Information

Pre-Prep was founded in 1962 with 24 boys.  It consisted of two classrooms, a staff room, kitchen and a cloakroom.  The school now consists of three Grade R classrooms and playground with a small staff room and kitchen, three Grade 1 classrooms and three Grade 2 classrooms.  There is a small hall and offices with a staff room.  Both Grade 1 and Grade 2 have their own play area with climbing apparatus.  As we are on the College campus, the boys are also able to make use of the sports field beside the school.

The classrooms are light and airy with doors opening out onto a veranda.  The maximum number of boys per class is set at 24.  The teachers in the Grade R section enjoy the assistance of a Teacher’s Aide in each classroom, who is able to lend support where needed.  All the classrooms are well-equipped with teaching apparatus as well as games, puzzles, Planx, blocks, Lego, Lazy and other toys which inspire the boys to interact and be creative while learning at the same time.  The Grade 1 and 2 classrooms each have a computer;  a digital data projector and a Mimio which allows the teacher to create an interactive board on her white board; a television set and video machine together with a DVD player which is used to support the learning experience, and on rainy days when playing outside is not possible; a splitter box with headphones which enables the teachers to ensure that phonics and spelling is consolidated or read-along stories can be listened to without disturbing the rest of the class.
We have a music teacher who is permanently attached to the Pre-Prep and she takes the classes from Grade R to Grade 2 on a weekly basis for singing, movement to music and percussion.  Boys are able to begin recorder lessons from the start of Grade 1 and at Grade R after an audition with the music teacher.  Any parent wishing their son to learn to play another instrument may contact the Head of Music at the Prep school.  Boys wishing to sing in the Pre-Prep Choir are auditioned.  Their practices take place before school once a week.

Ballskills is taught by the Grade 1 and 2 class teachers once per week after school during the summer terms and soccer is coached by Playball at this time during the winter terms.  Other extra-murals offered are Judo and Playball all year round and Soccer (fathers assist here during winter) at Grade R level; Judo, Mini-Cricket, Playgolf, Tennis, Tag-Rugby (fathers assist here), Cross Country and Swimming Squad at Grade 1 and 2 level.

Pottery lessons are offered from Grade R to Grade 2 after school, and during the winter terms boys may join the art club or the chess club.  JAM – Jesus and Me – is our Christian club which meets on a voluntary basis on Thursday afternoons.  College pupils are involved in the programme and assist with story telling or the organisation of games.  In this way role models are provided for the boys who attend.

There is a school chaplain, Fr Terry Wilke, who meets with the boys once every three weeks.  Family Chapel services are held once a term.  The Grade R service is held in the Brooke Chapel and the Grade 1 and 2 service in the Memorial Chapel.  A voluntary prayer group of interested parents meets weekly in the staffroom to pray for the school. 

We have a part-time Reading Assistant in Grades 1 and 2 and part- time Occupational Therapists, Learner Support teachers, and a Speech Therapist for those who require it.  As part of our outreach programme we sponsor a Learnership – someone who is studying and working towards becoming a Foundation Phases teacher.  It is felt that we both benefit from the arrangement.