Preparation For Formal Assessments

The Grade 4 - 6 formal assessment period for the fourth quarter will take place from 6 November to 14 November 2025.  

Teachers have carefully planned the next few weeks to include regular revision in class, focusing on key concepts and skills.

To further assist your child in preparation for assessments at home, teachers will share a suggested revision timetable, consolidation activities and sample assessment-style questions and memorandums.

Please see the formal assessment schedule for each grade below.

Absenteeism During Exams and Formal Assessments

Kindly note that the only valid reasons endorsed by the Education Department are as follows:

Learners may only miss an assessment (examination) supported by documentary evidence, for the following reasons:

1. Illness (a valid medical doctor’s certificate required)

2. Family bereavement (letter required)

3.Representing the country or province in a sporting or cultural event (official letter required)

Should a learner miss a formal assessment due to illness, please share the doctor's certificate with the class teacher.  The learner will write the assessment when he/she returns to school, as arranged with the teacher.

Should a learner need to miss a formal assessment for any other reason, please send an email to the Head of Academics, Miss Drawbridge requesting permission.

Weightings on Reports

The percentages that appear on the Grade 4 – 6 reports under the Summer, Autumn and Winter columns are derived from the assessments conducted in the first three quarters of the year and the average percentage is calculated each quarter.  Therefore, the percentage displayed for each subject under the Winter column is an average of the percentages from Quarter 1, 2 and 3 and carries a weighting of 80% of the final progression mark.

The percentage that appears under the Spring column for each subject is derived from the assessments conducted in Quarter 4 only and carries a weighting of 20% of the final progression mark. 

The final progression mark, which determines if a learner proceeds to the next grade, appears under the Final column on the report. For a learner to progress to the next grade they must obtain a minimum of 50% for English and a minimum of 40% for all other subjects.

Here is a reminder of a few tips to support your child at home in preparation for the formal assessments:

• Set up a quiet, organised study space – ensure your child has a calm, well-lit area free from distractions such as television or phones to revise or complete work.

• Set a routine – encourage your child to revise each day in short, focused sessions (about 30 minutes) with short breaks in between.

• Review work regularly – go over previously learnt notes and key concepts a little each day.

• Stay positive and motivated – praise efforts and remind them that every bit of revision helps build confidence.

NEWS

Farewell to our Matrics

On Wednesday we said farewell to our matrics at their valedictory. Below, is a picture of all the 2025 matrics who were with us from Grade 1, together with Mrs Roth and their Grade 1 Principal, Mrs Lamb. 

We wish our matrics all the best for the final examinations.  Some of them have already started, but the majority will write their first papers next week.  We know that they will go on to make themselves, their parents and the College proud.

CONGRATULATIONS

Grade 6

A Fresh Start, A Lasting Legacy 🌼

The corridors of Grade 6 were filled with excitement as our learners returned rested, refreshed and ready to begin their final quarter in Senior Prep. This quarter marks a very special time, one where our Grade 6s get to choose how they want to end their Prep School journey and reflect on the legacy they’ll leave behind. From leadership to kindness, this term is all about finishing strong and making every moment count! 💫

Cricket Fever! 🏏
 

With our Protea Ladies smashing boundaries at the Women’s Cricket World Cup, our PE lessons this week were all about cricket fever! The Grade 6’s swapped their running shoes for bats as they learned about batting, bowling and fielding.

The field buzzed with excitement as learners practised their cover drives, tried not to get caught out and cheered when someone hit a six (even if it was more of a lucky edge than a clean shot 😉). There were plenty of “Howzat!” moments and laughter all around.  A reminder that sport brings us together, teaches teamwork and keeps our spirits high. 💚🏆

As we step into this final chapter of Prep School, our Grade 6s are encouraged to think deeply about the kind of legacy they want to leave behind! One of respect, curiosity, leadership and kindness. 🌻

Every lesson, every smile, every act of effort adds to the beautiful story they’re writing in their last months here. 

The challenge is simple but powerful:
✨ How do you want to be remembered? ✨

Grade 5 History

This week, we embarked on a fascinating Heritage Trail around South Africa, exploring the rich tapestry of our nation's history and culture. The learners discovered the difference between tangible heritage (physical objects and places like monuments, buildings, and artifacts) and intangible heritage (traditions, stories, music, and customs passed down through generations). It's been wonderful to see the children develop a deeper appreciation for the diverse heritage that makes South Africa so special.

Grade 5 Geography 

In Geography, we've been studying the physical features found across our beautiful country. From mountains and rivers to coastlines and plateaus, learners are discovering how South Africa's landscape was formed. We've also been making exciting connections between these geographical features and our South African heritage, seeing how the land has shaped our history and culture.

Grade 5 English 

Our budding writers put on their creative hats this week as we dove into the wonderful world of diary writing! The learners explored various exciting topics and practiced expressing their thoughts, feelings, and experiences through personal writing. It's been delightful to see their voices shine through on the page.

Grade 5 Camp Information

Camp dates: 24-26 November 2025

The camp information has been sent out. Please check your email from Mrs Holliday for all the details, permission forms, and packing lists. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out.

We wish all our learners a successful and rewarding final quarter of Grade 5. Let's make it memorable!

Grade 4

The Grade 4s have returned with wonderful energy and enthusiasm for the new quarter! Their excitement is already shining through in the classroom as they dive into new learning adventures together. We’re looking forward to a term filled with curiosity, creativity, and growth.

Our learners had an amazing time playing an Afrikaans vocabulary game all about kos (food)! From naming their favourite fruits and veggies to matching words like aartappelskyfies, ontbyt and roomys, the classroom was filled with laughter and learning. The game helped everyone build their Afrikaans food vocabulary while having loads of fun, because learning is always better when it’s delicious!

Save the Dates

Come and visit the opening of the Grade 12 Art Exhibition at 18:00 tonight at the Secondary Faculty Hall. 

Diarise our two awards events at the end of the year. Parents of children receiving awards at the Sport, Culture and Technology awards will be notified in November. Every Senior Preparatory child will receive a certificate at our Growing Minds Celebration on 3 December at 08h30. Parents are welcome to take their child home after these events. 

The Grade 6 Legacy Theme is echoed in their Culture lessons as they prepare for their Legacy Recycled Fashion Show. They’re designing outfits in Art, Writing their Speeches in Drama and composing a soundtrack in Music.

SPORT 

Senior Prep Sports Update – Summer Season is Here!

School and sport are back in full swing, and our Senior Prep athletes have wasted no time getting back into the groove. The energy and focus at practices this week has been fantastic as we gear up for a short but action-packed summer quarter.

Next week, both practices and matches kick off - and we can’t wait to see our learners back out on the cricket fields, tennis courts, softball diamonds and chess boards. This quarter also brings the excitement of swimming and water polo later in the month as our aquatics season warms up.

As we begin the final stretch of 2025, it’s all about consistency and commitment. Showing up for every practice, putting in focused effort, and supporting your teammates is what make the difference - not just in results, but in how we grow as athletes and as a team.

Let’s finish the year strong, play with pride, and continue to build on the amazing progress we’ve made through the year. Bring on the summer action!

Heads up: U10 Cricket 6s 

Our U10 cricketers will go head to head with local opposition in a fun action packed Cricket 6s tournament.

Venue: Elkanah
Date: 31st October 2025 

Parklands Cricket Clinic

Thank you to those who showed up a day before school started. The clinic focused on batting technique, bowling fundamentals and fielding. This sets our learners up for an awesome action packed season.

PE and Swimming

Swimming during PE will only begin near the end of October when the weather and our pool water are a little warmer. Please keep an eye on the memo and grade specific consolidation slides as we will let parents know when swimming will begin. 

Please take note that although coaches guide and support learners during swimming in Physical Education lessons, we are not a Learn to Swim School and for their own safety it is critical that learners are water safe and able to swim.  Please liaise with the coaches if you need contact details for LEARN TO SWIM schools for your child to attend.

Sport Quick Links

ROBOTICS

Good Luck to Our FLL Challenge Team!

This weekend, our FIRST LEGO League Challenge team - Project Titan will take to the mat to showcase their hard work, creativity, and teamwork — and we couldn’t be prouder!

At the heart of FIRST LEGO League Challenge is friendly competition. Teams of up to 10 children engage in research, problem-solving, coding, and engineering as they design, build, and program a LEGO robot to navigate the missions of the robot game. Alongside the robot game, teams also participate in an Innovation Project, identifying a relevant real-world problem and proposing thoughtful, creative solutions.

Like all divisions of FIRST LEGO League, this program encourages young people to experiment, grow their confidence, and develop critical thinking and design skills through hands-on learning. Created through an alliance between FIRST and LEGO Education, the program inspires curiosity and collaboration at every step.

This season’s theme, FIRST AGE – UNEARTHED, invited teams to step into the world of archaeology. Through building, coding, and teamwork, our learners explored how artifacts tell the story of our communities, using STEM and collaboration skills to unearth new findings about ourselves and the world around us. Robots, LEGO bricks, game pieces, tools, banners, and engineering notebooks — all part of this season’s journey — became the artifacts of their learning and creativity.

Throughout the season, our team has:
Built and coded a LEGO robot to tackle missions with precision and strategy.
Explored real-world problems and designed innovative solutions for their Innovation Project.
Documented their learning in Engineering Notebooks, sharing their discoveries and designs.
Collaborated as a team, learning to think critically, solve problems creatively, and support one another.

We can’t wait to see them in action at the competition this weekend. Whatever happens, they’ve already demonstrated remarkable curiosity, ingenuity, and teamwork — and made our College community incredibly proud.

Good luck, team! Show off your skills, embrace the challenge, and most importantly — enjoy every moment of this amazing experience!

Quick Links

CONCLUDING COMMENTS

Here are some important dates for this quarter:

Paul Mayers

Senior Preparatory Principal

pmayers@parklands.co.za 

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Links to other faculty blogs:

Pre-Primary Faculty: https://ppblog.parklands.co.za

Junior Preparatory Faculty: https://jpblog.parklands.co.za 

Secondary Faculty: https://secblog.parklands.co.za