Education and Training Awards 2021

Best International Primary - High School - South Africa Nestled in the heart of Johannesburg, Alma Mater International School has played a key role in the development of well-rounded young men and women for many years. The institute has evolved and strengthened to match the market which is how the staff have achieved such success in Corporate Vision’s Education and Training Awards 2021. We take a closer look to find out more. The education sector of South Africa had a serious gap in the market. There was a clear need for international schools which could provide the ultimate in quality education for their students. The answer was Alma Mater, offering a comprehensive curriculum ranging from pre-primary to high school all within the same institution. Since opening its doors, the team behind Alma Mater have put the wellbeing of their students as their top priority. The aim has always been to set them up for a bright and bold future. From the outset, the team encourage their students to excel at secondary and tertiary study. Key to this was the adoption of the Cambridge curriculum and the Cambridge International Examinations. Learners are offered the chance to complete A-Levels in order to pursue careers in highly specialised fields such as medicine or engineering. Alma Mater’s role in the education space is one which embraces dynamism. The team pride themselves on being incredibly flexible, evolving to meet the needs of students today. The nature of Alma Mater means that the staff strive to foster the ideals of global citizenship in their students as well as academic excellence. This international approach is matched only by a continued desire to bring the most modern techniques to students. Those who study at Alma Mater International School can benefit from integrated teaching methods that combine the latest technological advancements with traditional teaching methods. The result is something truly unique. Within the region, the education space is governed heavily by the National Curriculum. There is a major gap for international schools who provide an education curriculum that is recognised internationally and that competes on the world stage. One of the major challenges within this space is the lack of resources that many schools have successfully completed international qualifications without interruptions or extensions of exams, it’s clear that there is a benefit to turning to educational institutes such as Alma Mater. Like all organisations the world over, the staff and students at this prestigious establishment had to adapt quick to the changing needs of the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated lockdowns. Fortunately, the team’s embracing of technology made the change incredibly straight forward for both. Student cohort wellbeing was closely monitored and little differences was found in their ability to access top universities and career paths in comparison to the success of previous years. The historic nature of the school, with its unique approach and core value system, is clearly a key factor in the resilience of this cohort. Looking forward, the staff of Alma Mater plan to continue their superb work of inspiring students to move onto even higher levels of education and thriving. What has become clear as time has gone on is that there is no point in placing borders between subjects and that students benefit significantly from exploring the overlap between different areas. The team intend to bring on more internships, tertiary courses, work integrated practice and research projects to foster a culture that encourages students to develop beyond university level. When looking at Alma Mater, what is clear is that every aspect of the school is built around the concept of a world which is constantly changing and rapidly becoming more and more interconnected. The staff here are committed to giving their charges a broad education that prepares them to thrive in numerous environments. The heart of any education establishment is to create a generation that is prepared for the future, and the groundwork laid here is the perfect firm foundation for years of change ahead. Company: Alma Mater International School Email: [email protected] Web: www.almamaterinternationalschool.co.za Apr21558 Marinda Steyn, Principal | JamesMoir, Director | Lynn Botes, Director