Encounter inspiration
From his very first day, each Hilton boy begins to create his own story – a unique story that will one day inspire others.
In grade 8 at Hilton College, exploration is a rite of passage.
By engaging in an intentionally designed series of diverse, motivating and fun experiences, he comes to understand the stuff he’s really made of. Immersed in a brand-new environment, he begins to explore outside of himself. But not without some vital tools.
Each grade 8 will enjoy exhilarating outdoor adventures on the sprawling estate, learn practical ways to navigate the “busy-ness” of school life, get along with boys from interesting and unknown worlds, and explore and integrate unencountered ideas.
Grade 8 is all about the mix.
Every boy will go beyond the context he knows, meeting boys from more backgrounds than ever before. Every dorm is a deliberate mix of cultures and interests. Athletes, artists, thinkers, introverts, extroverts – from privileged backgrounds to humble backgrounds. From Singapore to Zululand. Here they’ll discover that what connects them far outweighs their differences.
The team and the tools he needs to navigate it all.
Each boy’s personal support team helps him develop ways to explore wisely. As the one determining his journey, he’s the central player – but having a broad, experienced, proactive team to back him definitely helps. His parents, matric mentor and grade 9 buddy, housemaster and deputy housemasters, chaplain, teachers, sports coaches and counsellor are critical teammates who will get to know him really well. Each has his best interests at heart and stays in close communication.
What to expect
When he arrives at school nervous and excited, his matric mentor meets him and his parents in his boarding house, ready to help him understand everything he can gain from being at this unique school.
He will meet his tutor group, which includes two boys from each grade, his matric mentor and his grade 9 buddy (who orientates him to the day-to-day aspects of boarding).
Conflict will arise – each boy’s idiosyncrasies will clash with those of others – which is why they’ll all be equipped with tools for listening, managing themselves and resolving these situations: Tools for life.
Programme
New grade 8s at Hilton College come from over 50 schools, and we have representation from over 20 nationalities across our campus. We treasure the fact that we have bold boys willing to leave their comfort zones to make new friends.
Orientation Week
Boys explore the campus grounds and understand their support network.
House Camp-outs
Boys spend a night on the Estate with their dorm, dormitory leader and Housemaster. This experience allows the boys to bond with each other and the key members of their team.
Estate Orientation Day
An opportunity to explore the Estate in a fun way (with an element of competition). This creates opportunities to learn about our Estate and ecosystem in a hands-on and immersive way.
Study Skills, Time-Management & Organisation Workshop
Being away from home is a daunting new experience. For many boys, it’s the first time they have to manage their diaries, plan study schedules and organise their busy weeks. All boys attend a workshop with our Student Support Director, where they learn to develop independence and self-regulate more effectively. We reinforce these skills throughout the year in sessions with our in-house Educational Psychologist. Some boys may need more intensive one-on-one support in this area, which our Student Support team provides.
Two Project Weeks
Independence and collaboration are key skills that we aim to develop in our boys as they start their journey at Hilton College. We promote this through project-based learning, a dynamic approach in which students explore real-world problems and challenges, simultaneously developing cross-curriculum skills while working in small collaborative groups.
Twice during the year, we suspend the timetable for a week and task the boys with a project that enables them to demonstrate the skills they’ve developed – both subject-specific skills and communication, collaboration, problem-solving and creativity. The focus is on the process of the project rather than on the result. We encourage the boys to reflect on their learning and the learning of others.
Outdoor Leadership Experience
A vital part of the curriculum is the time that the boys spend on the Estate – a valuable and integral part of life at Hilton College. Immersing boys in a natural environment for an extended period helps us achieve our intended outcomes of developing resilience, personal growth, a sense of fun in the outdoors and a deeper understanding of the natural environment. This includes Junior Journey, some time at a more natural satellite camp, and time at the Lapa. Integrating authentic and appropriate areas of academic learning promotes the understanding that the world is a set of related systems.
Learning Spheres
The boys cover two Learning Spheres per term. Over the year, they will experience each Learning Sphere twice with a focus on different modules.
By integrating these learning areas, we teach subjects collaboratively, promoting an understanding of connections and relevance in the wider world.
Our elective offering fosters enthusiasm, agency and a love of learning
In this exciting new addition to our grade 8 learning experience, boys can choose two modules from an offering of eight. These courses promote understanding and enthusiasm in a range of subject areas.
Study Skills, Time-Management & Organisation Workshop
Being away from home is a daunting new experience. For many boys, it’s the first time they have to manage their diaries, plan study schedules and organise their busy weeks. All boys attend a workshop with our Student Support Director, where they learn to develop independence and self-regulate more effectively. We reinforce these skills throughout the year in sessions with our in-house Educational Psychologist. Some boys may need more intensive one-on-one support in this area, which our Student Support team provides.
Two Project Weeks
Independence and collaboration are key skills that we aim to develop in our boys as they start their journey at Hilton College. We promote this through project-based learning, a dynamic approach in which students explore real-world problems and challenges, simultaneously developing cross-curriculum skills while working in small collaborative groups.
Twice during the year, we suspend the timetable for a week and task the boys with a project that enables them to demonstrate the skills they’ve developed – both subject-specific skills and communication, collaboration, problem-solving and creativity. The focus is on the process of the project rather than on the result. We encourage the boys to reflect on their learning and the learning of others.
Outdoor Leadership Experience
A vital part of the curriculum is the time that the boys spend on the Estate – a valuable and integral part of life at Hilton College. Immersing boys in a natural environment for an extended period helps us achieve our intended outcomes of developing resilience, personal growth, a sense of fun in the outdoors and a deeper understanding of the natural environment. This includes Junior Journey, some time at a more natural satellite camp, and time at the Lapa. Integrating authentic and appropriate areas of academic learning promotes the understanding that the world is a set of related systems.
Learning Spheres
The boys cover two Learning Spheres per term. Over the year, they will experience each Learning Sphere twice with a focus on different modules.
By integrating these learning areas, we teach subjects collaboratively, promoting an understanding of connections and relevance in the wider world.
Elective Offering fostering enthusiasm, agency and a love of learning
In this exciting new addition to our grade 8 learning experience, boys can choose two modules from an offering of eight. These courses promote understanding and enthusiasm in a range of subject areas.
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