Greetings to the Southdowns Community and to all visitors. This will be my first full year in charge of the College and I look forward to a great year in which I anticipate there will be many “ups and downs “as we strive to take the school to the next level. I firmly believe that we are a learning organisation and that we are good at what we do but we are certainly not a perfect organisation. It is therefore essential that we are aware of the strengths of the school while being mindful of our shortcomings and blind spots. This awareness coupled with a desire to improve will allow us to travel further down the road towards greatness in 2020.

Every pupil at the College is encouraged to take up as many opportunities as possible from those that are offered in the five pillars of the school: Academics, Sport, Leadership, Service and Culture. Learning is not confined to the classroom and history shows that the most successful pupils are those that have been heavily involved in all aspects of school life. The skills that one learns from this intense involvement include collaboration, time management, creativity, communication, critical thinking and flexibility – all of these are skills that experts say are needed in the 21st century and beyond.

We also firmly believe that every pupil that enters the College has the potential to grow and it is vitally important that we all understand that the brain is malleable and that every mistake is seen as an opportunity to grow!

Carol Dweck’s book on the “Growth Mindset” epitomises what we believe in at this school. Carol Dweck advocates that: “The growth mindset is based on the belief that your basic qualities are things that you can cultivate through your efforts, your strategies, and help from others. Although people may differ in every which way - in their initial talents and aptitudes, interests, or temperaments – anyone can change and grow through application and experience.”

Academics

Our vision is to develop the full potential of each learner and to create lifelong learners who are confident, compassionate and multi-skilled. We want learners to fulfill their potential and reach their dreams.

Individual attention is given to learners and this is made possible by having smaller classes. All teachers are available daily after school for any learner who may be struggling in a subject. A homework venue is provided from Monday to Thursday after school. In addition, the school has a resident Educational Psychologist who deals with learners who are experiencing learning difficulties and who require continual support. Parents are notified and communicated with through emails and panel discussions.

A peer tutor programme, where learners assist other learners who are experiencing difficulties, provides learners with additional academic support. These peer tutors attend workshops to provide them with the necessary skills and all tutors are selected based on their academic performance.