Woodridge College

Woodridge
Location
Thornhill, Eastern Cape
South Africa
Information
Type Private, Boarding, Day School
Motto Fideliter
Established 1936
Headmaster Simon Crane
Exam board IEB
Grades 8-12
Number of students > 400 pupils
School color(s) Brown and Gold
Fees > R 60 000 p.a.
Website www.woodridge.co.za

Woodridge College is a private, co-educational school in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Woodridge is situated near the small town of Thornhill, roughly half way between Jeffrey's Bay and Port Elizabeth. The school is attended by both boarders and day-scholars. It has produced several famous athletes and business leaders both nationally and internationally, including golfer James Kamte,[1] champion canoeist Martin Dreyer[2] and cricketers Mark Rushmere, Colin Ingram and Riki Wessels.

The school has an orientation towards focusing on the pupil as a whole versus being a school that focuses on academics or any particular sport,[3] a statement that is re-affirmed to parents and pupils alike.

School Motto

The Motto of the school is Fideliter, as can be seen on the school emblem, meaning faithfully.[4]

Location

It is situated on the edge of the gorge that has been created by Van Stadens River, next to the infamous Van Stadens Bridge.

History

The school was started by the Carter family[5] in 1936, all of whom's descendants have attended the school. Originally the school was only a preparatory school, the college was only started during the 60's[6]/

Curriculum

The school offers the standard schooling under the guidelines of the Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa, and pupils taking their National Senior Certifiate write the IEB examainations.

Sport

Woodridge is involved in the sport of Rugby, Cricket, Hockey, Netball, Squash, Tennis, Athletics, Waterpolo and swimming.[7]

In addition, surf life saving is offered, as a sport, which is unique within South African schools.[8]

Other alternative sports are also offered, such as Rock Climbing, Canoeing, and hiking and Outdoor education.[9] Outdoor education is offered, which has similar style of achieving individual growth the way Outward Bound does, although it got its roots more from the Veld en Vlei society in nearby Sedgefield which many Old Woodridgeans used to attend, which was later bought out by the Outward Bound association.[10]

Inter house competitions are held for all sports offered by the school. The Outdoor education house trophy is considered the most revered of house trophies.

Headmasters

Headmasters are often seen as the leadership identity within South African schools. It is often their decisions (in conjunction with the governing body) that improve or degrade the success of the school.

The current head master of the school is Simon Crane, who was previously the deputy headmaster.[11]

Previous Headmasters include

Since their success at one school is often their best reference, schools like Woodridge which have a shorter history than other schools in South Africa, are often stepping stones for successful headmasters. Guy Pearson, whose term was incredibly successful at achieving goals went on to become the rector of one of South Africa's oldest and top schools, Michaelhouse.

Ken Ball is currently (2010) headmaster at SACS in Cape Town, another well known, old, established school.

Craig Neave served Woodridge dutifully as Deputy Headmaster during both Guy Pearson and Ken Balls years, and became Headmaster in 2005. His departure is to take up the Headmaster role at Felixton College in Kwa-Zulu Natal [12]

Simon Crane joined as deputy headmaster in 2013, British born, an ex Bishops pupil and has served roles both in the UK (Milton Abbey School) and KwaZulu Natal (Carter_High_School_(South_Africa)) and Michaelhouse) [13]

School houses

The school has three houses, which pupils are divided into to compete on an intra-school level amongst each other.

Founders house was closed for many years (approximately 1985-2005) when the numbers of pupils is the school did not warrant three houses).

The school houses used to dictate in which physical location and building the pupils board within on the property.

Hostels

There are four hostels on the Woodridge campus:

Religious Teachings

Woodridge is considered a Christian school, and is a parish of the Anglican church,[14] but it is neither prerequisite to be accepted as pupil, nor is the religion forced to children. It is loosely used within the assemblies of the school, and optional cultural classes.

References

  1. ↑ Ndabeni, Khanyi (21 March 2008). "Golfer ‘Cobra‘ Kamte once aimed for soccer stardom". The Herald Online (Port Elizabeth, South Africa). Retrieved 9 November 2009.
  2. ↑ "Long paddle to freedom". The Cape Argus (Cape Town, South Africa). 23 January 2008. Retrieved 9 November 2009.
  3. ↑ http://www.woodridge.co.za/Content.asp?pageID=47
  4. ↑ http://www.kes.ns.ca/alumi_volunteer.asp
  5. ↑ http://www.woodridge.co.za/Content.asp?pageID=47
  6. ↑ http://www.woodridge.co.za/Content.asp?pageID=47
  7. ↑ http://www.woodridge.co.za/Content.asp?pageID=302
  8. ↑ http://www.woodridge.co.za/Content.asp?pageID=67
  9. ↑ http://www.woodridge.co.za/
  10. ↑ http://books.google.com/books?id=C63VIRGl2PsC&pg=PA387&lpg=PA387&dq=veld+en+vlei+outward+bound&source=bl&ots=aIzadzXDSm&sig=TH1CEy5s-GLrzm1Yr11Lo3gyIVE&hl=en&ei=6nn4SrKmDZHCMM-5lOkF&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=veld%20en%20vlei%20outward%20bound&f=false
  11. ↑ "Headmaster".
  12. ↑ http://www.ru.ac.za/facultyofhumanities/alumniarticles/woodridgeheadmasterofftotakeuppostinempangeni.html
  13. ↑ http://www.sahisa.org/2014/02/simon-crane/
  14. ↑ http://www.anglicandiocesepe.org.za/iindaba/archive/iindaba0408.htm

External links

Coordinates: 33°55′04″S 25°12′11″E / 33.9178°S 25.203°E