Academics

The philosophy of our academic programme is to instil a love of learning, inspire curiosity, and develop creative and critical thinking skills in our boys. We recognise that we are preparing them not just for a final examination but equipping them with the skills necessary to engage enthusiastically and critically with the world around them, and inspiring them to be thought leaders, problem solvers and change makers in a world that is changing at a rate faster than any curriculum can cater for.

In order to achieve this, our staff themselves need to constantly adapt their teaching methodology to the changing needs, yet still delivering the core curriculum and skills needed for the final matric examination, the results of which give our boys a stepping stone to the next leg of their educational and life journey. 

Staff at St David’s work collaboratively to ensure that every boy is given the best possible opportunity to achieve his academic potential, and academic excellence is something that we strive for. Our boys are taught the value of a work ethic, of being able to work independently, to be proactive in seeking advice, and being inquisitive about all aspects of academics.

Our staff are all lifelong learners, and their work ethic and energy set the example for students to follow. Many members of staff are examiners and moderators at a regional level, ensuring that we stay abreast of academic trends and best practice.

Each boy is also assigned a tutor, who ensures his continuous academic well-being. 

Class sizes for more complex subjects, such as mathematics, are kept to as few as 14 boys at matric level. This ensures that teachers are able to deliver class content in the most appropriate manner according to the level of understanding, while also allowing for greater individual engagement.

We attribute the academic excellence of our school to the triangle of collaboration between staff, parents and pupils, as well as the level of collaboration between all departments at St David’s. 

Academic enrichment

In recent years, we have put concerted effort and thinking into growing our Academic Enrichment Programme (AEP), which provides individual support to boys in areas such as managing anxiety, preparing for examinations, scheduling their study time, and any underlying issues that may be affecting academic performance. Teachers work closely with specialists in the AEP, to ensure that no boy falls through the cracks.

Referrals come from teachers and parents, as well as the boys themselves. The idea is to set realistic goals for each individual, and to provide the necessary tailored support to achieve those goals.

While St David’s is a mainstream school that follows a rigorous academic programme, we are also an inclusive school, and accommodate boys with learning disabilities. We partner with the Independent Examination Board to ensure that pupils with diagnosed learning disabilities are able to sit examinations in a separate venue, with necessary provisions made to accommodate their disabilities – such as extra time to complete the exam, or the use of a computer to type answers.

St David’s educators are aware that the 21^st century will demand that the learners are able to be self-reliant, academically curious, resilient, independent thinkers and problem solvers. We firmly believe that our staff and the structures we have in place will ensure that our young men have gained these invaluable life skills during their journey through the College. 

The structures we have in place to assist our learners through their academic journey are extensive. They include consolidation lessons that are run throughout the year within each department, and over and above this we have a team of staff who work tirelessly within the Academic Enrichment department to help many of our learners reach their academic potential.