Message from the office
As we spend the week celebrating World Read Aloud Day, I’d like to encourage you to bring books to life in your homes too. Find the time to read to each other, to have a quiet time at home when everyone is enjoying a good book and nurture the love of books and reading in your homes. While you are doing that, here are some tips to use this week (and every day after that) to enhance the experience.
Reading at home will help your daughter build vocabulary and critical reading skills. Some ways you can help are: (https://www.mcbe.net/article/1513622)
- Help Improve her Comprehension:
After reading a book with your child, ask her to tell you what the book was about. Being able to remember and restate important details of a story are key to reading comprehension.
Ask questions like:
- What do you think will happen next?
- What would you do?
- How would you feel?
- Why do you think the character did that?
- How does the character feel in this picture?
- What did you like about this book?
- Mix it Up (but not too much):
Make reading fun by picking out new books at the library or book shop (or SPCA book sale), but don’t forget about your old books. While new books can be fun, rereading a favourite book can help children work on pronouncing words properly and reading in a smoother tone.
- Help Decode Unknown Words:
Help your daughter decode unfamiliar words by sounding them out, and by using clues from other parts of the sentence or story. You may also help your child look up new words in a printed or online dictionary.
Some important things to consider:
*Children who were read to at least three times a week are twice as likely to score in the top 25% of reading scores.
*The number of books in the home correlates significantly with higher reading test scores.
*Children’s books contain 50% more rare words than you can get from TV.
Reading improves concentration, helps develop language skills, fosters curiosity about the world we live in, and helps your daughter do better in all subjects.
World Read Aloud Plans for next week
| Date | Event | Details |
| Monday, 2 February | Assembly @ 09h50 | Read Aloud Assembly with special guests
Presentation of ‘Reading in unusual places’ entrants and announcement of the winners. |
| Tuesday, 3 February | SPCA Book sale from 10:45-14:30. | |
| Wednesday, 4 February | Reading in pairs | Girls come dressed as their favourite book character and pay R10 which will go towards ‘Friends of Bots’(If possible bring the book to school and tell your class all about him/her). ALL grades |
| Friday, 6 February | Silent reading Club – Grade 1-7
All families invited. BOTS 13:00-14:00 |
Girls come to school in their sports clothes
Walk girls to BOTS at 12:50 and back again at 13:50. Girls to be fetched from school at 14:00. |
Personality of the Week
Congratulations to Andisiwe Mraji for being the first POW this year for displaying Compassion to a fellow classmate. Thank you, Andi!
Worker of the Week
Well done to Maham Rizvi who is our WOW this week for her beautiful work in EMS.
Athletics
Congratulations to all of our girls who took part in their first Athletics meet for 2026. The event was held at Rhodes University and our girls competed against a number of different schools. A special congratulations to the following girls who placed first, second or third in their events:
U10 – Kaya Jones, Amahle Mchunu and Leah Flotman
U11 – Alunamida Jakavula
U12 – Akum Mxo, Siphe Lande, Nalu Mfiki and Nazley Gabriel
U/13 – Esona Makabe.
We await finalised results to see if any of the above learners have made it through to the second round of trials that will take place in Gqeberha.
Tennis
We wish Halle Orsmond all of the best for the Inter Districts Tennis Tournament on Tuesday, 3 February.
We are reaching out to anyone who may have tennis racquets that they are able to donate to VP. We are specifically looking for bigger-sized racquets. Thank you in advance for your support.
Lifesaving
Well done to Leah Fox in Grade 3 who successfully passed her Level 1 Lifesaving Test with Lifesaving South Africa. She will be competing in the EC Lifesaving Champs at Jeffrey’s Bay on 14 and 15 February and we wish her well. We are very proud of you, Leah!
Swimming
Our team swimmers had a fantastic first gala at Kingswood yesterday! They all swam exceptionally well and made us proud – well done!
Chess
We wish the following girls all the very best as they head into their first round of trials for 2026 tomorrow: Bridget Akpeng, Ella Radovic, Lusenathi Ntoyanto, Makatendeka Chakona, Bubele Mvula, Lunje Tshiki, Katherine Marais, Zaya Dembaza, Tehillah Dingani, and Teia van Rooyen.
They will be playing at PJ Olivier from 08h30 through to late afternoon. It’s a long, grueling, and mentally demanding day ahead may they stay focused, resilient, and confident as they give it their all.
Marimba
Our marimbas arrive today and we are so excited to start playing them. Marimba band rehearsals will commence soon and girls are requested to express their interest using the sign-up sheets that will be available next week.
Rehearsals
Please note the dates of the rehearsals for Alice in Wonderland coming up for January and February:
- 31 January (Scene 1-4) 09:00-12:00. Backstage crew & Gr 4, 6 & 7 dancers to attend from 09:00-11:00
- 7 February (Scene 3-6)
- 14 February (Scene 5-8)
- 21 February (Scene 7-10)
- 28 February (Scene 1-5)
HPV Vaccine
Grade 5 girls have all received forms from the Department of Health to complete. This is for consent for the girls to receive the first of two HPV vaccines. Please complete the form and send it back to school with your daughter. We will let parents know as soon as we have the date of the vaccination so that you can send her vaccine record book to school. The HPV vaccine is given to protect girls from cervical cancer.
Victoria Primary Facebook Page
Please note that the VP Facebook page is a closed group. This is to protect our girls’ identities, as many of the visuals shared include their faces and school activities. Parents are welcome to request to join the Facebook page in order to stay updated on activities and events.
Valentine’s fundraiser
Your daughter has received an order form for our Valentine’s fundraiser. We hope that you are able to support us and provide your daughter with a lovely little treat on Valentine’s Day!
VPV (Victoria Primary Village – PKA: PTA)
We were thrilled with the turnout and enthusiasm of parents and staff who arrived for our first VPV meeting on Tuesday.
We congratulate Ms Cloete who is our chairperson, Mrs Olivier our deputy chair and Mrs Marais our secretary. If you were unable to attend but would still like to join our village, please send your request and cell number to Ms Lang (admin@victoriaprimary.co.za) to join our Whatsapp group. We have some exciting ideas for fundraisers this year. If you do not wish to be part of our Whatsapp Group, please check our weekly newsletters for any upcoming events and help in any way you can, however big or small – everyone’s contribution can make a big difference.
Birthday wishes
Happy birthday to the following staff and girls who celebrated this week: Ms Lang, Mrs Sauls, Ms Jamela, Ms Purdon, Lulama Joe, Obendalo Mdilitwana, Khanyile Gaxa, MacKenzie Phelan, Rebecca Berriman, Marabel Kuja, Oyintando Gumenge, Sesona Mnqinana, Tshiamo Moleko, Ntsako Shingange, Iyana Daweti, Kailani Mcuba and Ezokuhle Giyam.
We hope you had a very special birthday!
Please note that we have received new stock of our VP school bags (R750) and Swimma Caps (R140).
Regards
Mrs Rafferty
PRINCIPAL
| Dates to remember | |
| Saturday, 31 January | Alice in Wonderland rehearsal (Scene 1-4) @09:00-12:00
Backstage crew & Gr 4, 6 & 7 dancers to attend from 09:00-11:00. |
| Monday, 2 February | World Read Aloud Day Assembly @09:30 |
| Tuesday, 3 February | SPCA Bookshop 10:00-14:00. All welcome. |
| Wednesday, 4 February | · Come to school dressed as your favourite book character (Grade 00-7)
· Inter schools Field Events (selected girls have received letters) |
| Friday, 6 February | · ‘Silent book club’ at the Botanical Gardens @13:00-14:00 (Grade 1-7) ALL girls to be fetched from school @14:00
· Finals for inter schools track events (selected learners will receive letters on Monday) |
| Saturday, 7 February | · Alice in Wonderland rehearsal (Scene 3-6) @09:00-12:00
· B-League gala at the Newton Park pool in Gqeberha. |
| Upcoming events | 4 February 2026: Inter schools Field Events (selected girls have received letters) |