Author: stagingnwoodccdevcoza

The class of 2018 has made us proud! 28 boys achieved A averages, with, Kiaav Sunderlall achieving an outstanding 8 A’s.

7 A’s were obtained by:

Ashiv Baijnath, Adnan Bassa (Dux 2018), William Buckle, Emile Jonkers, Nicholas Deeb, Jason Kent, Riyadh Lakhi, Sayen Mirza, Marco Mudaly, Tarlin Nair, Hatham Omar, Keshav Pillay

6 A’s were obtained by:

Bhavin Bhoola, Adarsh Bodha, Cameron Ciaglia, Jordan Donnelly, Yasthiel Kemraj, Augustin Liu, Brendon Watling

5 A’s were obtained by:

Caleb Chinnu, Muhammad Hoosian, Tyren Kroos, Kivashen Naidu, Nasser Cassim

4 A’s were obtained by:

Owain Maistry, Yogeshan Naidoo, Shirahn Singh

 

Overall, 20% of Northwood students achieved 3 or more A’s, with 242 subject distinctions being achieved overall.  This equates to an average of 1.5 distinctions per boy with 94% of students qualifying for tertiary study.  Special mention goes to our top 3 achievers, Adnan Bassa placed 1^st with an average of 94.6%, Marco Mudaly placed 2^nd with a 93.3% average – both being invited by the MEC of Education to the ICC for the top achiever awards ceremony. Kiaav Sunderlall achieved an average of 91.6%, placing him 3^rd overall.

Northwood congratulates our Class of 2018 on their fantastic results; a culmination of hard work from our learners, support from parents and unending commitment from our teaching staff.  We are grateful to God for the blessings He has bestowed upon us this past year, and look forward to a productive and successful 2019.

Northwood is delighted to welcome ex Springbok and Sharks rugby legend, Keegan Daniel, to our Northwood Rugby programme. Keegan’s focus will be on our 1st XV forwards, imparting his extensive knowledge and experience to our boys, however his aim is to spend time across all age groups nurturing the younger talent.

He will join Northwood’s experienced coaching team headed up by Jonathan Scruby (Director of Rugby), 1st XV Head Coach and former Sharks Assistant Coach, Grant Bashford.
“It’s a great opportunity to be working at a junior level at Northwood under Grant Bashford while gaining valuable experience and also to be able to give back to rugby”.

ACCEPTANCE SPEECH

By Finn Whittle – Head Prefect

Look to your left… now look to your right. What do you see? You see the faces of your fellow brothers. The faces of the people you spend five of the best years of your life with. You see the faces of people you would die for because we are a brotherhood and nothing can stand in our way!

Good morning School, I am truly grateful for this opportunity to speak to you in this position. I would like to thank all of you for your support thus far and I hope I can take this school to greater heights, but this can only be possible if we work together as one.

I arrived here in 2015, under the leadership of one of Northwoods best Head Boys’, Ntobeko Sibisi. I can clearly remember the day, during orientation, when Fabien and I were talking to Nto on the astro. Out of nowhere he put his white blazer on Fabien and then on me. I was overwhelmed and also really honoured. From that moment on, I knew I wanted to be Head Boy. I wanted that white blazer. I think it is safe to say that Fabien never got that same feeling. I soon realised that there were plenty of other ways of getting a white blazer. Later that year they announced the Head Boy for 2016. That’s when I saw it, this really cool sword. A sword only the Head Boy and deputies got to hold. This was my new reason to become head boy.

In grade 10, I learnt that being Head Boy was a whole lot more than just getting a white blazer or holding a cool sword. Being Head Boy means that you have to represent every boy who wears the Northwood badge over their heart. You have to lead the school with pride and humility but most importantly, you are there to serve. The prefects and I are here to serve you. We are here to strengthen this brotherhood and to further the vision of the school. Always remember, One school, One badge, One Brotherhood.

This is the Northwood sword of honour, the sword of a Knight.

The sword of a Knight symbolises many things

Power- It is not my power, but our power. Power is the strength of a community or Brotherhood. If we have a strong brotherhood, we will be a force to be reckoned with.

The sword of a Knight symbolises:

Strength- Strength is the ability for an object or group to withstand great force or pressure. If we stand together as one, we will be able to withstand anything.

The sword of a Knight symbolises:

Protection- Protection is to defend our brothers on the field or in the classroom. It is to protect that badge on your chest and protect the unity of the school.

The sword of a Knight symbolises:

Chivalry- Chivalry is the qualities of the ideal Knight. We always stand for what is right. We stand for justice and for honour.

The sword of a Knight symbolises:

Courage- Courage is the strength we show in the face of pain or danger, but courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the small voice at the end of the day that says, I’ll try again tomorrow.

And lastly the sword of a knight symbolises authority…

Authority is the presence we carry and take with us wherever we go. People will know that the Knights of Northwood have arrived, because of who we are and what we represent.

These are the qualities of a true Northwood Knight, qualities that are within us all and as iron sharpens iron, Knights sharpen Knights.

Throughout your life you will always learn new things. During the course of this year I learnt many lessons with the most important being, to take your chances with both hands because one small opportunity could take you to great places. You just never know where it might lead you. Each and every one of you sitting here today is a hero to someone. You may not know it, but there is always someone looking up to you, trying to be like you, trying to be you. Each and every one of you are unique and have many different talents. Mitchell Kruger, this is your year. You and the band are going to lead us. We cannot do it without you. Parktown are coming down next year and we are going to show them a thing or two. You all have the responsibility to always be your best self and that starts with doing the small things. Picking up litter, making sure your buttons are always done, greeting everyone you walk past, both younger and older. If we take care of the little things, the big things will take care of themselves. If we look after each other in here, nothing can stop us out there.

To the grade 11s, we’ll walk this road together, through the storm, whatever weather, cold or warm. Let’s set the standard, let’s be the example and let’s take this school to the top. I haven’t got a dream for this school, I have a plan.

To the rest of you, I’m very excited to see where we are going next year. As I said before, take your opportunities. In the words of Marshall Bruce Mathers the third, you only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow.

 

But boys, just know… 2019 sazobalit, it’s going to be great !

Finn Whittle

Head Prefect

On Friday the 31st of August Northwood School hosted the 9th annual Quadrangular Inter School Athletics Meet. It was an exciting and competitive event, with all the schools trying their best to come out on top. Since 2009 Durban High School have been the front runners, winning overall until 2017 when Glenwood High School took the lead, winning the event.
Northwood School had other plans for 2018, beating Westville Boys High School by 78 points and Durban High School by 59 points. This was the first time Northwood has won the Quadrangular meet. with a superb group of young athletes making this possible.
Some individual notable performances by  Northwood Captain M. Mudara who was the Best U19 Athlete, K. Denyssen (WBHS) Best U17 Athlete and S. Anker (DHS) Best U15 Athlete.
A special mention goes to M. Gaines from Durban High School for breaking the Long Jump record of 6,79M by jumping 7.03M.
A big thank you to all staff involved from all schools, we look forward to our next Quadrangular meeting in 2019.

Good morning to Mr Viljoen, teachers and staff members, parents and to my fellow Northwood Squires and Knights. I know that I speak on behalf of all the boys here when I say that we are extremely proud and honoured to be a part of such a prestigious event. And congratulations to all of us for making it here – we were not invited to this tea randomly or by pure luck. If you are attending this tea as a learner, it is because of an excellent academic performance, which can only be the result of hard work and serious commitment. To all the parents, both those present and those who could not be with us this morning, equal commendation is in order. While I know that ultimately it is us boys who write the tests and exams, we would never be able to achieve the way we do without the support and encouragement of our parents, so thank you and congratulations for all the hard work that you have put in as parents to support your sons and help them reach their full potential. To our wonderful teachers, thank you so much for absolutely everything that you do for us. We truly could not achieve what we do without your patience, commitment, wisdom and inspiration, and I know that each and every one of us boys here this morning is beyond grateful for the positive impact that you have had on our lives. And to Mr. Viljoen, thank you for starting this wonderful new tradition in our school and for recognizing our achievements in the classroom.

 

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” This statement by Aristotle can clearly be seen on posters around our school, but I wonder how many of us actually take the time to consider its meaning. If we think of why we are gathered here this morning, that is all the proof you need. Parents, educators, and most especially the boys will know that academic performance is achieved through many hours of hard work – it truly does become a habit. Achieving consistently at our highest academic standard is an accumulation of lots hard graft and paying attention to the small details – it is not one big push that anyone can pull off at the last minute, but rather a long haul that requires both determination and willpower. I would encourage all of us to keep up this habit, because as habits go, this is one of the better ones. I mean, nobody likes that guy that just doesn’t stop tapping his foot in class.

 

To the matrics, we are nearly there. Finals are just around the corner, and then we have vac work to look forward to – I’m only joking of course, we all know that Rage wouldn’t happen without us there. I’d just like to say that it has been a fantastic journey with you gents, I will always remember the past 5 years with you as a time of great friendship, solidarity, and a fair amount of shared homework. Good luck for whatever next year and your futures may bring – I have no doubt that you will all experience happiness and success on whatever path you choose.

 

To the grade 8’s, 9’s, 10’s and 11’s, you’ve got a way to go yet, but I can promise you that if you continue to hold yourselves to the high standards that you must already have set, you will continue to perform at your academic peaks and will undoubtedly show those exams who’s boss. You guys are the future of Northwood, and I urge you to continue to strive for greatness as you carry on your journey through this fantastic institution. I speak on behalf of the 2018 matrics in saying that we are very proud of all of you, and are confident that we are leaving the school’s academic reputation in good hands. Good luck trying to beat our results this year though. Jokes aside, I have no doubt that you boys will be able to lift the school to new heights with the help of the teachers and management team, and I look forward to watching the school grow as a proud old boy.

 

We come to school not to learn, but to be educated. Many adults, teachers and parents, will stress to schoolchildren the importance of being “educated,” as opposed to merely accumulating knowledge. And while becoming more knowledgeable is definitely a part of attending the great school that is Northwood, I feel that the most valuable things that I have gained in my time here were the lessons in character and growth as a human being. I feel confident to leave this school at the end of the year, knowing that I have been both academically and psychologically prepared to take on any challenges that I may face in the big-bad-world outside of those school gates, and that is something that not only excellent teachers, but an all-round high-quality school can provide.

 

Boys, we are so lucky to have been given the opportunity to attend this school. Please don’t ever take that for granted. And once again, congratulations on your achievements – you guys are all legends.

Nicholas Deeb

Deputy Head Prefect – Academics

 

Please click on the link below to view the PDF version of the article.

The Ridge Magazine Article on Paul Viljoen

Good evening Gentlemen

What an absolute honour it is for me to welcome you all to our annual Reunion/Old Boys Dinner – a special word of welcome to those groups who are celebrating their reunion years. Thank you from coming from far and wide to join us on this special evening and weekend.

Allow me also to welcome the members of the Northwood management team. Thank you for your hard work and support and for being here.

Mr Tony Jordan, headmaster between 1998 and 2012 – thank you for being here and serving many of the men and staff seated here tonight. Please can I ask you to come forward to collect a token of our appreciation.

It is of course a wonderful honour to take over as the headmaster of this fine school. And certainly exiting to be able to share a few words with you tonight.

I was asked, in my interview, what I would aspire to, should I be appointed as the head of the school. My answer was that although I believed Northwood to be a fine school, my aim would be to make it into a great school. An ambitious aim, and certainly too ambitious for one member of the interview panel, who asked me if I believed this to be realistic?

My answer to this was simple, and broadly based on the philosophy of Confusios who said those who believe they can and those who believe they can’t are both right” Will Smith, the famous American actor was also correct, when he pointed out that being realistic is the most commonly travelled road to mediocrity. Maybe I should repeat that – being realistic is the most commonly travelled road to mediocrity.

Why would we want to be realistic? Why are we happy to accept that we are a fine school? When we can in fact be great? There is no mystery surrounding what it takes to be great. One does not need to be super talented, exceptional or even incredibly gifted –it is simpler than that absolute dog-like determination, painstaking effort, an absolute commitment to hard work and a resilience to deal with whatever comes our way is enough.

To ensure Northwood goes from good to great we need to ensure absolute quality and opportunity in what we offer, whether it be in the class room, on the sports field or on the cultural stage.

We already produce some stunning results – world class musicals and shows, top class academic achievers, incredible successes after school – to which all of you and a number of our Old Boys in the community is a testament to. Our u14 rugby team goes into tomorrow fixture ranked 2^nd in the country, behind only Paarl Gym and, our u16s are 9^th, the highest ranking team from KZN.

Yesterday, we also received the good news, that we have 8 boys included in the various provincial age groups.

Our hockey teams continue to excel not only in terms of the results but also in terms of the provincial reps. Our own Keshav Maharaj is performing on the world stage and is now, without a doubt the Proteas top spinner. Our current 1^st 11, beat Westville, Kearsney and others and are now a serious force to be reckoned with. It goes on. And we can rightly be proud!

But is all of this enough?

To be great you must be willing to challenge yourself, your systems, your staff, achievements and your processes, without disrespecting the traditions and work that has been gone before. To be great we also need to understand, that if we think we can manage on our own we will not succeed.

Northwood is a community school, where the parents, Old Boys, businesses, leaders and broader community are as significant as the boys. All of these stakeholders and the establishment and nurturing of relationships with them are crucial if the school wants to achieve at the highest level.

My job is to serve the boys, parents, staff and other stakeholders of the school, and as such all of you are welcome to phone me or engage with me at any time. I can guarantee you that your needs and concerns will always be dealt with as a priority.

I want to honour all of you tonight for being here, for the role you play in the community, for the contributions you make to the school, for honouring the traditions of the school through your actions and just generally for taking pride in the fact that you are Old Boys of the school.

I want to urge you tonight to stand with me, the management team, the staff, the boys and the parents as we aim to be great. Your efforts, continued support and contributions are absolutely vital if we want to take the school to where it can be. Let us be absolutely united and determined to be immense in all that we offer and do here at Northwood. This is a special place, and will always be your home.

Enjoy the evening, let your hair down, thank you for being here, thank for listening to me.

 

Mr Paul Viljoen

Northwood’s first “So You Think You Can Sing?” Competition culminates this coming Thursday and Friday, the 17^th and 18^th of May.

Attracting over 100 auditions from the greater Durban North Area, Judges Tory Du Plessis, Rosa Da Castro and John Ellis have had their work cut out for them – shaping, training, coaching and (unfortunately) eliminating contestants to get to this point – the Finals.

12 outstanding singers will perform not just in front of the formidable Judges, but for the all important audience vote to try a secure the winning spot, which will be announced on the Friday evening.

The junior and senior category winners will walk away with a host of prizes including recording time, vocal training scholarships, sound equipment and gift vouchers proudly sponsored by the Durban Campus of Performing Arts, Vocal Vibes Training Academy and Toms Music Durban.

Not merely a singing competition, in true Northwood style, the finalists will be performing with the best in sound, lighting, staging and direction plus backing dancers – in the same professional manner that Northwood Productions have become known for!

Adding to the mix will be a guest performance by Northwood’s own Andrew Sutton, who’s career needs no introduction as he continues to perform around the country.

And lastly, to ensure only the best results and best performances, the 12 finalists will be singing in front of a mystery guest judge, who may or may not have the final say!

Tickets are on sale now from the Northwood Back Office.

Thursday 17^th May 19:00 R70

Friday 18^th May 19:00 R90 (includes announcement of winners)

 

For more info contact Northwood School on 031 563 6501

Northwood prides itself on its rich history and heritage and looks forward to welcoming Old Boys, locally and internationally, as well as our community and supporters as almost 7 decades of schooling are once again fondly remembered. Reunion Weekend festivities start on 24 May with a Golf Day taking place at Mount Edgecombe Country Club, Breakfast and Special Assembly, as well as Reunion Dinner take place on 25 May, culminating with Old Boys Day on 26 May.

The following years celebrate their Reunion anniversaries this year, however all years are welcome and  encouraged to attend the annual breakfast and dinner. This year’s Reunion Dinner will include an address from our new headmaster, Mr  Viljoen, along with musical entertainment, and most importantly, fellowship amongst our  community of Knights.

2013 – 5 Year

2008 – 10 Year

1998 – 20 Year

1988 – 30 Year

1978 – 40 Year

1968 – 50 Year

1958 – 60 Year

The culmination of the reunion celebration is Old Boys Day. A full day of competitive rugby and hockey fixtures will take place vs St Charles College, with a  match vs Crusaders and Varsity College adding to the excitement of the day.  Along with food stalls and refreshments, a Beer Garden will be open throughout the day, and children will be delighted with a special visit from Sharkie, with a jumping castle also on site.

For any queries or bookings, please email  reunion@nwood.co.za or contact: Jenni-lyn Van Niekerk on Tel:  031 5636501 ext 353

On Saturday the 21^st April the Northwood 1^st XV Knights travelled to Pietermaritzburg for the long anticipated clash with St. Charles College. Last season saw St. Charles winning the clash 45-25. This season Northwood were resolved to give a better performance and earn some respect and gain some momentum to their season after a tough battle against DHS the previous weekend.

The match started at a frenetic pace and the intensity and determination that both teams showed from the start was a real spectacle. The first points came from St. Charles in the 6th minute when they set up a backline move from a scrum, with the full back breaking the line to score. Conversion missed. 5-0 to St. Charles.

Northwood were next on the scoreboard with what could turn out to be the try of the season. A quick turnover from a St. Charles attack resulted in Northwood scrum half Cameron Miller launching a massive kick 40 metres up field with right winger Macmillan Mudara on the chase and taking a clean catch to bolt away and score under the poles for a sensational 55m try. This was duly converted by scrumhalf Cameron Miller which brought the score line to 7-5 in Northwood’s favour.

This try gave Northwood a lot of energy and soon they were on the scoreboard again with a turnover in the midfield by outside centre Tyren Kroos, the backs moved the ball wide and created space for winger Mac Mudara who crossed over for his second try of the match, Cameron Miller slotting the difficult conversion from the touchline to take the score to 14-5.  It wasn’t long before Northwood were over the chalk again with another wide attack which came from a scrum. The Northwood backs moving the ball slickly through the hands to right winger Mudara who drew two scramble defenders and gave a great inside pass to fullback Nipho Ndlela who finished just right of the poles for Northwood’s 3^rd try. Cameron Miller unsuccessful with the conversion took the score to 19-5 at the half time break.

Northwood on a bit of a winning streak just before half time, had the lion’s share of possession and through sustained pressure and multiple phases, worked their way to the St. Charles line. After a few attempts at the line and through a number of penalties conceded by St. Charles for going off their feet and not releasing, Northwood eventually scored through big outside centre Tyren Kroos who barged his way over from close range under the poles with a clean conversion from Miller to take the score to 26-5. St. Charles, never a team to lay down, fought back through their fly half who chipped and gathered in the Northwood in goal and dotted down under a barrage of bodies to score a fine solo try converted by the scorer to take the score to 26-12. This passage of play seemed to give St. Charles a second wind, and with ball in hand looked very dangerous. They managed to score another well worked try through their big and fast right wing who collected an inside pass on the right touchline to score under the poles, the successful conversion took the score to 26-19. Northwood replied with some impressive attacking play and were very unfortunate to concede a try when Northwood fullback Nipho Ndlela tried to kick the ball behind the St. Charles rush defence, only for the St. Charles fullback to gather it on the full and race away for a solo try against the run of play. St. Charles missing the conversion, brought the score to 26-24. Northwood, hurting from the poor execution, responded almost immediately with a well worked series of pick and goes close the St. Charles line, eventually crossing through replacement flanker, Willa Chininga. Miller missing the conversion, the score line stood 31-24 in Northwood’s favour at the final whistle. This fixture was a great spectacle of school boy rugby and was played in a fine spirit by both teams. Northwood can be proud of this victory against a tough opponent. We wish St. Charles well for the remainder of their season and thank them for the match and hospitality.

This Thursday night, the Northwood Knights host traditional rivals Maritzburg College under floodlights on Reece-Edwards 1 for what should be another massive battle. Kick-off is scheduled for 18h30. We look forward to the Durban North community coming out to support us in full force.

Report by: Mr T. Sorensen

1^st XV Head Coach

On Saturday the 14th April, the Northwood Knights played DHS at Northwood. The match started as predicted with DHS holding their defensive shape and Northwood on the attack. It didn’t take long for Northwood to open the scoring through an excellent Tyronne Laaks drag flick. Northwood continued to add pressure but were unable to find the back of the DHS net, this cost them dearly as DHS capitalised on some poor pressing and sent a ball from end to end to find an unmarked striker at the top of the D. Northwood goalkeeper, Taine Bird, tried to stop the striker but fouled him instead to give DHS a penalty stroke just before half time. Tiagan Terblanche stepped up and slotted the PS for DHS, 1-1 at half time. The second half was almost a carbon copy of the first half with Northwood dominating play again but still unable to find the back of the net, that was until Chris Sarafidis scored a superb deflection from a penalty corner. This seemed to energize the Knights and they forced several more chances including another penalty corner that Chris sent crashing into the post from another deflection. Jeremy Martins made it 3-1, just minutes after Chris rattled the upright, with a superb flick from open play. With just minutes left, DHS pushed hard to get back into the game and created a few chances of their own, one of which was smashed home with just over a minute left in the match. Northwood composed themselves, got some field position and closed the match out very well to run out 3-2 winners. It must be noted that Mr Michael Baker from DHS has done some superb work with the DHS team and hockey in general at the school. To see where they were and where they are in 12 months is down to his hard work and many hours! Well done to him and DHS hockey!

Picture Credit:  Northwood Press Club