On the first day of school at Wembley this year, our teachers were asked to create an art piece to represent their school phase.

The theme at Wembley this year is Ubuntu. “I am because you are.”

“One of South Africa’s most renowned artists, Esther Mahlangu paints vibrant geometric works based on traditional Ndebele designs. She grew up in the Ndebele community, and honed her linework while painting houses —customarily a woman’s task. Mahlangu’s iconic work drew international attention when she was the first woman and the first African artist to be commissioned to paint a BMW Art Car. Mahlangu has also partnered with brands as varied as Belvedere, British Airways, and Rolls-Royce, and her work is in the collections of celebrities like John Legend, Oprah Winfrey, Trevor Noah, and Swizz Beatz. She still lives in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province, where she teaches Ndebele painting and beadwork to young artists.”

The Wembley teachers were given geometric designs to create a piece of art work that represents the values in their phase of the school. The three magnificent works of art in the reception area are what our teachers choice to represent their school phase.

On Saturday we celebrated Heritage day. This photograph shows the rich cultures in the Umvoti area. In our school we celebrate that each person is unique and we are all diverse but through our diversity we will find unity.

Ubuntu is an ancient African word meaning ‘humanity to others’. It is often described as reminding us that ‘I am what I am because of who we all are’.