A journey of excellence

JUSTISIA SHIPENA
In 2009, ISWB opened its doors for the first time as a fully affiliated CIE school – opening the doors to one of the best qualifications a student can attain. Since those humble beginnings, we have grown into a formidable force.

We focus on the five elements that lie at the heart of a Cambridge education: international curriculum, teaching and learning, assessment, international recognition and global community.

We believe education works best when curriculum, teaching, learning and assessment are closely aligned. A student at ISWB has to go through five stages of the Cambridge pathway of learning, discovering and achieving.

These stages are:

Cambridge EYFS: Early Years Foundation Stage sets out the learning and development stages for children as they grow from birth to five years. The prime focus areas are personal, social and emotional development, physical development as well as communications and language.

Cambridge Primary: Here we cater for learners aged 5 – 11. We develop learner skills and understanding through the primary years in English as a first language, mathematics, science, art, ICT and music. We prepare learners to be independent and take responsibility to reach new levels.

Cambridge Lower Secondary: This stage caters for learners aged 11 to 14. This is when we build on the foundations of Cambridge Primary, and provide a worthwhile diagnostic tool for the teacher and a valued and significant milestone for learners.

Cambridge Upper Secondary: Learners aged 14 – 16 attend this course which includes attaining the Cambridge IGCSE certificate; the world’s most popular international qualification.

Cambridge Advanced: Students who study Cambridge Advanced are aged 16 to 19. During this two-year course, students develop a deep understanding of subjects, as well as independent learning and constructive thinking skills – abilities which universities globally value highly. The AS/A level qualification is the key to open all university doors anywhere you have the desire to study.

Below is a fraction of the students ISWB has send out into the world over the last 11 years of excellence:

2009- Joshua De Gouveia was one of the first students who went through the last stages of the Cambridge’s curriculum. He went on to Stellenbosch and UCT to do his honours and moved to Spain where he pursued his Business Master Degree.

2011- Reignald Venter left for UCT to study Architecture after finishing his IGCSE and AS levels. He completed his Master Degree in Pretoria last year.

2012-Henk Malherbe left ISWB to study art at a college in Stellenbosch and went on to study Art Architecture at UCT.

2013- In 2013, Kyle Wolff said goodbye to ISWB and went off to study Electrical Engineering in Australia. He graduated in 2019 and is currently working at an International Engineering Firm.

2014- It is in this year ISWB bid farewell to Cara Allen who went on to UNAM to study law. This year 2020, she was selected by Sanlam to enter their internship programme and was one of 15 lucky students to gain a bursary.

2015-Nabeelah Suleman headed off to UNAM to study Medicine after excellent results in her IGCSE year, following a year of exchange to Germany after finishing her AS level in 2017. She went on to study medicine at UNAM.

2016- Kristen Viviers finished his IGCSE and, like Nabeelah, went to Germany for an exchange programme. He came back in 2017 to finish his AS levels and in 2018 went to Stellenbosch to study Accounting. He is doing exceptionally.

Fast forward to 2019. Kyra Melani finished her AS level and said goodbye. She is currently working at the French embassy after spending a year as an exchange student in France.

I agree with Christoph Guttentag, Dean of Admission, Duke University, USA when he says “We think the Cambridge curriculum is superb preparation for university” and if you don’t think so look at all the students we have all over the world being responsible citizens of this world.