A small school with a big heart. St Teresa’s School started in 1930 when three Sisters of Mercy welcomed their first five pupils to a garage in Keyes Avenue, Rosebank. There was no government support of any kind for Catholic Schools so, of necessity, the school was private. With careful management and through the support of parents, the school was financially viable and was gradually able to extend its facilities along Keyes Ave to meet new needs. It was one of the first schools in the country to defy Apartheid laws and admit pupils of all races.
Rooted in Christ’s teaching of love for God, self, and others, the family of St Teresa’s School is committed to developing the values of compassion, service, love, and respect in our girls. We aim to nurture and inspire responsible, enquiring young women who strive for excellence in all facets of life.
At our school, we provide a holistic, Christian education in a loving, secure and structured family environment. We encourage each child to develop her talents, focusing on individual attainment rather than competitiveness with others. At the same time, we promote respect for self, others, and the environment. Personal responsibility is encouraged.
Our school aims to provide the environment and facilities for the spiritual, intellectual, emotional, creative, and physical development of all of our learners. We strive to enable the learners to value their uniqueness to develop a healthy self-image. We encourage the ability to adapt to a rapidly changing world and to live at peace within it. We support and supplement the efforts of the parents in challenging each girl to achieve the best of which she is capable.
St Teresa’s prides itself on its service to learners by offering a holistic education. In line with this holistic education, St Teresa’s has built up a reputation for academic excellence.
The school curriculum follows the requirements of the South African curriculum statements. High School education is divided into two components: the GET (General Education and Training) which consists of Grades 7, 8, and 9, and the FET (Further Education and Training) which includes Grades 10, 11, and 12. The final exit qualification comes at the end of the Grade 12 year in the writing of a public examination, the National Senior Certificate, under the auspices of the Independent Examination Board (IEB).
Learners are taught in mixed ability classes. Learners are encouraged to develop a sound work ethic and small class sizes allow for individual attention. Academic support is available to learners in every subject. If any academic concerns are raised by a teacher, communication with a parent/s is done immediately.
Both formal and informal assessment methods are used to assess a learner’s progress. Major examinations are held in July and November for Grades 7-11. By IEB policy on inclusive education, internal concessions, such as extra time in exams are allocated where needed.
Our academic staff are highly qualified and continual professional development is emphasized. All teachers are SACE registered. Performance evaluation is an ongoing process to ensure that the needs of the learners are being met by the staff.
This curriculum covers grades 7, 8, and 9. At St Teresa’s, we have developed a modular system for our Grade 7, 8, and 9 pupils. The modular system is composed of non-core subjects, to promote deeper and more thorough learning in these subjects. This is vital as it informs the decision-making process in choosing the three optional subjects required for Grade 10. As such the timetable is structured to provide more time for module subjects to allow for in-depth learning. The non-core subjects are divided into an Arts key, a Science Key, and Humanities Key. Every term, the learners will take one subject out of the three keys. This subject will then be written off at the end of the term. The system works very much like a university system, whereby modules are written off at the end of a term.
St Teresa’s offers an exciting and diverse cultural life for the girls at the school. We view our cultural activities as an integral part of school life. The girls are encouraged to explore the range of their talents and interests.
The main purpose of sport at St Teresa’s School is to provide each learner with the knowledge and experience to be Active in Life. Throughout the school, the focus is on providing opportunities for participation, enjoyment, and excellence.
Sport is divided into three areas: Physical Education (including Life Skills/Orientation), competitive sport, and development/social sport. The Sports Department, headed by the Director of Sport, is responsible for the organization and implementation of all three areas of sport. Physical Education is a curricular activity in which all grade 7 – 9 learners are required to participate. Competitive and development / social sports are co-curricular activities, in which all learners are strongly encouraged to participate and regard as an extension of the school day.
Our curriculum focuses on age-appropriate lessons, which are based on CAPS and the philosophy of Long Term Participant Development. The FUNdamental movement and sports skills taught in the Junior Primary prepare the girls to develop their skills and training techniques in the Senior Primary, to develop performance and team strategies during High School!
JUNIOR PRIMARY
(GRADE 00 – GRADE 3) 30 Rutland Avenue Craighall Park 2196
