Personal excellence and the development of all boys have always been a priority at Cordwalles. Boys are extended and allowed to exert their individualism throughout their School careers from Pre-primary to Grade 7.

Guided by experienced, enthusiastic teachers and support staff, our boys are encouraged to be confident, independent and creative problem solvers.

To achieve this our academic programme is relevant to the boys. Each child is encouraged to reach his maximum academic potential. The Pupil Support Programme is extensive and of great benefit to our Boys.

In addition to the traditional languages of English, Afrikaans and Zulu our thrust in the Senior Primary Phase(Grade 3 to 7) is that of Integrated Studies, combining the Human and Social Sciences of Geography and History. We are thus able to concentrate on the skills required in these subjects rather than the pure content. The Natural Sciences of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, along with Mathematical Literacy remain the corner stone of our school. Specialist teachers are employed to develop pupils' Entrepreneurial skills, Music and Speech and Drama. An extremely well structured and balanced academic programme is in place for the boys.

Our Media, Information Technology, Design Technology and Art centres, staffed by professional specialists in each field, are at the cutting edge of education.

A great deal of care is taken to ensure a healthy balance between Academic, Cultural and Sporting Activities.

ACADEMIC SUPPORT SERVICES

This team consists of five professionally qualified specialists who work at Cordwalles every week.  They are involved in case conferences and parent meetings at the school.

All boys have therapy in rooms specifically equipped to deal with their difficulties – exercise balls, computers and white boards are available.  The majority of boys have individual help once or twice each week for 30 minutes.  A few boys respond better working in a small group of 2 or 3 peers.  The cost of this professional therapy is carried directly by the boys’ parents.

Referral

Boys can be referred for therapy by consultant psychologists, paediatricians, or other therapists.  Generally the first line of referral for specialist therapy comes from the class teachers.  If they are concerned about any boy’s progress, they discuss the problem with the appropriate therapist who gives advice on strategies which could be implemented in the class room.  If the teachers feel that the difficulty has not been resolved, the boy is then referred for a specialist assessment.  After the necessary tests have been administered, the therapist diagnoses the results and makes appropriate recommendations to the parents and the class teacher.  A decision is then reached about the boy’s future support.  All therapists work closely with the boys’ teachers ensuring that their support is playing an appropriate part of the boy’s ongoing development.

Occupational Therapy

Meg Meeding attended Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High School, where she filled the role of Deputy Head Girl. Thereafter Meg studied a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy at the University of Cape Town Medical School. Following graduation, Meg spent a year in the rural town of Hlabisa, in Northern Natal, working as an occupational therapist in the community. Meg then went into Paediatric private practice for three years before joining the staff at Cordwalles, as a full-time on-site occupational therapist. Meg is married to Rijn and they have no children (yet!). Meg is passionate about helping children learn and grow to the best of their ability

Remedial Therapy

The three remedial therapists work a total of 11 days each week.  The therapists constantly discuss with the teachers their individualized programmes and the learners’ progress.  This means that there is close interaction between the class teaching and the remedial support.

Mrs Linda Quibbell qualified in Wales and brings a wealth of experience to the support team.  She enjoys

Mrs Belinda Quin qualified as a remedial teacher through UNISA. Her great love of helping boys with learning differences is evident in the stream of boys making their way to her therapy room.  She has a special concern for the Cordwalles Inky boys and they thoroughly enjoy her nurturing and positive approach.

Miss Sue Smythe qualified at the University of Natal (Durban).  She loves the open and enthusiastic attitude that Cordwalles boys bring to their therapy sessions.  She believes in the use of games and rewards to motivate and reinforce the strategies and techniques which they learn.

Speech Therapy

Mrs Prushanti Rugbeer is an experienced therapist who also has a private practice in Pietermaritzburg.  She qualified at the University of Durban - Westville