LEADERSHIP ROOTED IN PURPOSE: Kraaifontein High School

In 2019, when Kervin Grove stepped into his role as Principal of Kraaifontein High School, he did not inherit a stable, high-functioning school. He stepped into a space that was still finding its identity - a newly opened school, filled with learners from disrupted educational backgrounds, many of whom had fallen out of the system and were trying to find their way back. Teachers were young and inexperienced. Discipline was fragile. Learning was inconsistent. “It was challenging… learners were fighting against the system, and there was very little structure,” he reflects. But for Kervin, the issue was never just about discipline. It was about learning - and more importantly, about creating the conditions where learning could happen consistently, every day. In those early days, the school ran long hours, stretching from 07h30 to 16h00. Yet, despite the extended time, outcomes did not improve. Learners disengaged. After break, classrooms emptied. Teachers struggled to maintain control. That was the turning point. Kervin began shifting his focus - away from simply managing the school, towards instructional leadership - leading teaching and learning directly. This shift placed teaching learning at the centre of every decision in the school. He started with the basics: Routines. Time. Expectations. Lost teaching time became a priority. What seemed like small gaps - 10 minutes lost after break, another 10 minutes later in the day - added up to significant lost learning over a week. By tightening routines, ringing the bell earlier and holding both learners and teachers accountable, that time was reclaimed. Structure began to replace chaos. A critical shift came in how conversations in the school were led. Instead of general discussions about performance, Kervin introduced a focus on data-driven conversations. Conversations with teachers became clearer, more direct and more purposeful. The focus was no longer on assumptions, but on evidence - what learners were achieving, where they were struggling, and what needed to change in the classroom. This shift helped move the school from reactive responses to intentional, focused improvement. The matric pass rate in 2025 is an impressive result of this intentional movement - achieving 88.89%, reflecting a remarkable improvement from 72% in 2024. In 2025, Kervin completed the Instructional Leadership Institute's Development Programme - an experience that strengthened and deepened the work already underway in the school. “The programme cemented what I already knew… but the coaching and mentoring added tremendous value,” he says. One of the most powerful outcomes of the ILI Programme was the integration of coaching into daily practice. Today, coaching is not an add-on - it is part of how the school functions. Leaders are in classrooms regularly. Lessons are observed. Feedback is given. Teaching is continuously refined. “We now have our own coaching programme running with our teachers,” he explains. This consistent presence has shifted both accountability and support. Teachers are no longer working in isolation. They are part of an ongoing process of development. At the heart of this transformation is a simple but powerful belief: Better teaching leads to better outcomes - in both learning and behaviour. “The better the teaching, the fewer classroom management challenges you have, Kervin says. With this in mind, the school has focused on strengthening the core of teaching practice — lesson planning, checking for understanding and establishing consistent classroom routines. These are not once-off interventions. They are daily practices, reinforced through coaching, observation and shared standards across the school. The context in which this work takes place remains deeply challenging. Kraaifontein High is a no-fee school serving a community where many learners arrive already far behind expected levels. Some struggle with foundational skills that should have been developed years earlier. And yet, despite these realities, progress is visible. Systemic Mathematics pass rate improved from 1.7% to 10.9%. 100+ minutes of teaching time reclaimed every week. Classrooms are more stable. Discipline systems are functioning more effectively. A stronger sense of unity has emerged across the school. Through a consistent focus on instructional leadership - protecting teaching time, using data to guide decisions, and strengthening classroom practice - the school began to see measurable improvements. This belief underpins everything - the expectations placed on teachers, the investment in coaching and the relentless focus on improving learning outcomes. At Kraaifontein High, instructional leadership is not abstract. It is visible in classrooms, in conversations and in the daily commitment to doing things better. Kervin Grove, Principal of Kraaifontein High School (ILI Graduate 2025)