The Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa (ISASA) requires all member schools to undergo a quality assurance process every six years. This is undertaken by an independent organisation. Beginning in 2022, this organisation is The Office of Independent Schools Evaluations, Southern Africa (OISESA). Two OISESA mentors (Moira Rix and Dave Wiggett) conducted the onsite quality assurance visit at Cannons from 11-13 February 2025. Prior to the onsite visit, surveys were completed by a range of stakeholder groups across the school community. Below is a summary of the final OISESA quality assurance report for each school. Each section will list the quality assurance standard followed by the commendations and recommendations of the OISESA evaluators.
HIGH SCHOOL
SCHOOL MISSION
Commendations
- The mission is clear, concise and well-communicated.
- The school’s mission is relevant, dynamic and strongly supported and upheld by all stakeholders.
- The mission underpins the ethos of the school positively.
- All stakeholders behave and participate in their respective roles passionately, thereby rendering the mission alive at this school.
- The school is sincerely committed to constant improvement and growth.
Recommendations
- Ongoing and intentional reference to the mission with existing and new families and staff will sustain the mission’s relevance and centrality.
- New staff will need significant training regarding the mission to safeguard consistency as a result of the low staff turnover rate.
SUSTAINABILITY
Commendations
- The school is in a very strong financial position, thereby consolidating its long-term sustainability.
- The school’s financial management policies and procedures are comprehensive and robust.
- Excellent measures are in place for risk mitigation.
- The school is taking positive and responsible measures to safeguard the environment.
Recommendations
- Ensure all stakeholders are aware of the school’s comprehensive environment sustainability measures and programmes.
COMMUNICATION
Commendations
- All stakeholders value the efficiency, regularity and clarity of the school’s communication channels and strategies.
- Stakeholders feel that feedback is received well and considered by the school.
- Parents are confident that they will receive immediate feedback from the school should a concern arise regarding their child’s academic progress.
Recommendations
- Given that the parents value hearing news and educational strategy from the principal, consider adding a brief message from the principal in the weekly newsletter.
THE CURRICULUM
Commendations
- Dynamic, relevant and innovative curriculum implementation is highly valued by all stakeholders at Cannons Creek.
- Staff love that they are encouraged and supported to approach the curriculum innovatively.
- The school’s results in external benchmarking tests and the Grade 12 year-on-year results are excellent and celebrated by the school community.
- Technology is now very well integrated.
- All stakeholders support and value the curriculum offering enthusiastically.
Recommendations
- Implement a formal handover policy for staff, particularly for long-serving staff, when they retire.
- Create a shared folder where subject heads submit copies of annual curriculum maps, tests, examinations, planners and related subject materials.
TEACHING AND LEARNING
Commendations
- Lessons are dynamic, engaging and highly participative.
- The school has passionate staff who are deeply committed to every student achieving their personal best.
- Students understand the goals and objectives of their lessons and sections of work, and how to achieve them.
- Teachers’ delivery evidences a keen awareness of the diverse and differentiated needs of the students in the class.
Recommendations
- Continue encouraging all staff to spend their full budget allocations on subject materials and resources for the classrooms and lessons.
THE CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAMME
Commendations
- The school must be commended for the outstanding effort made to provide a robust, varied and relevant co-curricular programme for its students.
- Performance levels and achievements across all co-curricular activities are excellent for a small school.
- The students and parents thoroughly appreciate the school’s commitment and ongoing efforts to provide for their co-curricular needs.
- The staff are passionate about providing a range of activities for their students’ holistic development and enjoyment.
- The school is in an excellent financial position to develop facilities should land become available as outlined in their 2024 strategic plan.
Recommendations
- Establishing an astro and netball courts would yield significant and positive outcomes for the school.
STUDENT WELL-BEING
Commendations
- The school is intentionally student-focused and driven by the holistic well-being of each student.
- The majority of students are accepted into the universities and other tertiary institutions of their choice.
- Parents and students praise the school’s ongoing commitment to each student’s well-being.
- The staff are profoundly passionate about every student’s well-being.
Recommendations
- Consider identifying a series of topics related to holistic well-being, and annual reminders of the grievance procedures and related lines of communication to be discussed with the students in tutor group meetings.
FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE
Commendations
- This is a very attractive and well-designed campus.
- All space has been maximised intelligently to provide a thriving, holistic education for the students.
- The school plans effectively and creatively towards ongoing improvement of its facilities.
Recommendations
- Continue exploring the addition of two new classrooms and additional storage space.
- Consider expanding the existing bathrooms.
- Seek a design for a practice astroturf and two multi-purpose netball courts once the lease across the road has been finalised.
CONCLUSION
Cannons Creek undertook a rigorous, transparent self-study which was completed successfully and timeously by the Quality Assurance Team. Angus Morton, the high school principal, approached the self-study process with an authentic commitment to self-improvement and constant growth for his school. The self-study report and supporting evidence made for a detailed, transparent and empowering self-reflection process amongst all the stakeholders at Cannons Creek.
The self-study report, surveys and focus groups identified a few focus points for improvement and celebrated so many aspects of this thriving school community.
I must thank Angus for his continued, open communication with me before and during the onsite visit. The staff, too, must be commended on their openness to growth, learning, sharing freely, and embracing the self-evaluation process sincerely and enthusiastically. All stakeholders were warm, friendly and welcoming.
Credit must be extended to the school community for articulating and understanding their concerns and the school’s challenges. These challenges, however, present no threat or danger to the school which is incredibly well-organised, managed and led with exceptional efficiency and strategic awareness, and enjoys a culture of respect and robust transparency. All stakeholders participated with a solution-focused attitude, underpinned by a deep respect and appreciation of the school’s ongoing commitment to growth, improvement and relevance. It is evident that Cannons Creek is a school community which is firmly united behind the school’s mission and proud of the school’s earnest endeavour to create opportunities and an environment in which every child can do and be their own best.
In closing, I thank Angus, his staff, the students and their parents for a wonderful onsite visit and a smooth self-evaluation process.
PRIMARY SCHOOL
SUSTAINABILITY
Commendations
• The financial stability of the school is based on the small-school model,, which tends to focus
finances on the core business of the school, namely, teaching and learning.
• The school’s financial management policies and procedures are comprehensive and robust.
• Excellent measures are in place for risk mitigation.
• The school is taking positive and responsible measures to safeguard the environment.
Recommendations
• Keep parents informed about the development fund utilisation.
• Ensure that all stakeholders are aware of the school’s comprehensive environmental sustainability
measures and programmes.
• Increase focus on the recycling programmes.
• Continue to highlight and promote the anti-plastic campaign.
COMMUNICATION
The school communicates regularly and effectively with its community.
Commendations
• Most stakeholders value the efficiency, regularity and clarity of the school’s communication
channels and strategies.
• As part of the reporting structure for parents to raise concerns, it is pleasing that the head is
seen as very approachable and that issues raised by parents are dealt with swiftly and
satisfactorily.
• Parents are confident that they will receive immediate feedback from the teachers should a
concern arise regarding their child’s academic progress.
• Parent representatives who administer the class WhatsApp groups are given guidance and
assistance in managing the platform.
Recommendations
• Continue to review the sport communication platform so as to ensure its effectiveness and
currency.
• Ensure that all communications platforms are regularly reviewed and streamline them where
necessary, to prevent parents from becoming overwhelmed.
• Maintain ongoing engagement with parents to reinforce that D6 is the official communication platform of the school.
• Regularly remind stakeholders that WhatsApp groups are useful only as a support to what is
communicated through D6.
THE EDUCATION PROGRAMME
The school provides a documented education programme which aligns with the mission of the
school and meets the needs of its students.
CURRICULUM
Commendations
• The effective use of IBL by enthusiastic teachers fosters an excitement for learning which is
wonderful to see.
• The focus, in tests and assessments, on multi-level questioning and Bloom’s taxonomy ensures
that all students have an opportunity to be successful in their learning.
• There is a strong emphasis on reading and the acquisition of language skills which is visible
across the grades.
• Strong collaboration and good planning underpin the curriculum delivery.
• The introduction of conversational isiXhosa for all students is a very positive move.
Recommendations
• Continue to regularly review the curriculum to maintain a relevant and innovative approach.
• Maintain the emphasis on a variety of assessment methods.
• Monitor the amount of formal testing in order to maximise instruction time and continue to
review the assessment practice regularly.
Teaching and Learning
Commendations
• The high standard of teaching is admirable and is consistent throughout the primary school.
• Enrichment programmes in Mathematics and English are offered for the high flyers.
• The broad range of subjects offered is noteworthy.
• Specialist teachers for art, music, computers, drama, Afrikaans and isiXhosa add to the
richness of the fabric of the school.
• The creation of spaces under the stairs, equipped with comfortable beanbags, provides
students with quiet spots in which to read, study or rest, and they really enjoy this privilege.
• Teachers know their students very well, and the positive interaction between teacher and
student is abundantly clear.
Recommendations
• Explore the possibility of increasing the number of devices available for Grades 4 and 5
students, as there are not enough for each student in those grades, without pooling all the
devices.
THE CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAMME
Commendations
• Despite circumstantial limitations, Cannons Creek has a robust and varied extramural
programme which is well-managed and well-supported.
• The school performs very well on the sport and cultural fronts.
• The wide range of community outreach opportunities is noteworthy.
• Should land become available for sports facilities development, the school is in a strong financial position to undertake such development.
Recommendations
• Continue to explore every avenue in the search for solutions regarding the facilities shortage.
• Conduct discussion groups with staff, parents and students to hear as many opinions and
thoughts as possible.
• Continue to encourage all students to participate in the co-curricular programme.
• Provide regular updates to parents and other stakeholders regarding any progress made
towards resolving concerns and questions around the co-curricular programme.
STAFFING
The school is appropriately staffed to meet the requirements of the school’s educational programme, operational requirements, and co-curricular programme.
Commendations
• The low rate of staff turnover points to a great deal of job satisfaction.
• The school makes every effort to source teachers of quality who have experience.
• Staff are encouraged to access professional development opportunities.
• The well-being of the staff is a high priority at Cannons Creek.
• There is a high degree of collaboration between teachers across grades and phases.
• Staff feel that they are heard, and they feel included in decision-making where appropriate.
Recommendations
• Ensure that new members of staff are made familiar with the Staff Code of Conduct.
• Consider formalising the performance appraisal process, to run concurrently with the informal
system which works well.
STUDENT WELL-BEING
The school supports the well-being of all students, including their academic needs and pastoral care, to ensure a positive school experience.
Commendations
• The service of an onsite counsellor is a huge benefit to students and staff.
• Having specialist teachers for Afrikaans and isiXhosa is a distinct advantage in providing more
direct support for students.
• The school invites guest speakers to address students on relevant topics, for example, bullying.
• Students in Grades 4 to 6 have recently started keeping wellness journals which is proving to be a very positive and affirming practice.
• It is clear that student well-being is very important at Cannons Creek.
Recommendations
• Continue to provide training for teachers in the identification of patterns of behavioural and
academic issues.
FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE
The school’s buildings, facilities, and infrastructure effectively support the needs of the school’s
education and co-curricular programmes.
Commendations
• The level of cleanliness and repair of the facilities is to be commended.
• An excellent long-term facilities development plan was provided as evidence of strategic
planning.
• It was made clear that repairs and unexpected maintenance issues are attended to regularly
and timeously and there is good management and oversight of the scheduled maintenance
plan.
• Data and information storage and information technology (IT) protocols are also well-managed
and are reviewed and updated regularly.
• Adherence to the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) is a priority.
Recommendations
• Continue the process of land acquisition for the provision of sporting facilities and more codes
to be offered.
• Make every effort to provide a workshop and extra storeroom for maintenance needs.
CONCLUSION
I am very appreciative of the thorough, rigorous and transparent self-study undertaken by Cannons Creek Independent Primary School, which was completed successfully by the QAT (Quality Assurance Team). The recommendations in the self-study report accurately reflect the findings of the QAT for each of the appropriate standards. The school’s proposed development plan is realistic and achievable.
It was clear that the team approached this process with a willingness to identify areas of vulnerability and engage in robust discussions with stakeholders, whilst celebrating all that they do well, with the staff, students, and parents. I extend my thanks to the head, Tracy Wahl, for her support, interest, and contribution to this process; and to the team leader, Mike Ford, who did an excellent job of communicating with me, guiding the process, and taking responsibility for the self-study report. Thank you too to the QAT whose warm welcome and eager assistance ensured the visit was a success.
I also thank Anneline Luke for all her assistance throughout the visit and especially during the focus group discussions.
Particular mention must be made of the students I encountered during the three-day visit. They were delightful, articulate, warm and polite, and a credit to the staff who teach them. In the lessons I attended they were engaged and enthusiastic. They also displayed a keen sense of loyalty and pride in their school.
I would also like to thank the teachers who welcomed me into their classrooms to observe, namely, Megan Hector, Sharon Moore, Marian Boonzaier, Chene Marchand, Desiree Macmillan, Gail Levit and Nicky du Plooy. A heartfelt thank you to all other members of staff for their warmth and their genuine interest during my visit. You can all be immensely proud of your school.
I wish Cannons Creek Independent Primary School everything of the best for the future as they
continue to educate the students who pass through their nurturing and competent hands.
Signed 13 March 2025
Moira Rix