Bringing more than 21 years of educational experience to Randburg, Marion Kohler is building a school where students are known, supported and inspired to achieve their potential.
Opening a new school presents a rare opportunity to build its culture, relationships and educational experience purposefully from the beginning. Marion Kohler, Principal of Abbotts Bordeaux, is ready to make that opportunity count.
Kohler brings more than 21 years of experience in education to the new Abbotts High School campus in Randburg. She has spent over two decades within the Advtech Schools Division and most recently served as Principal of Abbotts High School Johannesburg South for five years.
Her professional journey began in an unexpected place: the entertainment industry.
“Working in entertainment taught me how to communicate with all kinds of people, think on my feet, manage unexpected situations and connect with an audience,” says Kohler. “Those skills have translated surprisingly well into school leadership.”
Kohler studied Psychology, completed a Master’s degree in Advanced Education and is pursuing an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership. Her commitment to continued learning has shaped a leadership philosophy focused on understanding people and helping them realise their potential.
Building a school community together
The opportunity to lead Abbotts Bordeaux represents far more than opening another campus for Kohler. It provides the chance to create a new school community in which founding families and students can participate actively.
“There is something very special about being able to say, ‘We were here from the beginning,’” she says. “We want our founding families to feel that they are genuinely part of the journey.”
Located on the former VEGA Bordeaux campus, the school will offer a contemporary environment reflecting the Abbotts approach: academically focused, future-oriented, individualised and purposeful.
Kohler hopes students will experience a school where they are recognised as individuals, encouraged to be themselves and challenged to grow.
“I hope our students will one day say, ‘I was challenged, I was supported, and I discovered what I was capable of.’”
Preparing teenagers for a changing world
Teenagers are growing up in a rapidly changing and often demanding world. Kohler believes schools must equip them with the knowledge, confidence and personal values needed to navigate it successfully.
Her educational philosophy combines nurturing support with high expectations. Academic achievement remains important, but so do kindness, respect, integrity, responsibility and self-belief.
“Behind every result is a young person with different strengths, challenges, interests and ambitions,” she explains. “I want students to leave Abbotts Bordeaux believing they are capable.”
This individualised approach is especially valuable during the transition into Grade 8. Students must adjust to different teachers, subjects, friendships and greater independence, making emotional support and a sense of belonging essential.
“A student who knows there is an adult at school who notices them and is there to support them has a much stronger foundation from which to learn and grow,” says Kohler.
Freedom grounded in responsibility
Abbotts High School’s “Freedom with Purpose” philosophy recognises teenagers as young adults in preparation. Students receive structure, boundaries and academic guidance while developing the independence required for life beyond school.
Kohler views responsibility as a skill developed gradually through everyday choices. Remembering books, managing time, completing assignments and asking for help can eventually become self-discipline, accountability and independence.
“Teachers can teach, parents can support and schools can provide opportunities, but ultimately students must learn to take ownership of their choices, effort and progress,” she says.
Responsibility does not mean less support. Teachers guide students towards understanding their strengths, identifying areas for improvement, setting goals and taking meaningful action.
“The ultimate goal is not to create students who always ask, ‘What do I have to do?’ It is to develop young adults who ask, ‘What do I need to do to achieve this?’”
Creating a legacy
Abbotts Bordeaux’s first students will help shape the school’s traditions, character and achievements.
“They will not simply be joining an established school; they will help create one,” says Kohler. “Their experiences, ideas and achievements will become part of our story.”
Her vision is for students to leave equipped with ambition, confidence, resilience, kindness and the ability to turn their goals into reality.
“We are not simply preparing students for their next test or grade,” Kohler concludes. “We are preparing them for their lives. That is what education is really about.”
