Our students have excelled in ancillary academic research, which is recognised within the school’s Academia Award system. This covers Olympiads (English, Maths, Science, Life Sciences), research projects, Music and Art Eisteddfodau and similar opportunities. Particular successes recently have come from –
Francois Naudé – Matric 2018 – top student in East London. 3rd in Eastern Cape
Francois Naudé & Nishaan Vasi - Honours cum laude for Academics 2017 & 2018
Haydon Anderson - Honours cum laude for Academics 2018
Mari Clark, Haydon Anderson, Marlo Kirsten – top 3 placings in national Radikale Redenaars Competition 2018
Jada Freeman – 3rd in Grade 11 in SAIPA National Accounting Olympiad 2018
Ashley Eichstädt – 4th in national English Olympiad, 1st in national SACEE Language Challenge 2018
Laura-Jean Runchman - Honours cum laude for Academics 2017
Kai Chen – Honours cum laude for Academics 2016
Emma Wagenaar – 1st in SA in Grade 11 SACEE Language Challenge 2015
Michelle de Beer – 3rd in SA in Grade 11 SACEE Language Challenge 2015
Sara Goldsmid - 4th in South Africa (top female) in the National Life Science Olympiad 2014
Bianca Brandt - represented SA in Taiwan at the International Science Fair in 2014
Brandon Davoren - 3rd in the National Science Essay Competition 2011
Danielle Botha, Michael Harvey & Richard Goosen - national winners of the South African Institute of Civil Engineers Schools’ Water Network Competition 2011
James Foulkes - represented SA in Reunion Islands at the International Science Fair in 2010
Harry Frauenstein - top 10 in the National Science Olympiad Life Sciences Examination 2010
Lucas Anderson - top 10 in the National Science Olympiad Life Sciences Examination in his age-group in 2008, 2009 and 2010
Martin Kemp - represented South Africa at World Science Fair in Boston 2008
There is a decades-long tradition of excellence in Maths Olympiads, with numerous Stirling students selected to represent Border and even South Africa in Maths Olympiad teams. Stirling has been recognised as one of the top Maths schools in the country and receives regular funding from the Epoch and Optima Trusts (founded by Anglo American) specifically for the enhancement of Maths education.
Life Science and Natural Science students are very active in extra research and activities, including the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists, Olympiads and the Grahamstown Science Festival. Regular academic tours and excursions in subjects like Geography, English, Business Studies, History and Music are also on offer. We encourage as much international exposure and experience as possible and foreign tours are also available. There have been regular sight-seeing tours to Europe, and an exchange programme with Lancaster High School in Britain has given staff and students an opportunity to experience a different culture for a couple of weeks at a time.
The 21 Club is a very prestigious society consisting of the top 10 academic pupils from Grades 11 and 12, along with the teacher in charge. Members are chosen based on their academic ranking from the previous year (the November examination results). The Chairperson, a Grade 12 learner, and the secretary, a Grade 11 learner, are elected annually, and regular seminars take place where students present the findings of research they have undertaken.