Uplands College

Our goal at Uplands is to develop interesting and interested young people who are self-confident, happy and successful in an ever-changing world. They are creative, critical thinkers who embrace change and develop lasting meaningful relationships.

Head’s Welcome

It is a great pleasure to welcome you and your family to Uplands College. Our aim is to allow children to thrive in a challenging environment, rich in varied learning experiences guided by our dedicated staff and on our safe and secure campus.

High school is a time of significant change in so many respects, that it is important for you to know that your son or daughter will be the focus of all we do in the College. As a Christian school with a Christian ethos, we strive to develop such values as Love, Hope, Respect, Forgiveness, Truth and Courage, in all our pupils.
Uplands staff are always ready and willing to ensure that your child is cared for beyond the classroom, in all that they do. While academic, sport and cultural achievement are celebrated alongside community engagement and service, the social and emotional growth of every pupil is equally important to us. Staff will seek to mentor pupils as they begin to take responsibility for their decisions, determine their attitudes and form their own opinions.

With many residential pupils, it is little wonder that friendships formed go well beyond the boundaries of the school. The diversity brought by the pupils from further afield adds to the richness of the experience of the local pupils who can gain a wider world view during these formative years.

Uplands graduates leave the College as intellectually ambitious thinkers; effective and independent adults, and possess the knowledge, skills and habits of mind to succeed and thrive as global citizens in a diverse and ever-changing world.

Please enjoy exploring our website, but I urge you to contact us and arrange to visit our campus to gain a greater understanding and feel for what we are about.

Our aim is to allow children to thrive in a challenging environment, rich in varied learning experiences guided by our dedicated staff and on our safe and secure campus.

– Allan Laing

Academic Excellence

Uplands has always been a school that strives to marry innovation with the best of traditional approaches. Our vision is to nurture pupils who, by the time they leave school, are intellectually ambitious thinkers; effective and independent pupils, and; possess the knowledge, skills and habits of mind to succeed and thrive.

Like many schools, we are able to help our pupils achieve outstanding results in their examinations. However, whilst acutely aware that public exam results are the key to the best possible future for our pupils, we are not an exam factory. The Uplands difference is that our holistic educational philosophy teaches our pupils how to take their studies further and rise to the intellectual challenges that they will encounter in their later lives. Indeed, we excel in delivering an engaging and globally relevant curriculum for a diverse pupil body. This is achieved through a skills-based approach that promotes a culture of learning, creativity, critical thinking, social growth, inclusion (transformation and diversity) and talent realisation. Pupils benefit from building effective relationships with an inspired, collaborative and innovative staff.

Our classrooms are well-resourced and reflect an attention to ICT and mobile device technology to support and enhance learning. Despite moving with the technological revolution, literacy and numeracy skills remain fundamental to all that we do.

We challenge our pupils to develop their intellectual curiosity, to ask questions, to broaden their knowledge and intellect, and to be aware of the world beyond the School. At Uplands we believe that the very best education can only come from being part of an outstanding community of pupils – pupils, teachers and parents.

We are proud of our rich and varied curriculum; one that develops the potential of all our pupils and provides the building blocks for them to go out and make a difference.

CURRICULUM: GRADE 8 AND 9

All pupils take English, Mathematics, an additional language (Afrikaans or isiZulu and, for immigrants, either French or Spanish), Life Orientation, Economic Management Science, Natural Science, Human and Social Science, Technology and Arts and Culture (Art, Drama and Music).

CURRICULUM: GRADE 10, 11 AND 12

All pupils take English (Home Language), Afrikaans or isiZulu (1st Additional Language) or French or Spanish (2nd additional Language – this is only for immigrant pupils), Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy and Life Orientation. Then all pupils choose 3 of the following subjects:

Accounting
Business Studies
Computer Applications Technology (CAT)
Dramatic Art
Engineering Graphics and Design (EGD)
Geography
History
Information Technology (IT)
Life Science
Music
Physical Science
Sports and Exercise Science
Visual Art

For those pupils who want a further extension, we also offer Advanced Programme Mathematics, Advanced Programme English and Advanced Programme Physics.

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Co-Curricular

SPORT
We strive to achieve excellence in all our sporting activities and do so through a consolidated programme of training, local fixtures, regional derby weekends and national festival attendance. We offer a diverse mix of sports from the traditional (such as swimming, athletics, cross country, rugby, hockey, netball, cricket, soccer and tennis) to the more specialised and more unusual (mountain biking, squash and horse riding, for example). With the benefit of excellent coaching, we have established a proud sports record, as evidenced by the number of provincial representatives we have competing in a wide variety of sporting codes.

Girls’ cricket has grown enormously over the last few years at the College. We now have two teams entered into the Ehlanzeni girls’ premier league, with matches played weekly during the course of the season. Girls’ cricket has also grown tremendously worldwide, not only in South Africa. We only have to look back a few months, when the T20 Women’s World Cup which was held here in South Africa, revealed impressive numbers as it showcased the growth of the women’s game, and with the Proteas’ women’s side making it to their first ever World Cup final! The event has created a long-term legacy for women’s cricket in South Africa.

The successes of girls’ cricket teams have brought about numerous advantages for both the players and the sport. Through their achievements, girls have shattered gender barriers, gained personal growth, and contributed to the overall development and recognition of women’s cricket. By continuing to support and invest in girls’ cricket, we can ensure a bright and inclusive future for the sport, paving the way for further accomplishments and empowering future generations of female cricketers.

CULTURE
We believe in the value of the Arts in creating broad-minded, well-balanced young individuals. Apart from offering Dramatic Arts, Music and Visual Arts as academic subjects, the College also offers extra-curricular opportunities to pupils interested in further developing their talents. The College boasts beautiful state-of-the-art facilities that include an amphitheatre, independent art and drama studios, and music rooms. Our school productions are of an exceptional standard, and our regular visits to art hubs (galleries and theatres, for example) ensures our pupils receive a contemporary appreciation for the cultural world.

SERVICE
Community service is keenly undertaken at Uplands. Our aim is to involve every student in a variety of environmental and or community-driven activities. We hope to broaden perspectives, encourage a love for service, and ensure our pupils experience our broader community, recognise their position of responsibility, and are empowered to make a difference.