SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

CORDIES CARES

As a member of the Anglican Board of Education, we are encouraged to reflect a generosity of spirit. One of the hallmarks of an Anglican school is a spirit of kindness, compassion and respect for all people. This expresses itself in a healthy relationship in the school as well as in the wider community.

Social Responsibility to other communities in our area is a very important function for our boys. It’s heartwarming to see how all our boys get involved, and their generosity is astounding.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who were called to His purpose.

– Romans 8:28

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMME:

WITH ASHDOWN SCHOOL

Cordwalles is privileged to have had a Community Partnership Programme with Ashdown School in Edendale since 2009. Along with other fundraising activities, 10% of the funds collected at our Asambe fundraising initiative are donated to Ashdown.

SOME OF THE WORK WE’VE DONE OVER THE YEARS INCLUDES:

Purchasing and installing JoJo tanks
Servicing and repairs to bathroom facilities
Kitchen upgrade (the kitchen feeds 1,900 children daily)
Classroom and facility upgrades
Donating takkies
Donating library books
Providing Art lessons
Organising food packs for desperate families during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic
Sourcing and donating vegetable seedlings for Ashdown’s kitchen garden

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMME:

WITH ASHDOWN SCHOOL

SOME OF THE WORK WE’VE DONE OVER THE YEARS INCLUDES:

Purchasing and installing JoJo tanks
Servicing and repairs to bathroom facilities
Kitchen upgrade (the kitchen feeds 1,900 children daily)
Classroom and facility upgrades
Donating takkies
Donating library books
Providing Art lessons
Organising food packs for desperate families during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic
Sourcing and donating vegetable seedlings for Ashdown’s kitchen garden

GRADE 3 TUITION PROGRAMME

A group of Grade 3 boys receive tuition from a Cordwalles Grade 3 teacher every week, with a focus on numeracy skills and English. During these lessons, we also share ideas, methods and observations with Ashdown educators.

The Grade 3 tuition programme has also promoted an opportunity for some of these learners to write the Frank Jackson Foundation (FJF) Scholarship Exams. Four boys from Ashdown have been awarded an FJF Scholarship to attend Cordwalles, and have now moved on to some of the province’s top high schools.

CREATING CONNECTIONS

We have also enjoyed forging connections between our boys and the pupils at Ashdown. The Ashdown choir has attended the “Combined Choirs at Cordwalles” singing concert with other schools in the area, and we have played in a chess tournament with Ashdown.

Old boys who then do President Awards at high schools will come to Cordwalles to volunteer their services–for example, we’ve had Old Boys come to Ashdown and paint a giant chess board on their driveway, with Cordwalles donating the giant chess pieces.

There can be no greater gift than that of giving one’s time and energy to help others without expecting anything in return.

-Nelson Mandela

SATURDAY ENRICHMENT PROGRAMME

BAMBISANANI: WORKING HAND-IN-HAND TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

The Saturday Enrichment Programme began during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in June 2020, when children of staff at Cordwalles were not receiving contact lessons during lockdown—a stark contrast to the excellent online learning that our Cordwalles boys were privileged to receive.

What began as providing educational resources soon turned into literacy and numeracy lessons on a Saturday morning. Thanks to the programme’s success, Mr Veenstra and the management team made provisions for it to continue post-pandemic.

In this enrichment programme, we aim to provide an opportunity for children to improve and consolidate key skills to build on in their schooling, appropriate to their age and school phases. Our hope is that we can make a difference in some small way by sharing what we have—and who we have—to help support our wider Cordwalles community.

The children are also exposed to the computer room and the use of devices, our outdoor classroom, as well as extra murals such as swimming skills, rugby, ballet and drama. One boy from the Saturday school programme wrote the Frank Jackson Scholarship and was awarded the Scholarship for his Senior Primary years at Cordwalles.

PLANTING THE SEEDS OF AWARENESS

CORDIES OUTREACH INITIATIVES

Along with our formalised Social Responsibility projects, we also facilitate and encourage boys to seek their own forms of outreach. We give them the opportunity to present their ideas either in an assembly or through our Cordies Family Programme.

OTHER INITIATIVES OUR BOYS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN:

Delivering Easter eggs and “Love Boxes” to the elderly
Grade 4 boys have sung and baked cupcakes for the elderly
God’s Warehouse can collection for needy families
Street Shop – collecting second-hand clothing for the homeless
Termly school projects
Classes are encouraged to do an initiative with their class teacher