Dear Parents, Guardians and Students,
We have come to the end of a very busy and successful few weeks. Inter-high aquatics ended with Kingsmead achieving a superb 4th position out of 10 schools in the combined swimming and diving results. These are by far the best results we have seen in the last while in our aquatics. Thank you to all the coaches, swimmers, and divers for such a remarkable season. Your hard work certainly paid off.
“Matilda” came to an outstanding run of 5 shows, with so many positive comments from the audience that some even said it was one of the best school productions they had ever seen.
The production was nothing short of magnificent. As I now know, Matilda is widely regarded as one of the most complex and demanding musicals to stage. It requires exceptional organisation, musical precision and creative vision. The amount of work and hours behind the scenes was evident when the play came to life.
Thank you to the staff, the cast and the crew for an exceptional production. This was certainly a proudly Kingsmead moment.
Thank you to our community for a wonderful start to the year – for your commitment to building the school’s culture and for your passion and pride in the school. The strength of a school lies in the strong relationships that we create with our staff, students and parents.
On a rather more negative note, I was sent an email from a visitor to our school who came to watch Matilda, and while she raved about the show, she had a rather less pleasant experience in our car park when arriving:
“As I mentioned I was a bit shocked and dismayed when I arrived at the school and I hope you can convey this message to the right people as a constructive comment. I had to wait for a car to leave the car park before I could enter and I had abuse hurled at me from 3 or 4 cars who were behind me also waiting to enter the school car park. Hooting and shouting. What are they teaching their children? What an awful introduction for a guest to the school. I’m not drawing attention to this because it has “scarred” me in any way, but I do think that parents should realize that the reputation of the school does not only rest on the shoulders of the Head of School, teachers and PTA. Their behaviour will be reflected by their children and have a hugely negative impact on how visitors perceive Kingsmead. One hooting and shouting parent is just a bad day, but 3 or 4 is just plain bad behaviour.”
Please may I ask that you uphold the reputation of the school in the way in which you behave in the car park.
With fond regards,
Lisa Palmer
Executive Head; Kingsmead College
Academics
Life Sciences
Learning about the phases of mitosis was actually really fun in this lesson. Instead of just sitting and writing notes, we got to make a cake cell to show one of the stages of cell division.
Our class was split into small groups, and each group was given a different phase—prophase, metaphase, anaphase, or telophase. We had to use sweets and decorations to build our own edible cell that showed what was happening in that stage. We had to think carefully about where to place the chromosomes, what the spindle fibres were doing, and what the cell looked like at that point in mitosis.
It was exciting to work together, plan our design, and then build it. We laughed a lot, compared our cakes with those of other groups, and tried to explain our phase to the rest of the class. It didn’t feel like a normal lesson, but we still learned a lot because we were actually doing something instead of just listening.
By the end, it was much easier to remember the order of the phases and what happens in each one, because we had built them ourselves. It made learning about mitosis feel creative, interactive, and really enjoyable.
Bonelelwa Bandezi
Our Life Sciences class recently had the chance to dissect a cow’s long bone, and it was a really interesting hands-on experience. We were able to see the different parts of the bone up close, including the compact bone, bone marrow, cartilage, fat, and connecting tissue. One of the coolest parts was seeing how the ball-and-socket joint works and how all the structures fit together. It was definitely more exciting than just learning from a textbook and helped us understand the structure of bones much better.
By Megan Heydendrych
Physical Science
The Grade 11 Physical Sciences students enjoyed a trip on the lifts in Rosebank as part of their curriculum, highlighting Newton’s Laws of motion. They had to research the lift force whilst they travelled up and down in the lifts. A scale was used to determine the lift force, and it appears that the scale reading can be either greater or less than your actual mass, which is scary for people on a strict diet who use a scale often. They also had some time for a quick coffee break.
Kuthula Ntshontsho
Physical Science Teacher
Visual Arts
On Wednesday, the 11th of February, several Visual Arts and Art club students, alongside other teachers, had a lovely trip to the Goodman gallery. We saw “Was Here”, an exhibition by a well-known South African artist, Guy Simpson, whose exhibition involved a heartbreaking but incredibly insightful collection of artworks depicting what was left of his old school, King David Victory Park, after it had closed down. His works provided a fascinating perspective on the effects we make on the world around us and on memory.
Alongside this, we saw a wonderful exhibition by Hank Willis, entitled “Forever Now”. This collection of works explored our relationship with race and celebrated notable people of colour as figures in South Africa’s and Americas history who were integral to fighting for change. His work was supported by the phrase “LOVERULES”, which really shows that in these trying times, it is our love and understanding of one another that matters most.
Lastly, we were able to speak to the artist, Misheck Masamvu, in residency. We were privileged to be spoken to about the process of his creation, which was incredibly valuable to hear, especially for the Grade 10, 11, and 12 Visual Arts students who are learning to experiment with different media in their work.
Overall, the trip was an amazing learning experience and all the art students very much enjoyed getting to learn about these fantastic artists and see the different ways they work!
Isabella Cadman
Grade 11 Visual Arts student
Beyond the Classroom
Sports
Aquatics
Our water polo students had a busy start to the year, kicking off with the Prestige Cup. A significant milestone was the opportunity to compete at the National Aquatics for the first time. Our 1st team rose to the challenge and finished in an impressive 5th place out of 12 top national schools. The U16 team delivered a flawless performance at St. Mary’s Summer Splash, winning all their matches. Over the same weekend, the U15 team competed with determination at the Steyn City Tournament, reaching the final and finishing in 2nd place.
Over half-term break, the 1st team displayed admirable resilience at the Old Petrians Tournament. The U15s finished 11th out of 24 schools at the Shaun Fuchs Tournament. We were delighted to welcome a group of enthusiastic Grade 8 players into the U14 squad and look forward to nurturing their development in the season to come.
The swimming season has been one to celebrate. A highlight was the Night Gala on 12 February, where Kingsmead emerged as the winners. At the Inter-High meet on March 3, Kingsmead performed exceptionally well: in the Premier Gala, we finished in 5th place, while the B team placed 3rd at the A Gala. We are incredibly proud of all our swimmers, their hard work, grit, determination, sportsmanship, and all their accomplishments throughout the season. Thank you for representing Kingsmead College with pride.
Our divers have shown encouraging effort and commitment, with many new divers challenging their skills to perform at Inter-High Diving.
Thank you to our participants and parents for your ongoing support of the Aquatics programme at Kingsmead. We look forward to an even more successful season starting in the 3rd term.
Tennis
Our top 4 tennis players participated in the A Inter High Tennis team on Saturday, 28 March. They placed 14th out of 31 schools and are commended for their determined efforts throughout the season.
Squash
The Squash season has been successful and rewarding and it has been wonderful to see our players’ growth, resilience, and commitment on the court. A special highlight was the DSG Squash Tournament from 30 January to 1 February for our top six players. It was not only a valuable learning experience, but also a wonderful opportunity for team bonding, and making memories.
We are excited to see our U14 girls take part in the Roedean Festival from 19–21 March, as well as our U16 players who will be competing at the SANHS Festival from 20–22 March. We thank our squash players for their dedication, efforts, and for representing Kingsmead College with pride this season.
Netball & Hockey
Our U14 and Open Hockey squads, as well as the U16 and 1st Team Netball squads, participated in the Best of the West Hockey & Netball Festivals over the last two weekends, where they performed remarkably well against some tough opposition. These are great opportunities to develop our players for the upcoming season. They are commended for their grit and enthusiasm, which bodes well for the upcoming season, and we are proud of our players’ hard work thus far at these events.
The upcoming weeks are particularly busy for our Netball and Hockey sides with multiple festivals, and we look forward to a strong and positive season ahead.
Arts & Music
Matilda
The 2026 Major Production, Matilda the Musical, has received overwhelming acclaim from our school community. Audiences were captivated by the exceptional talent, energy, and professionalism of our students, who brought this ambitious and demanding production to life with confidence and heart.
Feedback from parents, staff, and guests has been nothing short of extraordinary, with many praising the high production value and the powerful storytelling at the centre of the show. This production stands as a true celebration of creativity, collaboration, and the courage of young performers to take on something truly remarkable.
Singing Sistas
Our Choir and Glee represented Kingsmead with courage and great enthusiasm at the annual Singing Sistas evening, and we are proud of their ongoing efforts to prepare despite a particularly busy term.
Service
Matilda for Service
Our Arts and Service teams joined forces to host service partners for the final dress rehearsal of Matilda, and the result was a beautiful blend of creativity, connection, and community. The hall was filled with joy as we shared a glimpse of the magic behind the production. To make the day even more special, copies of the book Matilda were gifted to the students attending. The day was about far more than just a performance. It was an opportunity to create a different experience for our service partners: a chance to enjoy a day out, be part of the Kingsmead community, and feel the excitement and creativity that the arts bring. As we reflect on this day, our hearts are full. The memories created, the moments shared, and the smiles that lit up the hall serve as reminders of how the arts and service can come together — inspiring, uplifting, and connecting us all.
Sports & Social Cohesion in Action: Interschool Volunteering Fun Day
Kingsmead partnered with other schools for the Inter-School Volunteering Sports Day, a day of sport, service, and community, hosted at Marist Brothers Linmeyer’s Field of Dreams and supported by Jozi My Jozi. We were honoured to be joined by Likho Bottoman, Deputy Director for Social Mobilization & Support Services at the Department of Basic Education, whose presence highlighted the importance of youth engagement, social cohesion, and service-driven learning. Kingsmead had a large, enthusiastic group of students in attendance, ready to serve and participate in the games. We had mixed teams of boys and girls playing netball, soccer, and basketball. When we learned that some students didn’t have transportation, Kingsmead volunteered to help by transporting them in our Kingsmead bus.
Five Kingsmead students also visited the Look Forward Children’s Home, where they helped with painting, ironing, preparing lunch, and playing with the children. They later rejoined the larger group for lunch and the afternoon programme. Throughout the day, it was evident how meaningful the experience was for our students, demonstrating how sport, service, and shared humanity break down barriers and foster unity and understanding. The friendships formed, the compassion shown, and the joy shared made this an unforgettable experience for everyone involved. Thank you to Marist Brothers Linmeyer, Jozi My Jozi, Likho Bottoman, our partner schools, and every Kingsmead student who served with courage, kindness, and enthusiasm.
Elsabé Fourie
Deputy Head: Beyond the Classroom
efourie@kingsmead.co.za
Ethos & Spirit
Anna and I recently hosted our very first Ethos & Spirit Connect —a small but meaningful event focused on bringing our school values to life.
To make it interactive, we created empty bingo cards for each form class. Instead of the letters B-I-N-G-O, each column represented one of Kingsmead’s core values: Purpose, Service, Possibility, Happiness, and Responsibility. Classes were challenged to fill their boards with specific, achievable goals linked to these values that they would work towards throughout the term.
The activity sparked thoughtful discussions as students reflected not only on what these values mean, but how they can actively embody them in everyday school life. It was inspiring to see the groups thinking critically, setting intentional goals, and collaborating as a community. This ultimately challenges them to be the change they want to see.
The activity received wonderful feedback, and we can’t wait to see which class will be the first to call BINGO! May the most driven form class win…
Aziza Carim and Anna Hawes
Heads of Spirit and Ethos
Inter-House Aquatics: A splashing start to the year!
Recently, Ellen Rovelli (Head of Kruger), Cameron Haskins (Head of Timlin) and I (Head of Baker) had the privilege of leading Inter-House Aquatics. The event began with diving and water polo and ended with the highly anticipated swimming races. Even though the first day was interrupted by a lightning alarm, the energy never dropped. From start to finish, the school and all three houses stayed loud, proud and full of enthusiasm.
One of the highlights for us as Heads of House was working one-on-one with our Houses for the first time this year. It was a joy seeing everyone show up with spirit, eager to perform war cries and excited to get in the water. Inter-House is about putting yourself out there and taking chances, even when you feel nervous or out of practise.
What made this event special was how many students stepped up, even if they were not “experts.” Some students had not swum in a long time (myself included) and still raised their hands to volunteer. Some attended only one water polo practice and still played with confidence in the first round. Others signed up for diving even if they were not elite, simply because they wanted to participate and have fun.
Inter-House events are often when the Kingsmead community comes alive and shines the brightest. You see it in the bright face paint, the ribbons in our hair and the pride with which we stand for our houses. More than that, you see it in the way people support each other across grades, teams and houses with zeal and happiness.
Over the years, I have learnt that events like Inter-House Aquatics are not only about winning. They are about connection. They are about learning more about students in different grades, discovering hidden talents and creating spaces where everyone can flourish. Being part of a House is not about what grade you are in. It is about what colour your heart shines, whether that is yellow, blue, red, or its true colour, green.
Inter-House Aquatics is about doing it with passion and having fun because you are surrounded by your friends, the cool water and a whole lot of laughter.
This was a brilliant start to the year and the Inter-House journey and we are excited for everything still to come.
Melokuhle Zungu
Head of Baker