GRADE 0 CONCERT
THE GRADE 2s LEARNT ABOUT VOLUME & CAPACITY
The Grade 2s spent time learning about volume and capacity. They measured different ingredients to create a ‘Top Secret’ potion. The boys learnt how to use different measuring tools, how to estimate measurements and how to methodically work through a recipe. The magical result can be seen in their facial expressions!
CANOEING
Our Canoeing Team had the honour of training alongside the best of the best. Clinton Cook and Hamish Lovemore are the current South African K2 Marathon Champions, with Hamish also holding the U23 K1 Men’s World Championship title. Clinton is a member of Dabulamanzi, a club in which our Ridge boys also participate, he finished second in the Fish River Canoe Marathon in October.
THE RIDGE SCHOOL SOCIAL
We hosted our first Grade 6 and 7 Social this year. With a buzz of excitement and with their dance shoes on, boys and girls arrived in their numbers for the first of many to come.
THE GRADE 0s LEARNT ABOUT NUMBERS
The Grade 0s had a fantastic time learning about numbers, they then played games to reinforce what they had learnt. This included Zingo, clip cards, rolling dice, caterpillar counting and colouring dot-to-dot pictures in their mini math booklets.
MATHS OLYMPIAD
All Senior Prep boys at The Ridge participate in the national Maths Olympiad, which is organised by the South African Maths Foundation and AMESA. This year we had close to 100 boys from Grade 4 to 7 who made it through to the Second Round of the challenge. Today we recognised the significant achievement of 28 boys that achieved bronze certificates and 11 boys that achieved silver certificates from the Second Round. Special commendations were given to Robin Grantham, Thomas Faber and Luke Goldstein whose exceptional performances resulted in them being invited to the prestigious Third Round of the competition.
WEEK IN REFLECTION…
I spent some time last week observing a lesson in Grade 0. It was informative and very enjoyable, and at the end of the week I felt that I had learnt a lot.
I really enjoyed watching our boys in action. They love working together in pairs or groups and also love the friendly competition against one another. They love thinking about hard questions and asking even harder ones, they enjoy being praised for success but enjoy being challenged too and cope well with failure (a very good sign).
Equally, I was also keen to watch the teachers in action. Watching a great teacher in action is a real pleasure. On the one hand, they have mastered the craft of teaching; the lesson is meticulously planned, with well-chosen and relevant activities, which stretch boys in a way appropriate to their specific needs; the resources are carefully compiled and used tactically; the class is well-managed to ensure that all boys remain focused and make progress, whilst also being given the freedom they need to think and explore for themselves; learning is constantly assessed to identify what has been understood and to determine how best to proceed; there is the right balance of hard graft and enjoyment; the right balance between individual work and collaboration; or between factual recall and skills development… all the tangible nuts and bolts of teaching that are mastered through practice, experience, and hard work.
Teaching is an art as much as it is a science, and the best teachers bring other qualities, less easy to define. They wear on their sleeves a passion for learning, for discovery, and for their subject which infects and enthuses those about them. They can bring the dead to life, explain the incomprehensible, give you goosebumps when talking about their subjects, inspiring boys in a way that defies rational explanation – it is form of magic. The best teachers connect personally, with individuals and large groups, to ensure that the pupils know that they, along with their ideas and views, are truly valued as individuals, such that the sense of wonder and enjoyment is truly shared.
How fortunate we are therefore, given this context, to teach the extraordinary boys at The Ridge – they are engaged, enthusiastic, polite, bright and a delight (most of the time). In turn, I am so pleased that they can benefit from the wonderful, hard-working, caring and dedicated teachers that we are lucky to have here. It makes all the difference.
-Ryan Bezuidenhout
Head of Senior Primary Pastoral Care
SOAPBOX DERBY
Our Inter-House Soapbox Derby brought a new energy to the day and the competition was fierce and exhausting, with everyone, including our teachers and parents, taking part. This was a fantastic way to start our half-term break.
GRADE 3 CAMP
The Grade 3s outdid themselves on their first school camp. They demonstrated that obstacles can be overcome, new friends can be made, and laughter is the best medicine. They spent hours outside, hiking and participating in teambuilding activities to improve communication and understanding among themselves, demonstrating “The Ridge Right Stuff.
MARKET DAY
The Grade 7s hosted a Market Day in the Senior quad, demonstrating their leadership and entrepreneurial skills.
THE GRADE 4s LEARNT ABOUT MATTER
The Grade 4s investigated ‘Changing States of Matter’ in Science by making Oobleck and observing how you can change it from a liquid to a solid and back.
WATERPOLO FIRST TERM
Congratulations to our First Team Waterpolo, who participated in the 28th Saints Waterpolo Invitational Tournament hosted by St Stithians College. Our boys showed heart and grit to come 5th Overall. Well done Ridge Boys.
JUDO AT THE RIDGE
Congratulations to the Hajime Judo Club for 31 years of teaching Judo at The Ridge. This year, The Ridge managed to win 4 of the 8 trophies. It was the first time in history that a single school not only won 4 trophies but also both Grade 0 trophies. We are extremely proud of the boys.
CRICKET FESTIVAL
We hosted a cricket festival at Camp Discovery, where our first XI cricket team performed admirably. Demonstrating excellent sportsmanship and enjoyment of the gentleman’s game
CONGRATULATIONS TO ANTONIO ISIDRO
Antonio Isidro (Grade 4) who was selected to represent South Africa in the T4 Go Karting Nations Cup held in Valencia, Spain in October. Antonio competed in the Mini section for 8 – 12 year old’s and finished in a very creditable 15th place out of 36 competitors. We are very proud of you!
HOCKEY AT THE RIDGE
To cap off the hockey season, the coaches and 1st team hockey squad played a friendly game against one another. It was a highly contested game and everyone was in good Ridge spirits.
ROBOTICS COMPETETION
The Grade 6 and 7s competed in a robotics competition at Hamilton House. The boys had to programme their robots to perform various tasks while navigating an obstacle course. Congratulations to the Grade 6 team who finished first in their competition and the Grade 7 team who tied for second in theirs. Well done boys
GRADE 3 EISTEDDFOD
Congratulations to our Grade 3 boys who participated in the Eisteddfod drama competition, which was held at our school over the past two days. For their efforts, all of the boys received certificates..
WORLD WILD LIFE FUNDRAISER
The Grade 0-7 boys added a dash of animal print to their uniforms in support of the World Wildlife Fund. An impressive R3793 was raised. Well done everyone!
OLD BOYS NEWS
Congratulations to the following Ridge Old Boys at Hilton College, Oliver Joyner has been named McKenzie Head of House for 2023, Ben Kok has been named Head of Academics for 2023, and Matthew Peters has been named Newnham Head of House for 2023 and Captain of Rowing. Christopher Harty received full academic colours, Flynn Newell received honours for academics, Ross Short received full academic colours (A levels), Luke Holden received a Merit Certificate for Soccer, Thomas Roy received half-colours for soccer, and Murray Brink received half-colours for rugby 7’s.
Congratulations to Daniel Bloom, Head of Ochse House (St Alban’s College) and to Sean Ruwodo, David Ball and Leruo Mophatlane , Espin House prefects at St Andrew’s College. May you continue to proudly fly our flag.
Congratulations to the following Ridge old boys on becoming prefects and heads of their various houses at Michaelhouse. David du Toit – Head of Baines House, Oliver von Klemperer – Prefect of East House, Marc du Plessis – Prefect of Ralfe House, Oliver Walters – Prefect of Pascoe House and Cameron Fleming – Prefect of Farfield House. We are proud of all of you gentlemen. Keep striving for excellence.
Not often do young men like Sebastian Bouilliart come around. As a young boy at The Ridge he was amazing, as a young man, he is exceptional.Sebastian has been named the Dux Scholar at St John’s College for 2022.
He received the subject prize in the following subjects at the recent Valedictory Mass,
AP Mathematics, English, French, History, Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Life Orientation
