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

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!

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 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

VP Newsletter 27 February 2026

27th Feb 2026 Ilza Lang No Comments

Message from the office

Today we celebrated our 76th Founders’ Day and we were delighted to have Sisipho Macingwane as our guest Speaker. Sisipho came to VP in Grade 4 in 2008, went to VGHS and is now a Quantity Surveyor in Pretoria. She is currently pursuing her masters in Project Management. She is also a talented sportswoman having trained with Caster Semenye doing 100 and 200 m sprints and long jump. I also remember her as a very talented hockey player. We are always so delighted to see our girls doing so well and it was especially wonderful to not only see her thrive professionally but to note her kind and giving heart which was something I remember fondly when she was in Grade 4. Thank you, Sisipho, for joining us today as our special guest. We also thank all our families and friends who joined us for our assembly.

We are very proud to introduce our new branding for Victoria Primary School which was used for our Founders’ Day Assembly programme for the first time and you are able to view it on our newsletter. We decided it is time for a new fresh look and we are super excited about our new website which is in the process of being developed. Watch this space!

Personality of the Week

Well done to our POW this week; to Chloe Jeggels for Perseverance and Shameega Kholisa for Compassion and Thoughtfulness. We are proud of you both.

Worker of the Week

Congratulations to Lilitha Kulati who is our WOW for her neat handwriting. Keep it up, Lilitha.

Easter Egg Raffle

As a VPV fundraiser, every child will receive an Easter Raffle sheet to sell at R5 a ticket. Please sell the sheet and return the money to your daughter’s class teacher. You are most welcome to sell more than one sheet! Please note that if your daughter loses her sheet, you will have to pay in the R50.

The raffle prizes will be Easter Egg hampers. These hampers are made up from Easter Eggs which are donated by VP families. Please give generously so that our winners can have a very chocolaty Easter!

Assembly

On Monday, 2 March Grade 6P will present the assembly. Parents are welcome to attend. Assembly starts at 10:15

Request for Donations

We are asking for donations of newspapers, pringle tubes (long ones) and Checkers/Pick ‘n Pay brown bags please! We will be using these materials to make props for Alice in Wonderland.

Interdistricts gala

Well done to Rose Jordaan, Naima Ntsepo and Isla Orsmond for making the Sarah Baartman Swimming Team. They will be competing next Thursday at the Interdistrict Gala in East London.

Travel safely and swim well, girls!

Netball

On Friday & Saturday, 6&7 March the U13B netball team will take part in the Frans Erasmus Netball Festival at PJ Olivier. The fixtures are below. Girls involved have received letters.

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

Lorraine Hockey/Netball Festival

We would like to wish the U13A hockey and netball teams good luck as they will be participating in the annual Lorraine Winter Sports Festival. Girls will leave on Friday, 6 March and return to Makhanda on Saturday, 7 March. Travel safely and good luck, girls.

Balmoral Girls Primary

On Thursday, 5 March the U13A hockey and netball girls will be playing a friendly match versus Balmoral Girls Primary School in preparation for the Lorraine Winter Sports festival. The hockey and netball games will be at VP and start at 14h10.

Tennis

Our VP tennis teams played against Port Alfred on Thursday, 26 February. They had an exciting afternoon of competitive tennis. The Senior First Team delivered a great performance, convincingly winning 47–16 games. Their focus, teamwork, and consistency on court were outstanding. The junior team also rose to the occasion, securing a well-earned 35–30 game victory in a closely contested match. It was a fantastic day filled with great sportsmanship, determination, and team spirit. Congratulations to all our players, we are incredibly proud of you!

Puppet Show

On Thursday morning the Pre-Primary and Foundation Phase will be enjoying a Puppet Works Production called Dare to be Different! Thank you to Heather and her team for visiting us!

Music

Assessments

Music pupils are reminded that they will play their Term 1 assessments next week.

Marimba

Please note that all marimba band members are required to send the marimba levy (R50) to Dr. Wynne by Friday next week, if they wish to continue playing.

Mini maestros

Letters regarding this music competition were sent home yesterday. Please note that the closing date for entries is Friday, 13 March.

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

28 February (Scene 1-10) 09:00-13:00

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

For Sale

Limited stock of our Memory books are available from the office for R150. These books have a page for each year of school with blank pages and slots to include achievements and memories from the year. Great for children and parents to complete together and keep forever!

Birthday wishes

Happy birthday to the following staff member and girls who celebrated this week: Ms Quza, Mrs Sopangiso, Ayomide Booi, Elizabeth Egunlusi, Khumoitsile Moleko, Taylynne Thomas, Mivuyo Nongxaza, Azoma Magopeni, Tasmine Thomas and Caryne Grobler.

We hope you had a very special birthday!

Regards

Mrs Rafferty

PRINCIPAL

Dates to remember
Saturday, 28 February	Alice in Wonderland rehearsal (Scene 1-5) 09:00 -13:00 B-League gala in Gqeberha.
Monday, 2 March	Grade 6P assembly @10:15
Thursday, 5 March	Interdistricts Gala, East London U13A netball & hockey vs Balmoral @VP 14:10 Puppet Show for Pre-Primary & Foundation Phase
Friday, 6 March	Lorraine Primary U13A Netball & Hockey Tournament @Gqeberha Frans Erasmus U13B Netball team participate in Frans Erasmus tournament @PJ
Saturday, 7 March	Alice in Wonderland rehearsal (Scene 1-10) 09:00-13:00 Lorraine Tournament @Gqeberha Frans Erasmus Tournament @PJ

VP Newsletter 20 February 2026

20th Feb 2026 Ilza Lang No Comments

Message from the office

One of the highlights of my day is when girls come to receive their Principal Stickers. Their unabashed curiosity of being in my office, the delightful questions they ask and the joy they show when they uncurl their sour worm out the bucket – really makes my day!

This poem sums up our delightful girls!

Why God Made Little Girls

(Henry Alfred Dixon)

God made the world with its towering trees,

Majestic mountains and restless seas.

Then stopped and said, “It needs one more thing,

Someone to laugh and dance and sing.

To walk in the woods and gather flowers,

To commune with nature in quiet hours.”

So God created little girls.

With laughing eyes and bouncing curls.

With joyful hearts and infectious smiles,

Enchanting ways and feminine wiles.

And when He’d completed the task He’d begun,

He was pleased and proud of the job He’d done.

For the world when seen through a little girl’s eyes,

Greatly resembles His own paradise.

Questionnaire

One of our key objectives this year is to strengthen our communication and connection with you, our parent community.

We would greatly appreciate it if you could take a few minutes to complete a short questionnaire consisting of only five questions. Your feedback will help us identify our strengths as well as areas where we can improve. The link to the questionnaire is as follows: https://forms.gle/jDEswCv9dr5Rna8w7

We will also be sharing the questionnaire link via the WhatsApp groups for you to complete.

Founders’ Day Assembly

On Friday, 27 February, we will be celebrating our Founders’ Day with an assembly at 08:30. Our guest speaker is a special old VP girl, Sisipho Macingwane, who is flying out from Johannesburg for the occasion. We would love for our VP parents and families, past and present, to join us. Please be seated in the gallery by 08:25.

All girls must be dressed in their full school uniform on Friday (Grade 4-7 girls in their blazers). If your daughter has a birthday on Friday she can either change after the assembly or she may wear her civvies on Thursday, 26 February or on Monday, 2 February.

Request for Donations

We are desperately needing donations of newspapers, pringle tubes (long ones) and Checkers/Pick ‘n Pay brown bags please! We will be using these materials to make props for Alice in Wonderland.

Worker of the Week

Well done to Iminathi Bawuti who is our WOW this week for her lovely work in isiXhosa!

Assembly

On Monday, 23 February Grade 6G will present the assembly. Parents are welcome to attend. Assembly starts at 10:15

Music

Music pupils will play their scales tests next week, and their Term 1 assessments the week after. Keep practising, girls.

Extramural update

Please note that on Thursday, 26 February swimming practice for the Pink and Purple teams is cancelled due to coaches attending District Moderation.

Athletics

A big congratulations to the following girls who took part in the Sarah Baartman Athletics Meet last week Friday; Kaya Jones, Amahle Mchunu, Nalu Mfiki, Etinosa Nini, Emihle Kulati, Akum Mxo and Siphesihle Chrisjan. They can be very proud of their performances! Well done!

Sarah Baartman District Trials

Well done to all the girls who swam at the Sarah Baartman trials at DSG on Tuesday. We are very proud of your effort! We await the results to hear who made the team.

Tennis

Well done to Halle Orsmond for participating in the Interdistricts Tennis Tournament. Well done Halle, we are so proud of you!
We wish our junior and senior girls’ tennis teams the very best for their matches this Thursday, 26 February, against Port Alfred. Play well girls and have fun!

EC Lifesaving Champs

Leah Fox participated in the EC Champs last weekend in Jeffrey’s Bay. She could not complete all her events because the conditions were dangerous but she tried her very best and did not give up. Well done, Leah, you make us very proud! Leah will be competing in the National Championship at the end of March and we wish her all the best.

U12 Netball Trials

Reminder that the U12 netball trials will be taking place on Monday and Wednesday next week from 15:15 to 16:00. Girls who are interested in playing netball, especially new girls who came to VP this year, must please attend.

Easter Egg Hamper – VPV Fundraiser

Our first fundraiser for this year will be a raffle for Easter Egg hampers. These hampers are made up from Easter Eggs which are donated by VP families. Please give generously so that our winners can have a very chocolaty Easter!

Rehearsals

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

21 February (Scene 7-10) 09:00-12:00

28 February (Scene 1-10) 09:00-13:00

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

Birthday wishes

Happy birthday to the following teachers and girls who celebrated this week:

Mrs T. Coetzee, Kazlin De Maar, Elamibhongo Sidima, Amahle Mchunu, Libhongo Mase, Lusenathi Ntoyanto, Megan van Staden, Olwenene Ndlole, Mivuyo Santi, Kaya Jones, Tori Coetzee, Kelsey Botha, Lumile Zani, Lunje Kota and Okuhle Smile.

We hope you had a very special birthday!

Regards

Mrs Rafferty

PRINCIPAL

Dates to remember
Saturday, 21 February	Alice in Wonderland rehearsal (Scene 7-10) 09:00 -12:00
Sunday, 22 February	Boarders return from Leave Out
Monday, 23 February	Grade 6G assembly @10:15
Thursday, 26 February	Tennis vs PAHS. Jnr tennis team (U9, 10, 11) @PAHS Snr team (U12, 13) @VP
Friday, 27 February	Founders’ Assembly @08:30. Parents & past pupils welcome.
Saturday, 28 February	Alice in Wonderland rehearsal (Scene 1-5) 09:00 -13:00 B-League gala in Gqeberha.

The GC Makhanda Nite Race 2026

Somerset Field, Graeme College on Wednesday, 4 March 2026

Registration: 16:30 | Race Start: 17:30

Distance: 8km

Delicious food, ice-cold drinks and awesome prizes

Bring your friends, bring your family, and support their 1st XI Hockey team while enjoying a fantastic night out in Makhanda!

Tickets: R20 Scholars R30 Adults

Tickets are also available on Quicket.

VP Newsletter 13 February 2026

13th Feb 2026 Ilza Lang No Comments

Message from the office

A special thank you to all our parents who joined us at the Botanical Gardens last Friday, our ‘SIlent Bookclub’ was enjoyed by all! I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy Valentine’s Day tomorrow. May your Saturday be filled with love and meaningful connections.

Always remember to show your precious daughters just how loved she is.

Adapted from: https://rainforestlearningcentre.ca/5-significant-ways-to-show-children-they-are-loved-and-why-its-important/

Children really need their ‘love tank’ filled – not just this Valentine’s Day but every day! They need to know, through actions and words, that they are loved (and thus safe, and secure). If they don’t get enough visible love, they suffer. Quite literally – it affects their mentality and behaviour.

So, how can we as parents show children they are loved? Here are five simple ways:

1) Ensure children get plenty of physical touch; kisses, hugs, back-rubs, hair strokes and hand holding are key to showing love.

2) Spend quality time with your daughters, giving them undivided attention, to show them you love them.

When we say “quality time,” we don’t mean watching T.V. together. This is also not about taking them somewhere so you can use your phone while they play with friends. It’s not taking them to the Pick ‘n Pay with you. The so-called, ‘must do’ errand is the child. It’s not the child plus something else.

We mean, really, take the time to interact with them. For hours. And regularly. In your schedule.

3) Tell children you love them.

Don’t assume that actions are enough. Sometimes, children need to be told they are loved.

4) Show appreciation for how they love you back, and for who they are.

Be sure that you thank them for the little things they do for you- their acts of love and thank them for simply being who they are – that they are unconditionally loved and accepted.

5) Performacts of service for your children, so that they know they are loved and that you care about what’s important to them.

This is simply put – “showing up.” It means that you make it to the play they spent weeks preparing for. You come to the hockey game and school events. You are there for them, during the events of life that are important to them. But it may also mean that you make them their favourite meal, ‘just because’. You teach them how to do things like ride a bike or bake a cake- those are the ‘big’ things in their life, even though they seem small to you. So, show them you care by doing those things with them.

Assembly

On Monday, 16 February Grade 7C will present our assembly. Parents are welcome to attend. Assembly starts at 10:15

Personality of the Week

Congratulations to our two girls who received their POW Certificates at Monday’s assembly; Simo Dyaloyi for Taking Initiative and for Helpfulness and to Unakho Maxhaulana for Honesty. Thank you for being an example to others, girls! We are also proud of Ms Makeba who also received a POW certificate for Courage. Thank you for setting such a courageous example for our girls, Ms Makeba!

Worker of the Week

Well done to Yusrah Suleman for her excellent work in Natural Sciences. Keep it up, Yusrah!

Swimming

Well done to all the girls who travelled to Gqeberha last Saturday to compete at the B-League gala. It was a long day and the girls swam beautifully.

Much fun was had at the Graeme Relay Gala on Tuesday, where all our swimmers showed dedication and resilience. We are so proud of all of you! A special mention must go to the U9 relay teams who won all their races, even beating some of the boys teams! You go girls!

Best of luck to the girls selected to participate in the Sarah Baartman Primary Schools’ Trials Gala next Tuesday at DSG. These girls have received a letter with more details.

Tennis request

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.

Athletics

This week was our last week of athletics practice for our girls that have been qualifying after each round.

Today, 7 selected girls went off to Gqeberha to participate at the Sarah Baartman District trials! To Amahle and Kaya in Grade 4, Emihle, Nalu and Etinosa in Grade 6 and Siphesihle and Akum in Grade 7, you were in our thoughts all day! We can’t wait to hear your results. We know that you’ll carry our Victoria Primary School flag high! Safe travels back!

Easter Egg Hamper – VPV Fundraiser

Rehearsals

Please note the dates of the rehearsals for Alice in Wonderland, coming up in February:

14 February (Scene 5-8) 09:00-12:00
21 February (Scene 7-10) 09:00-12:00
28 February (Scene 1-5) 09:00-12:00

Birthday wishes

Happy birthday to the following teachers and girls who celebrated this week: Mrs Mgogo, Ms Miskin, Tamera Ngwalase, Shameega Khohliso, Neo Molefe, Kazlin De Maar, Elamibhongo Sidima and Amahle Mchunu. We hope you had a very special birthday!

Regards

Mrs Rafferty

PRINCIPAL

Dates to remember
Saturday, 14 February	Alice in Wonderland rehearsal (Scene 5-8) @09:00-12:00
Monday, 16 February	Grade 7C assembly @10:15
Tuesday, 17 February	Sarah Baartman District Gala
Friday, 20 February	Boarders’ Leave Out
Saturday, 21 February	Alice in Wonderland rehearsal (Scene 7-10) 09:00-12:00
Sunday, 22 February	Boarders’ return

VP Newsletter 6 February 2026

6th Feb 2026 Ilza Lang No Comments

Message from the office
What a lovely week we have had celebrating the joy of reading and storytelling with our girls. The ‘my favourite book character’outifts were just delightful and I hope you have had a chance to view them on our closed Facebook page. I am looking forward to enjoying some quiet time reading with the VP community this afternoon in BOTS and we hope to see you there! Please don’t limit your family reading to this week only – make it a daily event when you share the joy of reading and books as a family (just before bedtime is the absolute best!) – these special times are what childhood dreams and happy memories are made of.

I would also like to share this note from the EC School managers group which links beautifully to our theme this year:

If you want to raise a strong child:
1. Don’t raise perfect children – raise honest, kind, and brave ones.
2. Listen to their small stories now, or they won’t share the big ones later.
3. Correct them gently, harsh words stay in their hearts longer than you think.
4. Teach them values, not pressure – grades fade, character stays.
5. Let them fail sometimes; confidence grows from ‘I survived that’.
6. Spend time, not money – memories matter more than things.
7. Appreciate their efforts, not just their results.
8. Be the parent they can come to, not the one they hide from.
9. Your child doesn’t need a perfect parent – just a present one.
10. One day they will grow up…but the way
you loved them will stay with them forever.

Reading in Unusual Places Competition
We were thrilled with the number of entries we received and the wonderfully creative photos sent in. It was an incredibly difficult decision to choose our winners as each entry was amazing in its own way. Congratulations to the following girls:
Tied for 3rd – Avethandwa Mxo and Kenzeigh Scear
2nd – Alexis Muller
1st – Nkwenkwezi Mtakati
A video of all our entries has been posted on the Facebook page.

Assembly
Grade 7V will be presenting their assembly on Monday. Parents are welcome to attend. The assembly will start at 10:15

SPCA Book sale
We were delighted with the wonderful collection of books that were on sale for our girls for very reasonable prices on Tuesday. The SPCA sent a letter of thanks for our support and they managed to raise R2647.00. I encourage you to visit the SPCA shop in High Street as they have a wonderful array of books to choose from for your girls.

Worker of the Week
Well done to Ezokuhle Kewuti for her lovely work in Natural Sciences. Keep it up

Uniform/ VP Flip Flops
Please note that girls may wear their VP flip flops with their sports clothes to school. FP have their designated sports clothes days and IP girls may only wear their sports clothes to school on the days that they have LSPE or LSPA on their timetable. When girls are in their school uniform they may wear their flip flops with their school uniform while on campus but they have to put their school shoes and socks on when they leave campus.

Valentine’s Day civvies
On Friday, 13 February we will have a Valentine’s Day themed civvies day (red, white and pink). The cost is R10. There will also be a tuckshop available.

Spur Voucher
Girls have all received a gift voucher which can be used at Spur restaurants.

Eye Screening
The team from Dr Davies’ Optometrists will be at VP on Monday and Tuesday doing the eye screenings.

Swimming
B-League Gala
On Saturday selected swimmers will take part in the B-League gala at the Newton Park swimming pool in Gqeberha. Good luck and travel safely!

Relay Gala
On Tuesday, 10 February our swimming team will participate in the GC Relay gala at 14:00. Girls participating in both galas have received letters. Swim well, girls!

Marimbas
We are very pleased with the level of interest in the marimbas. All the girls who have signed up will have auditions, which will take place next week during the marimba slots on the extramural timetable:
Monday 14:00-15:00 Grade 7
Tuesday 14:00-15:00 Grade 4
Wednesday 14:00-15:00 Grade 5
Thursday 14:00-15:00 Grade 6

Tennis request
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.

Athletics
Our athletics team has had a busy week! On Wednesday, our field athletes took part in their first meet of the year which was held at PJ Olivier Hoerskool. We want to congratulate all of our girls who took part.
Special congratulations goes out to the following girls who placed first, second or third in their respective events:
U/10 Amahle Mchunu;
U/11 Mivuyo Santi;
U/12 Nalu Mfiki, Emihle Kulati and Etinosa Nini;
U/13 Lunje Manzana, Siphesihle Chrisjan and Chrissy Moriarty.
A select group of our track athletes participated in the Makhanda Finals today. We wish them a weekend of rest and await their results in anticipation!

Rehearsals
Please note the dates of the rehearsals for Alice in Wonderland coming up in February:
• 7 February (Scene 3-6) 09:00-12:00
• 14 February (Scene 5-8) 09:00-12:00
• 21 February (Scene 7-10) 09:00-12:00
• 28 February (Scene 1-5) 09:00-12:00

WhatsApp Broadcast Groups
Please let the office know (i.lang@victoriaprimary.co.za) or call 046 622 4850 or send a WhatsApp to 0834682706 if you are not receiving WhatsApp messages as yet and you requested to be added to the grade group.

Statements
Please note: Accounts for January 2026 were emailed out on Thursday. If you did not receive yours please send an email to Mrs Terblanche (t.terblanche@victoriaprimary.co.za)
to ensure you receive yours going forward.

VPV Meeting
We will be having a VPV meeting in the hall on Thursday, 12 February at 17:15 to discuss our fundraiser in more detail. Please join us if you are able!

Stockist
We have just been informed that one of our uniform stockists, Heinen Embroidery is closing down with immediate effect. Please note that Xtreme Embroidery and Birches still stock our clothing.

Birthday wishes
Happy birthday to the following girls who celebrated this week: Ngcwalisa Mbambo, Ncumolwam Mrwetyana, Hlumisa Piti, Nakhane Klei, Inam Toll, Zingce Pilisani, Onwaba Hoyi, Mizaan Marcus, Gabriella Cervati, Zizo Zomelele and Zenazi Mqoboli. We hope you had a very special birthday!

Regards

Mrs Rafferty
PRINCIPAL

Dates to remember
Saturday, 7 February: Alice in Wonderland rehearsal (Scene 3-6) @09:00-12:00 & B-League gala at the Newton Park pool in Gqeberha.

Monday, 9 February Gr 7V assembly @10:15. Parents welcome.

Tuesday, 10 February GC Relay Gala @14:00 & Pre-Primary workshop on Early Learning and Literacy @17:15-18:00

Wednesday, 11 February SGB meeting

Thursday, 12 February VPV meeting @17:15

Friday, 13 February Valentine’s Civvies Day (R10). Tuckshop available & Gr 7 Committee meetings 13:00-13:30

Saturday, 14 February Alice in Wonderland rehearsal (Scene 5-8) @09:00-12:00

VP Newsletter 30 January 202

30th Jan 2026 Ilza Lang No Comments

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
Wednesday, 4 February	Reading in pairs		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)

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