As a past teacher and current academic at a university, I can say without any doubt whatsoever in my mind, that SAHETI school is clearly a top-notch school. It is a decidedly innovative school, with carefully crafted curricula and a super range of extra-mural activities including a highly desired range of sporting disciplines.
Academically, the students get more attention and are less likely to be lost in the crowd. They are thus able to focus on subjects they really care about while still getting a solid grounding in the requisite basics. Maintaining high quality education is not an obstacle for SAHETI’s dedicated teachers who endeavor to continually ‘raise the bar’.
Pupils at SAHETI have an edge and the school continues to challenge students in innovative ways and inculcates within them, their rights and responsibilities as pupils and future citizens. The school thus creates a good future-citizens sense and a core mission appears to be teaching pupils to participate in the democratic process and do well educationally post-school.
SAHETI should be the object of desire for educational quality-conscious parents. Why do I say this?
For a school to be effective it requires first and foremost, professional leadership which imbues stakeholders with a sense of a shared vision and goals. The ambience which is exuded should reflect a learning environment in which high quality teaching and learning take place daily. Purposeful teaching is non-negotiable! Furthermore, pupil progress should be carefully scrutinized and positive reinforcement should prevail as relatively high expectations are set. SAHETI has these attributes and more! My children are blessed to be SAHETI scholars!
We are, and have been proud SAHETI parents for last six years. From the very first positive interaction, the school left us with a warm and comfortable feeling that our children are at a great school. We also believe that this school will bestow on them the excellent academics and self confidence that will make our children leaders of the future.
We often see the confidence in our children, and they challenge us respectfully, which in our opinion demonstrates confidence. We are often complimented by family members and close friends on the talent they see in our children compared to others that they’ve interacted with in similar age groups. “Your children are confident and can hold excellent conversations for their ages” is a common remark.
We can certainly see the ethos of SAHETI in our children. We are confident that the strong leadership of the Executive Head and Senior Management will ensure that SAHETI upholds its ethos for generations to come.
When we joined SAHETI in 2016, we were apprehensive about the travelling time and distance from the Vaal Triangle, as well as about moving to a school quite different to what we were used to. Nevertheless, from the outset were warmly welcomed and made to feel part of the SAHETI family.
Our sons have thrived academically and socially in just a year and a half.
They are part of many cultural programs that have enriched their sense of heritage, including religion, culture and diversity. They are challenged and equipped to learn and think ‘out of the box’ in accordance with the school motto ‘Know Thyself’, which will prepare them well for their future studies and careers. Socially, they feel that their school is their family, which they miss during holidays.
Lastly, SAHETI keeps them mentally and physically so busy that they stay away from any kind of trouble!
#proud SAHETIANs!
My child LOVES his school and said he wouldn’t change a thing if he could! So for me, if he is HAPPY I am HAPPY!
Both my children have happily been attending SAHETI School since the Pre-Primary. They fit in wonderfully, and thus have stayed until High School where they are currently. I believe this is as a result of SAHETI’s family-like environment. Both my children have made genuine friendships, with bonds as strong as the bonds of siblings. The relationships they have with their classmates are special, and ones I am sure will last them a lifetime.
SAHETI sends out a strong sense of community and belonging. This is something I strongly believe a school should have, as it helps the children feel comfortable in their environment. This is not only important when it comes to their learning, but it is also reassuring for parents to know their children feel safe and “at home” when they are dropped off for school.
My granddaughter Isabella Ely, who has been a student at SAHETI since February 2017, is gaining in confidence and competence. The values espoused of integrity of purpose, of appreciating each student as an individual in their own right with their own personalities, gifts and skills contributes to more effective learning. It also encourages students to reach out beyond themselves and share their gifts and caring with those in the community whose health makes them more vulnerable or whose income does not enable them to enjoy the same lifestyle as the individual students.
However most of all SAHETI’s values of treating each person with dignity and ensuring that all students respect one another is vitally important in our fractured society where racism often rears its ugly face. The enabling environment of Ubuntu and academic excellence created by staff encourages students to communicate more freely their concerns, hopes and dreams. Values of hard work, discipline, commitment and conviction and a holistic education which balances the arts, sport and academia contribute to the student’s character formation which will produce a new generation of creative and critical thinkers and responsible and responsive citizens, whose knowledge is used to develop not only their own potential but also those of their fellow country, men and women.
Isabella enjoys the environment created by SAHETI School and has made some very good friends.
I am speaking as a parent of three in the SAHETI family as well as an alumna. I have a very positive outlook when I discuss or think of SAHETI as a school, community and an institution. My children are all thriving there and are extremely happy and content, which makes me happy! They have formed life-long friends and through their friends I have made friends with other parents.
It is great to be in touch and see past students who also now have their children at the school. We are very proud to be Greek and say so – this comes as a result of the ethos, culture as well as language taught by SAHETI. I have seen many changes like the affordable, healthy tuck shop which has been needed for a long time; the new tours introduced, enabling our children to explore the world at large; the implementation of compulsory sports sessions which provide us with stronger teams. I do, however, feel that children should be able to choose between cultural activities and sport, as they would then participate in what they enjoy and not what they are forced to do. For example, my children are my sporty, yet have to take a cultural activity, as it is compulsory – yet they would much prefer to do sport. That is a very personal opinion. In addition, children should focus on sport throughout the year (or at least six months of the year) that they are strongest at and obviously enjoy. This will bring stronger teams forward.
My negative comment has also a positive outlook. The staff turnover: it’s great, as it seems we are obtaining excellent, qualified and experienced teachers. However, my son is in Grade 11 and now on his third science teacher; he seems fine, but I worry.
Besides this, we as a family are extremely satisfied with the SAHETI family!
This has been our first year at SAHETI for both my kids. I cannot emphasize how they both have changed during this year. My Grade 8 child has become stronger and more confident. She is now very outspoken and I can say that SAHETI has done this. My Grade 10 child says that he will never go back to any other school after attending SAHETI. That statement in itself says a lot. If a child loves the school and the teachers, half your battle is won.
It has been an adjustment academically coming from a government environment. But I know that there will be a drastic improvement in their December results. The teachers and the facilities at SAHETI are one of a kind, and my children are truly blessed to be here. I would sincerely recommend that every child be given the opportunity to be at a school like SAHETI where they are encouraged, loved and nurtured to achieve their goals for their future.
There is an open door policy at the school – you are able to arrange a meeting with any teacher, even heads of departments. I thank all the teachers, Mr Kruger who is always willing to listen and lend a helping hand, Dr Pitt, who is always available and ready to give good, honest advice and help when it is needed. There are many more teachers, but too many names to mention, who have made us feel comfortable and welcome. We are proud to be a part of the SAHETI family.
I myself did not attend SAHETI; however, while I was at Sandringham High, in Grade 11 my parents encouraged me to participate in the Debs Ball. It was not about aiming for a winning position, but for the overall experience and involvement with other Greek girls of my age. I thus met many very good friends who to this day I proudly call my best friends. This opened another door for me and I grew my friendship network.
Many years later I met my husband who was proud of being an ex SAHETIAN. To this day, Peter still has most of his school friends and networks with many people daily who were at school with him.
The network and support we have at SAHETI truly is like no other and we are proud that our daughter Chloe is currently a student at the school. We look forward to her little sister also starting there one day and to the joy and fulfillment of watching them grow their own little friendships and networks.
Our son and daughter started at SAHETI School in 2009. From the very first week of our daughter attending the Playschool, I was amazed at the unique approach the staff had towards the pupils. My daughter is quite feisty, strong willed and not shy to express herself. I was advised by her teacher at the time to not break her spirit by shutting her down, but rather to appreciate her self-confidence, while setting boundaries and teaching her about making choices and the consequences thereof.
Throughout the years that our children have attended SAHETI, this approach has been maintained. This was very different to my school experience, where we got punished if we did not do as we were told and feared expressing our opinion in case we got into more trouble.
In a recent meeting regarding a concern we had in the high school, we were shown support, concern and guidance, by not only the Head of Academics, but by the Gr 8 Grade Controller and the school psychologist who were also present.
As parents we feel very privileged to have our children attend a school where the pupils, their education and their wellbeing are top priorities.
SAHETI truly is one big family. The teachers and staff take the time and effort to individually get to know the pupils and everything that is happening at the school.
And while there are those difficult or unpleasant experiences that all pupils encounter during their school careers, that is when SAHETI’s team personally take them under their wing by guiding and supporting them and helping them find solutions on how to best move forward when they feel stuck. Motivating them to “Know Thyself” and helping them to become the best version of themselves.
We feel it is this approach that creates true leaders and achievers in life, as shown by so many of our past pupils.
We constantly feel reassured that our choice of school for our children could not have been a better one!
THANK YOU SAHETI!
