Mentors

Barbara worked at St Andrew’s for 19 years in various roles, which included class and Science teaching across the grades, Head of Department and Deputy Head.

Prior to joining St Andrew’s School, she taught in the foundation phase and was head of the grade in the government sector. She spent 4 years in the United States of America where she worked as a librarian for the South African Consulate in New York.

Barbara holds an Honours degree in School Management Law and Policy and an ACE in Special Needs Education. She has in-depth knowledge of the Foundation Phase and a passion for the betterment of education in South Africa. Barbara and her husband, also retired, now live in Pretoria

Prior to this, Barbara was the Head instrumental in amalgamating three ISASA, multiracial, co-educational schools in Swaziland, namely Mananga and Simunye Primaries and Simunye Pre-School to form Thembelisha Preparatory School (Grade 000 to Grade 7). Previously, she was the founding Head of Waterberg Academy (Limpopo) where she drew up all policies, obtained NPO/PBO status and grew the school to incorporate a Grade 8 year.

Barbara’s first headship was at Herschel Girls’ Preparatory School, in Cape Town. She has also been the Deputy and Acting Head of Beaconhurst School in East London and developed it into a high school. She was 2nd in charge at Clarendon Girls’ School in East London. She has taught English as a First/Second Language from Grade 4 – 10. In addition, Barbara served as the Swaziland regional representative to the ISASA General Council and, since retirement, has drawn up policies for TMC.

Barbara is a Rhodes University graduate and holds a BA degree with majors in English and History. She completed the Leadership Development Course through Wits Business School in 2009. As the widowed mother of a Down Syndrome daughter, Barbara also has a deep understanding of Special Needs and has served on committees in this regard.

A product of Edgewood College, Barbie has a number of education diplomas which allowed for specialist training in pre-primary, junior primary and senior primary education, as well as remedial education and guidance and counselling. Always a life-long learner, Barbie’s Post Graduate Diploma in Higher Education from the IIE (Independent Institute of Education) enables her to lecture in tertiary education and she has appreciated the ‘bookends’ of teaching pre-schoolers and lecturing B Ed (Foundation Phase) students at Varsity College. Barbie is currently engaged in master’s research through UKZN (University of KwaZulu-Natal), exploring the topic, ‘The Interplay of Leadership Styles and Experience in School Leadership: Storied Lives of Principals in South African Independent Schools.’

Barbie began her teaching career at St Martin’s Pre-Primary School in Durban, then moved to Pietermaritzburg at the behest of the Natal Education Department, to work at Tee See Pre-Primary, the ‘demonstration’ school attached to the Natal College of Education. Barbie opened one of the inaugural flagship Reception classes at Model Junior Primary in the mid-’80s. She then returned to Durban, as head of department, to Berea West Pre-Primary School and re-joined St Martin’s Pre-Primary School as the principal in 1987.

Barbie especially values the experience she had in serving on the Education Department’s Syllabus Committee and being involved in writing the curriculum for Grade R, ‘The Learning Through Activity Programme.’  She co-authored ‘A Basic Reception Class Certificate Course,’ a teacher’s training certificate course for the Foundation Phase. She continues to be involved in curriculum development and teacher-upgrade.

However, Barbie’s life is not all about education and she says she is a keen but sometimes frightful golfer and a voracious reader. Barbie has delighted in meeting Graham in the autumn of her life (at a SAHISA Conference!) and they enjoy travel and the bush. Barbie lives in Durban.

After teaching in Zimbabwe for 4 years, Brenda moved to South Africa beginning her teaching career at Kingsmead College, Johannesburg, where she ran both the junior and senior sports departments for 10 years. She moved to St Stithians College when the girls’ school opened and established the Sports Department for both the junior and senior girls’ schools, and taught Mathematics to seniors. Brenda then took up a post as the Deputy Headmistress at Roedean for the next 4 years where she taught mathematics and coached hockey. Finally, Brenda took the post as headmistress at Auckland Park Preparatory School for Girls in Johannesburg where she remained for the last 12 years of her teaching career.

During her headship, Brenda was a member of the ISASA Curriculum Committee and was responsible for staff development. She is passionate about Mathematics and excellence in this field linked particularly to girls’ education. She assisted with the setting of many of the Mathematics Shared Assessments written in Grade 7. As a Headmistress she co-ordinated the sports programme for all the ISASA Girls’ Preparatory Schools.

She is passionate about innovation and education and developed the GEMS (Girls in Engineering, Maths and Science) programme and later the 6 Cs centre whilst at Auckland Park Preparatory School.

Brenda retired in 2022 and currently resides in Sedgefield, Western Cape. She enjoys a wide variety of interests, including giving back to education by assisting with the mentorship programme for new heads co-ordinated by ISASA, and teaching Mathematics twice a week at Masithandane. She is involved in the Revive Sedgefield Programme, and enjoys hiking, cycling, canoeing, playing badminton and golf, and sketching on those wintery days when being outdoors is impossible.

Brenda is married to Roger and has two sons. She loves children and people in general and always puts relationships first. She hopes to make an invaluable contribution as a mentor with OISESA.

He taught Mathematics and served as a teacher counsellor at Westering High before moving to Victoria Park High as Head of Department. He immersed himself in the co-curricular programmes of the two schools and served in various leadership roles, including Deputy Head. Dave and his wife, Venita, and their two sons moved to Pinelands High in the Western Cape in 1994. In 1997, he was appointed Principal. His appointment six years later to the role of College Head at Kingswood in Makhanda marked his transition from public to independent education. His third and final tenure as principal was at St Anne’s Diocesan College in Hilton, KwaZulu Natal. He retired at the end of 2020 having had the privilege of leading schools for 24 years.

During his career, Dave served in various roles on many professional bodies, including SATA, SAHISA, ISASA and the IEB. His community involvement was extensive, and he continues to serve on various boards and committees.

Dave and Venita have returned to Gqeberha where they have embraced many opportunities associated with retirement.  They are particularly enjoying their relatively new status as grandparents. Overlanding, camping, birding, game viewing and reading are a few of their many shared interests, while Dave, a keen sportsman, continues to take on the challenges associated with playing golf in windy, coastal conditions.

He also taught for a year at Siyabuswa Secondary School in Limpopo during his national service. He taught History and English, and coached Rugby, Swimming and Water Polo, and served on various school and regional/provincial educational and professional committees.

Dave currently serves on the Board of the Independent Examination Board and has chaired the Central Region of SAHISA (the Independent Schools’ Heads Association) for four years and served on the ISASA Council (the Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa) for eight years. He was on the Board of the International Boys’ Schools Coalition (the IBSC) from 2012, serving as a Trustee and Vice-Chair for Africa from 2015 until 2020. He was also Vice-Chair of SA Schools Rowing from 2011 to 2017.

As a result of Dave’s’ various involvements, he has been able to travel widely during his career, both locally and particularly internationally, on various sports tours, IBSC and Round Square local and international conferences, and on History tours. Dave is passionate about the role that boys’ schools can and should play in the development of “good men”, to counter such societal issues as gender-based violence and toxic masculinity.

He was heavily involved in the designing and implementation of whole-school, time-tabled leadership and character development programmes and curricula. Similarly, he views the implementation of effective staff professional development programmes as critical to a school’s success. Dave is a graduate of Rhodes University, where he obtained a BA (Hons) and an HDE. He also has a post graduate diploma in Educational Management from UNISA/CESA and attended Harvard University’s post graduate course in leadership and vision. He was a Springbok Scout and received the Chief Scout of SA Award, although he says that his schooling career as a boy was “spectacularly unspectacular”! He has been married to Susannah for almost 36 years and they have two adult children, Anthony and Michelle. Dave remains interested in education, but having sold his BMW R1200 tourer, now also enjoys watching sport, reading, history and tending his bonsai collection!

Fiona retired at the end of 2021 and she continues to live in Johannesburg where she enjoys spending time with her two very special daughters and their families.

As a passionate teacher of Physical Sciences, Fiona continued to teach while she was Deputy Head of Academics at Roedean from 2008 until being appointed Head. Prior to this, she served as HOD Physical Sciences at Roedean for several years and as HOD: Physical and Life Sciences at St Mary’s School, Waverley. She was also the National IEB Physical Sciences Portfolio Moderator for 6 years and served on the IEB Physical Sciences NSF for several years.

Fiona is a graduate of the University of Natal, where she completed a BSc majoring in Chemistry and Botany, a BSc (Hons) in Botany, an HDE and an MSc in Ecology.

In 2011, she completed the ISASA Leadership Development Programme through Wits Business School.

Gillian took a gap year and travelled in Europe before being offered a position at Sydenham High School, which is an independent day school for girls aged 4 to 18 and is a member of the highly regarded Girls’ Day School Trust in the UK. During her time with the GDST, Gillian was part of the pilot project for the National Curriculum which involved panel meetings at the House of Commons on recommendations for the implementation of the curriculum.

Following eleven successful years with the GDST, Gillian was approached to transition an independent nursery school into a school. She was the Head of the Villa Pre-Prep School and Nursery from 2001 until 2012. It was a very happy and successful school which prepared children for entrance into many top schools across England.

At the end of 2012 she decided it was time to return home after twenty-four years in London. After a sabbatical, Gillian joined Roedean School (SA), Junior School as a Deputy Head in May 2013, and became the Junior School Head from 2014 until 2023. She was pivotal in introducing the Think Equal Programme to pre-prep schools in South Africa.

Gillian is passionate about education and believes in a holistic approach to teaching and learning. Her particular interest is upskilling literacy and critical thinking in the Foundation Phase, as well as prioritising the emotional well-being of pupils of all ages. Gillian lives in Johannesburg, and she enjoys travelling, reading, gardening, cooking, walking, and boxing in her spare time.

With over 38 years of experience in education, she has taught students across all age groups and is deeply committed to nurturing emotional resilience and personal growth in children and teens.

She previously chaired RANSA (Randburg Nursery School Association), offering training workshops for ECD teachers and principals, and completed various counselling and play therapy courses. Gillian also taught at the AKANI outreach programme in Diepsloot, where she directed the annual concert for over 500 children. In addition, she ran her own ballet school, where she taught young dancers with creativity, care, and discipline.

Today, Gillian is the founder of Effective Transformational Coaching (ETC), which offers workshops and one-on-one coaching for children, teens, parents, and educators. ETC focuses on building emotional intelligence, positive thinking, and resilience, empowering individuals to navigate life’s challenges with confidence and self-awareness.

Previously, she served as the Head of College at Sacred Heart College, Marist Observatory (2019–2024) and has held leadership positions across various phases of education, bringing deep experience in educational leadership, curriculum innovation, and assessment.

Heather began her teaching career at Sandringham High School, later teaching in Swaziland and at Sacred Heart College. Her teaching portfolio includes Physical Science, Natural Sciences, and Life Sciences, as well as the innovative Heartzone programme, which integrates mindfulness, spirituality, and interiority, along with Digital Literacy and Digital Citizenship.

As an examiner for the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) for Grade 9 Natural Sciences, Heather contributed to the development of alternative assessment practices that emphasised core skills and competence-based learning. She also served as the content editor for three textbooks: World Alive, It’s Your Body, and Science for All.

Heather has played a significant role in educational governance and professional networks, serving as the Principal Representative on the National Catholic Board of Education (NCBE) and the Gauteng Catholic Board of Education, and representing schools on the South African Heads of Independent Schools Association (SAHISA) national body and Central Region Committee. She was also a member of the IEB Committee for Curriculum and School Assessment.

Holding a BSc (Honours) and H. Dip.Ed., Heather is a lifelong learner who has completed many professional development courses, most recently Differentiated Learning through the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is an accomplished facilitator of curriculum and leadership workshops, contributing to initiatives such as the ISASA and Catholic Schools Office “Aspiring Heads” programmes.

Deeply committed to mentoring and supporting students, teachers, and school leaders, Heather continues to champion educational excellence rooted in compassion, inclusion, and reflective practice. She is also a proud wife and mother of two young adults.

In 2006, Midstream College Primary School opened its doors, and she joined the first team of teachers as Head of Department for Computers. From a leadership perspective, she became Deputy Head (Academics) in 2008, Senior Deputy Head in 2010 and was appointed as principal in 2013. She had the privilege of leading the school for the next 10 years. During this tenure the school became a true reflection of its motto, ‘EXCELLENCIA.’ Midstream College Primary became a force to be reckoned with in academics, sport, and cultural activities.

Hester believes in lifelong learning and continual professional development. During her 33 years in the field of education, being a team player with excellent communication and leadership skills, she has gained invaluable expertise and knowledge. She is passionate about education and constantly seeks new challenges to further improve her skills.

Jane served as the principal of Kainon School in Westville, KZN, for 28 years, growing the small independent school from 20 children to over 200 children ranging from 2 years old to Grade 7.

Jane attained a master’s degree through Bryn Athyn College in Philadelphia, USA, specialising in Open Application in schools which has been widely acclaimed. Her career has spanned many years as a SAHISA member.

She focused her talents on presenting and facilitating Staff Development Programmes. In addition, Jane is an experienced Results Transformational and Leadership Coach and is presently involved in Leadership Development Programmes and Coaching.

Joan previously taught Mathematics to Grades 8 through 12 and was the Head of Subject from 2005 to 2009. She holds a Higher Diploma in Education and completed the Wits Leadership Development Course in 2013.

Joan was a Board Member on the Catholic Board of Education from 2013 to 2023 and currently represents Catholic Schools on the IEB Committee for Curriculum and Assessment.

Malcolm served as Headmaster at Parktown Boys’ High School (2018-2022), as CEO of the International School of SA, Mahikeng (2014-2018), and Head of the High School at St David’s Marist Inanda (2002-2013). He has held positions at Regional and National levels in ISASA and SAHISA and has chaired the Central Gauteng Region.

Extramurally, Malcolm has coached hockey and cricket, supported cultural activities, and coached the SA Men’s 50+ hockey team at the 2024 World Cup. He is passionate about developing people, focusing on school culture, leadership, communication, and building effective extramural programmes. In his leisure time, Malcolm enjoys bodyboarding, windsurfing, scuba diving, exploring, playing bowls, and attending the theatre.

Marianne previously taught Afrikaans Additional Language at St. Mary’s DSG, Kloof from 1991 and was the Deputy Principal of Student Affairs. She is a graduate of the University of Pietermaritzburg where she also completed her Higher Diploma in Education in 1979. She majored in Afrikaans & Nederlands, and Biblical Studies. In 2002 she completed an FDE at the University of Johannesburg (then RAU) in Leadership and Counselling. Mariana completed the Wits Leadership Development Course in 2011.

She is an accredited Mentor for the Teacher-Intern Programme and completed the Moderator’s course when serving as a Marker, Examiner and Moderator at the IEB for Afrikaans Second Language. Her hobbies include reading and being in nature.

His experience as a headmaster spanned twenty-five years. He undertook his first headship at Clifton School in Botswana, then served as Head at Dale College for nearly a decade. At the end of 2014, he completed 10 years as Head of Western Province Preparatory School, an independent boys’ school in Cape Town.

Whilst working in the state schooling system, Michael was actively involved in both provincial and national teacher unions, serving on the National Executive of the National Union of Educators. ln the independent sector, Michael served as Chairman of SAHISA and was also on the Executive Council of the International Confederation of Principals, a global body which oversees the quality of school leadership and management. Upon his retirement from school headship, Michael took up the position of Executive Director of IQAA.

Michael and his wife Diane have recently returned to their home in Port Alfred. Their family comprises a daughter, four sons and eight grandchildren. Their passions centre around family and church, and anything to do with the outdoors, be it mountains, the bush, or the sea.

Moira was approached to take up the position of Caretaker Principal at Garlandale Primary School in 2017 and Curator Principal at Trevor Manual Primary School in 2019. In 2021 she accepted a year’s contract post as an evaluator with the Schools Evaluation Authority (SEA) of the Western Cape.

Moira holds a BA degree, majoring in English and History, and a Post-Graduate HDE, both from the University of Cape Town, as well as a Diploma in Specialized Education from UNISA. She has served on principals’ forums and was shortlisted at district level for the National Teachers’ Awards for Excellence in Primary School Leadership. She is a proud Capetonian, the wife of Keith, mother of two daughters (one sadly deceased) and the grandmother of three.

Peter began his career as a teacher-counsellor at Maritzburg College, where he advanced to head of English and joined the management team. After 17 years, he transitioned to Michaelhouse as an English teacher, eventually becoming a housemaster and then Senior Master, Boarding. Following 16 years at Michaelhouse, Peter was appointed the sixth headmaster of Harriston School in Harrismith, a role he fulfilled for six years. During this time, he was an active member of SAHISA and the Heads of Small Schools group in Pietermaritzburg.

Born in Durban, Peter has been married to Michelle for 36 years. They plan to move to the Howick area in 2026.

Sifundzani Primary School is a member of ISASA with an enrolment of approximately 406 students from Grades 1 to 7.

Sibongile began her career in education as a Home Economics educator at Manzini Nazarene High School before moving to teach at Tubungu Primary School. She then began her journey at Sifundzani in 2001, having first served as a Grade 5 class teacher and Scripture Union / Life Skills Leader before advancing to teaching Grade 6. Whilst continuing her passion of teaching as a Grade 7 class teacher, 2013 saw Sibongile being appointed as the Deputy Head Principal and IQAA Team Leader.

Sibongile holds a B Ed in Primary Education and a Diploma in Home Economics Education both from the University of Eswatini. In 2021, she completed the ISASA Leadership Development Programme through Wits Business School. Since retirement, Sibongile provides flexible educational consultancy services to pre-school and primary schools in Mbabane while she enjoys managing her vegetable farming project in Manzini.