Southern Cross Schools offer a unique approach to College life while upholding the valuable traditions which enhance each learner’s high school experience.
We focus on being academically rigorous, challenging and forward-thinking. We strive to provide a stimulating education for all learners no matter what their talents, passions and ambitions are. We encourage individuality, celebrating strengths and promoting opportunities for growth, whether on the sports field, on the stage, behind an easel, or in the classroom.
“EMPOWERING OUR LEARNERS OF TODAY TO CREATE THE WORLD OF TOMORROW.”
We inspire and empower our learners to be pioneering, progressive and dynamic in their approach to everything they endeavour to achieve.
College learners are guided and encouraged to debate, discuss and work collaboratively with their peers.
Our aim is to ensure that when a Grade 12 learner leaves our College, they have real-world skills to thrive in the not-too-distant future. Qualities like critical thinking, collaboration, creative problem solving, self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making, and the ability to construct complex solutions.
They will be community minded and play an integral part in the conservation and sustainability of our planet.
We feel it is important life skills such as reflection, respect, self-discipline and co-operation are valued and promoted. These skills, coupled with the required academic stipulations, allow our children to have balanced mind-sets which include an environmental consciousness.
Ultimately, our Preparatory School is a safe, warm, fun, stress-free environment which allows children to strive, grow and be progressive individuals. We believe in equipping and empowering our children to be able to face ‘real world’ challenges with confidence, emotional balance and sound thought.
Smaller classes enable teachers to work with the framework given by the CAPS curriculum, so that learning is not bound to pure academic content, but balanced with life skills too. Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is the basis of success in all spheres of life.
Critical thinking, hands-on learning, problem solving and reflection are highly valued skills built into the integrated syllabus. Standing tall, being accountable, kindness and a 100% respect 100% of the time are the prized values, resulting in an all-encompassing learning programme. Collaborative activities allow our children to learn from one another, discussions enable thoughts and ideas to be explored, and stimulating activities ensure the children engage actively during their learning day.
Singapore Maths is followed from Grade 1 to Grade 7. Based on grasping concepts practically before cognitive comprehension, it includes problem solving as a large part of the learning process, thereby teaching children to look at challenges from all angles and to know that solutions are a journey of discovery.
A Growth Mind-set approach which significantly reduces anxiety and builds confidence, is foremost in our minds and coupled with loving support, leads to children who are secure and ready to think for themselves. Our children learn to embrace mistakes, knowing that it is through these mistakes, the most effective learning occurs.
Our children comfortably face formal and informal assessments, even the traditional type exams which are gently introduced in Grade 4. The assessment programme includes non-academic elements such as time management skills, organisation skills and collaboration.
Southern Cross College is embarking on a new and exciting model of education for our learners.
To enable our learners to be agile and future-fit, we recognise that change in the education industry is necessary to transform and improve learning outcomes and Southern Cross Schools introduced an online IEB accredited educational platform at our College from January 2021.
Learners receive their online academic instruction in a school environment under the guidance of specialist teachers and mentors. Each grade will have a dedicated mentor to administer individual learner’s academic progress. Specialist teachers assist with questions, concerns and offer additional academic support which learners may require.
Learners attend school as normal and have all the added aspects of sport, culture, socialisation, leadership programmes and additional activities allowing them to expand their interests and to graduate with so much more than just a certificate at the end of their matric year.
In 2021, Southern Cross College collaborated with Brainline, an innovative, quality-driven e-learning distance education institution. This allows our learners to select their subjects from a full bouquet of subjects.
Other platforms may also be selected allowing each learner the opportunity to choose the curriculum which best suits their ability, needs and ambitions.
Along with this concept, our learners are exposed to a second skills enhancement. These are online courses in some cases and very practical, hands on courses on the other hand. Courses are tailor-made and interest dependent and making the opportunities endless.
A skills enhancement programme with an environmental focus will offer FGASA examinations, snake handling courses, photography courses, to mention but a few.
Our leadership programme aims to prepare our learner leaders, also known as our Crux Leaders to take active roles in their education and develop positive skills in the process. The aim of our learner leaders is to create a culture of ownership, collaboration and community in and outside the classroom.
Our Crux Leaders chair various committees, consisting of a teacher and Grade 8–12 learners.
Southern Cross College offers a variety of activities for learners to grow their passions and skills outside of the academic curriculum.
Sport is a compulsory activity and learners participate in this activity 2 afternoons a week. Southern Cross College will offer the following lifestyle sports and events promoting these sports will feature on our annual calendar.
The dynamics of playing a team sport is a priority and soccer, hockey, netball and cricket will continue to be on offer and the choice of sport will be driven by the learners.