Sumia Mahmood
Sumia’s relentless pursuit of excellence made her a standout candidate for this award.

✨ Always Growing: Precious Ndlela
Precious demonstrated a remarkable dedication to both personal and academic growth.

 

Grade 12-Specific Awards

The evening also celebrated individual achievements unique to the graduating class:

🏆 Pushing Boundaries Award: Obumneme Junior Okafor
This award recognised Junior’s extraordinary resilience, determination, and growth.

🏆 Phokophela Trendsetter Award: Owami Dladla
Owami’s leadership as Deputy in the SLC and her dedication to political and social causes highlighted her passion for driving Africa forward.

🏆 Chinezi Chijioke Founder’s Award: Nhlakanipho Magazi
A true embodiment of all Nova Pioneer culture principles, Nhlakanipho’s impact on the school community was profound.

🏆 Leadership and Innovation Award: Sumia Mahmood
Sumia’s peer tutoring for IGCSE students significantly enhanced academic support and exemplified her transformative leadership.

🏆 Principal’s Award: Bhavesh Thulsie
Bhavesh’s maturity, self-reflection, and commitment to growth earned him this distinguished recognition.

 

A Day to Remember

The Valedictory Ceremony was a heartwarming event, filled with gratitude, celebration, and pride. It served as a powerful reminder of the values that define Nova Pioneer and the extraordinary potential of our students.

As we bid farewell to the Class of 2024, we celebrate their achievements and look forward to the impact they will make in shaping the African Century. Congratulations, graduates—your journey is just beginning! 

Over the past few days, a lot has been published about the Cambridge AS pass rate at some independent schools offering the Cambridge curriculum. While I am in no position to comment on the dynamics internal to those schools, I am concerned about the apparent misunderstandings around the nature of the Cambridge curriculum that may have been perpetuated in those articles.

As more and more parents are looking for alternatives for their children’s schooling, we have seen a surge in the popularity of the Cambridge curriculum. Many new, smaller, private institutions (and some bigger ones), are attempting to capitalise on this trend. Quite often, none of the parties involved will have a full understanding of the actual progression pathway to a University school exit with this qualification.

 

Is there a “matric equivalent” in the Cambridge curriculum? The short answer is, no. Here is why:

 

The Cambridge Curriculum is designed as a 13-year programme. At Secondary school level, there are three main exit examinations: IGCSE which is their version of a General Academic Literacy band, followed by AS and then A-levels. The confusion arises from the separation of AS and A-levels. 

Exiting school after doing AS (especially if that AS is offered over just one year), is very challenging. The difference between IGCSE and AS is significant. Remember that AS and A-levels are seen as University Preparation courses. The workload and difficulty levels do not increase in a linear fashion from IGCSE to AS. In our experience, (and this is borne out by international data), students who achieved a “B” for a subject at IGCSE, can expect to achieve a “C” or even a “D” at AS level. Students who then proceed to A-levels, tend to perform far better at the A-levels than they did with just AS.

Why is there the misconception that AS “equates” matric? It stems, in part, from the Universities South Africa  (USAF) entry requirements to University for students doing the Cambridge Curriculum. There are three different combinations of subjects for students to gain University entry, which stretches across IGCSE, AS and A-levels. This is why schools who offer the full Cambridge curriculum cannot report on a “Matric pass rate”. There isn’t a single pathway or a single year that counts as “matric”. Instead Cambridge offers students multiple pathways to tertiary studies from IGCSE through A-levels, and which they can change over the course of their studies to suit their evolving interests and marks. And this does not even include the pass requirements set by SAQA for a Diploma pass or simple exit pass.

 

As an illustration, I will only compare two:

 

A University pass can consist of passing four AS subjects with a minimum of a D symbol plus one (or two) IGCSE subjects with a C minimum. Or, it can also be three A-level (Year 13) subjects with an E minimum plus one IGCSE with a C. And so on.

The option to exit after Grade 12 with a one-year AS is by far the most challenging. We also had to learn this through hard experience. Students and parents who embark on the Cambridge journey should really see it as a 13-year pathway to full A-levels, with the option to exit after Grade 12 with AS being a possible bonus – which a number of students do achieve. This might not sit comfortably with many students who are used to the South African 12-year pathway, but the benefits are real. Students are far better prepared for success at University and they are much more competitive when applying to Universities both locally and abroad. However, students need to be guided by experts to make the best possible decisions about the appropriate pathways available to them.

 

A question that might also be asked is: Why is this trending right now? Cambridge has been around for a while?

 

Many of the schools that offered the Cambridge curriculum in the past, only offered it as an extension programme for their academically stronger pupils. Most of these schools only report on their final A-level results, not AS. The academic screening of students before being granted admission at these schools is very rigorous.

What is happening now is that there are more and more inclusive schools, offering the curriculum to a broader range of students. Offering this challenging programme to a broader range of abilities does present a challenge for which these schools must be well-prepared.

It is the duty of schools and parents to develop a deep understanding of what is really required by this demanding – but ultimately rewarding – curriculum. When taught, managed, and structured properly, it can provide wonderful opportunities to many more students than what was previously assumed.

 

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.

 

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.

 

At Nova Pioneer we believe that the objective of discipline is to encourage awareness, and that discipline, rather than punishment, should focus on inclusive methods of communication, reinforcement, and modeling. Above all, we want to create a warm and supportive environment in which children can grow, learn, and learn to love learning. A case in point, Nova Pioneer Ormonde refers to an affirmation mirror, which our young Novaneers use to modulate and learn about their emotions. They make affirmations by looking in the mirror and expressing something positive about oneself; it does not have to be physical characteristics, but it might be something about their personality, for example, “ I am intelligent” or “I am kind”.

According to Nova Pioneer’s pre-primary senior resident teacher, Asmaa Khan, “When we encounter challenging behaviour, we must establish why, what the child is attempting to communicate, and how we may assist the child. Our role as adults are to assist the child in communicating their feelings and guiding the child toward a constructive resolution of the problem.”

In situations like these, Nova Pioneer teachers are trained to take a supportive rather than punitive approach to build strong bonds of trust so that our Novaneers develop a sense of accountability from early childhood. Understanding the impact of one’s actions (positive or negative) is an important part of early childhood development. The Reggio Emilia approach which our curriculum is founded on facilitates this level of consciousness. 

Our teachers (all of whom are required to be certified) can encourage positive conduct by rewarding good behaviour using our positive reinforcement model. This stems from an understanding that our tots have a constant need for validation, and that “misbehaviour” is a cry for attention, so when “misbehaviour” occurs, it is also important to reflect on what we as caregivers are not adequately providing. (This applies at home as well!). The positive reinforcement model is heavily reliant on communication and consistency-verbal or physical rewards for appropriate and responsible behaviour create an appreciation for appropriate and responsible behaviour and an awareness of the opposite.

We value the relationship that we have with our parents. Teachers and caregivers are encouraged to develop relationships with Novaneer parents through day-to-day engagements during drop-off and pick-up times as well as staying accessible to parents when needed. This collaborative relationship also assists in ensuring that the home and school environment is helping our Novaneers get the best out of themselves and behaviours that could be harmful (or good) are monitored and handled accordingly. 

Nova Pioneer strives to create a community that continues with our learners from the start of their school career until they graduate. Our school philosophy is developed to ensure the success of every child who passes through our doors; we want them to be major actors in any setting they inhabit during and after their time at Nova Pioneer. (As we say, once a Novaneer, always a Novaneer!). 

Click here to read more about our Post School Success programme.

In 2023 we will bring you added value and more affordable pricing. Read more or reach out to admissions.sa@novapioneer.com  for more information. 

Space is limited for 2023 applications. 

 

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. 

Simikazi Deyi expresses the importance of mother tongue languages in an article in 2018 that states, “Language is not just a series of words, but includes certain nuances that emerge in the form of idioms, metaphors and euphemisms, as well as praises. Language is therefore tied intrinsically to a sense of belonging, which is in turn linked to society and its values”. In a country where our differences have so often divided us, our school is always looking for tangible opportunities to acknowledge the spectrum of who we are. 

 

Language has historically been a divisive tool in education. Used to disempower, to segregate, and to alienate children from access to quality education. One simply needs to reflect on the 1976 Soweto Uprising to realise how powerful a tool language is in creating equitable access to education. In modern day South Africa, we still struggle with classism and bias based on people’s accents when they speak in English. As schools serving children on the African continent, it is our responsibility to work to create a cohesive society, and the acknowledgement of our language diversity is one of many ways we can make this possible for our learners. 

 

A starting point for us was to embrace the different languages spoken by our students. In social and break settings, we do not prohibit students from speaking in their mother tongue. Rather, we seek to empower our students to understand how to include their peers, and not allow children of differing languages to feel excluded from a social group. We also encourage our students to learn language through socialising with their peers, who may speak a different language. This is a more complicated approach than simply saying everyone must speak English, however, the long term impact on social cohesion is more meaningful. 

 

With all this in mind, our team launched our first Love Your Mother Tongue Week (LYMT Week) in 2019. LYMT Week is a week where parents can book a slot to come in to visit their child’s class during the Morning Meeting, which is the first half hour of the day. During this time parents are invited to read a story, teach the children a song, or recite a poem in their mother tongue. During COVID parents have been able to join via Zoom. Since starting LYMT Week, we have been treated to the most rewarding recognition of who we are as a nation. Our children have experienced parents celebrating the various indigenous South African languages, Asian languages, English, Afrikaans, languages from the Middle East, as well as languages from throughout Africa, by introducing them to the rich nuances of their languages, through music, poetry and storytelling. 

 

We host this each term in an effort to normalise the differences that make us who we are, and being mindful to not just doing this once a year on a national holiday. Operationally, this is a very simple event, which requires no changes to our timetable, and is facilitated with a simple booking form. While it is very little work to organise, the power and impact of it is huge. It is however, important that the true shift does not just come from a termly event, but rather from interrogating our policies about language, and language diversity, both formal and informal. We should continue to strive to create cohesion through our everyday actions and daily acknowledgement of our differences, or else events like this will remain hollow and will be unable to affect the change we need to see in our society.

At Nova Pioneer, we understand the significance and impact of high-quality pre-primary education. We are thrilled to share some exciting news regarding our Tots (2 turning 3) to Grade 1 offering at Nova Pioneer. 

In response to the needs and expectations of Novaneers in our community –  namely, affordable and quality pre-primary care and education, we have introduced some positive changes to our younger grades –  we have reviewed our pricing and offering and, from 2023, we will be bringing you the same quality Pre-Primary and Grade 1 education at more affordable and accessible prices.

 

What Changes? What is Added?

 

1. A significant reduction in the tuition for Tots – Grade 1 (up to 20% tuition reduction in 2023*)
2. More flexibility for families (especially those who work!): A ‘regular dismissal’ day or full day option for our Tots, Grade 000 and 00 students. (Regular dismissal times will vary slightly from school to school).
3. For our Tots, Grade 000 and 00 families, a full day added-value option: Includes free aftercare at NovaCare, with a meal, snack and beverage provided.  

 

Excited? Share the love!

 

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. 

 

Want to know more? 

 

We’d love to chat with you and share more about this exciting change to our offering. Reach out to admissions.sa@novapioneer.com for more information.

*Terms and conditions apply

 

 

Nova Pioneer believes in building a compassionate, like-minded community

 

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. 

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.

 

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 double the normal referral discount (R7000 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 for 2022 or 2023 between 8 December 2021 and 30 April 2022.

 

Which parents are eligible for the R7000 discount?

 

• In order to successfully benefit from referring a student, the parent must apply to Nova Pioneer between 8 December 2021 and 30 April 2022 for enrolment in-year in 2022 or for 2023.
• The parent must state that they were referred to by you (name and surname) when they fill in the online application form in 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 R7000 discount per enrolled student that is referred up to five students (or a maximum tuition discount of R35000)
• 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.
• Nova Pioneer staff do not qualify.

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.

 

High school is the final phase of basic education, and the seeds planted in high school will be the fruits that will grow in tertiary. Looking for a high school for your child is no small feat. Parents want to know that their children are well prepared in high school to face tertiary education.

 

1. Find out what happens to students after they matriculate

 

A school’s post-high school success rate is one of the first things parents ought to consider when looking for a high school for their child. At Nova Pioneer, we place great value on students’ post-high school success. We strongly believe many elements can impact a student’s ability to succeed after completing high school. Thus, we want to ensure that students perform well academically at our institutions and ensure that they feel supported and prepared to succeed beyond Nova Pioneer. 

 

2. Additional support programmes

 

The kind of support a high school provides their students, specifically with regards to tertiary support programmes, exposure and resources – is as important as the school’s success rate. Our Post-School Success (PSS) programme at Nova Pioneer is designed to leverage different stakeholders in the student’s ecosystem, to facilitate the student’s exploration and understanding of themselves. The programme is a unique offering available to our senior high school students and it provides our students with personalised guidance on exploring post-school options.

 

3. Educational philosophy 

 

Parents should understand the unique educational philosophy of the school that they’re considering for their child. Schools operate with different educational values and some might not be aligned with your family values or the values you wish to instil in your child. For example, public schools are typically driven by a directive to teach in order to test. On the other hand, independent schools, like Nova Pioneer, have much more creativity and flexibility to develop our curriculum to allow our students to learn in a more all-inclusive way. We, at Nova Pioneer, are intentionally developing generations of innovators and leaders who will shape the African Century.

 

4. Academic programme

 

Parents should also get a sense of what the academic programme of the school looks like and how it fits into their child’s needs. Your child will be spending their last years of basic education at that school; make sure that the school offers classes that interest and challenge your child. Nova Pioneer offers the Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) curriculum, designed to teach students how to learn and how to go on learning. Our role goes beyond helping students achieve good results, and beyond giving students passports for progression to university or employment. We give our students a curriculum that will bring lifelong success in tomorrow’s world.

 

5. Classroom experience

 

Parents ought to have a guided experience around the high schools that they’re considering for their children. Make sure that you see the on-campus offering, facilities and how the classrooms are structured. In our classroom experience, Nova Pioneer invites parents to become students again by having them experience our unique way of teaching and experiencing what it’s like to be a Novaneer.

What parents need to remember is that there is no right or wrong way of selecting a high school for your child. Parents need to consider what will work best for their children. Place the needs of your child first when choosing a high school for them. And remember, whatever the high school has to offer your child, at the end of their high school career, the school needs to have prepared them for the next level of education post-high school.

 

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