Latest news with #InspiredEducationGroup
The Citizen
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Reddam House learners win Inspired Education's top global scholarship
The Inspired Education Group announced Zuri Conroy and Mackensie McKay as SA's newest recipients of the Nsouli Scholars Programme. Conroy, from Reddam House Constantia, and McKay, from Reddam House Bedfordview, were selected after a rigorous selection process recognising academic excellence, leadership and co-curricular achievement. Both girls began high school at Inspired's Reddam House schools in January. As Inspired's flagship scholarship initiative, the Nsouli Scholars Programme was established in honour of Nadim Nsouli, the founder, chairperson and CEO of the Inspired leading global group of premium schools. ALSO READ: Little Eden takes disability awareness to Reddam House The scholarship offers life-changing opportunities to exceptional learners globally who would not otherwise have access to join the Inspired Group. It fully funds tuition and, where applicable, boarding for the duration of a learner's senior school years. About 16 new scholarships are awarded annually across Inspired schools worldwide. Conroy and McKay exemplify the core pillars of an Inspired education: Academic excellence, leadership and a strong commitment to co-curricular achievement in sports or the performing arts. Both girls distinguished themselves through their resilience, determination and ability to inspire those around them. 'At Inspired, we believe talent should never be limited by circumstance,' said Nsouli. 'Zuri and Mackensie represent the future – determined, compassionate and courageous young women who are already making an impact. ALSO READ: Reddam House stages dance extravaganza 'We are proud to support their journeys and welcome them into our global community of schools.' The Nsouli Scholars Programme supports up to 50 learners across Inspired's global network at any one time. Conroy is driven by a strong academic discipline, particularly excelling in the economic and management sciences and mathematics. She is passionate about justice and aspires to become a lawyer. Equally motivated by her values and purpose, she dreams of one day sponsoring a student through school. When speaking about the scholarship, she said, 'I'm most excited about the chance to grow in academics and water polo and be part of a school that offers many opportunities. It's a fresh start where I can truly shine.' McKay joined Reddam House Bedfordview as a Nsouli Scholar following an outstanding academic and sporting career at Bedfordview Primary School. ALSO READ: Help Reddam House player represent SA for Rugby World Cup in Ireland She was a top academic achiever, having been the Dux Scholar for five consecutive years, maintaining an average consistently in the high 90s. She is also part of a team that won national titles and will compete in the World Championships in Germany this year. Stephen Hazley, the executive head of Reddam House Bedfordview, said, 'Mackensie is an exceptional learner who embodies excellence, compassion and perseverance. She balances elite sport and academics with quiet strength and humility. We are honoured to have her at Reddam Bedfordview.' McKay described the scholarship as an incredible opportunity that reinforced her belief in the power of hard work and focus. 'I want to keep improving. Whether it's gymnastics or school, I want to be the best version of myself every day,' she said. 'Being chosen as a Nsouli Scholar is my proudest achievement, along with being an SA gymnastics champion. 'I've trained for years to get here. My dream is to become a paediatrician and help children in Africa live healthier lives. 'That's where my heart is,' she added. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Daily Mail
24-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Education boss who sent e-mails joking about cocaine and strippers is cleared of wrongdoing after explaining he was pretending to be Wolf of Wall Street character
An education boss who sent emails joking about cocaine and strippers has been cleared of any wrongdoing after saying he was pretending to be Wolf of Wall Street character. Tom Crombie, 40, of Edinburgh, Scotland, appeared at the High Court in London this week after being accused of 'fraudulent misrepresentation' and gross misconduct relating to his email exchanges with a senior executive. Former schoolteacher Crombie had negotiated to sell a stake of his company My Online Schooling for £9million to Inspired Education Group, which boasts more than 90,000 students in 119 schools across 27 countries. However, Inspired claimed 10 email exchanges between Crombie and the executive evidenced drug and alcohol use and were 'highly offensive, obscene, vulgar, racist, sexist and discriminatory'. They said the true value of the stake should be at least halved because of this, meaning Crombie would lose at least £4.5million. But the 40-year-old's defence that his emails - which made apparent reference to cocaine - were 'banter' have been upheld by a judge. One of Crombie's emails read: 'Who nose how busy London will be this week. Will be good to see Charlie, the new king if he's in town. 'Weather looking cooler next week and possible snow. Looking like that fine powder type. Think there are tourists coming from as far afield as Columbia which will be great to see.' Crombie, who first taught in Scotland and New Zealand before founding his online school in 2016, said the plot of The Wolf of Wall Street was 'two guys running a business get into the world of drugs and other related trouble'. In another email, Crombie wrote: 'Arrive in London… C & S [cocaine and strippers] till we leave (in body bags).' Mrs Justice Joanna Smith said the exchanges were 'a minuscule proportion' of the messages between the pair over two years and that they did not warrant claims of gross misconduct. She said: 'Looked at dispassionately, the emails evidence the occasional unprofessional and inappropriate use of work emails as a means of letting off steam. 'The mere fact of sending an inappropriate or unprofessional message from a company email address does not itself constitute gross misconduct. 'They had not been acting improperly on school business. On the contrary their conduct towards everyone outside their tight-knit friendship was at all times entirely professional. 'The alcohol and cocaine emails do not evidence actual overconsumption of alcohol or the possession of, or use of, illegal drugs, but rather a somewhat immature and naive "letting off steam" by two close friends with a dark and ironic sense of humour who were working all hours to make the business a success.' Crombie said the emails were 'an ironic comparison' to the movie Wolf of Wall Street, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jordan Belfort and Jonah Hill as Donnie Azoff. Judge Smith said the emails showed the kind of 'light-hearted banterous, and sometimes ludicrous, exchanges of the type that occur between friends'. She added the men shared a 'long-running joke to contrast their lives with the 'alpha male' conduct of the film's protagonists. The judge dismissed a further claim that the men's reference to 'tidies' was a 'disrespectful, demeaning and sexist term for a woman' and accepted it was 'a term used in Scotland for a good-looking, attractive, woman'. Smith also accepted that the men were unaware that the hit song Roxanne, performed by The Police, was about a prostitute after the pair had referred to 'red light' during an exchange about a senior colleague named Roxanne.
