LIFE SCIENCES:
The subject Life Sciences, as defined by the National Curriculum Statement, involves the systematic study of life in the changing natural and human-made environment. In order to achieve this the subject includes four main areas of focus: Tissues, cells & molecular, Structure and control of processes in basic life systems of plants and humans, Environmental studies and Diversity change & continuity.
It is offered in Option 4 as an alternative to French, Geography, Music, Xhosa, Computer Science, Speech and Drama, and Home Economics, and in Option 6 as and alternative to Accounting, Art and History.
Each year the grade 10, 11 and 12 learners work through each of these areas, building 
on prior knowledge and skills. The approach adopted is dependent on the topic being covered but generally there is a good mix of practical work and investigative work included in the normal teaching approach. In doing so we hope too enable our learners to explore those concepts that are essential for understanding basic life processes as well as appreciate the interrelationship and interdependence of components of the living and the physical world. The content learned and skills developed over the course of the year are recorded in a portfolio that the learners build up and it will count 25% of their year mark.
The department is split between St Andrew’s College and the DSG, with two laboratories on either campus. All the labs well supplied with the materials used for the standard biological investigations that compliment the syllabus. They are also connected to the school network and have data projectors in the class which allows access to up to date sources of information.
Currently there are 4 teaching staff and 2 lab assistants in the department.
Madeleine Moore has been teaching at DSG since 1991. She is both a Life Sciences and Natural Sciences teacher and presently teaches Chemistry at Grade 8 and 9 level. When portfolio moderation in Biology became a prerequisite, she was appointed as a regional moderator, visiting Eastern Cape schools. She did a three-year cycle as the IEB Portfolio Moderator. This was followed a three-year cycle, with being the IEB Biology Standard Grade examiner and being the first examiner of the Paper 2 Life Sciences NCS.
Wayne Joubert has been at St Andrew’s College since 1992. He has a passion for Biology/Life Sciences having studied at Rhodes University with a particular interest in Ecology. He has also lectured part-time in the RU Education Department, building the base knowledge and experience of aspiring newly qualified teachers. Mr. Joubert has been around a long time and has been involved in a number of areas of the school. His initial years entailed being actively involved in the outdoor education programme and taking boys on many excursions and trips exploring nature and the outdoors. Mr. Joubert is also a former Head of Department and was instrumental in integrating technology (ICT) into the teaching of Life Sciences. Presently he is the Senior Housemaster at St. Andrew’s College and Housemaster of Armstrong House.
Harley Searle has been teaching at St Andrew’s College since 2001. He is currently the HOD of the department and is involved in the teaching of Natural Sciences where he presently teaches the biology component at Grade 8 and 9 level.
Mr Searle is the housemaster of Ingleside House, a Grade 8 house, and deputy housemaster of Armstrong House.
Ingrid Foster has been teaching full-time at DSG since 2008. She is both a Life Sciences and Natural Sciences teacher and is also very capable of teaching Physics and Chemistry at Grade 8 and 9 level.
Before joining our staff Dr Foster was busy doing postdoctoral research at Rhodes University, where she lectured, tutored and supervised students. Her research interests were in the field of protein biochemistry and has a number of papers published in this field.
The lab assistant at St Andrew’s College is Jikile (Welcome) Mzalazala. He has been working in the Science and Biology department since 1985, where he is responsible for administrating the stores and labs and setting up the wide variety of biology as well as physics practicals that pupils engage in.
Not only will the study of Life Sciences enhance career opportunities in medicine, pharmacy, agriculture, industry, biotechnology, microbiology, marine biology, environmental and patent law, education and research but it will also promote creative, critical and independent thinking skills that are of use in all spheres of modern life.
St Matthew’s Hosts Science Camp:
St Matthew’s School, Keiskammahoek, hosted a highly successful science camp over the past weekend. Mr Tonie Ukekwe, a Science teacher at St Matthew’s and the camp’s organiser, said it had been “like magic” bringing grade ten learners from three schools for intense sessions to prepare them for grade eleven Physical Sciences. St Matthew’s vision statement includes an intent for the school to be a centre of excellence for Mathematics, Sciences and Technology. Ukekwe paid tribute to the 26 learners from St Matthews, St Andrew’s College, Grahamstown, and Geju High School, Cata, for their dedication in being in classes from Friday afternoon until Sunday lunchtime.
St Matthews hosted and catered for the learners in the in the classroom block and Cullen boarding house, which is awaiting renovation by the Department of Education, following its temporary closure last year and in the classroom block. Lectures and practicals were conducted over the weekend by four teachers from St Matthew’s High School and one from St Andrew’s College. “St Matthew’s and St Andrew’s share a 154 year old relationship, that has recently been re-enforced by academic, extramural and professional interactions,” said Ukekwe, as he reflected on the success of this intitiative.
Grade 10 outing to Kenton:
