๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ๐๐น๐, Union High School, Graaff-Reinet‘s top matriculant for 2025, produced an exceptional set of results that reflect both academic ability and unwavering commitment.
With a final average of 87%, ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต๐ถ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฎ ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐๐ฏ๐ท๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐, including Accounting (93%), Life Sciences (93%), Afrikaans FAL (87%), English HL (86%), Physical Sciences (81%), Life Orientation (89%) and Mathematics (80%). ๐๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ด๐ถ๐ญ๐ต๐ด ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ด๐ต๐ณ๐ข๐ต๐ฆ ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ญ๐บ ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฑ๐ต๐ฉ ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ด๐ค๐ช๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ค๐ฆ๐ด, ๐ฃ๐ถ๐ต ๐ข๐ญ๐ด๐ฐ ๐ด๐ต๐ณ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐จ ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐จ๐ถ๐ข๐จ๐ฆ ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ง๐ช๐ค๐ช๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ค๐บ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ญ๐บ๐ต๐ช๐ค๐ข๐ญ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฌ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ.
Further highlighting her academic ambition, Erin also completed Further Studies Mathematics, achieving a commendable 72% in this advanced programme.
Well done and congratulations to the Matric Class of 2025.
Proud parents, relieved learners and smiling staff filled the Union High School, Graaff-Reinet foyer this morning as the ๐๐๐๐ฆ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฑ returned to collect their National Senior Certificate results.
With 41 subject distinctions achieved by the class overall, ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐บ๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ต๐ผ๐ป๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐น๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ๐๐น๐, who topped the class with an exceptional 87% average and an impressive collection of 7 distinctions across a demanding subject load. She was followed by Milani Pongoma in second place, with Tara Ferreira in third place and Someleze Ntshuca in fourth, both producing strong, balanced results.
Seventy-one percent of learners achieved Bachelorโs passes, opening doors to further study at tertiary institutions, while a further 20% earned Diploma passes.
๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐๐น๐ฎ๐ฟ๐น๐ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐ด ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ด๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐๐๐ฏ๐ท๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ such as Mathematics, Physical Sciences and Accounting, as well as the number of learners achieving distinctions in multiple subjects.
Our 1st XI took the field in ๐ฎ ๐๐บ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐, cutting a proud figure as they represent Union High School, Graaff-Reinet.
A huge ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐จ๐ง-๐ข๐จ๐ง and heartfelt thank you to Tyremart Graaff-Reinet for their generous support of the team – ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ ๐ค๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ต๐ช๐ฏ๐ถ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ฃ๐ข๐ค๐ฌ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ฑ๐ญ๐ข๐บ๐ด ๐ข ๐ท๐ช๐ต๐ข๐ญ ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ญ๐ฆ ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ด๐ถ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ ๐ฃ๐ฐ๐บ๐ด ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฌ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฑ๐ข๐ณ๐ต ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ง๐ช๐ฆ๐ญ๐ฅ ๐ธ๐ช๐ต๐ฉ ๐ค๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ง๐ช๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ค๐ฆ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ช๐ฅ๐ฆ.
This year, a total of 14 teams competed for glory on the cricket field. The carefully crafted programme featured a mix of T20 matches, 50-over games and declaration matches, promised an exciting and varied cricketing experience for both players and spectators alike.
We welcomed Framesby High School, Victoria Park High, Westering High School, Muir College, Lilyfontein School, Edgemead High School, Rand Park High, DF Malan High School, Cradock High School, Daniel Pienaar THS, Nico Malan, Stirling High, DF Malherbe and our very own 1st XI.
Per tradition, we were delighted to host our annual cocktail function to officially kick off the ๐ฆ๐๐ก๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐ and warmly welcome all participating teams.
During Mr Pringleโs address, special mention was made of Standard Bank for their generous sponsorship of the festival. Standard Bank was represented by Mr Kobie Venter, Head: Local Market, Business Banking, Eastern Cape, and we extend our sincere thanks for their continued support.
A special word of appreciation was also extended to Tyremart Graaff-Reinet for their valued contribution in the form of new kit for the Union team.
The evening preceded the much-anticipated ๐๐๐ฆ๐ง ๐๐ ๐ช๐๐ฆ๐ง T20 at the Botanics Sports Grounds, featuring two players from each participating team to form the competing sides.
We are pleased to share our final ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ฅ’๐ฆ ๐๐๐ง๐ง๐๐ฅ for the year, as our school community heads into the festive season and a well-deserved break.
On behalf of all the educators and staff atย Union High School, we would like to congratulate the ๐ง๐ข๐ฃ ๐ญ๐ฌ academic achievers of Term 4, 2025.
๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ด: 1. Clea Clarke 2. Chantรฉ Bezuidenhout 3. Isabelle Tadesse 4. Miley Burger, Kira Hector & Micha Murray 7. Rachel Wenham, Aidan Ferreira & Maribel-Martisha April 10. Alison Jacobs
๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ณ: 1. Angelique Kyanda-Kaboza 2. Kari Stern 3. Ryan Collett 4. Nieke van Jaarsveld 5. Adam Clark 6. Noรซl Shakane 7. Lwandle Dali 8. Lilly Hunter 9. Joshua Kingwill 10. Luchae Thomas
๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ฒ: 1. Taylor Jacobs 2. Kate Scott 3. Shana Theron 4. Layla Ott 5. Emma Burger 6. Mia Labuschagne 7. Carlie George 8. Isabel Hyldig & Reece Gibbons 10. Tiyanah Abader
๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ฑ: 1. Kelly van Rensburg & Lesedi Mphahlele 3. Madison Tam 4. Kirsten Trollip 5. Saskia Strydom 6. Gemma Murray 7. Rosemary Brown 8. Ben Steynberg 9. Cathryn Davenport & Iyana Magwetshu
Born from a simple phone call in 1992, when Old Unionite Billy Teeton reached out to Mr Bruce Maree, the programme grew into something extraordinary.
From the first Gap student, Rhett Newton, who bravely ventured across the seas in 1993, to the first junior exchange in 1994, this partnership blossomed into a tapestry of shared cultures, meaningful connections and unforgettable experiences.
๐๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ด๐ถ๐ฟ๐น๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐บ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐บ๐๐ฒ๐น๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ต๐ถ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฏ๐๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐น – an institution dating back to 1091 – learning and living beneath the soaring spire of one of Englandโs most iconic cathedrals.
Yet the true heart of the programme lay not only in the places they visited but in the relationships they built. Families formed bonds across continents, exchange students returned to visit again and again and some even made the United Kingdom their permanent home.
Many of our Gaps continued to meet up as young adults, exploring Europe together, attending sporting events or simply reconnecting to relive the memories they once made abroad. ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ด๐ฆ ๐ง๐ณ๐ช๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ด๐ฉ๐ช๐ฑ๐ด – ๐ญ๐ข๐ด๐ต๐ช๐ฏ๐จ, ๐ง๐ข๐ณ-๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ค๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ด๐ช๐ฏ๐ค๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ – ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ค๐ข๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ด๐ฐ๐ถ๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฐ๐จ๐ณ๐ข๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ฆ.
๐๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฝ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ฑ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น๐น ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐ท๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐. Changes to visa regulations in the United Kingdom have made long-term participation impossible. The Youth Mobility Scheme, which has replaced the previous arrangements, sadly excludes South Africa. As a result, our students can no longer stay for the full year required and the programme cannot continue.
We therefore honour our final two Gap students for 2025: ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ฎ๐ต-๐๐ฒ๐ถ๐ด๐ต ๐๐ผ๐ฒ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ด and ๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ. Their year at Salisbury will not only mark a personal milestone, but also serve as the poignant closing of a programme that shaped the lives of generations of Unionites.
As we reflect, we celebrate every learner who walked the historic corridors of Salisbury Cathedral School; every family who opened their homes and hearts; every friendship that crossed oceans and every shared experience that enriched our school community. ๐๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ถ๐จ๐ฉ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ข๐ญ ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฐ๐จ๐ณ๐ข๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ด ๐ค๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฏ ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฅ, ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ญ๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ด๐ฉ๐ช๐ฑ๐ด ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ช๐ฆ๐ด ๐ช๐ต ๐ค๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ต๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ธ๐ช๐ญ๐ญ ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ข๐ช๐ฏ ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ธ๐ฐ๐ท๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ช๐ฏ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ง๐ข๐ฃ๐ณ๐ช๐ค ๐ฐ๐ง ๐๐ฏ๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏโ๐ด ๐ด๐ต๐ฐ๐ณ๐บ.
Caytah and Max had a wonderful reunion this year with Tim Lamb and his family – Tim served as one of Unionโs Gap assistants back in 1995. ๐ ๐ด๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ค๐ช๐ข๐ญ ๐ง๐ถ๐ญ๐ญ-๐ค๐ช๐ณ๐ค๐ญ๐ฆ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต ๐ข๐ด ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ ๐ง๐ช๐ฏ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ฑ๐ด ๐ค๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ค๐ต ๐ธ๐ช๐ต๐ฉ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ด๐ฆ ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ฐ ๐ค๐ข๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฎ.
We are delighted to share that construction has officially begun on the brand-new ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฟ๐๐ฐ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ at the Union Schoolsโ pool today!
๐ง๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฐ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐ ๐ท๐๐๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐-๐ผ๐ณ-๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐ด๐ฎ๐น๐ฎ๐ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ฎ๐, promising a more comfortable and enjoyable experience for our swimmers and spectators alike.
Following the recent and much-celebrated restoration of Union High Schoolโs magnificent Blรผthner Patent Grand Piano, we are delighted to share that ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฆ๐๐ฒ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ด ๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฃ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป๐ผ ๐ถ๐ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ ๐น๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ. This cherished instrument, which has accompanied countless music lessons, rehearsals and performances over the years, has begun its journey toward renewed brilliance.
To undertake this meticulous restoration, we have enlisted the expertise of Mark Davis from Mark Davis Piano Service in Cape Town, ๐ข ๐ด๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ค๐ช๐ข๐ญ๐ช๐ด๐ต ๐ฉ๐ช๐จ๐ฉ๐ญ๐บ ๐ณ๐ฆ๐จ๐ข๐ณ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐ค๐ณ๐ข๐ง๐ต๐ด๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ๐ด๐ฉ๐ช๐ฑ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ค๐ช๐ด๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ.
The scope of work is extensive and unfolds over several weeks, involving both detailed mechanical servicing and partial structural restoration. From filing, voicing and refitting hammers, to restringing, repinning, repairing chipped ivories, regulating the mechanism and ultimately tuning the piano back to concert pitch, ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฝ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ป๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐๐ฟ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐โ๐ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต๐ป๐ฒ๐๐, ๐ฐ๐น๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐.
Once complete, this restoration will significantly elevate the standard of Unionโs music programme.
๐ช๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ต ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฟ ๐ณ๐๐น๐น ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฎ๐น, ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐๐ฟ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ณ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ, ๐๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ต๐ป๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ด๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐๐ต ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ด ๐บ๐๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ท๐ผ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ต๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ต๐ถ๐ด๐ต-๐น๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ. These restored instruments will enrich ensembles, support teaching excellence and enhance the quality of every concert and cultural event hosted by the school.
We extend our ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ง๐๐๐๐ง ๐ง๐๐๐ก๐๐ฆ to Montego Pet Nutrition for their generous contribution to Unionโs music programme, which has made this venture possible. We are equally grateful to the ๐๐น๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ญ๐ต๐ณ๐ฑ for their valued support of this costly and highly specialised project. Their commitment ensures that Unionโs proud musical heritage continues to flourish for generations to come.
This December holiday is a busy one on our campus, with several ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฐ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ท๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ – and weโre excited to share that our brand-new long jump pit is one of them!
The construction team has been hard at work and the pit is now nearing completion.
