55 54 Social Sciences Geography Mr Terrence Boyce joined Kearsney at the start of the year and immediately made an impact, bringing new ideas, energy and dedication to the department. The focus for this year was on technological innovation and enhancing digital literacy. Much time was spent on GIS (Geographical Information Systems); boys completed digital and practical tasks on this topic. Additionally, the Geospatial Data Science course was offered. It was a challenging course in which boys had to work through the latest GIS software programs and solve various geographical issues. They ended the course having to design their own GIS map. Two pupils, Liam Jansen van Rensburg and Gregor Campbell, achieved high results for the course. Andisi Ndlovu and Jasper Bruno passed the course. Holistic learning is a fundamental part of Geography. As such, we aim to ensure that each grade undertakes an excursion. This year the Grade 8s visited the Umgeni Valley and the Grade 10s went to Warrick Junction in Durban. The Grade 11s studied the Umgeni River from Inanda Dam to Blue Lagoon, and the Grade 12s did their research projects on the Umhlatazana River. The Kearsney Geography department once again entered the national Geography Olympiad held on 16 May. A total of 2,965 pupils from 151 schools from around SA took part this year. The online Olympiad tested critical thinking about geographical issues and reasoning of abstract geographical concepts. Eight Kearsney pupils excelled attaining Gold Status for placing in the Top 5% in the country. The pupils were Jasper Bruno, Ross Coetzee, Tyrique Fynn, Sheyn Le Roux, Kaylin Moodley, Josh Robertson, Maano Setimela and Jack White. An additional four boys, Gregor Campbell, Luke Emanuel, Carl Jansen van Vuuren and Adam Gray, attained Silver Level, finishing in the top 10% in South Africa. We congratulate all of these pupils for their outstanding results. Mr Matt Savage HOD Geography History Another hectic year for the Kearsney College History Department has drawn to a close, and we look back on a fruitful and productive year. We welcomed Mr Kwanele Ngema to the department as a full-time teacher. He settled down quickly into the rigours of the College and the History Department. Mr Ngema offers new insights into the department and his contributions have been refreshing and much appreciated. We also welcomed Kearsney Old Boy Mr Stephan Joubert into the department as an intern. Continual revision of the Grade 9 syllabus and editing of the Grade 8 notes were undertaken. I want to thank Mr Waldburger for all his efforts in this regard. It was greatly appreciated. The Grade 9s enjoyed the new themes that we integrated into the syllabus, which has resulted in an increased number of boys taking the subject into Grade 10, which is a positive sign. Several competitions were entered over the year. In February, we again entered the annual Inter-School History Quiz hosted by Clifton College. As in previous years, our boys performed exceptionally well in this competition. We entered three teams comprising pupils from Grades 9 to 11. They all placed in the top 5, with the Grade 11 team crowned champions. We also participated in the South African National Senior and Junior Online History Olympiads this year. The seniors did very well and several of our pupils were in the top 5% nationally. At the time of writing, we are waiting for the results of the Junior History Olympiad. After a couple of Covid-enforced years of absence, we presented our annual Grade 9 History Expo, which was held in Henderson Hall. Visually engaging, interactive presentations around the theme of “Historical Events that have had a significant impact on Humankind” were showcased by our pupils. The creativity and energy invested in these presentations were outstanding, and parents could view their sons' efforts. The Headmaster, Mr Lees, graciously presented prizes to those boys who had excelled in their displays. The History Department is continually exploring contentious issues as part of our T & D programme and during the year several grades grappled with the themes of racism and colonialism. The Grade 8s visited Old Kearsney on 15 June and the Grade 9s visited the Durban Holocaust and Genocide Centre during the Curriculum Enrichment Week in the third term. A remarkable exhibition on Auschwitz made for a moving and memorable experience for the boys. We are proposing an academic tour in 2025 to France, the Netherlands and Belgium, including the History, Geography, Business Studies and Accounting departments. We hope to embark on what will prove to be an enriching tour. Mr Neil Peacock HOD: History Congratulations for achievements in the History Olympiad: Gold Certificate (top 5% nationally): Matthew Lamplough Silver Certificate (top 10% nationally): Daniel Bothma and Jack White Bronze Certificate (top 15% nationally): Matthew Huson and Matthew Shepherd Geography Olympia: Eight Boys achieved Gold status and four boys, Silver. Grade 8s had a combined Geography and Biology field trip to the Umgeni Valley Our Grade 9 History expos was around the theme of “Historical Events that have had a significant impact on Humankind”
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