Crestway High School fought against all negativity. Picture: File
Crestway High School, once known as the worst-performing school in the province with a dismal 35.9% pass rate in 2023, stood as a symbol of what can go wrong in education.
But as the calendar turned to 2024, against all odds, the school’s pass rate soared to an impressive 66%.
It wasn’t magic. It was hard work, determination, and a community pulling together.
Millicent Merton, spokesperson for the Western Cape Education Department (WCED), explained that Crestway’s improvement was no isolated case.
“Across the province, a significant decrease in underperforming schools was noticed. Just a year before, 29 schools had struggled to pass the 60% mark; now, only five remained in that category.
“The department had doubled down on interventions: extra tuition camps, afternoon, weekend, and holiday classes, and even access to online resources like past exam papers and tutoring videos through the WCED’s e-portal.”
But for Crestway High, something clicked in a unique way.
It all started with the resolve of the school’s leadership.
Principal Cheryl Jacobs had seen the numbers in 2023, however, where others saw failure, she saw a challenge.
"We chose not to be defined by setbacks. We resolved to move forward with optimism, purpose, and a clear vision for improvement."
With that in mind, Jacobs, together with the staff, learners and broader community implemented and carried out several key strategies that would lay the foundation for the school’s rise.
One of her first moves was to upskill the School Management Team (SMT) and the teachers. She organised leadership courses, classroom management coaching, and ongoing training to ensure that every educator felt equipped and confident in their roles.
She wasn’t just focusing on improving the students but also the teachers, believing that a stronger, more supported teaching body would lead to better outcomes.
Using data to inform decisions became another crucial part of the school’s strategy.
Every assessment result was scrutinized and used to make informed adjustments to teaching methods and lesson plans.
Teachers admitted that they no longer felt like they were teaching in the dark—they had the tools and insights they needed to make each lesson more effective.
Late-coming at Crestway was also no longer tolerated.
This wasn’t just about showing up on time but about valuing every minute of class time.
"We made sure that the transitions between classes were swift and efficient, minimizing wasted time," Jacobs explained.
"Time in the classroom is precious, and we made sure students respected that."
The school also implemented direct communication through surveys where students could voice their needs.
One of the most frequent requests was for a dedicated study space, and the school immediately acted on it, where parents from the SGB volunteered to supervise sessions.
Jacobs also pinned the success on the community effort, which included support alumni, the local circuit manager, curriculum advisors, and even religious leaders.
“Many other stakeholders stepped in to fill gaps where we couldn’t, offering support through initiatives such as providing school uniforms, school shoes, stationery drives, food drives, and even medical assistance.
“It’s not just about the pass rate,” Jacobs emphasized.
“Our core mission is to ensure that our learners achieve their matric certificates, and that’s what we’ve done. But this is only the beginning. We will build on this success and continue to strive for even greater heights.”
tracy-lynn.ruiters@inl.co.za
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