The 2025 Chronicle

demic challenge and enrichment. In addition, B Block and C Block boys will also take part in a Banango Traders investiga tion, ensuring that even more pupils benefit from meaningful, applied mathematical experiences. PI DAY RELAY Pi Day is celebrated on 14 March each year. In the American date format, 3.14 represents the commonly accepted approxi mation to the irrational mathematical constant that is π . Our Pi Day relay is a fun-filled afternoon in the school calendar. Each House had to select a representative in each Block who had both mathematical and athletic ability. Each boy had to run a section of the 3.14km relay around the school grounds, correctly completing a mathematics problem before handing over to his teammate. This year Founders took the honours, earning their E Block runner the honour of “pi-ing” Ms Moffat with a cream pie. SA MATHS OLYMPIAD Two hundred and forty boys participated in the first round of the SA Maths Olympiad. Fifty-four boys progressed through to the senior round two, and 47 to the junior round two. We are thrilled that Roelie Rossouw (A Block, West) progressed to round three (top 100) for the third year in a row and was placed second overall in KZN. GRADE 8 TWC MATHS FEST Ten of our E Block boys attended The Wykeham Collegiate Mike Nicholson Maths Fest in July. Pupils were split into mixed teams and challenged with some fun mathematical problem-solving activities. Our boys acquitted themselves well and we had rep resentation in the winning team, the team that placed second as well as the winner of the individual challenge quiz prize. CONTINUOUS LEARNING A focus in the department has been continuous learning for our teachers. This has been achieved through short peer-led train ing during our weekly team meetings as well as more intensive workshops. For example, Mr Dominic Gruijters presented a fas cinating and challenging workshop on AI in STEM subjects, and Mr Paul de Wet conducted a workshop sharing his experience and research on the important topic of maths anxiety. IEB MARKING The Michaelhouse Mathematics Department was well repre sented at IEB marking this year. • IEB examiners: Mr Paul de Wet (Further Studies Mathe matics) and Mr Conrad Bubb (Mathematical Literacy) • Senior marker: Mr Steven Ngwenya • Markers: Ms Karin Moffat, Mrs Amanda Emmott, Mr Graeme Lucas-Bull, Mr Mxolisi Ncane and Mr Peter Stevens Our boys benefit from the experience gained by our teachers as they contribute to the national IEB marking during the Decem ber holidays. In summary, 2025 was a busy and productive year in the Math ematics Department. We are proud of the achievements of the boys and value the commitment of our teachers. We look for ward to another excellent year in 2026.

This year we piloted a focused eight-week algebra remediation programme for our D Block boys in the third quarter. The pro gramme has been well received by boys, parents and teachers, and we are confident that the boys who participated will realise the benefit in their examination results and as they move into C Block next year. We encourage more boys to make regular use of this support programme. A BLOCK MATHS CAMP Our focused support programme culminates in our A Block Maths Camp. Once again, Mr Paul de Wet generously co-ordi nated the A Block Maths Camp at the start of half term just ahead of the Trial Examinations. The Maths Camp was attend ed by 130 A Block boys over the course of two days. During this time they received revision lessons on every section of the Core Mathematics syllabus, delivered by various teachers from the department. In addition there were elective Further Studies Mathematics lessons which ran in parallel. We are grateful to all the Maths Department teachers who gave up time over their half term, and commend the boys on their commitment to this programme. FURTHER STUDIES MATHEMATICS Further Studies is offered to the top two sets in C Block to extend them and provide exposure to the Further Studies Mathematics curriculum. Thereafter it becomes an elective subject for the top set in B and A Block. All our Further Studies boys complete the standard algebra and calculus module and most also com plete the statistics elective module. This year 24 B Block boys wrote the statistics module. Twenty-six A Block boys wrote the standard module, either in May or November, and two A Block boys (Roelof Rossouw and Daniel French) also self-studied and wrote the graph-theory and modelling-and-matrices modules. A major highlight was an excellent day investigating the run ning of a business, with outside service provider Banango Traders working closely with our A Block boys. This practical exposure brought key concepts to life and was enthusiastical ly received by the boys. The year concluded with excellent matric results, reflecting both hard work and consistent commitment throughout the course. MATRIC RESULTS SUMMARY FOR MATHEMATICAL LITERACY: • Number of boys 39 • Percentage of A Block 31% • Michaelhouse average 81% • IEB average 73% • Number of A symbols 30 • Percentage of A symbols 77% Looking ahead, the department plans to enter boys in the Na tional Mathematical Literacy Olympiad, further extending aca MATHEMATICAL LITERACY Mathematical Literacy enjoyed an out standing year, marked by strong academ ic performance and engaging real-world learning experiences.

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