Victoria Primary School – Page 2 – A primary school for girls in Grahamstown/Makhanda

VP Newsletter 24 July 2026

24th Jul 2026 Ilza Lang No Comments

Message from the office

Welcome back to our third term. I hope you have had a wonderful break and enjoyed some quality time with your daughters. I also trust that you have managed to settle back into the rhythm of early mornings and lunch making!

One of our key aims this year has been to strengthen the connection between our school and our families. We have made a concerted effort to create opportunities for these meaningful interactions to take place.

On Thursday afternoon, we were delighted by the wonderful turnout of parents and girls who took the time to go through their exam papers together. The worksheet compiled by Ms Knott-Craig proved to be an excellent tool, guiding positive and constructive engagement. We sincerely thank all the parents who invested this time in connecting with their daughters and supporting their academic progress.

Looking ahead, our next major event is the VPV (Victoria Primary Village) Fête, which will take place on 12 September. We must admit that we were somewhat disheartened by the limited response from parents offering assistance. As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child. and indeed, to host a successful fête. We kindly urge you to consider how you might contribute. We will be sending out specific requests to each grade over the coming weeks, and we ask that every family supports this initiative in some way. It is simply not possible to run an event of this scale with only a small group of volunteers. The fête promises to be a wonderful morning of connection for our school families and the broader Makhanda community, while also serving as an important fundraiser.

We have also been incredibly fortunate to receive a generous donation of a portion of the old astroturf from the Rhodes Astro. Work has already begun on laying this turf on the old tennis courts between VGHS and VP. Great care has been taken to prepare and level the surface properly to ensure durability and longevity. These new spaces will provide valuable opportunities for our girls to experience astro surfaces, play mini hockey games, and can even be used for netball. In addition, sections of the turf will enhance our Pre-Primary playground and school quad.

This development will greatly benefit every VP child; however, it does come at a cost. Funds raised through the VPV will contribute directly to this initiative. We therefore appeal to every parent to play a part in helping us continue to create a beautiful and enriching environment for your daughters.

Staff news

We are very proud of Ms Christian who completed her Level 1 ASA CECS Athletics coaching course during the holidays and received her certificate. Well done, Gaylin!

Colouring competition

We are extremely proud of Leah Fox who was chosen from among many entries across the country as one of the two overall winners of the Oasis Water National Water Week Colouring Competition 2026! As one of the winning schools, we will receive a prize of R15 000, which we aim to put towards beautifying our library space. Well done, Leah!

Worker of the Week

Well done to our first WOW this term. Congratulations to Sibabalwe Mhlebi for her wonderful holiday news!!

Gymnastics

VP Gymnasts have been shining at competitions in the last couple of months. We would like to acknowledge their achievements and congratulate them all!

25 April GRG Competition
Name	Level	Results
Langa Mtakati	Fun Gym	Gold for Free Dance
Kelcey Coetzee	1	5th for Free dance, 3rd for Ball, and 3rd Overall
Nkwenkwezi Mtakati	1	6th for Free dance, 3rd for Ball, and 3rd Overall
McKenzie Pringle	1	1st for Free dance, Ball, and Overall
Lukhololwam Sgam	1	1st for Free dance, Ball, and Overall
Ladine Van Wyk	2	3rd for Rope, 1st for Hoop, and 1st Overall
Ava Peters	2	9th for Rope, 6th for Hoop, and 6th Overall
Avethandwa Mxo	2	5th for Rope, 4th for Hoop, and 4th Overall
Avetandwa Wana	2	3rd for Rope, Hoop, and Overall
Lulonke Silo	3	1st for Clubs, Ribbon, and Overall
Laraa Andriantiana	3	2nd for Clubs, 1st for Ribbon, and 1st Overall
Kazlin De Maar	4	1st for Free dance and Rope
23 May Ibhayi Competition
Name	Level	Results
Kelcey Coetzee	1	8th for Free dance, 2nd for Ball, and 4th Overall
Ladine Van Wyk	2	4th for Rope, 4th for Hoop, and 4th Overall
Lulu Qeqe	2	10th for Rope, 8th for Hoop, and 10th Overall
Avetandwa Wana	2	5th for Rope, Hoop, and Overall
Laraa Andriantiana	3	1st for Clubs, Ribbon, and Overall
20 June 1st Eastern Cape Competition
Name	Level	Results
McKenzie Pringle	1	2nd for Free dance, 3rd for Ball, and 3rd Overall
Lulu Qeqe	2	6th for Rope, 4th for Hoop, and 6th Overall
Mary-Kate Februarie	2	3rd for Rope, 4th for Hoop, and 4th Overall
Avetandwa Wana	2	5th for Rope, 6th for Hoop, and 6th Overall
Lulonke Silo	3	1st for Clubs, 3rd for Ribbon, and 2nd Overall
Laraa Andriantiana	3	1st for Clubs, Ribbon, and Overall

Victoria in Concert:

The VP Junior Choir (Gr. 3), Senior Choir (Gr. 4-7), Chamber Choir and Orchestra will perform alongside the VGHS ensembles on Thursday, 30 July at 17:30pm at the Glennie Hall at VP. This is an exciting collaboration between our two music departments, and we look forward to a wonderful celebration of music. Please ensure that your daughter arrives at 17:00 and is dressed in her winter uniform (blazer, jersey, skirt and navy socks/stockings). No slacks may be worn. We anticipate that the concert will end at approximately 19:00.

Tickets cost R20 and are available from the school office. We have partnered with Child Welfare, who will receive a portion of the proceeds and we will also be collecting second-hand children’s clothing, so please consider bringing some to donate to this worthy cause.

Interhouse Hockey and Netball (Grade 4-7)

Interhouse Hockey will take place on Tuesday, 28 July from 14:00- 16:15 and Interhouse Netball will take place on Wednesday, 29 July from 14:00- 16:15.

It is COMPULSORY for ALL girls in Grades 4-7 to ATTEND BOTH afternoons for the entire DURATION of the afternoon. Register will be taken. Girls are to come to school on both days dressed in their black shorts or skorts and house shirts to play and to support. They may wear their tracksuit over their kit to keep warm.

NS Olympiad

During the course of next week, ten of our girls will be taking part in the Natural Sciences Olympiad, where they will put their scientific knowledge and problem-solving skills to the test.

We wish Mukundi Thondhlana, Amahle Mchunu, Chanelle Musarurwa, Neo Molefe, Zothando Mzileni, Nakhane Klei, Zenkosi Mati, Caitlyn Bodill, Maham Rizvi, and Haset Sintayehu the very best. We wish you every success in the competition!

Chess trials

We wish the following girls all the best as they compete in the Closed Sarah Baartman Chess Trials at PJ Olivier on Saturday, 25 July. They will spend many hours competing for a place in the Sarah Baartman team, and we are incredibly proud of their achievement in being invited to these trials: Teia van Rooyen, Tehillah Dingani, Makatendeka Chakona, Ella Radovic, Katherine Marais, Lusenathi Ntoyanto, Kyrah Cannon-Wessels, Grace Ruwanda and Lunje Giyosi.

Good luck, girls! We are cheering you on.

Anne Beagley Hockey & Rugby Festival – U13A Hockey Tour

The U13A Hockey team travelled to Graaff-Reinet to participate in the annual Anne Beagley Hockey & Rugby Festival. We departed from Makhanda early on Friday morning and, upon arriving in Graaff-Reinet, enjoyed a visit to the spectacular Valley of Desolation, where the girls had the opportunity to explore one of the Eastern Cape’s most breathtaking natural landmarks.

After our visit, the team enjoyed pizza for lunch before heading to registration at the festival. The opening festivities included the traditional flag parade, where all participating schools proudly represented their schools. The day concluded with a fun-filled games evening, giving the girls an opportunity to socialise, make new friends, and enjoy the festival atmosphere before the hockey matches began.

Over the course of the festival, the girls played four competitive matches against strong opposition. Although they were narrowly defeated by Charlo and Lilyfontein, they showed great determination and resilience to earn well-deserved draws against Clarendon and Crewe. Throughout the tournament, the team displayed excellent sportsmanship, teamwork and a positive attitude, improving with every game.

Playing on the astro turf was a fantastic experience for the girls, and they thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to compete against quality opposition while creating lasting memories together.

A sincere thank you goes to Ms Christian and Mr Daniels for their dedication, guidance and support throughout the tour. Their encouragement and commitment helped make the weekend a memorable and enjoyable experience for all the girls.

Reports

All reports for Grade 1-7 were emailed to parents at the end of Term 2, if you did not receive your daughter’s report please check with the office that we have the correct, up-to-date email address on our system. You can email the office on admin@victoriaprimary.co.za, use the WhatsApp group (083 468 2706) or call us on 046 622 4850.

Dropping off items at the office

We would like to appeal to you to ensure that your daughter has everything required for her day at school with her when she arrives at school in the morning. It is very difficult to ensure that items dropped at the office are safely delivered due to the high number of drop-offs. The only items that may be dropped off are birthday cupcakes and

Dates to Remember
Fri. 24/07	Interhouse Cross Country PP & Gr 1&2 – 12:00-12:45 Gr 3-7 – 13:00-14:30 (pick-up from school at 14:45). Chamber Choir and Orchestra (pick-up from PP at 16:00)
Sat.25/07	SBCD chess trials @PJ.
Mon. 27/07	Grade 3M assembly @10:15. Parents welcome.M Reg
Tues. 28/07	Interhouse hockey 14:00-16:15. Grade 4-7 compulsory event.
Wed. 29/07	NS Olympiad Interhouse netball 14:00-16:15. Grade 4-7 compulsory event.
Thurs.30/07	NS Olympiad Victoria in Concert @VP 17:30
Fri. 31/07	Grade 7 Committee meetings

items the teacher has specifically requested during the school day.

Please note that we will still take deliveries for the girls in hostel.

Birthday wishes

Happy birthday to the following girls who celebrated this week: Milani-Nande Mngambi, Aleathea Irvine, Mayine Fihla, Akhe Songongo, Silubonile Mtimkulu, Milani Ndzekeni and Nalikhaya Diniso. We wish you a very special birthday!

Regards

Mrs Rafferty

PRINCIPAL

Dates to Remember
Fri. 24/07	Interhouse Cross Country PP & Gr 1&2 – 12:00-12:45 Gr 3-7 – 13:00-14:30 (pick-up from school at 14:45). Chamber Choir and Orchestra (pick-up from PP at 16:00)
Sat.25/07	SBCD chess trials @PJ.
Mon. 27/07	Grade 3M assembly @10:15. Parents welcome.M Reg
Tues. 28/07	Interhouse hockey 14:00-16:15. Grade 4-7 compulsory event.
Wed. 29/07	NS Olympiad Interhouse netball 14:00-16:15. Grade 4-7 compulsory event.
Thurs.30/07	NS Olympiad Victoria in Concert @VP 17:30
Fri. 31/07	Grade 7 Committee meetings

Extramurals

Please note the extramural plans for next week for

Grade 4-7.

As from 3 August we will start our athletics programme and a new extramural programme will be shared closer to the time.

FP SPORT WILL CONTINUE AS IT WAS IN TERM 2 FROM MONDAY, 27 JULY.

Friday, 24 July

Saturday, 25 July

Interhouse Cross- Country:

12:00-12:45

PP- Grade 2

Fergusson Field

13:00-14:30

Grade 3-7

Bot Gardens

15:00-16:00

Chamber Choir and Orchestra

Chess Trials

(SBCD)

Monday,

27 July

Tuesday,

28 July

Wednesday, 29 July

Thursday, 30 July

Friday, 31 July

Saturday, 1 August

07:30 – 08:00

Chamber Choir

Netball practices: Herbert Hurd Teams ONLY

14:00-15:00:

U10A & U11A

15:00-16:00:

U12A & U13A

Hockey practice:

14:00-15:30:

U13A&B

07:15 – 07:45

Senior Choir

14:00 -16:30

Interhouse Hockey

(Compulsory all Grade 4-7)

07:15 – 07:45

Senior Choir

14:15 -15:45

Interhouse Netball

(Compulsory all Grade 4-7)

07:15 – 07:45

Senior Choir

Hockey practices:

Herbert Hurd Teams ONLY

14:00-15:00

U10A&B and U11A

17:30

Victoria in Concert

13:30 -14:30 Chamber Choir and Orchestra

13:00 -13:30

Grade 7 Committee Meetings

Hockey and Netball vs Herbert Hurd (H)

VP Newsletter 12 June 2026

12th Jun 2026 Ilza Lang No Comments

Message from the office

We are once again on the downhill slope to the end of the term. This week we have composed a very short newsletter which includes reminders for the rest of the term. Our next newsletter will be the final newsletter which will be included in your daughter’s report envelopes that will be ready for collection on 24 June between 07:30 and 08:30.

We trust that you will have a relaxing long weekend with your family as our country celebrates Youth Day. It is vital that all girls return to school next week for their final days of the term. We will be business as usual and teaching will continue – don’t let your daughter convince you otherwise!!

Interhouse singing

Our interhouse singing is due to happen after school today. This is an exciting annual event and the girls have enthusiastically practised in their houses. We eagerly anticipate the performances and results – which will be included in our final newsletter.

K-Day

Any VP girl attending matches for K-Day are expected to be dressed neatly in full school uniform.

School Times

Please note that on Monday and Tuesday next week there is no school (school holiday & Youth Day). On Wednesday and Thursday there will be no extramurals (except for Senior & FP choir) for all grades. Grade 1,2 &3 must be picked up from Huntley Street at 13:00 and Grade 4-7 will finish at 14:00. On Friday, 19 June school will finish at 10:30 for all grades. There will be no Aftercare on this day.

Final Academic Assembly

Our final academic assembly will take place on Friday, 19 June at 08:30. All girls who will be receiving academic certificates received a letter today. Girls must come to school dressed in full school uniform (with blazer for Grade 4-7). Parents are most welcome.

Term 2 Reports

On Wednesday, 24 June we will be handing out reports from 07:30-08:30 from Beaufort Street entrance. We will be emailing digital copies of your daughter’s report on that day too. If you do not collect the hard copy of your daughter’s report, this will be given to her on the first day of next term.

VP’s Got Talent tickets

We thank all our entrants for sharing your incredible talents and putting on such wonderful performances. The standard was exceptionally high, making the selection process a very challenging one for our judges. We are delighted to announce our finalists for the VP’s Got Talent Final on 18 June 2026.

Congratulations to those who have progressed to the final round, and a heartfelt thank you to every participant for your courage, creativity, and enthusiasm. We look forward to celebrating an evening of outstanding talent with our VP community. Tickets are now on sale from the school office at R30. Please come and support our talented performers and enjoy a fantastic showcase of music, dance, drama, art, and more! See you on Thursday,18 June at 17:30!

Merit Achievers

Andisubabalo Dike, Onika Jimmy, Shameega Kholhliso, Sisipho Mapapu, Lelomso Peter, Lunje Peter, Lunje Peter, Kefilwe Racoco, Mivuyo Santi, Michaela Swanepoel, Michaela, Carla Frazer, Rebecca Phillip, Andisiwe Mraji, Hlumisa Piti, Amvuyela Sakata, Anovuyo Nkohla, Aliyah Swartz, Azoma Magopeni and Misha Potts have received over 250 merits this year. Well done, girls!

Netball results

On Saturday, 6 June the U8 & U9s netball girls participated in the PJ Olivier Dassie Tournament. The results were as follows:

U8: VP 1 – 4 PJ; VP 2 – 2 Good Shepherd; VP 4- 1 Kenton.

U9: VP 1- 5 Kenton; VP 2 – 3 Oatlands; VP 2 –1 PJ.

Well done, girls!

Fete Donations

This holiday will be a good time for some spring cleaning and decluttering and we request donations of the following for our various stalls: Tombola prizes, second hand books and White elephant (any old goods that you no longer want but may still be desirable by someone else such as vases, tea cups, ornaments, baskets, bags etc). Please drop off at our school office.

Birthday wishes

Happy birthday to the following staff members and girls who celebrated this week: Ms Knott-Craig, Ms Casling, Mr Buka, Onebango Makinaune, Siphesihle Lande, Iyizwile Nomkonwana, Elizabeth Wicks, Lundanele Tyhali, Sitha Mkolo, Sadika Khan, Asali Dude and Bridget Akpeng. We hope you had a very special birthday!

Regards

Mrs Rafferty

PRINCIPAL

Festival Accommodation

8th Jun 2026 Ilza Lang No Comments

VP Newsletter 5 June 2026

5th Jun 2026 Ilza Lang No Comments

Message from the office

We can be as organised as possible, but life has a way of throwing curveballs our way as we experienced this week. What matters most is how we adapt and respond to those unexpected changes.

On Wednesday morning, I woke up to a barrage of messages, many of which had come through during the early hours of the morning. Urgent clarity was needed before we could make an informed decision and send out notice, while many stakeholders were still fast asleep.

We would like to thank all our parents for their patience, understanding, and support. While the timing may have been inconvenient, the safety and wellbeing of our children must always remain our highest priority.

I would like to stress that although we are finished with our school-based examinations, this week from Monday we will continue with compulsory provincial tests (NS & Maths Grade 4-7) and we will start the teaching of Term 3 work and ALL girls must continue to attend school until our last day of term on Friday, 19 June.

School Times

As from Monday, 8 June we will return to school ending at 14:00 daily for Grade 4-7s with no extramurals (except for choir, chamber choir, orchestra and the U13A Hockey practice) until the end of term.

Grade 1, 2 & 3 will finish school at 14:00 as usual.

End of Term arrangements

Please note that the girls last day of school for this term will be on Friday, 19 June. Our offices will be open and staff will still be at school until Friday, 26 June. We have closed our hostel and school earlier due to the National Arts Festival taking over our hall, hostel and campus and we are concerned about our girls’ safety when our campus is no longer secure and access is not controlled.

On Wednesday, 24 June we will be handing out reports from 07:30-08:30 from Beaufort Street entrance however we will be emailing digital copies of your daughter’s report on that day too. If you do not collect the hard copy of your daughter’s report, this will be given to her on the first day of next term.

Fete Donations:

We are so excited to be hosting a fete again this year. Each grade will receive a letter of how you can make this day a success. Please read it and assist wherever you can. This holiday will be a good time for some spring cleaning and decluttering and we request donations of the following for our various stalls: Tombola prizes, second hand books and White elephant (any old goods that you no longer want but may still be desirable by someone else such as vases, tea cups, ornaments, baskets, bags etc). Please drop off at our school office.

Worker of the Week

Well done to Lucy Bennett for her lovely work in isiXhosa. Keep up the good work, Lucy.

Mini Maestros

Eighteen of our young musicians participated in this music competition on Friday, 22 May, and we are so proud of each of these girls for so bravely managing their nerves and performing so well. Congratulations to Riley-Anne Knott-Craig and Gabriella Cervati, who each received medals for their performances. Well done to all these young musicians!

Gymnastics

Laraa Andriantiana participated in the Ibhayi Gymnastics club competition on 23 May. She won 3 gold medals in the U11 level 3 category: for Ribbon dance, Clubs dance and an overall medal. Well done, Laraa!

Karate

Carla Frazer took part in the World Union of Karate Federation (WUKF) EC Karate & Kobudo League Round 2 Competition on Saturday, 30 May in Gqeberha. She placed 2nd in the Girls 11 years Individual Kata and received a silver medal. Well done, Carla!

Derby Day vs Westering in Gqeberha Unfortunately, the Derby Day against Westering and Lorraine has been cancelled. Due to the recent rain, their fields are waterlogged and the drainage system is too slow to clear the excess water in time for the hockey and netball matches.

Dassie Tournament

On Saturday, 6 June the U8 & U9s will be participating in the PJ Olivier Netball Dassie Tournament. The fixtures at as follows:

VP U9	VP U8
09h20: VP vs Kenton	09h00: VP vs Good Shepherd
10h00: VP vs PJ Olivier	09h40: VP vs PJ Olivier
11h20: VP vs Oatlands	10h20: VP vs Kenton

FP Winter Sport Open Lesson

We would love you to come and see what we’ve learnt on the court and field this term! All from 13:00-14:00.

Monday 8/06

Grade 1 Casling Netball

Tuesday 9/06

Grade 1 Orsmond Netball

Wednesday 10/06

Gr 1 Orsmond Hockey

Gr 2 Hockey

Grade 3 Netball

Thursday 11/06

Grade 1 Casling Hockey

Grade 2 Netball

Grade 3 Hockey

Please enter through the office.

Hockey extramural

Hockey practice for U13A Graaff Reinet girls will be as follows: Monday, 8 June: 14:00-15:30

Tuesday, 9 June: 14:00-15:30

Thursday, 11 June: 14:00-15:15

Photo Day is on Tuesday, 9 June 2026

Family photos will be taken from 07:30 to 08:00.

Family/Individual photos

Dress: Civvies or school uniform (uniform as listed below). If you are opting for civvies your daughter may come to school dressed in civvies and

can change into her school uniform after the photo has been taken.

Uniform for photos

Grade 00: Civvies

Grade R: Navy golf shirt, black/navy jeans/leggings

Grade 1-3: Winter uniform (skirt), navy tights, navy jersey

Grade 4-7: Winter uniform (skirt), navy tights and blazers

Interhouse Singing Competition

On Friday, 12 June, the four houses will compete in this Interhouse event. All girls in Grades 4 – 7 will be involved, and they are to come to school in their house T-shirts and tracksuits with takkes, on this day. The competition will take place in the school hall from 13:00 to 14:00, and parents are welcome to attend. Please enter through the office.

Dance-a-thon

On Friday, 12 June from 14:00-16:00 girls are invited to join our Dance-a-thon in Glennie Hall. The cost is only R20 so join in some active FUN!

The Grade 4s will host a tuckshop during the Dance-a-thon.

VP’s Got Talent tickets & Boerewors Rolls

VP’s Got Talent auditions will be completed on Monday, 8 June from 14:00-15:00. All entries that were due to perform on Wednesday/Thursday, as well as the Absentees from Tuesday, must ensure that they attend this final audition. The names performing in the final will be announced on Tuesday 9 June.

Our final show will take place on Thursday, 18 June in Glennie Hall. Tickets will be on sale from the school office at R30 from Monday, 8 June. Cash or Card will be accepted.

If you would like to preorder a boerewors roll which will be served prior to VP’s Got Talent show on Thursday, 18 June, please complete the order form that will be sent home today and return it to your daughter’s class teacher by Friday, 12 June with the cash or POP attached.

Please note that it is advised that you do not order a boerewors roll if you are not intending to attend the show. Boerewors rolls are for sale at R30 each.

Birthday wishes

Happy birthday to the following staff member and girls who celebrated last week and this week: Mr Majiba, Rose Chirombo, Alwaba Ndawuni, Leah Doyle, Lihle Balintulo, Chloe De Beer, Chanelle Musarurwa, Olubanzi Zabo, Emily Grosch, Esona Mali, Iminathi Songca, Enzokuhle Songongo, Asante Sankqela, Reaboka Dukashe, Mihle Mgwebi, Zenkosi Mati and Indiphile Mdlalana. We hope you had a very special birthday!

Regards

Mrs Rafferty

PRINCIPAL

Dates to Remember
Fri. 5/06	· Grade 7 to finish school at 14:00 due to exam
Sat. 6/06	· U8/U9 Netball Dassie Tournament @PJ Olivier
Mon. 8/06	· Grade 1 Casling Netball open lesson · VPs Got Talent last auditions 14:00-15:00 · Grade 4-7 Maths Common Paper
Tues. 9/06	· Grade 1 Orsmond Netball open lesson
Wed. 10/06	· Photo Day · Gr 1 Orsmond Hockey open lesson · Gr 2 Hockey open lesson · Grade 3 Netball open lesson
Thurs. 11/06	· Grade 1 Casling Hockey open lesson · Grade 2 Netball open lesson · Grade 3 Hockey open lesson
Fri. 12/06	· Interhouse Singing 13:00-14:00 · Danceathon 14:00-16:00
Mon. 15/06	· School holiday
Tues. 16/06	· Youth Day – Public holiday
Thurs. 18/06	· VP’s Got Talent @17:30
Fri. 19/06	· Last day of term for girls. · Academic Assembly @08:30 · School finishes @10:30 · Hostel closes @12:30 · No Aftercare
Wed. 24/06	Report pick-up at Beaufort Street entrance 08:30-09:30

VP Newsletter 22 May 2026

22nd May 2026 Ilza Lang No Comments

Message from the office

What an amazing week for VP! Our U13 A&B hockey girls achieved fantastic victories against Kingswood College on Tuesday and our choirs, orchestra and our individual musicians did remarkably well at the DSG/St Andrew’s Music festival. We are always proud of our girls when they achieve but more importantly we are so proud of how our girls composed themselves and behaved in both settings. Well done to all our girls (and our amazing teachers) who held the VP flag flying high in our community this week!

Next week is time to shift your focus on your academics after your outstanding extramural achievements. Work hard and stay motivated and focused, girls. You can do this!!

Exam Timetable

Date

Exam

Monday,

25 May

· Creative Writing (HL&FAL) (Grade 4-7)

Tuesday,

26 May

· Creative Writing (HL&FAL) (Grade 4-7)

Wednesday, 27 May

· Language and Comprehension English (Grade 4&5)

· Language and Comprehension FAL (Grade 6&7)

· Life Orientation (Grade 7)

Thursday, 28 May

· Language and Comprehension English (Grade 6&7)

· Language and Comprehension FAL (Grade 4&5)

· Social Sciences Geography (Grade 4-7)

Friday,

29 May

· Maths Paper 1 (Grade 4-7)

· Art (Grade 4-6)

· LSPA (Grade 4-6)

· Technology (Grade 7)

Monday,

1 June

· Maths Paper 2 (Grade 4-7)

· EMS (Grade 7)

Tuesday,

2 June

· Natural Sciences (Grade 4-7)

· LSPA Theory (Grade 7)

Wednesday, 3 June

· Social Sciences History (Grade 4-7)

· Art (Grade 7)

Thursday, 4 June

· Life Skills (Grade 4-6)

· LSPA Practical (Grade 7)

School Times

As from Monday, 25 May until Friday, 6 June the academic school day for Grade 4-7 will end at 13:00 and the extramural programme will run from 13:00-14:00, to accommodate the writing of

examinations and to ensure that girls still remain active.

Please ensure that arrangements have been made for your daughter to go home promptly at 14:00 (or 13:00 if she is not doing an extramural) every day to prepare for her next exam. The revised extramural programme for these two weeks accompanies this newsletter.

Please note this change is only for Grade 4-7. Grade 1-3 will continue with extramurals until 14:00, as usual-except for interventions which end at 14:30.

Stationery top-up for exams

A reminder that girls may not borrow stationery from each other during exams. Please ensure that your daughter has everything that she requires.

Newsletter

Please note that we will not send out a newsletter next week. The next edition will be sent out on Friday, 5 June.

Worker of the Week

Our WOW this week is Oyintando Gumenge for her wonderful sentences. Well done, Oyi!

Music

We are immensely proud of our VP musicians, who had a busy week at the SAC/DSG Youth Music Festival. This year, the categories were adjudicated as a formal Eisteddfod with the following results:

Double Gold: VP String Ensemble and Haset Sintayehu.
Gold: VP FP Choir, Makatendeka Chakona, Isla Orsmond and Carla Frazer.
Silver: VP Chamber Choir, VP Senior Choir, Kungothando Ngangani, Yusrah Suleman, Katherine Marais, Phumelela Macetyana, Misha Potts, Libby Everton and Halle Orsmond.

Merit Achievers

Well done to Cayden Strauss, Iminathi Bawuti, Kendra Chrisjan, Isla Orsmond, Olothando Kanyiwe, Chloé de Beer, Nalikhaya Diniso, Zingce Pilisani, Anopa-Nyasha Thondhlana who have received over 250 merits this year. Keep it up, girls!

Astroquiz

Well done to our two Astroquiz Teams:

The VP Stars (Haset Sintayehu, Bridget Akpeng, Ella Radovic, Akum Mxo); and

VP Appollos (Owe Gongqa, Maka Chakona, Gabriella Cervati, Buhle Mamase) who competed in the second round of the Astroquiz on Tuesday. The results will be announced as soon as they are available!

Hockey results

Hockey vs Erica & Priory

U9A vs Priory U10C won 3-1

U9B vs Priory U10D won 3-0

U9A vs Erica won 2-0; U9B vs Erica won 1-0

U10A vs Priory lost 3-2; U10B vs Priory lost 1-0

U10 B vs Erica won 1-0; U10A vs Erica lost 1-0

U13B vs Priory drew 1-1; U13A vs Priory drew 0-0

U13B vs Erica drew 0-0; U13A vs Erica drew 0-0

Hockey vs KC

U13A won 2-1; U13B won 1-0;

U10A lost 2-0; U10B lost 2-0;

U9A lost 1-0

Mini Hockey results vs KC

U8A lost 3-0; U8A vs KC U8B drew 0-0;

U8B lost 2-0; U8B vs KC U8A lost 2-0;

U7A lost 1-0; U7A vs KC U7B lost 1-0

Well done to our mini hokkie bokkies.

Netball Results

Netball vs St Andrew’s Prep & Oatlands

U9B vs Oatlands lost 1-4; U9C vs Prep won 3-1; U9B vs Prep won 5-1

Netball vs Erica

Our teams travelled to Gqeberha to play against Erica. The matches were played with great spirit, determination, and teamwork.

U9A won 7-0; U11A lost 6-1; U12B lost 6-5;

U12A lost 12-4; U13B won 10-3; U13A won 10-8

Netball vs Kingswood & St Andrew’s Prep

8A vs KC lost 0-1; 8B vs KC won 3-0;

8A vs Prep won 3-1

U13 Round Robin

Our U13 netball team participated in the Makana Schools’ Round Robin. Even though they did not make it to the next round, we are immensely proud of their team spirit and the sportsmanship they show on the court.

Tennis

We wish all our little tennis players participating in the Rising Stars Tennis Tournament this Sunday, 24 May the very best of luck! Play well girls, give it your all and most importantly have lots of fun!

Interhouse Cross-Country

On Friday, 5 June we will have our annual Interhouse Cross-Country event. Parents are welcome to attend.

The Pre-Primary, Grade 1&2s will be running on Fergusson Field from 12:00- 12:45.

Pre-Primary – 12:00-12:15

Grade 1 – 12:15-12:30

Grade 2 – 12:30-12:45

We kindly request that all PP&FP parents

enter through the Beaufort Street office entrance as the Huntley Street entrance will be locked and will not be opened. The girls may leave with their parents after their event. Pre-Primary girls must wear a shirt in their house colour and black shorts, socks and takkies.

The Grade 3-7 girls will walk to the Botanical Gardens and start running at 08:30. First off will be the Grade 3s, followed by Grade 4&5s and finally Grade 6&7s. Girls are to arrive at school at the normal time and must be collected from school at 13:00 as usual. The Grade 1-7 girls must come to school dressed in their house shirt, black shorts, white socks, and takkies. Please also send a bottle of water, sunscreen and her VP hat/peak. House shirts can be bought from Extreme Embroidery. Only official house shirts may be worn.

Grade 3 Outing

On Wednesday and Thursday, 3&4 June our Grades 3s will visit St Andrew’s Prep to watch the production of Beauty and the Beast Jr. This will take place during school. We hope they enjoy this opportunity to see a timeless classic. Please ensure that your daughter is dressed neatly in her full school tracksuits with white socks and white takkies.

School Photos

Our individual school photos have been scheduled for Tuesday, 9 June. Forms have been sent home. Please send the completed form with proof of payment or the cash back to school by Friday, 29 May. Please note that if you wish to order the mug or key ring an order for an Individual photo is required.

Slipper Day – 29 May

Girls can still purchase a sticker for R20 from Mrs Mgogo and will then be allowed to wear slippers at school on next Friday, 29 May! If they go to Wimpy on that day with their sticker they will also receive a free coffee or hot chocolate. If you would like to bring slippers to school to wear for the day without buying a sticker you may do so for a R10 donation. All proceeds will go towards Reach for a Dream, an organisation that strives to fulfil the dreams of children who are suffering from life threatening illnesses. Please support the Kind Club’s efforts to raise funds for the Reach for a Dream Slipper Day.

VP’s Got Talent

Entries are now closed and auditions will take place during the week of 1–4 June from 13:00–14:00, with specific time slots allocated. Girls will be notified of their slots. All artworks must be submitted by the 8 June and will be entered in and displayed at the final show. The final show will be held on 18 June at 17:30.

Bottle Tops for Wheelchairs!

Our Environmental and Aesthetics Committee is promoting the collection of plastic bottle tops for wheelchairs. Each class is encouraged to collect as many milk, juice and water bottle tops as possible. The collected bottle tops will be delivered to recyclers who sell the materials and donate funds to initiatives that provide wheelchairs to those in need. The class who manages to collect the most bottle tops by the end of May will win a prize.

Birthday wishes

Happy birthday to the following staff members and girls who celebrated this week: Mr Daniels, Libongwe Goduka, Amy Mlambo, Luyakhuthando Mhlekwa, Olibango Ngabaza, Misha Potts, Alunamida Jakavula, Walutha Mqalo, Kylleigh Williams, Rose Jordaan, Zingce Tanga, Riley-Anne Knott-Craig, Lusanda Vutha, Riley-Jo Potts and Emihle Kulati. We hope you had a very special birthday!

Regards

Mrs Rafferty

PRINCIPAL

Dates to Remember

Fri.

22/05

· Mini Maestros @KC

· Grade 7 Creative Arts workshop 14:00-16:45

Mon. 25/05

Fri. 5/06

· Exams begin for Grade 4-7. School times change to 07:25 to 13:00.

· Extramurals for Grade 4-7 13:00 to 14:00 (see programme)

· Grade 1-3 extramurals as usual until 14:00

Fri.

29/05

Slipper Day.

No newsletter

Mon.

1/06

to 4/06

Auditions for VP’s got talent 13:00-14:00 daily – girls will be notified of their slot

Wed.

3/06

Grade 3 class to watch the Prep production of Beauty and the Beast during school hours

Thurs.

4/06

Grade 3 class to watch the Prep production of Beauty and the Beast

during school hours

Fri.

5/06

Interhouse Cross Country

Gr 3-7: 08:30 @Botanical Gardens

PP-Gr 2 12:00 @VP

Sat.

6/06

· Hockey & Netball vs Westering (A) details to follow

· U8/U9 Netball Dassie Tournament

@PJ Olivier

Fri.

12/06

Danceathon

VP Newsletter 15 May 2026

15th May 2026 Ilza Lang No Comments

Message from the office

Exam time is just around the corner and we ask that you help your child prepare for these very important tests.

Each child from Grade 4-7 has received a list of what they need to learn for exams. Your daughter should have already started her revision and have a study programme to follow. Please make sure your daughter revises for English, her first additional language and Mathematics too. These are essential core subjects and do require revision. Girls must learn their language (Parts of speech, Language structures etc) and Mathematics requires regular practice to ensure that the various skills are mastered.

Help prepare your daughter by creating an environment that is conducive to studying at home by:

Providing a special place for your daughter to study that is free from distractions (such as TV, cellphones and others’ conversations), that is clutter free and has good lighting.
Ensuring that she eats healthy foods and drinks plenty of water
Setting aside time for her to study and time for her to have a break. Breaking up study time into bite size manageable chunks will make it all appear less overwhelming. Although each child is different, here is a guideline for how long your child can remain focused for before needed a ten-minute break: 10 years old: 20 to 30 minutes, 12 years old: 24 to 36 minutes, 14 years old: 28 to 42 minutes
Sleep is crucial for work to ‘sink in’. Make sure that your daughter is getting sufficient sleep. Once again, each child differs, but children between the ages of 10 -14 should be getting between 9-12 hours of sleep.
Grades 4-5, and even some of our older girls, are still learning how to study, assist them by testing them on little sections they’ve revised and get them to re-revise the sections they still have not grasped.

Being there to provide her with emotional support when she grows weary. Ensure that she knows that she can do it!

Please note that from the 25 May-5 June, school will end at 13:00 for Grade 4-7, however on some days the girls will be involved in extramurals between 13:00 -14:00 (the exam extramural programme will be shared next week).

We feel very strongly that it is to our girls’ benefit that they remain active during the stressful exam time. Physical activity is very important during exams as it helps to oxygenate the brain, releases tension, allows our girls a healthy break between classes and study time, and helps them to study more efficiently. They will still have plenty of time in the afternoons to study afterwards.

We implore you to ensure your daughter’s transport fetches her timeously during exam time so that she does not waste her afternoon away waiting outside when she could be at home studying.

Exam timetable

Date

Exam

Monday,

25 May

· Creative Writing (HL&FAL) (Grade 4-7)

Tuesday,

26 May

· Creative Writing (HL&FAL) (Grade 4-7)

Wednesday, 27 May

· Language and Comprehension English (Grade 4&5)

· Language and Comprehension FAL (Grade 6&7)

· Life Orientation (Grade 7)

Thursday, 28 May

· Language and Comprehension English (Grade 6&7)

· Language and Comprehension FAL (Grade 4&5)

· Social Sciences Geography (Grade 4-7)

Friday,

29 May

· Maths Paper 1 (Grade 4-7)

· Art (Grade 4-6)

· LSPA (Grade 4-6)

· Technology (Grade 7)

Monday,

1 June

· Maths Paper 2 (Grade 4-7)

· EMS (Grade 7)

Tuesday,

2 June

· Natural Sciences (Grade 4-7)

· LSPA Theory (Grade 7)

Wednesday, 3 June

· Social Sciences History (Grade 4-7)

· Art (Grade 7)

Thursday, 4 June

· Life Skills (Grade 4-6)

· LSPA Practical (Grade 7)

Indlulamthi Badges

Congratulations to Halle Orsmond, Caitlin Bodill and Madison Conroy who received their Indlulamthi Badges at Monday’s assembly. Misha Potts and Cayden Strauss both received their Honours Indlulamthi Badges as it is their fourth consecutive year that they have been awarded their badge (Grade 4-7). We are immensely proud of all of you.

Worker of the Week

Our WOW this week is Gabriella Cervati for excellent work in NS on the impact of plastics. Well done, Gabi!

Personality of the Week

Asante Tetani was our POW this week for her dedication and commitment to her schooling.

Music

Music assessments: Music pupils are reminded that they will play their Term 2 assessments next week. “It’s important to practice at the speed of no mistakes” (Lucinda Macworth-Young).

Mini Maestros: The Mini Maestros competition will take place on Friday, 22 May at the Kingswood College Music School. Parents are welcome to attend.

SAC/DSG Music Festival: This festival will run from Monday to Thursday next week, according to the following programme. Parents are welcome to attend. Please note the updated choir festival time and orchestra date.

Solo categories: Monday, 18 May to Wednesday, 20 May (mornings only)
Choir festival: Monday, 18 May (16:00). We will walk together at 14:45.
Orchestra festival: Wednesday, 20 May (18:30)
Gala concert: Thursday, 21 May (18:30) Soloists/groups selected from the week’s performances.

East London Eisteddfod

Siarra Appollis participated in the Port Rex Lions Eisteddfod on Thursday, 14 May. She played in the Primary School Solo Percussion recital section she was awarded a Gold certificate (80%-89%). Well done, Siarra!

Tennis

Well done to the girls who played in the Luden Tennis Cup on Sunday, 10 May against Kingswood and DSG. We are so proud of your hard work, determination and team spirit throughout the day.

Netball vs DSG: On Thursday, 14 May our netball teams played matches against DSG. The results were as follows:

U10A VP 1-1 DSG; U10B VP 12-0 DSG; U11A VP 2-2 DSG; U11B VP 7-5 DSG; U12A VP 3-13 DSG; U12B VP 6-7 DSG; U12C VP 5-5 DSG; U13A VP 1-27 DSG; U13B VP 2-13 DSG; U13C VP 3-9 DSG; U13D VP 1-9 DSG.

Erica Primary Derby Day Saturday, 16 May

Please note the following arrangements for tomorrow. The buses will depart from Huntley Street at 06:00. All girls are to arrive at 05:45. We will be travelling in a 60-seater bus and 2 school buses. Our last game ends at 12:00 and we expect to leave Gqeberha at 12:30. We should be back in Makhanda at 14:00.

Ms Christian will update all parents on the Whatsapp groups from the VP Cell with regards to the progress of the journey so that you can collect your daughter on time. A reminder that late pick up will result in your daughter not being invited to play in further weekend fixtures. NO child will be permitted to walk home on her own from school. Pick up will be in Hill Street, at the Victoria Primary School hostel entrance. We will be playing fixtures against Erica and Priory.

U8 & U9 Hockey & Netball vs Prep & KC

These matches will take place on Wednesday, 20 and Thursday, 21 May. We are still waiting for the fixtures and girls will receive a letter with the details on Monday.

Hockey vs Kingswood

On Tuesday, 19 May we will play hockey matches against Kingswood at Kingswood College. The first match will start at 13:40 and we should be done by 15:30. Parents are welcome to come and support. Girls will be transported in the school bus from school. Any child not fetched from Kingswood by 15:30 will be brought back to VP and can be collected from the Beaufort Street gate.

U13 Netball Round Robin

On Wednesday, 20 May selected U13 girls will play in a Round Robin at VP from 14:30. Girls involved will receive a letter on Monday with further details.

Grade 7 Creatve Arts Workshop

On Friday, 22 May the Grade 7s will attend a workshop in preparation for their mid-year practical performance and theory exam. This workshop is compulsory. Please collect your daughter at 16:45 from the Beaufort Street Gate.

School Photos

Our Individual school photos have been scheduled for Tuesday, 9 June. Forms have been sent home. Please return the completed form with proof of payment or the cash back to school by Friday, 29 May.

VP’s Got Talent

Entries are now open! A fee of R10 per person per act is required and must be submitted together with your application form. Forms can be collected from the office, Ms Knott-Craig or Dr Wynne, and all completed entries must be handed in to Ms Knott-Craig by Friday, 22 May. Each act should be between 1–2 minutes long. Auditions will take place during the week of 1–4 June from 13:00–14:00, with specific time slots allocated. All artworks must be submitted by the 8 June and will be entered in and displayed at the final show. The final show will be held on 18 June at 17:30.

Slipper Day – 29 May

Girls can purchase a sticker for R20 from Mrs Mgogo and will then be allowed to wear slippers at school on Friday, 29 May! If they go to Wimpy on that day with their sticker they will also receive a free coffee or hot chocolate. If you would like to bring slippers to school to wear for the day without buying a sticker you may do so for a R10 donation. All proceeds will go towards Reach for a Dream, an organisation that strives to fulfil the dreams of children who are suffering from life threatening illnesses. Please support the Kind Club’s efforts to raise funds for the Reach for a Dream Slipper Day.

Bottle Tops for Wheelchairs!

Birthday wishes

Happy birthday to the following staff members and girls who celebrated this week week: Mrs Kruger, Ms Christian, Zoe Nkosi, Buhle Koliti, Sakhane Msizi, Tshireletso Nkohli, Angawo Zono, Sibulele Nduna and Okuhle Dyibishe. We hope you had a very special birthday!

Regards

Mrs Rafferty

PRINCIPAL

Dates to Remember

Fri.

15/05

· Detention 13:00-14:00

Sat. 16/05

· Hockey & Netball vs Erica in Gqeberha

Mon. 18/05

· DSG/SAC Music Festival begins

· Music assessment week

· Choir Festival @SAC 16:00. Leave school at 14:45.

· Grade 3-7 Extramurals cancelled

Tues.

19/05

· Hockey vs KC@KC

Wed.

20/05

· U8 & U9 netball vs Prep/KC @KC

· U13 netball Round Robin @VP

· Orchestra Festival @18:30

Thurs.

21/05

· U8 & U9 hockey vs Prep/KC@ KC

· Gala Concert @18:30

Fri.

22/05

· Mini Maestros @KC

· Grade 7 Creative Arts workshop 14:00-16:45

Mon. 25/05

· Exams begin. School finish times change to 07:25-13:00

VP Newsletter 8 May 2026

8th May 2026 Ilza Lang No Comments

Messgae from the office

We trust that you have all kept dry, warm and safe during these unprecedented rainfalls.

We were delighted with the turn out to our first Connect and Grow workshop held on the evening of Tuesday, 28 April. We thank the parents for attending and for the positive way in which the message from Mrs Kelly Long was received. She shared notes on her talk with our parents on the night and she has given me permission to share them in our newsletter.

The following was highlighted in her talk:

Remember as parents you still matter the most.

Even with school, home shapes your child’s confidence, habits, and attitude to learning.

*Small consistent actions make a big difference.

Why reading matters:

Children move from learning to read to reading to learn.

Reading affects:

All subjects (including Maths)
Understanding instructions
Confidence in class

*Strong reading = strong learning

Three Types of Reading at Home:

Homework Reading

Child reads- parent supports

Be patient
Encourage effort
Help only when needed

*Struggle is part of learning

Independent Reading

Books, comics, series

Develops fluency and confidence
Makes reading enjoyable

*Re-reading is helpful

Reading Aloud

Parent reads – child listens (any age!)

Builds vocabulary
Improves understanding
Strengthens connection

Some Guiding Ideas

Talk Builds Thinking

Ask Open questions:

‘Why do you think that?
‘What was the best part of your day?

*Conversation = better understanding

Encourage Thinking and Writing

Write lists or notes
Tell or write stories
Explain answers out loud

Play Still Matters

Board Games
Sport
Problem- Solving Games

*Builds focus, patience, thinking

Screens vs Reading

Too much screen time:

Reduces attention
Makes reading harder

*Aim for 10-15 minutes reading daily

Routine Helps

Same homework time
Same reading time
Quiet calm space
Routine builds habits

Remember

Connection before Correction
Little and often
Talk, play, read every day
Let your child do the work
Start Small: What is one thing you can start today?

Final Thought: Your involvement is what matters most.

We wish all our special mommies and mother figures to our girls, a blessed Mothers’ Day on Sunday. May you be spoilt and made to feel very special!

Exam timetable

Date

Exam

Monday,

25 May

· Creative Writing (HL&FAL) (Grade 4-7)

Tuesday,

26 May

· Creative Writing (HL&FAL) (Grade 4-7)

Wednesday, 27 May

· Language and Comprehension English (Grade 4&5)

· Language and Comprehension FAL (Grade 6&7)

· Life Orientation (Grade 7)

Thursday, 28 May

· Language and Comprehension English (Grade 6&7)

· Language and Comprehension FAL (Grade 4&5)

· Social Sciences Geography (Grade 4-7)

Friday,

29 May

· Maths Paper 1 (Grade 4-7)

· Art (Grade 4-6)

· LSPA (Grade 4-6)

· Technology (Grade 7)

Monday,

1 June

· Maths Paper 2 (Grade 4-7)

· EMS (Grade 7)

Tuesday,

2 June

· Natural Sciences (Grade 4-7)

· LSPA Theory (Grade 7)

Wednesday, 3 June

· Social Sciences History (Grade 4-7)

· Art (Grade 7)

Thursday, 4 June

· Life Skills (Grade 4-6)

· LSPA Practical (Grade 7)

Assembly

On Monday, 11 May Grade 4D will present their assembly. The assembly will start at 10:15. Parents are most welcome to join us.

Worker of the Week

Well done to Lilitha Kulati who is our WOW this week for her lovely weekend news.

Personality of the Week

A special congratulations to Arabella Appollis for always supporting at all of our school functions dressed neatly in her school uniform and being a wonderful VP ambassador.

Indlulamthi Badges

Congratulations to the following girls who were our first girls to receive their badges this year. Thank you for the example you set.

Grade 4 – Chloe Jeggels, Oyakuma Renene, Tehillah Dingani and Amahle Mchunu

Grade 5 – Nakhane Klei, Anania Vutha and Chenelle Musawrurwa

Grade 7 – Amila Ndandani and Iminqweno Qalani

Honours – Haset Sintayehu, Owekhethelo Gongqa and Maham Rizvi.

Sportsmanship Trophy

Congratulations to Onwaba Hoyi and Amahle Mchunu for being super examples of sportsmanship and determination at our netball fixtures against Port Alfred. Keep it up, girls!

Bathurst Show Art Exhibition

Once again, we were very well represented at the exhibition this year. We are pleased to announce that the following girls received awards for their art:

Gabriella Cervati – Gold Award for Grade 6 painting
Ella Radovic – Silver Award for Grade 6 painting
Makatendeka Chakona – Silver Award for Grade 6 painting
Misha Potts – Gold Award for Grade 5 mixed media

Well done!

Merit Achievers

Well done to Uncumolwam Mqomboti, Abongile Mazitshana, Amila Ndandani, Ella Radovic, Izibele Dike, Mivuyo Santi, Kefilwe Racoco, Nazley Gabriel, Zenazi Gqeke, Tessanne Arries, Tehillah Dingani and Amahle Mchunu who have received over 250 merits this year. Keep it up, girls!

Gymnastics

Well done to the girls who participated in the Ready or Not Gymnastics competition on Saturday, 25 April. The girls received the following awards:

Ava Peters was awarded 6th place out of 11 girls on Level 2 and received 3 medals.

Ladine van Wyk received a 3rd place in Rope, 2nd place in Hoop and 2nd Overall in age category.

Avetandwa Wana was awarded bronze medals (3rd place) for Rope Dance, Hoop Dance and a Silver Medal for overall performance in her level.

Well done, girls.

Dance

On Saturday, 25 April Annabelle Olivier, Layla Eaton, Naima Ntsepo, Audrey Matanda, Kenzeigh Scear, Jade Thompson and Kuvimbanashe Chinomona took part in the South African Body of Dance, Eastern Cape Provincial Competition. In the category of Tap Dance Annabelle, Layla, Naime and Audrey performed a piece called Tapped in Love and brought home a gold! In the category of Contemporary Dance, Kenzeigh, Kuvie and Jade brought home a gold! Jade performed a solo in contemporary dance and got a silver!

Well done girls we are so proud of you!

Netball results:

On Wednesday, 29 April the U9 to U13 teams played against Good Shepherd. The results were as follows: U9B won 11–0, U9A won 6-2, U10B won 5-3, U10A lost 2-1, U11B drew 2-2, U11A lost 2-1, U12B won 12-0, U12A won 7-6, U13B won 10-2, U13A lost 9-4.

On Wednesday, 6 May we played matches against Kingswood College. The results were as follows:

U9A won 2-0, U10C lost 3-0, U10B won 7-3, U10A lost 1-0, U11C lost 4-0, U11B lost 5-1, U11A lost 1-0, U12B won 10-1, U12A drew 4-4, U13B won 4-3, U13A lost 8-5. Well done to all the players!

Hockey results vs PAH: U13A lost 2-1, U13B drew 0-0, U10A won 3-2, U9A won 5-0 and U9B drew 0-0.

Astroquiz

Please note that the Astroquiz has been postponed to the Tuesday, 19 May.

Science Expo

Best of luck to Makatendeka Chakona as she presents her NS project at the District School’s Expo at VGHS tomorrow. This is for selection to the regional Expo which will take place in August.

Music

Music assessments: Music pupils are reminded that they will play their scales tests next week and their Term 2 assessments the week after. Keep practising, girls!

Mini Maestros: The Mini Maestros competition will take place on Friday 22 May, at the Kingswood College music school. Participants will receive a letter on Monday with further details.

SAC/DSG music festival: We are thrilled to be participating in this festival, which is a great opportunity for our girls to perform and to hear musicians from other schools. The following girls/groups will be involved: selected soloists, junior choir, senior choir, chamber choir, and orchestra. Please take note of the following dates. Further details are in the letter that was sent home yesterday.

Solo categories: Monday, 18 May to Wednesday, 20 May (mornings only)
Choir festival: Monday, 18 May (16:30)
Orchestra festival: Tuesday, 19 May or Wednesday, 20 May (18:30) (To be confirmed).
Gala concert: Thursday, 21 May (18:30) Soloists/groups selected from the week’s performances.

Tennis

Wishing our four tennis players – Halle and Isla Orsmond, Alexis Muller and Amahle Mchunu the very best for the Luden Cup this Sunday, 10 May. Play well girls and have fun!

U13 Makana Round Robin

Our U13A netball team will participate in the Round Robin on Monday, 11 May 2026 at PJ Olivier. Girls participating have received a letter. Play well, girls!

Netball vs DSG

On Thursday, 14 May our netball teams will play matches against DSG. The following teams will be participating: U10A/B, U11A/B, U12A/B/C and U13A/B/C/D. Girls will be transported to DSG from 13:45. Parents are kindly requested to ensure that girls are collected promptly from DSG after their matches. Girls must attend school in full winter uniform and change into their netball kit before leaving for the matches. Letters will be sent home on Monday. Match fixtures are as follows

	Court 1	Court 2	Court 3	Court 4	Court 5
14:05	U12A	U12C	U11A	U13D	U10B
14:30	U13A	U12B	U11B	U13C	U10A
15:00				U13B	U13D

Let us know!

If your daughter does sports or activities outside of school and you would like her achievements to be recognized at assembly or the newsletter, please let us know via email admin@victoriaprimary.co.za and if she has received a cup or medal she can bring it to school and we will present it to her at assembly.

VP’s Got Talent

Slipper Day – 29 May

Bottle Tops for Wheelchairs!

Birthday wishes

Happy birthday to the following staff member and girls who celebrated this week week: Mrs Wilhelmi, Lulolodwa Siko, Ayomi Seyisi, Iyana Kolwane, Luhlelunje Ngoqo, Inomusa Tauzen, Anopa-Nyasha Thondhlana, Lunje Giyose, Zoe Green, Hlalumi Motshwene and Ithandile Hilta. We hope you had a very special birthday!

Regards

Mrs Rafferty

PRINCIPAL

Dates to Remember

Sat. 9/05	· Fixtures vs Gill College CANCELLED · Science Expo @VGHS
Mon. 11/05	· Assembly presented by Grade 4D @10:15. Parents welcome. · U13 Makana Netball Round Robin@PJ · Mr Schmidt (VGHS) to meet with Grade 6s@13:00. Parents welcome.
Thurs. 14/05	· Netball vs DSG – U10A/B, U11A/B, U12A/B/C and U13A/B/C/D. · NO EXTRAMURALS GR 1-3 (finish school at 13:00)
Fri. 15/05	Detention 13:00-14:00
Sat. 16/05	Hockey & netball vs Erica Primary in Gqeberha
Mon. 18/05	· DSG/SAC Music Festival begins · Music assessment week

VP Newsletter 10 April 2026

10th Apr 2026 Ilza Lang No Comments

Message from the office

Welcome back to the start of our second term. This promises to be a jam-packed term with many winter sports fixtures. It is also an exam term for our Grade 4-7 girls and with only six weeks before the examinations start it is never too late to do a little bit every day so that there isn’t panic and excessive late nights during exam time. If your daughter is struggling in Mathematics or English, please ensure that she attends the intervention sessions this term that are there to assist her. Maths, in particular, has to be practised to be understood and internalised and every learner will benefit from spending a small portion of their afternoon practising the work that they have covered this year. It will also give them a chance to ask their teacher for help or clarity before the exams begin. Your daughter will also benefit from starting to write her study notes and mind maps to help summarize her work before exams. A little bit each day will contribute to your daughter’s success and ease the anxiety that comes with exam time.

“Take small steps everyday and one day you will get there” – unknown.

Worker of the Week

We have started the term off with a bang with many girls already receiving a Principal’s Sticker for their good work. Well done to Haset Sintayehu for her beautiful work in Life Skills. Keep it up, Haset.

Merit Achievers

The following girls have received over 250 merits so far this year: Caitlyn Bodill, Amyoli Loli and Mbalentle Dyaloyi. Keep it up, girls!

Congratulations

Well done to Leah Fox who participated in the 2026 DHL Lifesaving Championships during the holidays. Leah was ranked 9th for both individuals, and 6th for the relay. She participated in the relays as an U10. Well done, Leah. We are super proud of you.

Grade 00-3 Open music lessons

The Victoria Primary Music School would like to invite you to our annual Foundation Phase open music class taking place on Tuesday, 14 April. This is an opportunity for parents and guardians to come and watch what takes place during a class music lesson, and see what their enthusiastic girls have been learning in music.

The open class will take place in the school hall; each session will be half an hour, 5 minutes for arrival and seating, a 20-minute music lesson, and another 5 minutes for parents to lead out before the next class begins their lesson. The only exception is the Grade 3s which will have their open lesson as a combined group, as we will begin our 10:00 session with the Grade 3 choir.

The timetable for the day will be as follows:

Gr 1 Mrs Orsmond 08:00-08:30

Gr 1 Ms Casling 08:30-09:00

Gr R Teacher Kerry 09:00-09:30

Gr R Teacher Sam 09:30-10:00

Gr 3 Mrs Dewey & Mrs Mgogo 10:00-10:30

BREAK

Gr 2 Ms Christian 11:00-11:30

Gr 2 Mrs Olivier 11:30-12:00

Gr 00 Teacher Lee 12:00-12:30

Please join us for a wonderful morning of music and to see your daughter’s musical development in action!

U10 hockey Clinic

Netball vs Kenton-on-Sea

On Saturday, 18 April our U9A, U10A, U11 and U13 netball teams will play Kenton Primary in Kenton-on-Sea. Girls participating have received letters. We wish them all the best!

District Chess Trial

Girls from U10–U20 are reminded to enter the upcoming district chess trials hosted by the Sarah Baartman Chess Association.

The event will take place on Saturday, 18 April in Makhanda. Entries close on Wednesday, 15 April.

Don’t miss this great opportunity to improve your ranking and gain valuable experience—enter now!

VP’s Got Talent

Each act should be between 1–2 minutes long. Auditions will take place during the week of 1–4 June from 13:00–14:00, with specific time slots allocated. All artworks must be submitted by the 8 June and will be entered in and displayed at the final show. The final show will be held on 18 June at 17:30.

Grade 4 ‘How to learn’ talk

Please note that the Grade 4 talk scheduled to take place on the 13 April will be postponed to later date that is still to be confirmed

VPV

We will be having our next VPV meeting on Wednesday, 15 April at 17:15 in the school hall. Hope to see you there.

Easter Raffle

We are delighted to announce that the VPV raised R29490 from our Easter Raffle. Thank you to everyone for their support.

Extramurals

Please note that the winter extramural programme will begin on Monday, 13 April. Please ensure that your daughter has all the equipment needed to do her chosen sport/s. Girls may do both netball and hockey up until U11. From U12 she has to choose to do either hockey or netball. It is compulsory for every child to do at least one winter sport.

Please note these changes to the extramural programme:

Art club will be on Monday 14:30-15:30
No extramurals for Grade 4-7 on Thursday, 16 April as teachers will attend District Moderation. Choir and Library will continue as usual.

Birthday wishes

Happy birthday to the following girls who celebrated this week: Lulo Kota, Carla Frazer, Phumelela Macetyana, Alexis Killian, Emily Floris, Lidwala Matamo, Zizo Ngqoyiya, Ivakele Duba, Sivuze Xamleko, Sahlulo Kutase, Zenazi Gqeke and Uyathandwa Macanda. We hope you had a very special birthday!

Regards

Mrs Rafferty

PRINCIPAL

Dates to remember
Friday 10/04	· Grade 7 Committee meetings 13:00-13:30
Saturday 11/04	· U10 Hockey Clinic 09:00-12:00
Monday 13/04	· Applications for 2027 open
Tuesday 14/04	· FP Open Music Class
Wednesday 15/04	· PTA meeting @17:15
Thursday 16/04	· District moderation – Grade 4-7 extramurals cancelled as teachers will attend. Choir and Library will continue.
Saturday 18 /04	· Netball vs Kenton @Kenton · Sarah Baartman netball trials in Somerset East · Makana Chess trials in Makhanda

VP Newsletter 20 March 2026

20th Mar 2026 Ilza Lang No Comments

Message from the office

Although I may be pre-empting my thanks for the Alice in Wonderland that, while I am writing this, has yet to be performed, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the dedicated teachers and girls (and their families) who have not had one Saturday off this term – preparing for this show. I am forever in awe of the commitment and lengths our staff go to, to give our girls the opportunity to be involved in something quite magical. I know that they are all exhausted, cast and staff alike, but I am certain that the ‘high’ and pride that they will get from next week’s shows will make it all worth it.

I encourage you to buy a ticket to see the show, even if your daughter is not in the production, as it will no doubt be an incredible night out with your family. The tickets are selling quickly, to avoid disappointment, don’t delay in purchasing one!

Alice Tuckshop

Our newly established VPV is also enthusiastically preparing an exciting tuckshop for the productions. To reduce costs, we are asking for donations of the following items.

flour; eggs; baking powder; boxes of ground cinnamon; loaves of bread; Apricot jam; Brown paper bags for popcorn; Oil; White vinegar; Sugar; Salt; Popcorn Kernels.

These can be dropped off at the school office.

The VPV will be selling snack platters each night that can be pre- ordered at R35 each and consist of the following:

X2 cocktail pies; X1 vetkoek; X1 pancake; X1 cheese griller; X2 triangle sandwiches with jam and cheese

Your daughter will receive an order form for you to complete and return to school by Monday, 23 March if you would like to order platters.

Alice in Wonderland ticket sales

Tickets for Alice in Wonderland are currently on sale from the school office at a cost of R50. The shows will be as follows:

24 March 18:00

25 March 18:00

26 March 18:00

Don’t leave it too late as no tickets will be sold at the door

Worker of the Week

Congratulations to Tessanne Arries who is our Worker of the Week this week for her beautiful work on ecosystems in Natural Sciences.

Merit achievers

Chloe Jeggels, Halle Orsmond, Ababalwe Ngwethsheni, Makatendeka Chakona and Maham Rizvi have received over 250 merits so far this year. Well done!

Assembly

On Monday, 23 March we will have our Induction Assembly and our Committee Heads, Deputy Head Girl and Head Girl for 2026 will be announced. Parents are welcome.

Easter Egg Raffle

We hope that tickets sales for our Easter raffle are going well. We are grateful for all the donations of Easter Eggs that have come in already – Monday will be the last day to make your contribution to the hampers for our winners! Please send your raffle sheets and payment in to school on Monday, 23 March as we will be doing the draw for the winners on Wednesday, 25 March. A reminder that if a raffle sheet has been lost R50 will be payable.

Netball Trials

Congratulations to the following girls who made it to the next round of Trials. The girls will now represent Makana at the Sarah Baartman Trails in Somerset East on Saturday, 18 April

U12

– Lidwala Matamo

– Zenkosi Mati

U13

– Uncumolwam Mqomboti

– Silubonile Royi

We are proud of you!

Splash and Interhouse Gala results

Well done to all the girls who swam in the Splash and Interhouse Gala! We had lots of fun and summery weather. The final results are as follows:

1st Disa

2nd Fern

3rd Arum

4th Aloe

Victrix Ludorums:

U9: Nima Ntsepo

U10: Teia van Rooyen

U11: Chanelle Musarurwa

U12: Isla Orsmond

Open: Anathi Mbandlakazi

Most Improved swimmers:

Gold: Andisiwe Mraji

Pink: Nakhane Klei

Purple: Kendra Chrisjan

Yellow: Lunathi Makasi

Orange: Gabriella Cervati

Feeder: Emihle Kulati

Team: (Van Onselen Trophy for the Most Improved Swimmer) Cayden Strauss

Grade 1-3 Open Music Lessons

Please note that due to the production next week and the set-up in the hall, we will postpone the Music Open Lessons for the Pre-Primary and Foundation Phase until next term on Tueday, 14 April. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Progress Concert

All our beginners and Initial-level musicians will perform at the annual Progress Concert, which will take place in the hall on Thursday, 26 March at 14:15. Parents are welcome to attend in support of our budding performers.

Conquesta

Should you wish for your child to participate in Conquesta 2026, entry forms are available from Mrs Sauls. Conquesta is only open to Grades 4-7. Please complete the entry form and return it to school in an envelope, marked conquesta with the exact amount for entry fee and your child’s name and class. Closing date for entries is 25 March.

Natural Sciences Olympiad (Grades 4–7)

Girls in Grades 4 to 7 are invited to take part in the NRF SAASTA Natural Sciences Olympiad. This is a great opportunity for learners who enjoy science to challenge themselves, develop problem-solving skills, and test their knowledge. Dates (during school hours):

29 July – Grades 4–6
30 July – Grade 7

Entry forms are available from Ms Miskin.

Please return the completed form with the R35 entry fee by Friday, 26 March.

Reports

Hard copies of reports will be handed out to the girls on the last day of school before they leave at 10:30. NO reports will be handed out before this time. Please do not inundate the office for earlier requests. However, we will now also be sending out digital copies of reports via email. If you have changed your email address recently, please ensure you inform the school office to ensure that you receive your daughter’s report via email.

Birthday wishes

Happy birthday to the following girls who celebrated this week: Buhle Phongolo, Tehillah Dingani, Avethandwa Wana, Luminathi Mofu, Iyana Zono, Silindokuhle Demele, Elihle Velem, Bella Bonsor, Luhle Songongo and Emily Smith. We hope you had a very special birthday!

Regards

Mrs Rafferty

PRINCIPAL

Dates to remember
Fri. 20 March	· Alice in Wonderland Production Camp 14:00-19:00. · Grade 7 Committee meeting 13:00-13:30.
Sat. 21 March	· Human Rights Day. · Alice in Wonderland rehearsal 09:00-13:00
Mon. 23 March	· Induction Assembly @10:00. · Return Easter raffle sheets and payment.
Tues. 24 March	· Alice in Wonderland production – please be seated by 18:00
Wed. 25 March	· Easter Raffle draw. · Alice in Wonderland production – please be seated by 18:00
Thurs. 26 March	· Beginners & Initial-level musicians Progress Concert @14:15. · Alice in Wonderland production – please be seated by 18:00
Fri. 27 March	· Top 10 Academic Assembly @08:30. Parents welcome. · School closes at 10:30. Hostel closes at 12:30. No Aftercare.

9th Mar 2026 Ilza Lang No Comments

Newsletter 6 March 2026

Message from the office

At lines this week the teachers have been talking to the girls about having strong minds which is part of our motto this year. Developing a strong mind is something that we can nurture and develop in our girls. Although the concept of a strong mind can encapsulate many concepts such a growth mindset, positivity, resilience and a positive self-esteem amongst others, it is about skilling our daughters to not only face what life throws at us, but the ability to thrive through it all.

Here are 10 ways you can set your daughter up to feel capable, brave and have the courage to overcome any obstacles. (https://childmind.org/article/12-tips-raising-confident-kids/)

Model confidence yourself

Even if you’re not quite feeling it! Seeing you tackle new tasks with optimism and lots of preparation sets a good example for your daughters.

Don’t get upset about mistakes

Help our girls to see that everyone makes mistakes and the important thing is to learn from them, not dwell on them.

Encourage them to try new things

Attaining new skills makes one feel capable and confident that they can tackle whatever comes their way. Helping her to discover her own interests can develop a sense of identity, which is essential to building confidence.

Allow your daughter to fail

It’s natural to want to protect your child from failure, but trial and error is how children learn, and falling short on a goal helps them to find out that it’s not fatal.

Praise perseverance

Confidence and self-esteem are not about succeeding at everything all the time, they’re about being resilient enough to keep trying, and not being distressed if you’re not the best.

Set goals

Help your child turn desires and dreams into actionable goals by encouraging them to make a list of things they’d like to accomplish. Then, practice breaking down longer-term goals into realistic benchmarks.

Celebrate effort

Praising your daughter for her accomplishments is great, but it’s also important to let her know you’re proud of her efforts regardless of the outcome.

Expect her to pitch in

They might complain, but children feel more connected and valued when they’re counted on to do age-appropriate jobs, from picking up toys to doing dishes.

Embrace imperfection

It is important for our girls to get the message that perfection is unrealistic, remind them that being less than perfect is human and totally okay.

Show your love

Let your children know you love them no matter what. Making sure a child knows that you think they’re great – and not just when they do great things – will bolster their self-worth even when they’re not feeling good about themselves.

Worker of the Week

Well done to Amy Mlambo who is WOW this week for her excellent work in Natural Sciences. Keep up the good work!

Easter Egg Raffle

We hope that tickets sales for our Easter raffle are going well. We are grateful for all the donations of Easter Eggs that have come in already – please continue to donate.

Assembly

On Monday, 9 March Grade 5M will present the assembly. Parents are welcome to attend. Assembly starts at 10:15

Extramural information

Please note that due to a Staff Development meeting there will be no extramurals for Grade 4-7 on Wednesday, 11 March.

Colour Splash Gala

Our Colour Splash Gala will be held on Thursday, 12 March from 14:00 -15:30. Please note that it is compulsory for all girls in Grade 4 – 7 to attend the entire duration of the gala. All other extramurals are cancelled. FP Sport will continue as usual.

Parents are welcome to attend and must please enter through the Beaufort Street gate. All girls can be collected from the Beaufort Street office gate at 15:30.

Grade 4-7 girls are required to come to school dressed in their house shirts, black shorts and takkies or VP flip flops for the day. They will change into their costumes at second break. Swimming caps and towels are essential for girls participating in the gala, please also ensure that your daughter has a black speedo costume, which is the correct size and that the material is not perished.

Interhouse Gala

Our Interhouse Gala will be held on Friday, 13 March from 13:00 -15:30

Please note that it is be compulsory for all girls in Grade 3 – 7 to attend the entire duration of the gala. All other extramurals are cancelled.

Gr 1-2s must be collected from the Huntley Street gate at 13:00. Parents are welcome to attend the gala and must please enter through the Beaufort Street gate.

All Grade 3-7 girls are required to come to school dressed in their house shirts, black shorts and takkies or VP flip flops for the day. Swimming caps and towels are

essential for girls participating in the gala, please also ensure that she has a black speedo costume (if not a team swimmer) which is the correct size and that the material is not perished. The VPV will be running a tuckshop at the gala.

Please note that only selected swimmers will swim in the Interhouse gala.

Interdistricts Gala

Selected girls swam in the Interdistricts gala on Thursday, representing the Sarah Baartman District. They all achieved a top three result! Isla Orsmond came first in breaststroke, Rose Jordaan came first in breaststroke and Naima Ntsepo came second in freestyle and third in breastroke. Well done!

Netball

Today & Saturday, 6&7 March the U13B netball team will take part in the Frans Erasmus Netball Festival at PJ Olivier. The fixtures are below.

FRIDAY (Court A)

13:50 – VP vs George Dickerson

15:10 – VP vs Good Shepherd

SATURDAY (Court A)

8:00 – VP vs PJ

9:20 – VP vs Grahamstown Primary

13:40 – VP vs Kenton-On-Sea

14:20 – Oatlands

Good luck, girls!

U12 & U13 Makana Netball trials Congratulations to the U12 and U13 girls who have been selected to represent VP at the Makana Netball Trials.

U12

Lidwala Matamo

Riekie Mabaso

Zenkosi Mati

Kungazo Mathanga

U13

Siphesihle Chrisjan

Angawo Zono

Silubonile Royi

Uncumolwam Mqombothi

Oyintando Nkatazo

The U13 trials will take place on Tuesday, 10 March at VGHS from 14h30 and the U12 trials on Wednesday, 11 March at PJ Olivier from 14h30. Good luck, girls!

Lorraine Hockey/Netball Festival

We would like to wish the U13A hockey and netball teams good luck as they participate in the Lorraine Winter Sports Festival, today and tomorrow. Travel safely and play well, girls.

FP Open Swimming Lesson

Foundation Phase parents are invited to join us to see what the girls are learning at swimming and marvel at how much progress they have made!

Grade 3: Monday, 9 March @13:00.

Grade 2: Tuesday, 10 March at 13:00.

Grade 1: Wednesday, 11 March at 13:00

Please enter through the Beaufort Street office entrance.

Mini Maestros

Please note that the deadline for entries and payment is Friday, 13 March.

Rehearsals: Please note important dates for our production of Alice in Wonderland.

7 March (Scene 1-10) 09:00-13:00

14 March – Full Dress Rehearsal 09:00-13:00

20 March (Morning – Cushion Show)

21 March Rehearsal TBC

24 March (School’s Cushion show)

24 March (Evening show) 18:00

25 March (Evening show) 18:00

26 March (Evening show) 18:00

Alice in Wonderland ticket sales

Please note that ticket sales for Alice in Wonderland will go on sale from next week Friday, 13 March from the school office.

Donation

We are requesting donations of empty, clean tins for our Grade 00s.

Birthday wishes

Happy birthday to the following staff member and girls who celebrated this week: Mrs Tata, Olumiyo Koliti, Halle Orsmond, Anna Malamis Michaela Swanepoel, Kefilwe Racoco, Mvelo-Entle Ntlanjeni, Ubulumko Dunywa, Lilitha Kulati, Sinqobile Mbeyane, Ndalo Mvula, and Ziviwe Mteto.

We hope you had a very special birthday!

Regards

Mrs Rafferty

PRINCIPAL

Dates to remember
Fri. 6 March	· Lorraine Primary U13A Netball & Hockey Tournament @Gqeberha · Frans Erasmus U13B Netball team participate in Frans Erasmus tournament @PJ
Sat. 7 March	· Alice in Wonderland rehearsal (Scene 1-10) 09:00-13:00 · Lorraine Tournament @Lorraine Primary, Gqeberha · Frans Erasmus Tournament @PJ
Mon. 9 March	· Grade 5M assembly @10:15. · Grade 3 Open swimming lesson @13:00
Tues. 10 March	· Grade 2 Open swimming lesson @13:00 · U13 Makana netball trials, VGHS @14:00
Wed. 11 March	· Grade 1 Open swimming lesson @13:00 · U12 Makana netball trials, PJ @13:30 · Grade 4-7: NO EXTRAMURALS
Thurs. 12 March	· Colour Splash Gala @14:00-15:30 Compulsory for Grade 4-7. No other extramurals for Gr 4-7.
Fri. 13 March	· Interhouse Gala @13:00-15:30. Compulsory for all Gr 3-7s. No other extramurals.
Sat. 14 March	· 14 March – Full Dress Rehearsal 09:00-13:00

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