About Us

  
The Learning Ethos of the College.

In line with the philosophy and principles of a genuinely Outcomes-Based Education, Ridgeway College offers an academic programme which aims to make our students capable of learning how to learn, a programme which teaches them how to think rather than what to think, which is structured to enable them to develop their unique, individual talents and ability and which challenges them to achieve the highest standards of which they are capable.

We achieve these outcomes by giving students a sound grounding in and understanding of language, by enabling them to use Information Technology with understanding and competence, by educating them about and directly involving them in environmental and community issues, by involving them in a richly multi-cultural environment which leads to an understanding and appreciation of a wide spectrum of culture and belief. Through the Life Orientation programme, but also in less formal interaction with staff and with each other, students are given the opportunity to reflect on the values, aims and objectives which should shape their lives.

We pay specific attention to the following:

Academic support

Staff are available after classes end, generally on one afternoon a week, to provide  assistance to students who are experiencing difficulties or who need to catch up on anything they may have missed. There is no additional charge for these sessions and it is the students' responsibility to ask to attend and to attend regularly.

Library

Our new Library is regarded as a key resource. It provides not only a good collection of reference books, both general and subject specific, and a selection of the classics but also a wide variety of entertaining and stimulating literature which will encourage the development of the habit of reading which is, particularly at IEB level, an essential foundation for learning and thinking.

Practicals

In Science, in Biology, in Information Technology and in Life Orientation and Art, we place great emphasis on practical acquisition and application of understanding and skills.

The College has a well-equipped Science laboratory and an equally well-equipped Biology lab. In Science and Biology, the College opts for those Certificate courses which require a practical exam as well as an understanding of theory.

The computer laboratory has 25 computers which are upgraded every second year, as well as a Smartboard. In Information Technology, as well as the practical element of the exam, we aim to give every student a more than basic proficiency in the most necessary and widely sought-after skills. Controlled Internet access is available.
 
Culture

There is, naturally, considerable and very valuable cultural exchange among students on an informal level but the College also provides structured cultural opportunities in the form of the Choir, Drama club, an annual play and an annual Culture Day. Every year, the Form Four class spends three days in an intensive immersion in Venda culture, staying with families in a local village. Entries in the various categories of the National Eisteddfod are encouraged and supported and our students have a pleasing record of success.

Community Service

We believe emphatically that education does not take place only in the classroom and that it is not found only in books, important those these are. Young people acquire knowledge and understanding of society and community by direct experience, by being involved in the operations of, by helping to meet the needs of society and community. They develop values and attitudes by being given opportunities to see for themselves the necessity for such values as trust, integrity, compassion and self-reliance and by beginning to practise them. The College participates in a number of community projects, many of which promote environmental awareness.

Field Trips

An annual field trip is integrated into the curriculum for each class. The emphasis in the first three years is on environmental and ecological issues and adventurous outdoor activities. In the fourth year the field trip focuses on leadership development and cultural awareness and the emphasis for the final year is largely cultural - usually a trip to the Grahamstown Festival.

Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial thinking are integral to the College's concept of its mission. As well including Business Studies and Accounting in the formal curriculum, the College encourages creative and innovative thinking in all areas of the curriculum.

In our endeavor to inspire Entrepreneurial thought we use the SAEI entrepreneurial skills game BEST GAME . (put link to SAIE)

Art

Art is a compulsory subject in the first year as we believe that all children need to be made aware of their potential for creativity. This is done through a course which emphasises practical skills in drawing, modelling and design. Subsequently, Art is an option to IGCSE level.