As the hourglass runs down on my tenure as Headmaster of Stanford Lake College I am moved to reflect on the time I have been privileged to have lead our remarkable school. Over the next couple of months I would like to share with you my thoughts on why I feel that the investment that each family makes when enrolling their child in Stanford Lake College can be warranted a hundred times over, and why I believe that Stanford stands amongst giants as one of the very best schools in South Africa. The all-round education that each child receives at Stanford is not merely an academic one, but rather an education that can be best described by using Martin Robinson’s Trivium 21stCentury view on education which identifies three critical aspects of a good education: Knowledge, skills and character. Each of these, in turn, focuses on different aspects of a child’s growth so that they may, at the end of their stay at school, move into the world beyond as confident, knowledgeable, empathetic, skilled global citizens. These key pillars of knowledge, character and skills drive everything that we do as a school and each aspect of what the College offers has been thoughtfully and deliberately designed and implemented to provide our Stanfordians with the necessary skill-set to thrive in today’s complex world.
In the weeks leading up to the start of the Matric final examinations, I would like to specifically identify the key areas where I feel our school offers a child the opportunity to develop their knowledge, character and skills in such a way that what they receive in their time at the College constitutes a well-rounded, world-class education. One that they can be truly proud of, and one which will lay the solid foundation they need so that they are able to confidently move onto the next chapter of their lives. I also hope to elaborate on how we as a school feel these aspects of learning prepare our young Stanfordians, not only for their teenage years but more importantly for life beyond school.
The key aspects that we have identified, many of which are unique to Stanford Lake College, cover all three areas of the Trivium 21stCentury’s, Knowledge, Character and Skills, and when taken together and given equal credence, ensure that each child at Stanford has the opportunity to grow in all aspects of learning, both academic and non-academic, whilst at the College.
These areas are;
- The College’s ‘Dream an’ Do’ Outdoor Education Programme
- Our supportive and caring tutor system
- The breadth of Co-Curricular options available to each student. (Sport, Adventure, Culture and Clubs and Societies)
- The Lower School, Round Square Discovery Framework, academic programme.
- Our membership of the Round Square
- The world-class teachers who drive the academic success of our school
- And our value system, embodied by ‘The Seven Trees’.
I look forward to sharing my thoughts with you on each of these seven aspects with you over the next few months and elaborating on how I feel each of these contributes to an education that each child and their parents can be truly proud of.