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.

The expectations we set for our students are based on the data we collect, that also guides us in mapping their educational growth goals. 

Our view, is that our students are capable and competent individuals with unique abilities to achieve their goals. Our job is to facilitate the process and assist them in developing a growth mindset.

Teaching and learning at Nova Pioneer is firmly grounded in our culture principles, especially: Always Growing, High Expectations, and Joy of Learning. We continuously seek feedback on our students and the learning process in order to inform our teaching, and in turn enable our students to grow and reach their individual academic potential. The learning environment created by the teachers is pivotal in ensuring that each student meets their individual academic goals. 

Here are some of the methods our teachers use to collect data during teaching and learning: 

• Questioning during small group and whole class instructions 
• Observations during centre rotations 
• Student self-reflections 
• Reading assessments 
• Regular checks for understanding 

In addition, we also use more formal assessments such as end of term assessments, Cambridge Progression and Checkpoints, as well as Measure of Academic Progress (MAP). The end of term assessments are written tests used to gauge whether students have mastered concepts covered during a term or year. 

The Cambridge Progression Tests (taken from Grade 3) and Checkpoints (taken in Grade 6) are written tests used to assess knowledge, skills and understanding in English, mathematics, and science. MAP is an international adaptive computer test which measures students’ growth in reading and mathematics, and helps us compare our students’ growth with their peers internationally. Our rotational small group teaching model creates multiple opportunities for students and teachers to provide feedback on the learning process.

We assess our students on a continuous basis, and this provides us with rich data that we use to improve academic performance. The purpose of this data is threefold: 

1. To understand where our students are currently at and what their current needs are 
2. To outline where our students need to be 
3. It helps us develop the path necessary to get them there 

Once this is clearly defined to us, we then continuously revisit and develop these skills using our teaching and learning model. The data we collect is the cornerstone of our teaching and learning, and the individually tailored learning experiences. 

Many elements can impact a student’s ability to succeed after completing secondary school. We want to ensure that students perform well academically and that they feel supported and prepared to succeed beyond Nova Pioneer. To that effect, we introduced a Post School Success (PSS) Team at all our Secondary Schools with the aim of equipping students with practical tools for preparation in life after school.

The PSS team, together with each school’s Leadership Team, has designed a unique programme with the purpose of facilitating each student’s exploration and understanding of themselves with a focus on post-secondary opportunities available to them. The PSS programme is led by a team who collectively have extensive experience in helping African students gain access to tertiary education with financial aid and helping them develop the life and pre-professional skills necessary to take advantage of post-school opportunities. Post School Success programming begins in Grade 10, to ensure that each student has ample time to thoughtfully consider their next steps and take full advantage of the resources available through the Nova Pioneer network.

Exploring the option to study further 

The most common pathway after high school is enrolling in a university or college. The PSS Team helps students considering this option to answer questions that they may have about the application process, what educational programmes are available, and which will best prepare them to achieve their goals. The PSS Team also supports students by alerting them to pre-university academic enrichment opportunities and helping them complete applications, as well as supporting them to prepare for the standardised testing required for their pathway of choice.

Pursuing other Paths

While pursuing a tertiary degree is the best route for some, university is not the only pathway to success for Nova Pioneer students. Some may want a break from academics before they continue with full-time study, and for some high school graduates, pursuing work experience instead of attending college is the best way forward. There are several reasons why students may consider pursuing other options, which include practical training or work and/or taking a “gap year” to engage with the community through volunteering or to develop new skills that will stand them in good stead for the future. The PSS Team supports students in understanding their options and what benefits and challenges each may come with, including taking a “gap year”.

Partnering with Parents

The PSS Team is there to guide students toward making the best decision for them, their families, and their future. The programme also leverages different stakeholders within a Nova Pioneer student’s ecosystem in order to help them identify and pursue the opportunities that are the best fit for their goals post graduation. In essence, our PSS Team aims to empower students to take charge of their future in a supportive environment, which includes the partnership of both parents and school.

Guest: Thandeka Thusi 

Thandeka Thusi, former NP English teacher and founder of Kasi Fundi, joins Jabu and discusses how she landed the Geleza Nathi TV teaching gig as a university student, the impact of Nova Pioneer on her personal and professional growth and Kasi Fundi’s core mission and aspirations for education access and equality in South African townships. 

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.

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

Produced by Jabu Mtwa. Theme music, mixing and sound design is by Hazy.

A common question we get from students is “What is the difference between IEB, CAPS and Cambridge?”

One of the reasons that drew me to Nova Pioneer five years ago, apart from the desire to be a member of a team of educational pioneers in South Africa, was the opportunity to teach within the Cambridge system. And five years down the line, I do not regret that decision. What an intellectually and personally rewarding journey it has been for me, and will continue to be. The Cambridge curriculum is still quite an unfamiliar system in the South African context. Many prospective parents have heard about it, but are still not fully aware of how it works and the benefits thereof as an educational experience. At parent evenings and open days some of the most commonly asked questions are, ¨What are A levels, and why should my child consider taking them?¨ 

A Levels (Advanced Level) refers to the final two years of the Cambridge curriculum. The two-year course consists of two ´sub-phases´, AS (Advanced Subsidiary) and A2. These two sub-phases combine to equate to a full A Level. At the end of each of these sub-phases students write examinations externally set and marked by Cambridge. In the South African system, the AS Level is considered the equivalent of the South African matric, and students may apply to university locally and exit school after this point if they have achieved the minimum of four AS level subject passes (D symbol and above), including English, combined with one IGCSE pass (C symbol and above). This IGCSE pass should be in their second language. Alright, now that we have dealt with the technicalities, the question arises again. If my child can exit school at the end of their AS year (Grade 12), why should they stay on and achieve a full A level qualification at the end of Grade 13? 

There are a few reasons why we encourage parents to strongly consider full A Levels for their children. The first is that it is a well-respected international qualification and students who wish to study abroad will invariably be at an advantage in terms of university acceptance at all the world´s top tertiary institutions. Top South African universities as well have formalised their acceptance criteria for A Level candidates and these students are highly sought after locally as well. Full A Levels also provides another bite at the cherry for students who may not have achieved the university entry requirements in their AS exams. By improving their results in a 13th year, they almost always end up with a very strong university entrance qualification. 

The A Level qualification is also explicitly designed to prepare students for university study. The heavy emphasis placed on the skills of application, analysis and evaluation of knowledge means students are far better prepared for the academic rigours of university. A 2019 South African study showed that only 22% of South African students managed to complete a three year bachelor degree in the three year time period. Within the South African context there are many reasons for this. However, a key one is that generally, the South African schooling system leaves many students academically ill-prepared for the intellectual rigours of university. At Nova Pioneer part of the way we measure success is defined by our graduate’s ability to complete their university courses in the stipulated time. This is a major factor in why we chose to partner with Cambridge in providing affordable access to a curriculum specifically designed to heighten chances of success at tertiary level. The ability to inculcate critical thinking skills and an advanced level of academic literacy in our graduates will not only stand them in good stead at university, but also in the world of work after university graduation. Another important attribute developed in students within the Cambridge system is the ability to work independently. This is fundamental to success particularly in the A Level phase. Great habits learnt here carry through to university and strengthen the academic ´muscle´ needed to achieve success. The feedback I receive from former Nova Pioneer students is how much further ahead they are at university in their skills, content knowledge and academic maturity than their peers from CAPS or IEB schools. 

And finally, we tend to focus so much on the benefits of Cambridge as a pathway to academic and career success, and neglect the intrinsic benefits thereof, or the opportunity A Levels provides our students to be better, more informed human beings through study for the love of knowledge. The opportunity to focus in depth on three to four disciplines a student is passionate about is an opportunity not afforded to many students in the South African schooling system. The chance to really experience the joy of in depth intellectual fulfilment at an earlier point in their academic career is, I feel, a great privilege. This final reason is an important one, particularly for those students who have not yet decided what they want to study at university. A Levels therefore provides an opportunity for an intellectually stimulating ´gap´ year. 

The Cambridge curriculum has been designed as a thirteen year programme and so our message to prospective parents and students is that, to achieve full benefit from this rigorous and rewarding programme, the option of completing the full A Level qualification should always be one to consider when applying for study at Nova Pioneer. 

Nova Pioneer announced plans to launch a new high schools in 2023. Nova Pioneer Ruimsig High Campus will be based at our North Riding campus for the first two years (thereafter moving to our Ruimsig campus in 2025) and serve Novaneers in Johannesburg West.  The new campus will cater for Grade 8 students in 2023 and subsequently add grades. Nova Pioneer is a private school network that builds and operates world-class, affordable schools, offering students grades from preschool through to high school.

Quality Education Made Accessible to More Families

Co-founder and CEO of Nova Pioneer Chinezi Chijioke said the school group’s expansion plans are guided by their mission to develop a generation of young innovators and leaders who will shape the world.

“Over the past five years, our Nova Pioneer North Riding primary school campus has only catered to students from preschool to Grade 7. However, due to the remarkable success of the campus and growing demand for a high school, we will introduce high school that will serve families in the areas as well as give Novaneers the opportunity to complete their schooling career at Nova Pioneer,” he explained.

“Nova Pioneer seeks to provide consistent excellent 21st century schooling that prepares children to thrive and lead in life beyond school, and is financially accessible – we want to reach as many families as possible. We do this through a combination of the rigorously implemented Cambridge curriculum, a teaching approach that emphasises critical thinking and student voice, and our internally developed leadership, social-emotional wellness, and post-school success programmes.”

Expansion Plans in Detail

The Ruimsig High School will initially be housed at our North Riding campus for the first two years and thereafter will move onto our Ruimsig campus ensuring it can suitably serve all students in the Randburg and Roodepoort areas. Nova Pioneer South Africa now has three high schools and we are currently enrolling for the following grades.

• Nova Pioneer Ormonde: Grade 8 to A-Levels
• Nova Pioneer Midrand: Grade 8 and 9
• Nova Pioneer West (incubated at North Riding): Grade 8

Excellent Cambridge Results

Chief Academic Officer, Rahel Wondwossen said the school group offers quality education grounded in the Cambridge standards, an internationally accredited curriculum that is both locally and globally recognised. Our Nova Pioneer High schools offer grades up to, and including Grade 13, which is optional but a popular choice for many students based on their specific tertiary learning plans and, with time, Nova Pioneer West will offer all grades.

“Cambridge qualifications are internationally recognised, opening doors for Nova Pioneer students to universities in South Africa and worldwide. We are proud to be one of a few South African schools that offer the Cambridge Curriculum and are fully accredited with Cambridge International.”

Nova Pioneer students can write their IGSCE, AS-Level and A-Level examinations. Earlier this year, the school group celebrated their Ormonde High students’ Cambridge A-Level results, with a 100% pass rate and exceeded the national subject pass average. The A-Level year is ostensibly the equivalent of Grade 13 at 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.

Post School Success Team

Nova Pioneer places high value on students’ post-secondary school success. The school believes many elements can impact a student’s ability to succeed after completing high school. “We want to ensure that students perform well academically and ensure that they feel supported and prepared to succeed beyond Nova Pioneer. We recognise that those paths will be as diverse as our students are, reflecting their passions and talents. To that effect, we have a Post-School Success (PSS) programme to provide all students with personalised guidance on exploring post-school options. Our PSS programme is a unique offering available to our senior high students,” said Wondwossen.

Since its introduction in both South Africa and Kenya, Nova Pioneer’s PSS programme has facilitated the admission of students into renowned universities both locally and abroad. Schools for Innovators and Leaders Nova Pioneer believes too many schools focus too narrowly on knowledge memorisation and content accumulation. While Nova Pioneer considers academic mastery and skills to be critically important, it also places focus on a more holistic set of skills aligned with its vision of developing high-character leaders and innovators.

“We focus on developing our students’ character, problem-solving capabilities and interpersonal connection. We call these our ‘3Cs’. We expect our students to excel in exams and attend great universities, but ultimately our success will be measured by our graduates’ lives. By the innovations they develop, companies they launch and lead, art they create, and impact they have on their communities,” said Chijioke.

“Ultimately, we want our students to become shapers of a world they envision, rather than takers of the world they inherit. We are very proud of all our students and wish them well as they transition into the next secondary learning stage of their lives. We look forward to having our students complete their entire schooling career (Grade 000 to Grade 13) at Nova Pioneer and openly welcome students from other schools too.”

The sad reality that is slowly starting to sink in about our childrens’ day to day experiences is that they are not only living through one pandemic that is shaping their futures, but they are also dealing with mental issues such as depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts, often brought to light by the effects of bullying.

Imagine waking up in the morning drenched in anxiety and a feeling in your gut that pushes you to jump back into bed. A crippling feeling that persuades you that stepping out of the door will in no way bring you any peace. For a lot of adults, this is a feeling that we can all relate to or at some point in our lives have felt, but for most of our children, this is a reality that they live out daily simply because school no longer feels like a safe haven for them to hang out with their friends during lunchtime and engage in fun extracurricular activities after school. Due to the rising numbers of bullying in schools, more and more children refuse to go to school, but it seems like now bullying is something that they can’t escape even when they are in the comfort of their own home.

There was a time when bullying was simply something that children experienced physically or verbally from their peers but with the prolific rise of social media and apps such as Twitter, TikTok, WhatsApp etc, bully’s have found a new ‘playground’ for them to torture their peers.

According to a 2018 Ipsos Global Adviser study conducted in 28 countries, it was confirmed that South Africa topped the statistics for cyberbullying with 25% of parents reporting that their children have been cyberbullied.

With our children moving to online classrooms and hybrid models of learning, it is becoming more and more important to monitor what children are doing online as they spend most of their time in front of screens.

Studies have shown that some of the signs to look out for if your child is being bullied online are:

• Child appears edgy or nervous when engaging in online activities like receiving instant messages or emails, engaging in conversations on social media, etc;
• Seems depressed, angry, irritable or frustrated after being online and may also seem regularly depressed;
• Displays unusually secretive behaviour, particularly related to online activity;
•  Avoids conversations about their online activities;
• Abruptly turns off or walks away from the computer mid-use;
• Stops using their devices unexpectedly;
• Oversleeping or not getting enough sleep;
•  Changes in eating patterns;
•  Unexplained headaches or abdominal aches;
• Disengagement from activities, hobbies or pastimes that used to interest them;
• Is unusually withdrawn from friends and family; and
•  Often telling you they are feeling ill to avoid going to school or to leave school early.

At Nova Pioneer we believe that it is important to constantly reinforce positive student interactions and are always engaging around bullying and how we can stop students from not only bullying but being bystanders that also do nothing when they see their fellow classmates being bullied. This year we were able to host our first anti-bullying picnic at our Midrand campus and hope to continue to spread the amazing work done by our Novaneers with the greater community.

In the event of a bullying incident, the school:

• Intervenes immediately; stops the bullying behaviour as soon as we see it or become aware of it. 
• Talk to the child that was bullied separately and obtain a vivid picture of what happened and how the child has been harmed. 
• Talk to the bully separately. If more than one child is involved in perpetrating the bullying, talk to each of the perpetrators separately in quick succession.
• Obtain a clear picture of what happened and remind child(ren) of the behaviour expectations. 
• Talk to any bystanders separately. 
• Arrange a meeting with the ‘injured party’ and the bully. The purpose of this meeting is to initiate a process of restorative justice. Perpetrators will have to face the consequences of their actions in terms of the Nova Pioneer Philosophy of Culture and Behaviour. However, perpetrators will also be provided with psychosocial support in order that they can better understand their behaviour so that it can be prevented from recurring. In other words, individuals will be held accountable for their actions within a system of support. 

For more information on understanding bullying, watch the full video here:

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.

Source

We are fast approaching the season of giving. Our children are precious to us and we often give them gifts that delight them in the moment but have little positive impact on their future.

Upon reflection, I considered the fact that at least 16 years of my children’s lives will be spent at school and thus the most profound and impactful gift I could give them, is that of an educational environment that builds character and a solid foundation of skills.

The African Century needs our children to show up unlike any other in history! The future will be filled with unprecedented and unimaginable circumstances that will require our children to rely on skills that have been fostered throughout their 16 years of basic education. 

The Nova Pioneer approach to education checks this box for me. Teachers provide children with the knowledge required but the focus is on the children’s ability to process the knowledge. Skills such as investigative thinking processes, innovating alternative solutions, empowering their voice to test the status quo and exploring topics from different angles.

I believe these are some of the skills that will propel our children to succeed in a world where knowledge is ever-evolving. I am resolute, now more than ever, I want to give them the best gift, the gift of a great education and rich skillset, the gift of a good future.