Tafelberg School Explained

Tafelberg School
Pushpin Map:Cape Town
Address:2 Swellengrebel Avenue, Bothasig
City:Cape Town
Postcode:7441
Country:South Africa
Coordinates:-33.856°N 18.543°W
Motto:Nihil nimis difficile
Motto Translation:Nothing is too difficult
Founders:-->
Status:Open
Principal:Lionel Benecke[1]
Viceprincipal Label:to override the default label -->
Grades:1–12
Students:400
Medium Of Language:English
School Colours: white, gold, navy blue
School Colours:-->

Tafelberg School is an English medium Grade 1–12 public school in Bothasig, Cape Town, South Africa which offers remedial activities for children with special learning needs.[2] [3] The school was located in Sea Point before mid–2010.[4] As of 2014, the school accommodates its full capacity of 400 students.[5] [6]

History

Tafelberg School was established on 23 July 1983.[7] [8] It was originally a school for white students, and was based in Sea Point from the 1980s until 2010.[4] The school was located at two separate sites in Sea Point and catered for children with special learning needs referred by schools throughout the Cape Peninsula.[7] The junior school was located at 3 Kings Road, on the corner of Tramway Road.[4] [9] The senior school was located in a building at 355 Main Road which had previously housed Ellerslie Girls' High School from 1899. In 1989 Ellerslie Girls' High School vacated the building following a merger with Sea Point High School, formerly Sea Point Boys' High School, which had become co-educational and Tafelberg School subsequently occupied the vacant building.[10]

Tafelberg School became racially integrated in a post-apartheid South Africa,[11] and junior (FP and IP) and senior sections (GET and FET) of the school have merged and moved to a new location in Bothasig in June 2010.[4] [12] The construction of the new school building in Bothasig, "the first fully accessible resource centre in the province, both from a physical and curriculum accessibility point of view", cost R45 million.[9] The move to a "more friendly learning environment" reduced the school's capacity in terms of student numbers and necessitated a one-third reduction in the number of classes per grade.[13]

The 17,000 square metre site in Sea Point's Main Road previously used by the school and Ellerslie Girls' High School before that was declared a provincial heritage site in a government gazette dated 15 December 1989.[14] The disused site has been proposed for redevelopment by the Western Cape Government, which says that it is suitable for a mixed-use development and has requested expressions of interest from parties interested in buying the property or leasing it for a period of up to 60 years provided that the original 1899 building and an avenue of wild fig trees are preserved.[15]

In February 2014 it was reported that the Kings Road site in Sea Point previously used by the school was to be leased by the French School of Cape Town and R18 million worth of upgrades were planned for it.[4] [14] [9]

Academics

In 2002 Tafelberg School received a Special Superintendent-General Award from the Western Cape Education Department for having students achieve National Senior Certificates with matriculation endorsements. A matriculation endorsement allows students to study for a Bachelor's degree at any South African university. In April 2012, it was reported that Tafelberg School had achieved a 100% matric pass rate since the new school building opened in 2010.[16]

International exchange

Tafelberg School is twinned with Longcause Community Special School in Plymouth, England, an international exchange partnership facilitated by Afri Twin,[17] which has linked over 250 schools in the United Kingdom and South Africa.[18] Tafelberg students travelled overseas and visited the school and some other nearby schools including Hele's School and Woodcote High School[19] in 2008, and again in 2010 during a tour of the United Kingdom. The visits incorporated cultural exchanges and sporting events.[20] [21] [22]

Ritalin use

In 1999 it was reported that an estimated one third of all pupils attending Tafelberg School were using Ritalin. School psychiatrist Suzette Swart said the use of the drug at the school was strictly controlled and it was only administered with permission in writing from a pupil's parent. She said they use the drug "to help children concentrate better", but not all children who have difficulty concentrating need it.[23]

References

Citations

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Gontsana. Mary-Anne. Taxi driver dies, 13 pupils hurt in crash. IOL News. 23 August 2014. 1 June 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20141016185531/http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/taxi-driver-dies-13-pupils-hurt-in-crash-1.485776. dead. 16 October 2014.
  2. http://www.tafelbergschool.co.za/site/home Tafelberg School website
  3. http://www.westerncape.gov.za/facility/tafelberg-school Tafelberg School – Western Cape Government
  4. Web site: Hassen. Tauriq. Occupy school grounds. People's Post. 22 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140904023514/http://www.peoplespost.co.za/articles/articledetails.aspx?id=31166. 4 September 2014. dead. 14 August 2012.
  5. News: New Resource Centre: Tafelberg School. 13 October 2014. The Guardian. 7 November 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20141018101330/http://www.monthlyguardian.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=406:new-resource-centre-tafelberg-school&catid=38:november. dead. 18 October 2014.
  6. News: A win for Tafelberg School with Grand Slots. 13 October 2014. The Guardian. 5 June 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141018101611/http://www.monthlyguardian.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=505:a-win-for-tafelberg-school-with-grand-slots&catid=45:june. dead. 18 October 2014.
  7. News: Tafelberg-skool vier 21 trotste jare. af. Tafelberg School celebrates 21 proud years. 12 October 2014. Die Burger. 22 March 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20141016164506/http://152.111.1.87/argief/berigte/dieburger/2004/03/22/JB/03/02.html. dead. 16 October 2014.
  8. News: Tafelberg School in Bothasig celebrated their 30th birthday on Tuesday 23 July.. 12 October 2014. Die Burger. 31 July 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20141016194814/http://152.111.1.87/argief/berigte/dieburger/2013/07/31/TG/6/tbgtafel.html. dead. 16 October 2014.
  9. News: Sea Point welcoming the French. People's Post. 13 February 2014. 7 September 2014. McCain. Nicole. https://web.archive.org/web/20150926065859/http://www.peoplespost.co.za/articles/articledetails.aspx?id=120905. dead. 26 September 2015.
  10. http://seapointhighschool.co.za/files/ Sea Point High School
  11. News: SA Cricketer visits Tafelberg School. 13 October 2014. The Guardian. 6 June 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20141018101329/http://monthlyguardian.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=312:sa-cricketer-visits-tafelberg-school&catid=32:june. dead. 18 October 2014.
  12. News: Bekker. Jana. New spot for Tafelberg school. 22 August 2014. Die Burger. 23 June 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20140903041801/http://152.111.1.87/argief/berigte/dieburger/2010/06/23/TK/7/jbgdesk5.html. dead. 3 September 2014.
  13. News: Booysen. Henry. Parents disgruntled over remedial school move. 12 October 2014. Die Burger. 20 October 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20141017035202/http://m24arg02.naspers.com/argief/berigte/dieburger/2009/10/20/PQ/3/hbtafelberg-QS.html. dead. 17 October 2014.
  14. News: Historic Sea Point school attracts many proposals. 11 October 2014. Cape Argus. 2 May 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141016201845/http://www.iolproperty.co.za/roller/news/entry/historic_sea_point_school_attracts. live. 16 October 2014.
  15. Web site: Redevelopment of Tafelberg School. 22 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141006085734/http://citythinkspace.com/main-road-sea-point-cape-town-western-cape/. live. 6 October 2014.
  16. Web site: Bakkes. André. Roadworks to improve road safety. Die Burger. 13 October 2014. https://archive.today/20141013144815/http://152.111.1.87/argief/berigte/dieburger/2012/04/04/TG/21/abinfra.html. 13 October 2014. dead. 4 April 2012.
  17. Web site: Longcause Community Special School hosts its Cape Town Twin School. Plymouth International. 24 August 2014.
  18. Book: Bourn. Douglas. Cara. Olga. School linking – where next? Partnership models between schools in Europe and Africa. 2013. Development Education Research Centre, Institute of Education, University of London. 9780957454620. 14–15. 10 September 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140910195637/http://www.ioe.ac.uk/SchoolLinking.pdf. 10 September 2014. live.
  19. Chris Eloff
  20. Longcause Community Special School hosts its Cape Town Twin School. City of Plymouth International Newsletter. Autumn 2008/9. 17. Plymouth City Council. 24 August 2014.
  21. News: Award for special school. 24 August 2014. West Briton. 4 November 2009.
  22. News: Teens fly flag for South Africa. Western Morning News. 23 August 2014. 17 June 2010.
  23. News: Ritalin kids:Doped to wake up or shut up?. Nicodemus. Aaron. Mail & Guardian. 23 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141006080128/http://mg.co.za/article/1999-06-04-ritalin-kidsdoped-to-wake-up-or-shut. 6 October 2014. live. 4 June 1999.

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