St Mary’s School in Waverley has been supporting young women in their education and spiritual growth since 1888. The oldest school in Johannesburg, St Mary’s has developed a rich history of tradition and has remained true to its mission of providing its girls with the tools they need to succeed as learners, students and adults.
“The education of young women is our mission and our backbone and has allowed us to continue to do good work and remain true to the character of our school,” says head of St Mary’s, Deanne King. “In 2015 we achieved a 100% matric pass rate with a 100% bachelor degree pass rate, and we believe this is due to the supportive environment we provide and the hard work that our matriculants put into their studies.”
St Mary’s School works towards achieving a holistic and balanced education across the five pillars of academics, sport, cultural activities, community and spiritual growth. Each pillar complements the other and students are encouraged to engage as much as possible with what the school offers.
“We are aware of global academic trends and we believe it is essential to encourage and inspire our students at every age and grade,” says King. “We work with our children, giving them the space they need to develop creatively and to collaborate with their teachers. Critical thinking skills and hard work are never underestimated here.”
King believes that sport is also crucial in the development of a well-rounded individual as it teaches essential life lessons and ingrains healthy habits. A rich cultural program creates a space where students can gain personal confidence and express themselves confidently through art.
“Our Anglican Church roots form part of our commitment to spiritual growth and teaching children the value of community and how they [can] play a role in creating a better country; we have extensive community work and spiritual outreach programmes,” says King. “I think every school tries to do its own work really well. We focus on being the best we can within our ethos and encourage parents to select a school that accords with their values.”