Dear Kingsmead Community,
This is one of my favourite weeks in the year – Junior School Book Week and Inquiry Week. One of the many joys of being in the Junior School is the enthusiasm with which the staff and students dress up and embrace the week. I must confess to spending quite a lot of time over the weekend thinking of what I could wear, particularly for book character dress-up day, and I am looking forward to the various characters that we will see around the school.
We also look forward to hosting the annual Kingsmead Book Fair on Saturday – our signature school event and one of my best events on the school calendar. I believe that to host a literary festival that celebrates reading and authors fits in so well with our educational philosophy.
The hosting of the TSSA (Thinking Schools South Africa) international conference last week was an enormous success. The conference showcased our beautiful school, and I received so many compliments from the presenters and the attendees. Our students really did us proud as they greeted and engaged with everyone on campus. Jessica Vance – a presenter from Texas, who is a well-known author and inquiry educator – spoke to me about the wonderful “vibe” that she felt at the school. Hosting this conference again showcased the thinking schools’ philosophy that we apply to our curriculum, and our three staff members who spoke – Sjaneen Pretorius, Tessa Stobie and Yiota Hadjipetros, also did us proud. A special thank you to Sjaneen Pretorius and Saadia Ebrahim for their superb organisation of the two days and to our catering team under Gerry Church; the Marketing team – Carey Fisher-Gietzman, Nyeleti Golele and Ketshedile Dludlu; and Shamila Chiman, who oversaw the logistics of this event.
Purpose, possibility and happiness certainly abound this week, and we can see evidence of these values every day on the campus. I invite you to step into a world of wonder, where “birds of a feather bookmark together.”
Fond regards,
Lisa Palmer
Executive Head: Kingsmead College and Acting Head of the Junior School
Beyond the Classroom
Let us know so that we can celebrate!
We love to acknowledge our students’ achievements in all the activities in which they participate. Please keep us informed by emailing:
efourie@kingsmead.co.za for Arts & Music achievements (Art, Dance, Drama, Music, Chess, Oratory)
shanekom@kingsmead.co.za for any Sports activities.
Alternatively, complete the form labelled ‘Extra-Curricular Achievements’ in the Extra-Curricular folder on the Kingsmead App.
Arts and Music
Exciting times ahead!
Over the next few weeks, our Grade 3s, 4-7 Choir and Grade 4-7 Marimba bands will have the opportunity to perform alongside other schools at music festivals. Letters with more information can be found on the live calendar, in the Arts & Music folder on the App, and on the various Music communication groups.
Tuesday
20 May
Kingsmead Grade 4-7
Masicule Sonke Choir Festival
(Kingsmead Choir performing)
18h00-19h00
Rosebank Union Church
Wednesday
21 May
Kingsmead Grade 4-7
Masicule Sonke Choir Festival
18h00-19h:00
Rosebank Union Church
Thursday
22 May
Rising Voices Choir Festival
(Grade 3 Choir)
18h00-19h00
St John’s College
Tuesday
27 May
Grade 4-7 Marimba Festival
18h00-19h30
Dainfern College
We hope to see you there to cheer on our musicians!
Thank you to our community for your continued support of Arts & Music at Kingsmead.
Elsabé Fourie
Director of Arts & Music
efourie@kingsmead.co.za
Sports
Welcome back to Term 2! We are excited for another thrilling term filled with sports activities.
We are thrilled to launch the hockey pre-season with a weekly session as we gear up for our upcoming fixtures. It is essential for all hockey players to participate in these sessions to ensure our teams are fully prepared for the season ahead. Please note that the weekly swimming lesson for the Junior Primary is now hockey skills. Students are welcome to bring their hockey sticks, should they have one. This session will only be skills (no tackling); therefore, shin pads and gum guards are not necessary.
Important Reminders:
- Safety First: Participants are required to wear shin pads and a gum guard during sessions.
- Equipment: While we have spare hockey sticks available for those who do not have their own, we highly recommend that students acquire their own stick for fixtures.
We look forward to a fantastic term ahead filled with teamwork and sportsmanship!
St Stithians Sports Festival
At the end of last term, we attended the annual St Stithians Sports Festival, which showcased our students’ dedication and spirit. Although the weather forced an adjusted schedule, our students demonstrated remarkable passion and courage in every match they played.
Congratulations to our netball, tennis, and squash players for their outstanding performances at the festival. Your hard work and determination truly shone through! Well done, everyone!
Grade 7A St Andrew’s Netball Tournament
Our talented Grade 7A netball team played in the annual St Andrew’s Netball Tournament and placed 4th out of 20 schools! Your hard work, dedication, and teamwork truly shone through, and we couldn’t be prouder. Congratulations to the coaches and players!
Grade 3 Netball
The Grade 3 students took part in their first netball fixture, and we couldn’t be prouder of them. We eagerly anticipate the rest of the season to witness their growth and development in the sport. Congratulations to all our students who participated!
Equestrian
Congratulations to the Junior Shool riders for their exceptional results at the recent SANESA qualifier. Results were as follows:
Isabel Munro (Captain) – Dressage Freestyle 1st place
Dressage 5th & 7th place
Jemima Rohrs – Showjumping 60cm 1st place
Stella Watkins – 2nd place in her very first 50cm 2-phase and double clear in 50cm competition
Bowden Jennings – 1st and 2nd place for 60cm Showjumping
Water Polo
Congratulations to the following students for being selected for the Gauteng Water Polo Squads:
U13:
Vera Collocott
Grace Burman
Olivia Talbot
Georgie Kennedy
Keo Maqubela
Alexia Marvin
Mila Ferreira
Ava Booth
U12:
Charlotte Cederwall
Fallon Grundlingh
Mackenzie Wilson
Leah Renshaw
Georgia Matthews
Margot Booth
Catriona Burgoyne
Mackenzie Kotwal
Outside Sport
Gymnastics
We are excited to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our talented gymnasts.
First, a huge congratulations to Hannah Haffejee, who has excelled in gymnastics by ranking as the No. 2 all-rounder at the JGC club competition. She also secured second and third places in all her apparatus events. Your dedication and hard work have truly paid off, Hannah! Well done!
Next, we applaud Kitana Ravjee from Grade 3D, who participated in an invitational competition at Juncxion Gymnastics and earned a Bronze Medal. Kitana, a dedicated gymnast from Gymworks Gymnastics School, competes at Level 3.
We also want to highlight Yakira Ravjee from Grade 1S, who made her competitive debut at Juncxion Gymnastics School and achieved an impressive Gold Medal. Yakira wowed everyone with an outstanding score of 9.50/10 on her floor routine. She is also a proud member of Gymworks, competing at Level 1.
Congratulations to both Kitana and Yakira on their remarkable accomplishments.
Congratulations to the following girls who participated in the Grade 2 Stage 2 Warm-up Competition at NorthStar’s on Saturday, 10 May, where they achieved some wonderful results. These gymnasts are preparing for the Joburg Champs on 23-25 May.
Owam Nkosiyaphantsi – Bronze
Amelie Perera – Bronze
Nechemyah Ferreira – Silver
Finally, we congratulate Olivia Salmon, who competed at the Northstars Gymnastics Club Competition on May 11. She earned a Gold Medal, finishing second overall and achieving the highest score in her level at Northstars. Fantastic job, Olivia!
Congratulations to all our gymnasts for their incredible achievements!
Diving
Congratulations to Ishvara and Amahle on their outstanding achievements at the International Zadar Open Diving Competition in Croatia! Competing against more than 10 countries, Ishvara showcased remarkable talent, placing 7th out of 15 in the 1m diving event and 5th out of 10 in the 3m event for her age category.
This was a significant milestone for her as it was her first international competition, and she performed admirably amidst tough competition. We are equally proud of Amahle’s performance. Both of them represented Kingsmead and South Africa with grace and sportsmanship, embodying the spirit of true ambassadors on an international stage. Well done!
Squash
We are thrilled to announce that Stella Eagar has achieved remarkable success this weekend. She placed 3rd in the Standard Bank Closed Tournament and was awarded the Best Newcomer at the Joburg Junior Squash event.
In addition to these fantastic accomplishments, Stella has earned a spot on the Interprovincial Girls U/13 Squash Team, representing Central Gauteng on their upcoming tour to KZN during the June holidays.
We are very proud of you, Stella!
Soccer
We are excited to celebrate the outstanding performance of our Kingsmead students who participated in the JMC Soccer Tournament hosted by Wanderers. Our talented girls showcased their skills and teamwork, securing an impressive 2nd place overall.
A huge congratulations to all the players for their remarkable effort!
Upcoming Events
22 May: Grade 3 Netball Fixture @ Kingsmead
22 May: Grade 4 – 7 Squash Challenges @ Kingsmead
23 May: Grade 4 – 7 Netball Fixture (Flipped Friday due to Book Fair)
Grade 4 – 7 – St Andrew’s (There will be an option for students to travel by bus to St Andrew’s. The bus will return at the end of the fixture.)
29 May: Grade 3 Night Netball Festival @ Kingsmead
29 May: Squash Challenges @ Kingsmead
30 May: Grade 4 – 7 Hockey Clinic @ Kingsmead
31 May: Grade 4A & 5A Holy Rosary Netball Festival @ Shanahan Park
A few reminders for parents & guardians:
1. Please send any sports achievements (school & non-school) to Mrs Hanekom.
2. A reminder to please download the Kingsmead app as this will be the direct method of communication to parents on sport fixture days.
3. All team lists will be published on the app by no later than Tuesday for a Thursday fixture and the Wednesday before the Friday/Saturday fixture.
Shavaun Hanekom
Head of Junior School Sport
shanekom@kingsmead.co.za
Alumnae
Kingsmead College Alumnae Bridge Drive & High Tea
We warmly invite you to join us on 12 July 2025, for a delightful afternoon of friendly competition, delicious refreshments, and wonderful company—all in support of a meaningful cause. Proceeds from the event will go towards the KCA Bursary Fund, helping us provide financial support to deserving students.
We would be truly grateful for any volunteers who would like to get involved in making the day a success. Alternatively, why not gather a group of friends and join us for a memorable afternoon? This event is open to anyone to enjoy.
We are also appealing for prize donations, sponsorships, or contributions of any kind. If you or someone you know is able to assist, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Every contribution, big or small, makes a difference and brings us closer to our goal.
We look forward to sharing this special day with you and celebrating the strength of our alumnae community.
General Ticket: R350pp
Pensioner Ticket: R300pp
(Tickets include Bridge and High Tea – Cash Bar Available)
Kindly click the link below to reserve your tables.
