February was an exciting month at Kingsmead College! Our girls have been busy participating in various events and activities. One of the highlights was the Inter-High Swimming Gala where the A and B teams showed true Kingsmead Courage and placed 9th and 6th respectively. The Grade 12 Geography students also had a successful morning along the Braamfontein Spruit in Delta Park. Students also demonstrated their kind and giving nature by creating party packs for the children from Thusanani.
We had a lovely time with our Ray of Hope friends. There was a fantastic turnout of Kingsmead girls from both Junior and Senior Schools. We had a wonderful afternoon of baking, drawing, reading, and playing!
We would like to thank all the families who took the time to attend our Senior School Open Day. It was great to have you, and we hope you enjoyed learning more about our school. Also, a big thank you to our staff members for their efforts in making sure that the Open Day was a success.
Paula Anderson was selected to attend the Professional Dance Programme at the Russian Masters Ballet Summer Intensive in Burgas, Bulgaria during the August holiday. Congratulations to Paula on this exceptional achievement, and we wish her all the best in her dancing endeavours.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all our amazing students and staff members who selflessly donated blood during our recent blood drive. Your generosity and kindness have touched many lives, and we are incredibly grateful for your support.
We also want to extend a special thank you to our fantastic peer promoters for their invaluable assistance throughout the drive. Your dedication and hard work made a significant difference in ensuring its success.
Remember, donating blood is an act of compassion that can save lives. Let’s continue to spread kindness and make a positive impact in our communities.
Our Grade 12 Consumer Studies Students had an amazing outing at the FBI Chef Academy where they were treated to a love-filled (and delicious!) welcome by Chef Nicolas and his team. They got to witness fine dining plated desserts and were in awe of the possibilities that exist.
To top it off, Chef Nicolas also gave a demonstration of shortcrust pastry, which is the topic for the 2023 Grade 12 Consumer Studies PAT. The students left feeling inspired and excited for what’s to come for their PAT. Good luck to our “Super 10”, as Chef Nicolas fondly calls them!
Our Junior School reception was recently adorned with some beautiful artwork by our talented Grade 2 students. We love seeing such creativity and talent on display. If you happen to be on campus, we invite you to take a moment to stop by and appreciate their beautiful work. It’s sure to brighten up your day!
International Day of Women and Girls in Science
Kingsmead College is a place where girls take centre stage on multiple levels. It’s important that they know that the sky is the limit when it comes to the real world too. They could occupy a seat in government, a space in engineering, or pursue a career in the technological and robotics arena. It’s our responsibility to make sure that every aspect of a girls’ school – from the classroom to the sports field – is designed to create opportunities for girls.
Whether our students want to be astronauts, engineers, authors, or medical professionals, girls need to know—not just think, but really know, deep down at a metacognitive level—there’s nothing that can stand in their way. Thus our subject of Earth Science within the Senior Primary is especially important at this time in history, as our world is faced with many crises that require urgent attention and solution-finding. There are many challenges facing humanity—dwindling energy and mineral resources, changing climates, water shortages—directly relating to the Earth Sciences. There are many difficult decisions that governments, local and national, will have to make concerning these issues, and how well humans survive the twenty-first century will depend upon the success of these decisions.
Our Grade 6 & 7 students celebrated International Day of Women and Girls in Science by conducting some exciting science experiments. The Grade 7s put on their thinking caps and “Made Magic Happen” by using an Inquiry process, while the Grade 6s had fun with a “Dancing Raisin” experiment to test the density of raisins in a carbonated beverage. We are so proud of our young scientists and can’t wait to see what they discover next!
Our Grade 1s had a blast exploring the properties of Oobleck, a substance similar to quicksand but much more enjoyable, on International Girl in Science Day. Oobleck’s unique characteristics made it a fascinating subject of study. When pressure is applied to the mixture, its viscosity increases, making it feel like a solid. Conversely, when the pressure is reduced, the mixture behaves like a liquid, allowing fingers to slide in easily.
The students experimented with Oobleck in class, tapping its surface and slowly dipping their hands into it. With quick taps, the cornstarch particles in the mixture were forced together, creating a solid-like feel. But by moving slowly, the students observed that the cornstarch particles had time to move out of the way, creating a liquid-like feel. It was an exciting and informative activity that allowed the students to understand the scientific concepts of viscosity and texture in a fun and engaging way.
Our Grade 10 Life Sciences students learned about the structure of cells in the past. To make things even more exciting, they decided to build a model using sweets to better understand how the cell membrane functions. It was a brilliant idea that got everyone’s attention and sparked their curiosity.
On our blog, we celebrated International Women and Girls in Science and highlighted the importance of investing in science. We reflected on how science explains everything about how the world around us works and how, by investing in science, we can create endless opportunities to change the world for the better.
Throughout history, women have been at the forefront of some of the most extraordinary advancements in science, yet they have often been underestimated, underrepresented, and not given the credit they deserve. We encouraged turning these dynamics on their head and having women lead the scientific community, which would unlock boundless potential for women in society.
As women, we also emphasised the importance of encouraging others to reach their potential. We are proud to have celebrated International Women and Girls in Science and look forward to continuing to support and empower the next generation of female scientists and innovators.
The Grade 1s had a special visitor who left a lasting impression on them. Amonge Sinxoto, a Kingsmead alumna who matriculated in 2018 and is now the author of the book My BIG name, paid a visit to the school. During her visit, she shared her story with the Grade Ones and spoke about the power of their names, emphasising how every individual is unique and beautiful in their own way.
The girls were inspired by Amonge’s powerful message, which encouraged them to embrace their differences and celebrate their individuality. Her visit was a reminder of the Kingsmead courage that is instilled in every student, inspiring them to dream big and pursue their passions with confidence and determination.
On Valentine’s Day, our Grade 000 – 00 girls had the honour of sharing their love with Veronica and Lebo from St. Vincent’s School for the Deaf. It was wonderful to witness the positive energy that filled the room. Our students were eager to learn all about sign language and the joy of giving. They embraced the experience with open hearts and minds, and it was a privilege to be a part of such a special moment.
Our Grade 7 students did an outstanding job as they sold cake and candy to raise funds for their year-end gift. Their dedication and hard work were truly impressive, and we couldn’t be prouder of them.
It’s always inspiring to see our students take initiative and work together to achieve their goals. This fundraiser was a wonderful opportunity for them to hone their organisational skills, practice their salesmanship, and, most importantly, come together as a community to support each other. We’re grateful for their efforts and can’t wait to see what other amazing things they’ll accomplish in the future. Way to go, Grade 7!
We’d like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the Kingsmead community for their generous donations of shoes for Footloose Friday. Thanks to your kindness and compassion, we received just under 2000 pairs of shoes. It was great to see the outpouring of support from our community.
The shoes have been carefully packed and delivered to several organizations, including Sunshine Centre for Children with Disabilities, Kids Haven, Little Eden, Little Stars, Dlala Nje, Maseko Day Centre, Fight with Insight, Lefika, The Epic Foundation, Rays of Hope, and The Chaylil Foundation. These organizations provide critical services and support to those in need, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to contribute to their efforts.
Once again, thank you to everyone who donated and helped make this initiative a success. Your generosity has made a significant impact in the lives of many.
The Grade 10s had an exciting Life Sciences class where they learned about cell division. To help illustrate the different phases, they got creative and made models out of cakes and sweets. It was such a fun and engaging way for them to learn!
In Foodlogy class, the Grade 9 students had an exciting opportunity to learn about acids and bases. The class was filled with eager young minds, ready to dive into the world of science. They experimented with different indicators to test which substances were acids or bases, and had a blast doing so.
One of the most interesting parts of the lesson was when the students got to make their own indicators using red cabbage. They carefully followed the instructions and were amazed at the transformation of the cabbage juice into a beautiful purple color. With their homemade indicators, the students continued their experiments and learned even more about the fascinating world of chemistry.
What a fantastic day it was for Kingsmead’s swimmers at the Inter-High Swimming Gala hosted by Holy Rosary School at St Stithian’s College! The swimmers put their hard work and dedication to the test, and the results were incredible.
All of our swimmers did an outstanding job, and we couldn’t be more proud of them. They showed true Kingsmead courage and demonstrated excellent sportsmanship throughout the event. It was a joy to see them representing our school with such enthusiasm and pride.
Our A team and B team gave it their all and performed impressively. The A team placed 9th out of the 10 schools that participated, and the B team placed 6th. Even though the competition was tough, our swimmers didn’t let it discourage them. Instead, they used it as an opportunity to challenge themselves and grow as athletes.
The Inter-House Swimming Gala was a huge success for our Junior School students! The atmosphere was filled with excitement and energy as our students competed with each other in a friendly and supportive environment.
It was wonderful to see our students having so much fun. They showed great sportsmanship and cheered for their peers, creating a sense of unity and camaraderie that embodied the spirit of Kingsmead.
We want to thank everyone who participated in the Inter-House Swimming Gala and made it such a memorable event. Your dedication and hard work helped make this day a success.
Congratulations to the Thanes House for winning the Spirit Cup! Your enthusiasm and positive attitude were contagious, and you truly embodied the Kingsmead spirit. And a special shout-out to the Knights House for winning the Gala. Your outstanding performance and dedication were truly impressive.
Our Grade 12 Geography students had a wonderful time exploring the Braamfontein Spruit in Delta Park as part of their Visual Study Matric Assignment. Accompanied by Ms. Rademacher and Ms. Tillier, the students spent a successful morning identifying fluvial features along the river.
They were eager to learn and put their knowledge of geography into practice. They carefully examined the river and its surrounding environment, noting down important details and taking photos to include in their assignments.
Ms. Rademacher and Ms. Tillier were fantastic guides, providing helpful insights and answering any questions that the students had. Together, they made sure that the students had a safe and enjoyable experience.
The Thusanani team organised a fun-filled outing to the Zoo for the children from Children’s Homes, who receive occupational therapy from them. As part of the outing, they requested 50 party packs for the children, and our students really stepped up.
They went above and beyond, showing their generosity and kindness by donating a whopping 290 party packs! We’re incredibly proud of their efforts and their commitment to making a difference in the lives of others.
The additional party packs will be given to the children and their caregivers after therapy sessions, providing them with a little extra joy and happiness during what can be a challenging time.
Thusanani was blown away by our students’ dedication and generosity. We’re grateful for the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those in our community.