Dear Parents, Guardians and Students,
We are nearly at half-term of Term I and we have had the most wonderful (busy) start to the year thus far. I cannot believe how much we have accomplished in the first month and a half of being back at school.
Our Matric Dance was the most beautiful event, with the Grade 12 girls looking spectacular. It was such a happy occasion, and the Grade 11s must be thanked for the effort they took to decorate the hall and for the attention that was paid to the details on the evening to create “The Sands of Time” – such a fitting and whimsical theme. I know that this is a culmination of a year’s hard work by the Grade 11s and the staff and thank Ms Sam Gibb, Ms Jenna Lightfoot and Ms Aaliyah Osman for their guidance and support of the girls throughout the year.
Our annual Footloose Friday was held on Friday, 13 February. The pairs of shoes and outfits of hope are usually collected and displayed on the cricket pitch, but the rain thwarted that plan, so “ZEAL” (the Matric theme for the year) was written in Joel Hall, and the shoes were placed there. Thousands of pairs of shoes were collected for our various partner organisations and many outfits of hope too. Thank you to our generous community for your support of this wonderful day.
Open day was held on Saturday 14 February and the community was invited to “fall in love with Kingsmead” – and so many prospective parents and students certainly did just that. Thank you to the marketing team and to all the staff who put on such a wonderful morning to showcase our beautiful school, from the sports on offer, to the many arts activities, to our superb academic offering and our service programme. I felt exceptionally proud of Kingsmead on that morning.
May you have an enjoyable half-term break. I wish our Water polo teams well for their tournaments and good energy to the cast and crew of Matilda, who are rehearsing over the half term.
Fond regards,
Lisa Palmer
Executive Head: Kingsmead College
Beyond the Classroom
Beyond the Classroom encompasses sports and physical well-being, the performing and visual arts, service to the school and community, as well as non-academic excursions and travel, developing young people who can make choices that will serve them in the long run and help them live a life of balance and purpose. We aim to remain student-focused – the adults who coach and guide our students must be educators who consistently prioritise student well-being, providing a safe space of belonging, to pursue interests with the necessary support.
Sports and wellness activities instil a healthy lifestyle, resilience, and teamwork. Through service activities, students see the contribution they can make to society, while the Arts develop confidence, creativity, and collaborative skills. All of these are transferable and lifelong competencies essential for success beyond the school gates.
We look forward to partnering with the community in ensuring the best opportunities for our students to grow and succeed. The first Beyond the Classroom evening was well received and parents will be invited to more of this type of event.
Thank you for your continued involvement and support of the Beyond the Classroom activities and events.
Meet the teams:
Elsabé Fourie
Deputy Head: Beyond the Classroom
efourie@kingsmead.co.za
Academics
Making Geography Relevant: Grade 12s Engage with Leading Agricultural Economist
In our ongoing effort to make Geography meaningful and relatable for students, the Geography Department was delighted to host Mr Wandile Sihlobo during today’s Grade 12 lesson on Land Reform.
Mr Sihlobo is the Chief Economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz) and the author of three influential books:
• The Uncomfortable Truth About South Africa’s Agriculture (2025)
• A Country of Two Agricultures: The Disparities, The Challenges, The Solutions (2023)
• Finding Common Ground: Land, Equity and Agriculture (2020)
His distinguished career includes serving on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Presidential Economic Advisory Council (appointed in 2019 and again in 2022) and contributing to the Presidential Expert Advisory Panel on Land Reform and Agriculture in 2018. He also holds the position of Senior Lecturer Extraordinary in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Stellenbosch University.
During the session, Mr Sihlobo unpacked South Africa’s land reform journey with clarity and optimism. He highlighted progress made so far, the challenges that remain, and the importance of balancing fairness with economic viability. Students gained valuable insight into how emerging farmers are supported, the common misconceptions about land reform, and the meaningful opportunities that still exist in the agricultural sector.
It was an inspiring and informative engagement that brought real-world expertise directly into the classroom—enriching students’ understanding of one of South Africa’s most important and evolving topics.
Bianca Rademacher
Geography Teacher
