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Senior School Academics

Mathematics and the Sciences

Subject Overview

Mathematics

The Roedean School vision around Mathematics is for every pupil to feel empowered to tackle the historically male-dominated field of Mathematics with confidence and for every one of them to enjoy the subject, approaching it with wonderment and awe.

Further Studies Mathematics (previously Advanced Programme Mathematics) is an essential bridge between school mathematics and university mathematics. The evidence is overwhelming that students who complete Further Studies Mathematics at school have a far higher chance of passing any university mathematics course.

In the Roedean 2014 Matriculation group about 6% of the group took what was then called Advanced Programme (AP) Mathematics. By 2019 the percentage of the matriculants doing Advanced Programme Mathematics had risen to 30%. This compared to a national average of matriculants doing AP Mathematics of 0,7% (Government school matriculants and IEB matriculants all register for the same IEB examination). This high level of enrolment for Further Studies Mathematics indicates that Roedean girls are feeling positive and confident about their ability to do, and enjoy, Mathematics. Students are not in any way coerced into doing Further Studies Mathematics; their decision to do this subject is entirely optional.

The matriculants doing Advanced Programme Mathematics in 2019 were the first group in the school’s history to be taught both the Statistics and Probability Optional Module, as well as the Financial Mathematics and Modelling Optional Module. Only a handful of schools in the country taught two of the optional modules for Advanced Programme Mathematics. All pupils were assessed on both options, except in their Preliminary and Final Matric Examinations, where they were allowed to write only one of the optional topics. Each student chose which topic they would prefer to write for these examinations. Teaching two optional modules, when only one is required, was not done to increase our number of matric distinctions, but because at Roedean we hope to expose our pupils to a wide variety of Mathematical topics, thus equipping them with the necessary skills to cope with any first-year mathematical course at any university in the world.

The proportion of our students doing Mathematical Literacy is very low: The Matric 2019 class had 14% of the grade doing Mathematical Literacy. This compares to a national average of around 58% of Matriculants doing Mathematical Literacy. The IEB Matriculation enrolment for Mathematical Literacy was 34% of total registered candidates.

The Mathematics department continues to try and maximise the mathematical potential of every student at this school, and endeavours at all times to make their mathematical experience a positive one.

Subject Overview

Life Sciences

Life Sciences is an exciting study of life in an environment that is constantly changing. At Roedean Senior School, the pupils are encouraged to develop along three interdependent pathways:

Learning by investigation.

Developing a sound understanding of biological concepts and processes.

Applying the concepts to society and the environment.

Focus is placed on the value of understanding the workings of one’s own body and the natural world in order to make informed decisions regarding our human health and that of the environment in which we live. Many stimulating activities ensure that pupils develop a wide range of inquiry, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. Some of the tasks/projects run recently are problem-solving projects carried out by Middle Vs, devising solutions for food sustainability in Johannesburg, and Upper Vs’ devising solutions for the environmental impacts of COVID-19 and the human and environmental impact in the Delta Park area.

Life Sciences is one of the fastest growing fields with ongoing new developments that are likely to impact our daily lives. The highly dynamic nature of the subject allows for the incorporation of new topics as advances in the field occur. The incorporation of these new research findings into lessons allows pupils to appreciate the impact that biological science is having on society and the environment today. The most recent impact of COVID-19 and the development of subsequent medical technology is the perfect example. In this light we also study biotechnology and its many applications. The Lower Vs complete many practical applications of biotechnological processes in food production and the Matrics actually transform bacteria using recombinant DNA technology.

Something we believe to be essential to studying Life Sciences is the skills focus of the subject. As a department we enjoy approaching the teaching of Life Science in a practical way. We believe this allows our pupils to approach tasks with wonderment and awe, which then leads to enjoyment, and the positive effect of this prepares them for learning at a deeper level and allows a more effective development of the understanding of the concepts in Life Sciences. As a result, we try to incorporate as many practical activities into learning. Some examples are: microscopes to teach cells; building models to teach different body systems; practicals to teach complicated processes of photosynthesis, respiration etc; practical applications of asexual reproduction in plants.

The curriculum exposes pupils to various ethical debates in biology. Many scientific breakthroughs in the biological arena have ethical implications that need to be unpacked and understood as they influence decision making at both individual and societal level. It also strives to make pupils aware of how experimental bias can undermine an investigation and how to critically evaluate scientific process.

Subject Overview

Physical Sciences

A good definition of science is “The intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behaviour of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment”.  

It is the ‘observation and experiment’ part of this definition of science that is often neglected. In the Roedean Physical Sciences department we aim to incorporate as much experiential learning into our curriculum as possible.  Our philosophy in Lower V (Grade 8) is that we will teach only concepts that can be experienced in some way by the pupils.  The use of technology has greatly improved our ability to investigate atomic phenomena using animations and simulations, while we continue to expand our equipment base to ensure that any investigation that can be done by the girls themselves, is!

It is our belief that science would be greatly benefited by the input and wisdom of more women, and so we aim to get the young scientists at Roedean to be fascinated by and curious about the physical world around them.  This, we believe, will lead to more of these young women pursuing careers in Engineering, Pure Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics, allowing them to lead lives of significance in what were historically male-dominated fields.

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Claudia Bickford-Smith

Claudia began her career as a teacher and has extensive Board and Director-level experience in education: international qualification and assessment development, and school operational management, working with Headteachers and their leadership teams, Ministries of Education, Regulators, and Awarding Bodies. Over the past 30 years, Claudia has led large-scale international curriculum and assessment innovations and teacher professional development programmes, impacting schools worldwide.

In her current role Claudia works with schools on sustainable growth strategies and innovative pedagogies. She serves as Chair of the Board of Governors and Nominated Proprietor for two UK independent schools and Oxford’s oldest 6 th form college and is responsible for financial sustainability, regulatory and financial compliance.

With degrees from the University of Cape Town, the University of Cambridge, and UCL’s Institute of Education, Claudia’s thought leadership in education is widely recognized. She is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (F.R.S.A.) and a member of the Harvard Graduate
School of Education Professional Community.

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Dominique Laroque

Dominique Laroque is a third generation Roedeanian. She matriculated with distinction and was awarded the prestigious white honours blazer for colours across four sport disciplines. In tertiary she graduated at the top of her class with a BSc QS and a BCom (Law).

Dominique enjoyed a very successful career path in construction and mining before moving into investment banking. As an analyst at JP Morgan she achieved ratings in various sectors locally and abroad and gained extensive corporate finance experience as a member of JP Morgan’s global aerospace advisory team. She then spent years in research management at Credit Suisse and Nedbank before starting her own stockbroking company in 2017 as an empowerment initiative.

It has been an upward trajectory for Dominique and her team who have developed a mathematical model which evaluates an organisation’s ability to generate long-term value for investors. They are currently ranked no. 3 in South Africa in this field.

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Thabiso Madiba

Thabiso Madiba qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2006 after completing his articles at Ernst & Young in the Mining and Manufacturing division. In 2007, he spent three months on secondment at Ernst & Young LLP in New York, where he focused primarily on auditing hedge funds.

In April 2008, he joined the University of Johannesburg as a lecturer, teaching the Finance 3 module to undergraduate students in the Chartered Accounting stream. During this time, he also supervised Master’s students in Taxation. He went on to complete his M.Com in International and South African Taxation at North-West University in 2010.

In addition to his academic and professional work, Thabiso provides financial and tax consulting services to small and medium enterprises. He also serves in various board and committee roles, including:

  • Sasol Khanyisa – Chairman
  • UJ Provident Fund – Chairman
  • Trevor Noah Foundation – Board Member
  • Peermont Global East Free State – Board Member
  • King Edward VII School Governing Body – Deputy Chairman and Chair of the Finance Committee
  • Old Edwardian Society – Executive Committee Treasurer
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Gontse Nkwe

Gontse Nkwe is a proud Old Roedeanian, a Roedean mother, and a member of the SAORA Committee. She holds a BSc in Property Studies and brings experience from corporate real estate, retail development, and lease negotiation.

Her work today sits at the intersection of education, personal development, and integrative thinking. She is particularly interested in how individuals and communities navigate change with clarity and agency, and how insight, awareness, and embodied understanding support meaningful and sustainable transformation.

Gontse is a writer and long-form thinker whose work explores the relationship between mind, body, and consciousness, with an emphasis on lived experience, integration, and practical application.

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Monde Nkosi

Monde is an Investment Director of Value Capital Partners (VCP). He is also an experienced director who has served on the boards of five public companies listed on the JSE and Nasdaq in sectors including financial services, education, staffing, hospitality, and quick-service restaurants. Prior to joining VCP in 2017, Monde was a Senior Associate on the investment team of FFL Partners, a San Francisco-based private equity firm, and a management consultant at Bain & Company, where he focused on financial services and telecommunications clients across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Monde serves on the advisory board of the Centre for Development and Enterprise and is an Archbishop Tutu Leadership Associate. He holds a Bachelor of Business Science with Honours in Finance from the University of Cape Town, a Master of Arts in Education from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education, and an MBA from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, where he was an Arjay Miller Scholar.

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Yusuf Noorbhai

Yusuf Noorbhai is a Senior Executive at Standard Bank, heading up the Corporate Finance Division. He also serves on the Executive Committee for Investment Banking.

He has over 18 years of global corporate experience, with a strong track record in building businesses, managing teams, client relationships, and operating effectively at a senior stakeholder level across a variety of cultures and markets throughout the world.

He has represented Standard Bank in various capacities, and has served on external boards of companies and investment funds in which the bank has strategic shareholdings. He has been integral to the development and execution of the Diversity and Inclusion Strategy for Standard Bank, which has afforded him insight and knowledge into the subject matter, coupled with an important appreciation for the challenges faced by any institution in navigating this complex yet crucial initiative.

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Sipho Maseko

Sipho Nkosinathi Maseko is Group Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director at Telkom SA and Principal at Kleoss Capital. He also serves on the boards of Afrox Healthcare, the Centre for Development and Enterprise, and the Gyro Group.

Previously, he held the positions of Chairman of Shell and BP South African Petroleum Refineries; Chief Executive Officer of BP Southern Africa; Chairman of the Business Connexion Group; Managing Director and Group Chief Operating Officer of Vodacom SA; Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director of the Vodacom Group; and Managing Director of Vodacom (Pty) Ltd.

He holds a graduate degree from the University of KwaZulu Natal and an undergraduate degree from the University of the Witwatersrand

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Thembi Mbengashe-Mazibuko

Thembi Mbengashe-Mazibuko serves as the Chief People Officer at Pick n Pay, where she leads the overall People function across PnP retail stores, serving a workforce of over 33,000 employees. A career spanning close to two decades in the retail and communication sectors, Thembi possesses qualifications in finance and information systems.

Throughout her career, Thembi has held various leadership positions, at PnP, Unilever and Woolworths. She has held diverse roles across Marketing, Strategy, Commercial/Buying, ESG, and currently, People/HR. In her current role, she assumes responsibility for directing the strategy and implementation of the complete employee value proposition, which spans recruitment, training, reward, change management, and industrial relations. Thembi’s commitment lies in cultivating a customer-focused, values-led, diverse, and inclusive team within the organisation.

Beyond her professional pursuits, Thembi finds great fulfilment in her role as a family-oriented individual. She has two young children, who attend Roedean and St Johns College. Furthermore, she embodies optimism regarding the future of her country and wholeheartedly believes in actively engaging as a social citizen.

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Dale Quaker

Dale Quaker is currently the Chief Financial Officer for Cupric Africa, a private equity owned mining company which through its Botswana sister company Khoemacau Copper recently completed the building of its copper silver project.

He was previously the CFO of the Khoemacau Group leading the finance function as the Group transitioned from an exploration company, through the fundraising of a $650m debt, streaming and equity funding package through to completion of construction..

Prior to joining Cupric, he was an independent consultant to the mining and construction industries. In his last corporate role, he headed up the marketing and logistics function for Xstrata Coal South Africa, after having fulfilled a senior finance role in the company previously..

Dale held roles at BHPBillition subsidiary, Samancor Chrome, both at the operations and corporate office in Johannesburg. Dale is a qualified Chartered Accountant and Chartered Management Accountant.

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Lindi Dlamini

Mrs. Lindi Dlamini has been at the helm of Roedean as Executive Director of Roedean since January 2023 and is the first black woman to be in this role in the 120 years history of Roedean. She has a wealth of leadership experience with 20 years executive leadership experience. She serves as an Independent Non-Executive for a bank and wealth management firm.

Prior to her tenure at Roedean School (SA), Lindi was the CEO of the President’s GBVF Response Fund1 which was set up in 2020 to resource the fight against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide as part of South Africa’s commitment to SDG5 (Gender Equality) and the country’s National Strategic Plan (NSP) on GBVF. She was previously a CEO of Safrican Insurance Company, Group Executive of PPS Human Capital, MD of Alexander Forbes Retail and Group Executive for Emerging Consumer Markets and Retail Operations in South Africa at Liberty Holdings. She has over twenty-five years of financial services experience. She is a fellow of the sixth class of the Africa Leadership Initiative (ALISA) and the Aspen Global Leadership Network (AGLN).

She holds BA (LAW); LLB and LLM degrees.