KOA ACADEMY HIGHLIGHTS THE ADVANTAGES OF AN IEB EDUCATION IN A GLOBALISED WORLD

The pandemic years shut down a lot, but also created unexpected openings and many digital escalations. For instance, school choice has been irrevocably changed across the world.  Online school may not be the solution for every child, or every family, but many got a taste for the greater flexibility and wider scope in education that can be offered in the digital realm.  When it comes to decisions about school, geography has ruled supreme, but this is no longer the case.  Going the digital school route, parents can place more emphasis on other considerations such as the different curriculum and assessment systems that can help set your child up for success.

Koa Academy, a high engagement online school is IEB-accredited.  The Independent Examinations Boards (IEB) governs the curriculum and assessment standards of private educational institutions in South Africa.   Koa Academy’s Principal, Mark Anderson says, “The IEB offers internationally recognised qualifications which are becoming increasingly important to today’s South African parents who are raising kids likely to become global workers, or who may want international study options available to their children once they have finished school.  Many see the advantages in their children achieving an IEB National Senior Certificate that is well-recognised as equivalent to the UK’s AS Level.”

Proudly South African, the IEB has an impressive track record with many of their NSC and Advanced Programmes in Mathematics and English graduates going on to study at elite international universities.  While that might not be an aspiration of all parents, the benefits of an IEB qualification have come into focus in this era of globalization.  Parents do want their children to have an education that opens doors for them when it comes to further studies and employability.  Anderson says, “Opportunities for remote working are increasing vastly and we want our children to be able to join the pool of global workers so that use their talents wherever and however they can in a world of work that is rapidly changing and radically evolving. There’s no doubt that solid international recognition for your school qualification can be a significant enabler of modern careers, which is one of the reasons that Koa has opted for the IEB system.  However, it is important to note that the IEB also has a particular style and system of teaching and assessing that is also a significant advantage. It’s less about memorisation and more about the application of learning which sets kids up better for success at university which has a similar approach.”

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How Impaq helps you work through the CAPS curriculum

Whether you are a homeschooling veteran or a nervous newcomer, looking at all the content you need to cover can be overwhelming. Luckily, Impaq makes working through the CAPS curriculum easy! All you have to do is pick a grade, complete your registration, and you’ll be provided with everything you need to complete the year at home (and have some fun along the way). Here’s how we help you make learning at home a breeze.

Read more here: From CAPS to Cambridge and everything in between

Planning for the year ahead

 

Dale Carnegie knew a thing or two about planning for success as he famously said: “An hour of planning can save you 10 hours of doing”. And by now, you might be wondering how many hours you need to spend planning for the year ahead to save time down the road. The answer? Almost none.

With Impaq Homeschooling, the planning is already done for you. We provide carefully crafted lesson plans that tell you exactly how much time you need to spend on each subject, and how to integrate the lesson plans with the learner material. The curriculum is broken down into bite-sized bits to help you and your child know exactly what to focus on during each term. Lesson plans, along with weekly calendars and additional resources are available on the Optimi Learning Portal (OLP).

CAPS made easy

As a homeschool parent, the CAPS curriculum can seem content-heavy, and you might be wondering what to focus on. As of 2024, Impaq will be providing our learners with a framework of what to concentrate on for each subject. We have organised the content to make it easier for homeschool parents to work through the curriculum challenges and ensure that their child masters the basic concepts. All these resources can be found on OLP.

All the support you need

 

As a homeschooling parent, you will receive your very own facilitator’s guides to help you teach your child at home. These detailed guides accompany the lesson material your child receives and give you step-by-step guidance to set your child up for success. Prepping for tests and examinations is also made easy as you can find suggested timetables for Grades 4 to 9 on OLP. You can then decide whether to stick to these timetables or to create your own. Grade 10 to 12 learners write tests and exams according to a strict timetable

If you find yourself needing some additional support, especially in certain subject areas such as Mathematics and Physical Sciences, you can reach out to our team of education specialists. They are always happy to assist and support parents with any academic queries. You can also find the answers to most of your homeschooling questions on our client helpdesk.

Enjoy online resources

The Optimi Learning Portal (OLP) serves as our learning hub and contains a treasure trove of digital resources. Along with the lesson material your child receives, they can find additional resources per subject on OLP, including educational videos, quizzes, previous examination papers, helpful notes and much more.

Learners can also easily access both live and pre-recorded subject guidance sessions on OLP. These sessions focus on providing guidance on how to complete specific assessments, revision for more difficult concepts, as well as enrichment lessons.

Track your child’s progress

 

Tracking your child’s progress is as easy as logging in to OLP. With the click of a button, you will be able to see which lessons your child has completed (marked in green) and which lessons they still need to complete (marked in red). You will also be able to capture the marks for their tasks, tests, and examinations (depending on their grade) and generate report cards.

The advantage of keeping track of your child’s progress is that you can easily see which subjects or topics they need a bit more help with. This individualised attention ensures that your child fully grasps the concepts before moving on to more advanced topics.

A fun adventure

Now that the planning is done, the content is sorted, and you have access to additional support, you can spend your time on making learning fun. With everything laid out for you, you’ll have more time to focus on your child and plan exciting excursions and activities.

If you find you have some extra time or your child is especially interested in a certain subject or topic, why not incorporate it into your daily lessons? Learn a new language like isiZulu, take up a new hobby such as robotics, learn how to develop successful study habits or take your learner on a virtual adventure through the African bush.

 

Also read: Say yebo to isiZulu! The benefits of multilingualism

Register today

With Impaq as your guide, homeschooling has never been easier. Ready to get started? Register online or send an email to [email protected] 

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Inspiring journeys: Success stories from the Impaq Online School

Meet three students who have found themselves thriving at the Impaq Online School. With diverse backgrounds, each student brings a unique perspective to the digital classroom. We learn more about how they have adapted to this new way of learning and how they have transformed along the way.

Choosing the Impaq Online School

Grade 11 Impaq Online School learner Matthew J Dunn switched from homeschooling to online schooling in 2023. Grade 9 learners Kalyn Payne and Carla Roets switched from classroom walls to digital calls at the start of 2024.

 

For Matthew, switching to online learning gave him the freedom of flexibility: “The Impaq Online School is more travel-friendly than traditional schooling because I can learn from anywhere”. But besides being a school you can pack in a bag, online schooling has proved to be an effective strategy to beat the bullies.

Kalyn’s mom, Ronel Payne, says that Kalyn was being bullied at her previous school. “Not only did this impact her emotionally, but it also affected her schoolwork,” Ronel explains. They decided to switch to online learning to see if it would make things easier for Kalyn, and it did: “I now have a changed child at home,” Ronel says. “I have a happy child for the first time in a long time,” she adds.

Many parents feel that their kids get lost in traditional brick-and-mortar schools. This was the case for Carla, who says she made the switch because she wasn’t doing as well as she wanted to. “The Impaq Online School offered me a fresh start,” she explains.

The best of IOS

Not only did Carla get a fresh start at her new school, but she could now also enjoy the daily interactive classes. Carla says she loves connecting with her peers: “I love to participate in class conversation with the teachers and my classmates”. However, these connections are not limited to school hours, as Carla made three new best friends. “I can be myself with them,” she adds.

Ronel says that what she and Kalyn enjoy the most about the Impaq Online School is that there is no pressure around sports and extramural activities. At the Impaq Online School, learners receive a holistic education with mental wellness and physical activities included in the school timetable.

Read more: Winter warriors: How to stay active in the cold

On the other hand, Matthew says he enjoys the special events the most. The Impaq Online School hosts fun events throughout the year to encourage student participation. Matthew’s favourite is the virtual bake-off.

 

Learners can also join mentored social clubs, including the Impaq Online School leadership team and journalism club.

Experiencing the difference

Matthew, Kalyn and Carla say that they love learning online! When we asked what they liked most about the Impaq Online School (as opposed to a traditional school environment), they had a whole list of benefits:

  • More freedom and flexibility to embrace hobbies.
  • Great peer engagement.
  • Fun virtual events.
  • Never worry about transport.
  • No concerns about fitting in at school.
  • No more school uniforms.
  • More options when it comes to subject choices.

Also read: Do’s and don’ts of online learning

A 5-star learning experience

At the Impaq Online School, our SACE-registered teachers are passionate about making a difference. Ronel says that Kalyn loves her teachers. “Kalyn is no longer afraid to send an email or speak to any of the teachers. This was a concern in normal school as Kalyn never asked questions,” Ronel explains. Matthew also says that a helping hand is always close by. “All my teachers are always ready to assist with any of my questions”, he adds. “If I could give Impaq a rating, it would have to be 5/5 stars!”. Carla agrees and says that her teachers are kind and helpful.

 

Strategies for online learning success

Matthews says that when he is faced with a challenge, the Impaq Online School provides him with many solutions. Here’s how he goes about it:

  • He watches educational videos on the Optimi Learning Portal (OLP).
  • He reaches out to the specific subject teacher for extra classes.
  • He asks his homeroom teacher for clarification on the issue.

Carla says it was challenging to start again with different learning methods, but she was willing to work hard and focus on understanding all her subjects. Ronel says that so far, it has been smooth sailing for Kalyn. “I love what I have seen,” Ronel says. She explains that Kalyn now understands the work and no longer complains that it is too difficult.

At the Impaq Online School, learners get additional academic support through extra classes, intervention classes, master classes, and the Grade 12 Winter School.

 

Thriving in the virtual classroom

Switching to the Impaq Online School has been transformative for Kalyn. Ronel notes a positive change in her personality: “She is friendlier and more excited about projects”. Achieving 80% on a task for the first time reflects her newfound dedication to academics. “Now she cares, and she puts the effort in,” Ronel adds. Carla agrees: “I have more confidence in myself now that I am able to achieve what I set my mind to”.

Also read: Beating burnout: mental wellness for online learners

Matthew, already a top achiever, credits Impaq for further academic advancement. He cheekily adds that his favourite experience at the Impaq Online School is the award ceremony.

The transformative power of online learning

Kalyn, Carla, and Matthew’s success stories show the profound impact online learning has had on not only their academic journeys but also their personal wellbeing. From newfound enthusiasm and dedication to enhanced confidence and continued academic excellence, their experiences underscore the transformative potential of online learning.

 

Are you ready to make the change? Click here to learn more about the Impaq Online School or contact us at [email protected].

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Start off strong with alternative education in 2025

As you look ahead to the new school year, you’re probably searching for learning options that not only reflect your family’s values but also nurture your child’s overall well-being. Alternative education – such as homeschooling and online schooling – can help you achieve just that. It offers the freedom to step away from the traditional system’s constraints and craft a learning environment that truly supports your child’s growth. 

With more flexibility to plan your day and study from anywhere – and step-by-step guidance from specialist teachers – alternative education lays the foundation for your child’s success in 2025. 

Why alternative education makes sense 

Traditional schooling can come with hurdles like limited classroom capacity and a one-size-fits-all approach to education. These often add stress and take your focus away from what’s really important: helping your child thrive. By choosing alternative education, you can enjoy: 

  • Freedom of choice: Alternative education keeps up with the growing demand for quality learning, offering you and your learner more freedom to maintain your chosen lifestyle. 
  • Active parent involvement: Have a direct hand in shaping your child’s education, deepening your connection, and tailoring their learning to their interests and strengths. 
  • Strong legal footing: Choose to homeschool with confidence, knowing it’s recognised and supported under South African law and the BELA Bill. 
  • Adaptable start ages: Align with the new Grade R requirement while giving learners detailed guidance and the attention they need to thrive. 

If your child is working toward their National Senior Certificate (NSC), or matric, alternative education can provide a well-structured environment that helps them succeed academically and personally – setting them up for a confident start to the new year. 

Crucial resources for back-to-school success 

To make the most of 2025, consider partnering with leading alternative education providers who can offer additional support. This can include: 

  • Access to qualified experts: Tap into step-by-step guidance from specialist teachers and friendly support staff, ensuring your child receives meaningful assessments and well-rounded academic support at every point in their educational journey. 
  • CAPS-aligned materials: Switch from traditional schooling effortlessly with study materials aligned to the nationally recognised CAPS curriculum. 
  • Learning portals and apps: Centralised digital platforms give you quick, convenient access to study resources and simplify daily scheduling – perfect for parents who want to stay involved. 
  • Meaningful connections: Join a community of homeschooling parents and learners on social media and learn from their experiences. Hear their success stories and get tips that will reassure and motivate you. 

These tools help you create a learning environment that maximises your child’s potential. That said, the benefits of home- and online schooling go well beyond your learner’s academic results. 

Mental health advantages of alternative education 

In many traditional school settings, issues like bullying and a lack of classroom capacity can add stress for both you and your child. By contrast, homeschooling and online schooling prioritise emotional well-being. Your child can feel safe, focused, and free to learn in a caring, personalised setting without unnecessary distractions or pressure. 

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You’ll also find peace of mind by playing an active role in their education. This empowerment can bring a deep sense of fulfilment as you watch your child develop a strong sense of identity, values, and self-confidence – traits that traditional schooling might not always foster. 

Ready to make 2025 extraordinary for your child? 

 At Impaq, we understand the importance of an education that nurtures the whole learner. Let’s work together to make this a year of excellence. Register your child for our homeschooling or online school program today! 

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