Bi-Annual Report June 2022: Amberfield College

BI-ANNUAL

JUNE 2022

#amb field #c lestc lege

Table of cоtents COLLEGE REFLECTION

04

COLLEGE FUTURE

06

PRESCHOOL

08

PRESCHOOL ROBOTICS AND COMPUTERS

10

PRIMARY SCHOOL ACADEMICS

12

PRIMARY SCHOOL ROBOTICS

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PRIMARY SCHOOL SOCIAL/ FUN DAYS

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HIGH SCHOOL ACADEMICS

18

HIGH SCHOOL ELC/ RCL

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HIGH SCHOOL ROBOTICS/ IT/ COMPUTERS

22

HIGH SCHOOL CULTURE

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PRIMARY SCHOOL CULTURE

26

MR & MISS AMBERFIELD 2022 GALA EVENING

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CHARITY OUTREACH PROGRAMME

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PRIMARY SCHOOL SPORT

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HIGH SCHOOL SPORT

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OPEN DAY/ NEW ENROLLMENTS

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AFTERCARE

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C lege Reflectiо Developments in the first half of 2022 have been in line with our strategic objective, to improve our quality of service by employing and retaining committed and appropriately qualified staff and building on our infrastructure to enhance our learner friendly environment.

The task to source quality teachers continues with the introduction of new private schools in the area, coupled with a general shortage in the sector.

We have exceeded our expectations in terms of learner numbers and continue to be the school of choice in the expanding Amberfield area.

Some highlights from the first half of 2022: • The School Management Team (SMT) was restructured.

• New times and a timetable that facilitates new methodology in the high school was introduced. Forty minute lessons were introduced with as many as possible double lessons in a subject. The new timetable reduces movement of our learners and impacts the general ethos positively.

• Lego robotics was introduced from grade R to 9 as well as ICT as an optional subject in grades 8 and 9.

• We are striving to create a learner friendly environment to enhance our neat and modern campus. Shading and seating projects were completed in the pre, primary and high school.

• Our newly elected Parent’s Representative Council have formed their subcommittees. We are looking forward to their active participation in our school.

• The Covid 19 crisis has made it clear that technology –supported learning will be part of the future of education. Pupils will need to plug in to distance learning at any time. The introduction of Google Work Space has been very successful with over 90% of our learners active on Google Classroom.

• We received our registration confirmation as a Grade 12 examination centre from the Gauteng department of education.

• Two of learners not only did our school proud, but also our country. Alex ManYan represented South Africa in the Tri-Nations Indoor Cricket Tournament in Dubai where they won the Championship. On the soccer field Nkanyiso Masango was selected to represent South Africa in the Ibercup which will take place in Portugal in July.

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COLLEGE

FUTURE

As we head for the final stretch in 2022 the focus will be on our first cohort of grade 12s. With this said, we continue to excel in sport and culture.

What to expect in the second half of 2022 • As a relatively new private school we have to fulfil certain requirements for accreditation and quality assurance. Our Umalusi site visit will take place on 23 June and we are confident that we will reach another milestone in the form of Umalusi accreditation. This accreditation can only be achieved post registration as a Private school.

• Defining our independence will enable us to take Amberfield College to the next level. We will be investigating the following: Independent Schools Association of SA (ISASA) affiliation, Independent Examinations Board (IEB) versus the department of education (NSC) examinations and our own calendar for 2023. You will receive a survey in this regard and we encourage you to participate. Your input is critical for the future of our learners and our school.

• We encourage all our learners to participate in our sport and cultural programmes on offer next term. This involvement will help develop the skills needed for this century, namely, time management, collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking.

• Our school community must strive to create the opportunity for engagement between all our stakeholders.

The Parent’s Representative Council (PRC) aims to host events for us to engage with each other in a relaxed way. Our upcoming Spring Festival and Golf Day will be the start of many such events to follow. We are really looking forward to this, post Covid restrictions.

• More shading will be erected at our school entrance to accommodate learners waiting to be picked up. We encourage our learners to use this area and stay clear of the carpark. Learners loitering in the carpark is a safety risk.

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PRESCHOOL Gr RRR and RR operates according to the Reggio Emilia approach.

The purpose of the Reggio Emilia approach is to empower children to take pride in their own education, so that they have positive experiences in the classroom and feel passionate to continue to learn and explore.

What Are The Benefits Of the Reggio Emilia Approach?

• A relaxed learning environment that encourages exploration.

• Teacher-student relationships that are rooted in respect.

• Students build social skills in a collaborative environment.

• A student-led approach allows consistent opportunities for problem solving.

The Reggio Emilia approach to early year education puts children in the driver seat and sees them as curious individuals with the power and potential to develop and learn from their environment and the relationships they build with others.

How it is used in the classroom 1. Provide knowledge, and help guide your students.

2. Be a co-learner in their discovery.

3. Listen, observe, document, and reflect.

4. Provide stimulation of discovery through dialogue.

5. Encourage your students to wonder and think.

6. Develop students' own questions and questioning skills.

Gr R Caps Curriculum The CAPS curriculum for Grades R-12 at Amberfield College aims to produce learners that are able to: identify and solve problems and make decisions using critical and creative thinking; work effectively as individuals; organise and manage themselves and their activities responsibly and effectively.

Grade R starts teaching children fundamental skills, such as numbers and letter formation, which form the basis for their continuing education. They learn the difference between alphabetical and phonetic knowledge, reading, writing, spelling, counting, adding and subtracting.

CAPS gives teachers detailed guidelines of what to teach and assess on a grade –by- grade and subject-by- subject basis. The main aim of CAPS is to lessen the administrative burden on teachers and to ensure consistency and guidance for educators when teaching.

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PRESCHOOL

Robotics

robotics, computers & swimming

During the Second and Third Terms, we focus on Robotics. Robotics for kids allows children to learn STEM concepts in a hands-on environment. Robotics offers an educational tool for kids to think out of the box.

Bee Bot is more than just a lesson on coding. With Bee Bot, our students will also be practicing counting, sequencing, problem solving, estimating, directionality and vocabulary. These are all some amazing 21st century skills that all our students need.

Students draw a letter card and then program the Bee Bot to move to a picture with the beginning sound that match the letter. They must problem solve and figure out how to get Bee Bot to the end of the Maze.

Benefits of Bee-Bots • Students engage, explore, interact and communicate with one another.

• Students learn together.

• Students learn in context and then are able to reflect on the subject.

• Exposes students to a range of learning opportunities across the curriculum.

Computers: First and Fourth Term Young children will learn reading skills through images and video. They will strengthen their math skills by learning data computing through technology. Children will also improve their social skills by learning how to communicate in a concise fashion.

Computer classes will prepare children for future computer use and will lead to an increase in self-esteem and self-confidence. It will also boost problem-solving skills and stimulate language comprehension.

Learn to swim: First and Fourth Term Swimming is not just fun, it also provides loads of health benefits which can help to keep your children healthy and happy at the same time: Swimming keeps your child's heart and lungs healthy, improves strength and flexibility, increases stamina and even improves balance and posture. It teaches us about water safety in and around the water. If taught earlier in life it helps with the development of physical skills such as hand eye coordination and muscle tone.

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* 11

academics

PRIMARY SCHOOL We were very fortunate to have a “normal” start to 2022 especially after the uncertainty of Covid- 19. Our increase in numbers since 2019 necessitated the introduction of several new members of staff who have adapted very well and are making valuable contributions to academics, sport and culture at Amberfield Colle ge Primary.

We welcomed the following educators: Mrs Hoeksma, Ms Haughton and Mr Pinetown. Mr Rangata-Jacobs was for a short period but was forced to leave due to health reasons.

Our committed staff underwent several training sessions over the course of the year in many fields such as First Aid, He alth and Safe ty, Fire Safe ty and Ide ntifying Le arning Barrie rs in Foundation Phase . Training in Google Classroom has been ongoing in an effort to ensure that e-learning is continuous. The staff at Amberfield Primary are always eager to learn.

To expose our learners to different levels of questioning as well as to sharpen and improve their speed, accuracy and problem solving skills, we entered a team of learners from Gr 4 – 7 in Round 1 of the Cluster 1 Maths Olympiad.

Our Gr 4 – 6 learners did us proud with all 5 participants placed in the top 5 in their respective categories.

The results were as follows: • Noah Berry (Gr 4) – 2nd place • Khanyisile Mkhwebane (Gr 4) - 3rd place • Lino Ndlebe (Gr 5) – 2nd place • Julian Visagie (Gr 5) – 3rd place • Zinhle Buthelezi (Gr 6) – 4th place • Kian Laidlaw (Gr 6) – 1st place Kian Laidlaw, Lino Ndlebe, Khanyisile Mkhwebane and Noah Berry have qualified for the District level of the Olympiad which will be held in August.

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PRIMARY SCHOOL

Robotics

We started 2022 by introducing Robotics as part of our ICT (Information Communication and Technology) curriculum. Currently our Grade 4 and 5 learners use the Lego Spike essential robot in class and the Grade 6 and 7 learners use the Lego Spike Prime Robot. During these lessons, learners have to build and code their own robot to perform various functions in order to complete certain challenges. We have also had two teams that entered into the Lego League Robotics challenge. This was the first time that teams from Amberfield College competed in Robotics competitions.

Our teams competed at the Gauteng Regional Championships on Saturday 14 May 2022 held at UNISA. Our teams did exceptionally well, with team Cyber Academy finishing in 3rd Place and Team Lego Revengers WINNING the Robot award and Qualifying for Nationals. They competed at the National Championships on Saturday 04 June 2022 held at SCI – BONO Discovery Centre.

We are supper proud of our learners and can’t wait for the next competition season to start!

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fun days & cial events!

PRIMARY AND HIGH SCHOOL

As part of our endeavour to make school as memorable and as enjoyable as possible, Amberfield College has engaged the learners and staff in many fun activities this year.

We kicked off the year with our Everything is Love Civvies Day & Donation Drive which was held on 28 January 2022. As part of our community outreach programme, learners had to donate toiletries in order to come dressed in civvies.

Continuing with the theme of love, Amberfield College High School also held their first ever Valentine’s Ball which was organised by the learners. This was a hugely successful event with the learners able to raise a lot of money for their Matric Dance. The amphitheatre came alive with the fairy lights and red bunting, not to mention our learners who were dressed to the nines!

On Friday, 25 February we held Bring ANYTHING but a bag day.

Learners were directed to bring their school books to school in anything but a bag! Learner’s got to express their creativity and out-of-the-box thinking to come up with an alternative and boy, did they rise to the challenge! Pots, prams, Weber braais, trolleys and bird cages were just a few of the examples seen! It was certainly a day filled with fun for everyone.

Prior to the Easter Weekend, the Rainbow Easter Civvies Day was held on Thursday, 14 April. Learners were encouraged to dress up in bright colours.

Learners also received Easter treats.

On 20 May, we held our Childhood Character Day. Learners were asked to dress as a favourite book or TV character. We were treated to several Harry Potters, Princess Elsa, the Cat in the Hat to name but a few.

The highlight of the year thus far was definitely our Mr & Miss Amberfield “Beauty-with-a-Purpose” Gala Evening which was held on 20 May 2022. Despite the rain, there was still a huge turnout as parents and staff arrived to support our learners.

The winners of this year’s Mini Mr & Miss Amberfield (Gr 1 - 3) are: • 2nd Prince & Princess: Oswell Ndoro & Brooklyn Goncalves • 1st Prince & Princess: Oreabile Mofokeng & Lubone Ntelezu • Mini Mr & Miss Amberfield: Bono Munzhedzi & Bothlale Mohlahlane The winners of this year’s Junior Mr & Miss Amberfield (Gr 4 - 7) are: • 2nd Prince & Princess: Dia Matabane & Mbuyelo Ramagwedzha • 1st Prince & Princess: Arav Deonarain & Awande Shangase • Junior Mr & Miss Amberfield: Zaakir Khan & Denika Govender

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The winners of this year’s Mr & Miss Amberfield (Gr 8 - 12) are: • 2nd Prince & Princess: Thabang Matshekga & Kea Mogodiri • 1st Prince & Princess: Kairav Persadh & Tshami Netsianda • Mr & Miss Amberfield: Njabulo Simelane & Morongwa Mashishi We rounded off the second term with the Amberfield College Youth Day Dress up on Wednesday, 15 June 2022.

Staff came dressed as school children in their old school uniforms (for those that could still fit into it!) or as Amberfield College learners. Learners in the Primary school dressed as teachers for the day with many learners deciding on a particular teacher to emulate.

The next two terms promise to be even more exciting, especially with the advent of spring after a long winter.

We are looking forward to the Spring Carnival and our Christmas project.

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academics HIGH SCHOOL

The first half of 2022 flew by……..with so many highlights and changes.

We returned to an almost normal school year after Covid-19, with our new grade 8 learners joining us in January. Finally, we also introduced our first grade 12 class at Amberfield College and we are expecting them to leave behind big footprints.

The grade 12 learners and teachers started working very hard from the beginning with Saturday classes and holiday Boot camps.

We had an influx of grade 8 learners at the beginning of the year and as a result, we had to employ more teachers to cover the academic requirements. We manage to accommodate 19 classes in the High school, our two Computer centres are fully functional and our Media centre is operational.

Our learners participated in various Olympiads, from Geography to Life Sciences to even Commercial subjects. We await the results with great anticipation.

Our teaching staff also did not disappoint. We had some qualifying as Fire Marshalls and completing their First Aid training courses.

We introduced a reading program, Psychometric assessments for the grade 9 learners to assist them with their subject choices and even completed a formal examination session in term 2.

Unfortunately, Mrs Bulwan, our previous Principal, and Mrs Soni our Deputy Head resigned and they were replaced by Mrs Share and Ms Jasmat as Principal and Deputy Principal.

We were fortunate enough to welcome new teachers, who brought another dimension to our school.With the good comes the sad and we also had to say goodbye to Mrs Fick and Mr Gerber.

We are looking forward to an exciting and successful second half of 2022.

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HIGH SCHOOL

ELC/ RCL For the first half of the year 2022 the RCL and ELC were the following learners:

The RCL and ELC have been doing various duties at the V-Ball, Mr and Miss Amberfield, Open day and break duty.

The ELC also did Flagpole and Covid-19 duty in the morning.

The ELC and the Gr 12 learners have hosted a very successful V-Ball for fundraising for the Matric Dance to be held in the 3rd Term.

The School of Leadership in conjunction with the Legacy programme at Amberfield College hosted a Gr 8 and 11 Day camp, which was also met with great enthusiasm and enjoyment from the learners. We are looking forward to another RCL and ELC camp in Term 3 as well as a Gr 10 Camp.

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High School ICT

Computer classes have started for Grade 8 and 9 from the beginning of term 2. Computers, as a subject is summarised for Grade 8 and 9 below.

Apart from the grade 8 and 9 Computers, CAT and IT continue as normal for Grades 10-12 as an elective subject based on the CAPS curriculum.

Computer Classes have been taking place since the start of term 2. The following content and work has been completed thus far in Grade 8: Introduction to the world of computers, Importance of technology, Introduction to Microsoft Word which include basic functions and tools (theory and practical) as we ll as Microsoft Excel functions and tools (practical).

We also managed to do informal assessments with grade 8 and 9 and the results were pleasing. The results showed that there is great interest amongst the learners in the world of computers and technology. The introduction of ICT is advantageous to our learners as they are being equipped with relevant skills.

Introduction of grade 8 and 9 ICT has had a positive response in our high school. Learners are able to engage and learn relevant acquired skills as the world evolves around technology and computers.

Learners are showing interest and they are performing well in Computer Application Technology and by the time they get to a point of se le cting subject streams in grade 10 they will have a good foundation if they opt to go for Information Technology (IT) or Computer Applications Technology (CAT).

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HIGH SCHOOL

culture

The Culture department has been going full steam since Term 2.

Here are some the highlights:

Marimbas Our Marimba club has just started and they are already busy with their second song.

A few new Grade 8’s also joined the Marimba club. The Marimba Club is now being led by, Mr Vermaak & Ms Herzog.

Charity Mr & Miss Amberfield top six went to spread Easter joy at Jacobs’ Well.

Public Speaking We have about 8 students participating, but we are aiming at 4 students per grade to participate in Eisteddfods later this term and also at our annual Public Speaking Festival. The Public Speaking will be led by Ms Herzog Drama Students have now started to gather dialogues and monologues to perform at the external Eisteddfod later this year. Mrs Lombaard and Mrs Fick will lead this.

Photography Club Mr Mukhabele leads this club. The photography students have been tasked with taking action photos of the Netball and Rugby matches.

Art Club The Art Club is a major success as we have an average of 20 students every Wednesday in the Art Club. Art Club is run by Mrs Antonella and facilitated by Ms Pienaar.

Dance Club Mr Gomes, the dance instructor and dance facilitator, Ms Mahlase have our students passionate and excited for the future of dance.

Amber Mag There is a committee of students very excited to produce an Amber Mag for the first half of the year. This is facilitated by Ms Herzog.

Singing & Music Studio We are excited to introduce Singing led by Ms Morake and welcoming the Emthonjeni Music Studio.

The aim for Term 3 is to get more students excited and involved in the Culture activities.

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PRIMARY SCHOOL CULTURE The Primary School Culture department of Amberfield College have been hard at work prepping for the internal Culture festivals by developing the skills of our great young talent and aiding the appeal of the school in the community and in Centurion as a whole.

SINGING Learners partaking in Singing this year have the luxury of having separate classes; one group for Gr 4 and Gr 5 and the other for Gr 6 and Gr 7. This makes the groups smaller and allows greater time for individual grooming. Learners delve in group singing, trios, duets and solos. Furthermore their natural talents are boosted by our singing gurus Mrs Ramabulana, Mrs Human and Ms Morake.

MARIMBAS Our Marimba club has just started and is already well under way! Mrs Human and Mrs Ramabulana are the heads of this activity and they have recently boosted their skills with a Marimba workshop and they simply can’t wait to showcase the natural talents of our Primary learners.

DRAMA Joining the Primary School drama this year is the multi award-winning director Gcebile Dlamini whose work with community theatre and educational theatre has scooped up a number of awards and her contributions to the South African Theatre landscape have gained her international recognition. Now, Gcebile is assisting the different drama teachers and heading the Intermediate Phase’s performance (alongside with Ms Parthab) that will be showcased at this year’s drama festival. The learners are enjoying the wealth of knowledge that Dlamini is bringing and they are having a blast in the creative classes.

DANCE Our Hip-Hop dancers are having the time of their lives. Each session with coach Mario Gomes is overflowing and the practice sessions bring great joy to the entire college. The commitment of all the vibrant dancers make these sessions an incredible view! Both the dancers and their professional coach cannot wait to showcase the greater bulk of their repertoire, after the breath-taking performance our hip-hoppers displayed on the College’s first Open Day of the year.

PUBLIC SPEAKING & DEBATE FESTIVAL This is the perfect platform for learners to express themselves on a platform where they can be heard! In public speaking learners voice their opinions of the world around them. They obtain ways in which to utter their opinions as well as gain a greater understanding of how to voice this out. Our Public speaking learners have the delight of being under the direction of Mrs Potgieter and Mrs Robbertse.

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ART Our arts classes (arts and crafts for the Foundation Phase) is another activity blossoming with the learners’ rich imaginative creations. This year the college opted for the assistance of local artist Antonella Erasmus, who has captivated the hearts of our young Picassos and enriched their dense artistry, elevating their art into worthy of the Louvre!

The Primary School Culture department’s main aim is to create a love for the arts and aid learners in the grooming of their skills. In addition to this we wish to discover and place the different talents via the internal festivals. The Culture department wishes to continue building on this foundation and place the learner’s talents on a greater platform so that greater exposure is received by our vibrant young talent here at Amberfield College!

Mr & Miss Amb field

GALA EVENING 2022

The third and final instalment of the Mr & Miss “Beauty-with-a-Purpose” Competition took to stage on the evening of 20 May 2022. The evening boasted with all things gold and immediately set the tone for an event that will dazzle its audiences beyond expectation. Multi Award-winning theatre director extraordinaire Quintin Wils, took the spectators of this production on a magical ride and viewers were even treated with a very special dance performance by Wils. In addition to Wils the programme included last year’s phenomenal winners Zidane Rashid and Clairese Williams as co-presenters and they displayed once again their excellence as Mr & Miss Amberfield. Audiences were also treated with special appearances by the Junior winners and Mini winners of 2021.

This year the event organizer Vianney Henry Farmer pulled out all the stops with the Gala eve, entitled The Love Legacy and the Judges panel included some of SA’s finest artists including model extraordinaire Katelyn Strydom from Sky Modeling agency, who is sponsoring this year’s Top 6 per category with free lessons at the Agency. Skeem Saam actress Gcebele Dlamini and the soulful singer Kevin Maduna also formed part of the panel as well as Centurion’s local modelling sensation, Danica Whelan (Miss SA Schools of 2016). The spectacle was utterly sublime and captivated the supporters and spectators, displaying once again that the calibre of Amberfield College’s learners are world class.

The performance showcase of The Love Legacy proofed to be just that, the celebration of the love rooted within Amberfield College. The element of love was evident within every detail of the production, but this sentiment moves far beyond the glitz and glam of the stage. It’s the programme’s aim to move from the everyday Mr & Miss Beauty pageantry hosted on school level. This initiative serves as a mentorship programme to empower and equip teens with the needed tools, platform and voice to better their society and the community at large.

In preparations for the big night Mr Farmer took the learners on an intense training course to boost their confidence and individual appeal for their stage presence.

The first week consisted of dance training where Clairese Williams and Mr Farmer choreographed the opening scene to set the tone for the rest of the items to follow. Modelling classes consisted of professional sessions as well as peer sessions, where the title holders of 2021 came in to assist this year’s finalists with every step of the way and to show their support for the new ambassadors.

The finalists attended meditation classes, runway and speech training. They also had one on one consultation sessions with their mentor for greater assistance with their outfits, speech writing and presenting. Coming out of the pandemic the programme exhibited that personalised wellness programmes for learners is of dire need and peer to peer mentorship, where teenagers share their secrets to success in everyday life, would benefit learners. The programme allowed for its participants to walk out into society rooted in a greater sense of confidence within themselves. It gave them a richer understanding of their connection to the community with their aims to uplift and share in a greater practice of mindfulness and a shared wellness with their peers. High School title holder of this year; Morongwa Mashishi shares the following on the process of becoming Miss Amberfield: “This programme is different as it’s not only about beauty, it’s about the mind, body, soul and heart. Our minds, bodies, souls and hearts being in alignment with God as one, is what true beauty really means to me. This programme helps us start and achieve our legacies and encourages us to be selfless and give and help those in need. That is why it is called Beauty with a Purpose. I believe and know that I am truly beauty with a purpose because of all the things I’ve achieved not only with my charismatic charm and character but also my heart of gold used selflessly to help and build others. Programmes like this change the lives of many, especially those who enter providing a new esteemed, higher level of self-confidence and self-love.”

The current Mr Amberfield title holder, Njabulo Simelane shares that the programme has empowered him in a personal capacity and he goes on explaining: “It has allowed me to become more of myself, it has also allowed me to see the beauty I hold and the beauty that I see in other people. The importance of viewing ones beauty is a practice of self-love and viewing others with love allows us to see each other for who we truly are because this allows us to function in greater harmony when sharing in a greater sense of love.” With this heightened awareness of love, Njabu-lo plans to set off into the school and the community leading with dignified love in the hope that the legacy of love for mankind reigns forever more within Amberfield College.

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Charity Outreach Programme The Mr & Miss Amberfield College “Beauty-with-a-Purpose” Charity and Outreach programme has gone beyond all competitions of its kind, within the community and further afield within the Gauteng Province, by donating to 40 different charities within the Centurion community. The success of this programme is the result of all who call Amberfield College home…

On the evening of 21 May 2021 at the Mr & Miss Gala eve; Clairese Williams, Zidane Rashid, Sinothando Malefane, Corey Fahm, Hasandi Maswanganyi and Pholoso Molete were crowned as the winners and these learners stepped into these roles with a heightened sense of purpose ready to follow in the footsteps of their predecessors. Each winner had a main charity that they supported and (they) also donated to other charities within the community.

With the gloom of the Pandemic still roaming around the Ambassadors, along with their family members, supported struggling communities. Clairese and Zidane initiated the AMO drops, where they would pre-pack hampers and hand out within the community…

Our mini title holders, Hasandi Maswanganyi and Pholoso Molete ensured with great glee that our furry friends and children suffering from cancer were catered for with an abundance of warmth and love, with the charities they supported throughout the year.

Sinothando turned her focus back to the College; shining light on the ground and support staff because to her, charity starts here at home, she founded the Sinothando “We are Love” drive, whereby she would package special packs and treats to spoil all these staff as a token of gratitude for all they are doing to care for the College. Sinothando selected Feed A Child Foundation to support with food and toiletry parcels. Corey Fahm also chose to support charities dedicated to the youth and infants; these include Ki-Deo Children’s Home and Dove’s Nest – Place of Safety.

Woman’s month was celebrated by our Lady Ambassadors. The three girls turned their charitable focus to the ladies of Irene homes, donating over 50 individual parcels containing toiletries and food.

In November our male ambassadors dedicated the month of November to men (taking inspiration from Movember). The focus went to a new initiative created by the management of Irene Homes; who have now placed focus on catering for men on Tuesdays and with the charitable act of the 3 male winners, over 30 men were supported with the gesture of individual food and toiletries parcels.

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For Spring, the Ambassadors wanted the warmth to bloom again, after the devastation of Corona, by doing a count-down to Spring by sharing videos on social media containing their reason why it is important to bloom. Their spring motivations and colourful inspirations spoke vividly of the metaphorical meaning of spring and urged that it is time to blossom amidst the chaotic effects of Corona. The learners regularly took to the schools’ social media pages to share motivational videos on topics relating to curbing the spread of Corona, sharing tips for good mental health prac-tices and well wishes for online classes and exam success.

The Charity and outreach programme was again hampered by the July holiday restrictions due to Corona and our Ambassadors simply brought forth a safe way of donating their time to serving the community. The learners took to the streets of Centurion and safely shared food and toiletry parcels with the homeless. They also made sure that our furry friends were included in the spirit of AMO. The Christmas Performance Showcase was another opportunity: whereby our Ambassadors along with their peers and cultural teachers put a show together, the proceeds of which (all audience members had to offer a food/cosmetic parcel as payment for the show) were donated to charities around Centurion. The Ambassadors also took up this initiative on Mandela Day to ensure that everyone felt the impact and power of our late President Nelson Mandela.

Towards the latter half of the year the Ambassadors were able to go out into the community and the warmth of their offerings were felt at organisations such as CANSA, SPCA, Irene Homes, Jacob’s Well, Osman Animal Rescue Group, SPCA, Woodrock Animal Rescue, Childhood Cancer Foundation and much more Amo Charity drops in and around Centurion concluding to the “Beauty-with-a-Purpose” supporting 40 different charities and outreach initiatives.

The Mr & Miss Amberfield College “Beauty-with-a-Purpose” Programme offered its participants the opportunity to bask in the glory of their beings, to share in the beauty of being human and it gave an elated sense of pride and unity in a shared love for mankind. Moreover, our Ambassadors showcased themselves and their peers in the most beautiful light. They lead with love and compassion, traits that are all part of all our learners here at Amberfield College – one simply cannot help but fall in love with their acts of love and their nurturing nature because they truly do remind us of the real meaning of love…which is to love others as we love ourselves. May the love embedded within the hearts of our learners reign supreme forevermore!

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PRIMARY SCHOOL

sp t

We started 2022 running… with Athletics that is! We competed in the Centurion cluster against 21 other schools and managed to finish 16th overall. Our Cricket season also started with a bang when our U/13 boys beat WHPS and Zenande Nxumalo scored an unbeaten 71, which is now the new Amberfield record!

Our Amberfield fish hit the pool hard training three days a week, but it paid off. The Gala team WON every single Gala we swam in during Term one.

Term 2 was busy busy busy, just the way we like our sporting program. The rugby, hockey, netball and soccer had the fields a buzzing. Our U/11 and U/13 Netball girls WON their League and thanks to them, we are moving up a division next year.

The U/13 Soccer boys WON both their leagues, Pretoria C division and Johannesburg C+ division. They are the first team ever to WIN a JHB and PTA division in the same Year!!!

Our chess team played their first ever matches this year and performed way above expectation. Moreover, so did our Archery team who competed in their first ever inter schools tournament and finished in 3rd place.

If this is what the first half of 2022 had in store we cannot wait to see what the second half will bring!

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HIGH SCHOOL SPORT Over the past six months, Amberfield Sport has not only grown in leaps and bounds, but has also broken new ground in sporting codes that were, once upon a time, an aspiration.

Here is a recap of our achievements of the last 6 months.

Our athletes began their training last year and continued over the 2021 December Holidays for their 2022 season. In January 2022, we participated in our first Inter-High Athletics Invitational where we were ranked 4th out of seven schools. Three of our star athletes were selected for provincial try-outs: Siyabonga Nkosi, Tshepo Kalaba and Anthony Temane. Anthony was also identified as the 6th fastest 400m athlete provincially and ranked in the Top Ten fastest under 18's nationally.

Our netball girls did not fail in their pursuit of greatness either. They reached the provincial play-offs but conceded their final game during injury-time when they lost 14-13 in the quarterfinals. We are extremely proud of these girls!

Breaking new ground this year was our table tennis team. Previously this sporting code was just an extra-mural. This year however, our table tennis team participated in an Inter-High league, competing against the likes of established schools such as Affies. HS Montana, HS Zwartkop, HS F.H. Odendaal, HS Waterkloof and HS John Voster.

While Table Tennis was taking off, so too was the interest in Rugby. Both our U/15 A and U/17 A participated in The Warrior’s 7s League – the 4th biggest league in school’s 7's Rugby this past April / May. Both teams returned as Shield Champions in their respective age groups. The teams will begin preparing the eagerly anticipated 15-man season starting in the middle of the third term while also participating in the Bulls 7's league. A special mention must be made of Junior Matsebathela who was selected for the third round of the Blue Bulls u/16 try-outs, which saw him fight for a place in the Bulls u/16 team.

Lastly, our soccer teams were not just trailblazers this season, but also a force to be reckoned with. Both the u/14 and u/17 A teams were undefeated this season, the u/15 finished second on the log and the u/20 placing 4th. From the four teams, a First XI will be selected for the open tournament later on this year.

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OPEN DAY

new enr ments

Arnold H. Glasow once said ‘Happy is the person who knows what to remember of the past, what to enjoy in the present, and what to plan for the future.’. With this in mind it is our pleasure to let you know that we have already started with our planning for the 2023 academic year.

We have just had our very first Open Day of the year and we are elated to say that it was an incredible success and that the new prospective parents were very impressed with all our schools and what we have to offer.

Our theme for the Open Day was ‘The Amber Oscars’. Everything on the day was planned with this in mind and there were also many performances to see on the day.

Our Gr 4 – 6 dance learners showed off their latest hip-hop dance, the High School marimba club played their latest songs, our Gr 7 dance crew showed off their AmaJiva skills, the Gr 11 drama learners did a production to showcase everything the school has to offer and our newly crowned Mr & Miss Amberfield also made an appearance. While visitors went on tours of the various schools they could also see our art, soccer, netball and science learners in all their glory.

As a private school we are experiencing the effect of the backlog that is caused by limited spaces in our public schools. I recently read that the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has only budgeted to build five new schools in the current financial year. This against the backdrop of a growing population and large numbers of people moving to Gauteng and other urban areas in our country. As in the past, many learners (especially Grade 1 and 8) will be left stranded without a space in a good school.

We therefore want to urge all our parents to please complete the re-registration process as soon as we make it available in Term 3 so that we can secure your child’s space for the 2023 academic year. If you are also considering to put another sibling in the school, we would like to urge you to do so no later than the end of July as some of our grades for 2023 are already full.

With this in mind, we are looking forward to our next big Open Day on Saturday 29 October 2022 where we will once again show off our beautiful school to the community at large!

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aft care

AMBERFIELD COLLEGE

The past six months at the Amberfield Aftercare Centre have been nothing short of incredible. We have been hard at work implementing various programmes and projects aimed at ensuring that our designated spaces become more functional, safe and most importantly, a fun place to be for our learners.

Playground and Tuckshop shading Our first order of business was to cover both the playground and the seating area by the tuckshop with shading so that that our charges are protected from the harmful sun rays in the afternoons whilst playing and eating.

Next on our agenda was to install seating, in the form of picnic benches in the area by the tuckshop, so that the learners can sit comfortably whilst eating their meals after school. These benches are a definite hit in that the kiddos have also found other more creative ways to use them, such as doll beds, desks for writing and drawing, and places to simply sit whilst chatting and bonding with each other.

Nutritious meals Whilst on the topic of eating, we can never understate the importance of healthy nutrition. Late in 2021, and after some consultation and feedback sessions with the learners themselves, we introduced a new menu with delicious food options. Despite the astronomically rising food costs over the past few months, we have managed to retain the children’s favourite food items on the menu, with only the most minute adjustments applied, without increasing the monthly aftercare fees.

Our revised menu, effective 1 June 2022 is as follows:

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Safety During the process of shading the playground, we also discovered that we had a challenge with some of the gutter pipes in the buildings surrounding the playground area, which drained water onto the playground when it rained, resulting in some muddy patches being created here and there. We have since asked the grounds maintenance team to redirect the gutters away from the playground area to minimise the flooding on rainy days. This will ensure cleaner uniforms and most importantly, a drier and safer play area for our learners.

Holiday Care This is a much-needed service to working parents needing a safe, caring and fun place to leave their children during the school holidays. The main benefit of the holiday care programme is that the fees thereof are already factored into the monthly aftercare fees, meaning that the parents don’t have to pay extra for it.

In March, we had our first holiday care programme of 2022. We are happy to announce that the learners thoroughly enjoyed it, and especially enjoyed the last day, where the supervisors organised special party treats such as cake, chips, hamburgers and ice-cream to celebrate the start of the new term. Going forward, commencing with the upcoming June holidays, our holiday care programme is now also able to accommodate other College learners not enrolled in the aftercare programme, at a nominal daily fee.

Mini-prize giving Our responsibility at the aftercare is to provide homework supervision as well as limited academic support for our learners. To incentivise and promote academic excellence, at the start of the second term, we introduced a mini-prize giving ceremony where we handed out certificates and prizes to the top 10 performers in each grade for Term 1. We received a lot of positive feedback from the parents for this initiative, and we intend to continue doing it at the end of each term into the future.

Open Day Amberfield College recently hosted an Open Day held on 28 May 2022. With the Aftercare Centre being such a critical service for the College learners and parents, we were thrilled for the opportunity to also showcase our beautiful stand and to engage prospective 2023 parents about what we do, whilst proudly wearing our newly acquired Amberfield College t-shirts and jackets.

Miscellaneous We have also introduced smaller, but equally important items such as the tables that we use for the convenience of the parents when signing the children out, as well as the table that we use to dispense the food during meal times.

We have also managed to secure the use of a store-room where we keep the bin that we use to store our learners’ lost-and-found items safely. This bin has proven to be very useful to the parents especially, who have the comfort of knowing that if their children do end up forgetting their things at the Centre, the chances of recovering said lost items are very high.

We have many more exciting developments lined up in the next coming six months, which we will communicate in our next report at the end of the year.

In conclusion, we would like to thank the parents for their continued support, as well as my incredible team of hard-working aftercare supervisors, whilst not forgetting Amberfield College School Management Team (SMT) for partnering with us in making the Amberfield Aftercare Centre a great place to be for our learners after school.

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