Senior Preparatory Weekly Memo
16 October 2026
Embedded Files
Dear Parents
Welcome back to the Spring Quarter. A special thank you to all our support, grounds and maintenance staff for all the hard work during the holidays. Our gardens are looking particularly beautiful. It has been a busy short week!
Please take note of the following:
19 October - Enrichment Tour to Egypt Parent Information Evening (SP13)
23 October - Swimming Gala
30 October - Culture, Sports and Technology Awards @ 08:30
2 - 13 November - Assessment Period
4 November - Local Government Elections (public holiday)
27 November - Growing Minds Celebration @ 09:00
Principal Paul Memo Q4W1-26MOVClick on play to view Principal Paul's Video Memo
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SAVE THE DATES
SAVE THE DATES
Parents of learners receiving recognition at this event will be invited via email. All Parents are welcome to attend.
All learners will receive a Growing Minds Certificate at this end of year event. We will also recognise Grade 6 academic achievement and Special Awards at this celebration.
ACADEMIC NEWS
ACADEMIC NEWS
School Attendance
We wish to remind parents and learners that regular school attendance is crucial. Consistent attendance ensures that learners don’t miss out on valuable lessons and preparation for their upcoming formal assessments. Please assist us by ensuring your child attends school regularly and punctually.
Preparation For Formal Assessments
The Grade 4 - 6 formal assessment period for the fourth quarter will take place from 2 November to 13 November 2026.
Teachers have carefully planned the next few weeks to include regular revision in class, focusing on key concepts and skills. Teachers will share a suggested revision timetable and consolidation activities to further assist your child in preparation for assessments.
Please see the Quarter 4 formal assessment schedule for each grade below.
Gr 4 Assessment Schedule Q4 2026.pdfGrade 4
Gr 5 Assessment Schedule Q4 2026.pdfGrade 5
Gr 6 Assessment Schedule Q4 2026.pdfGrade 6
Co-curricular Activities and Sport in the week of 9 -13 November:
The academic school day will end at 13:30 during the week of 9 - 13 November. Learners may go home at this time in order to give them an opportunity to rest and revise in the afternoons. There will also be optional supervised self-study sessions for those learners who remain until 14:30. Aftercare will continue as normal.
Afternoon sport and co-curricular activities will move to an earlier time where possible (see days and times below). Note that aftercare will continue from 14:30-16:45 as normal.
Tennis will continue before school as normal according to the Q4 sports timetable.
Morning co-curriculars (Marimba, Choir and Orchestra) will continue as scheduled.
Drama Society, Design Society and Junior Chefs will take place between 13:30 -14:30 on selected days.
Sport practices and Dance will take place according to the timetable 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.
GRADE 6 NEWS
GRADE 6 NEWS
Welcome Back to Campus & Leaving Our Legacy!
Energy and excitement filled the air as our Grade 6 learners returned to campus this week! Beyond settling back into our routines, we kicked off a deeply inspiring Responsible Citizen Lesson focused on "The Power of Your Footprint: What Legacy Will You Leave?" As we prepare for the road to the Secondary Faculty over these final 8 weeks, learners reflected on how every daily choice leaves a lasting impact on those around us. We explored the "Three C's" of a powerful legacy: Character, Contribution and Courage, and looked at inspiring examples, from everyday prep school kindness to global icons like Malala Yousafzai. To put it all into practice, everyone began working on their own "Legacy Blueprint" to map out how they want to be remembered and how to leave our school better than we found it. It’s been a powerful start to the quarter, and we can’t wait to see the positive footprints our Grade 6s leave behind!
GRADE 5 NEWS
GRADE 5 NEWS
Welcome back to Quarter 4!
We hit the ground running with a jam packed and fun filled week. In Maths we carried on building our skills in reading and telling the time. In English we revised our diary entry writing and reflected on our wonderful holiday, with some brilliant stories shared. In History we jumped back onto our Heritage trail around South Africa, learning all about our rich heritage. We also dived into our exciting Heritage project, where the whole family will be involved, so stay tuned for weekly updates. We cannot wait to learn all about our families’ heritage!
Grade 5 Camp
Our Grade 5 learners are heading to High Africa Adventures on the Breede River in Worcester for their upcoming school camp from Monday, 23rd November to Wednesday, 25th November.
Any required medication must be handed directly to the class teacher on departure morning in a labelled ziplock bag with clear instructions and a printed medical consent form.
Further information and indemnity Forms can be found in the email sent to parents.
GRADE 4 NEWS
GRADE 4 NEWS
Our Grade 4 learners have packed a lot into a short week and have enjoyed their activities from debating in Geography to measuring in Mathematics.
English
We continued our journey with Charlotte’s Web, which we began last quarter. This week, we got creative with words by building a word web! Learners used dictionaries to find interesting words beginning with the first letter of their own names, helping them grow their vocabulary and practise their dictionary skills.
Mathematics
We revised our Golden Goosey trick to practise our long multiplication skills. To end the week, we introduced length, to begin exploring how to use rulers correctly and to measure accurately.
Geography 🌍
We took part in an engaging debate about water shortages during a drought. Learners were divided into four teams: the environment, factories, farms and households. Each team had to argue why their group should receive priority access to the limited water supply. This encouraged learners to think critically, consider different perspectives and understand the challenges of sharing a precious resource fairly.
Well done, Grade Four, for another week of effort, learning and growing! 🌱
CULTURE
CULTURE
Please complete the Q4 Co-curricular Sign-Up Form. The Grade 4 - 6 sports and culture programme will commence on 14 October 2026. GOLF sign-ups are limited and will be issued on a first-come first-served basis. Please contact the relevant teacher should you have any questions regarding the programme
MUSIC:
We invite parents of all current individual music learners, as well as those wishing to commence individual lessons in 2026, to please complete the following enrolment form: 2026 SP Music Form
DANCE:
Please read through the
JP/SP Dance 2026 Enrolment Form information and contact Sylvia Stander sstander@parklands.co.za
if you have any queries.
Art Holiday Club
During the holidays we had two epic art clubs, one was our “Illusions” club and our “Surrealism” club. Learners created these awesome single point perspective artworks that make it look like the name is coming out the page. We also create Clay melting clocks inspired by Salvador Dali and weird and wonderful Agamograph artwork. If you missed out this holiday then don't worry because Holiday Art Club will be back again in the December holidays for a festive feast of art. See you there.
Egypt Enrichment Tour September 2027
Egypt Enrichment Tour September 2027
We are excited to announce a possible tour to Egypt for current grade 5 and 6 learners during the 2027 September school holidays (when they will be in Grade 6/7)
The tour is exclusive to Parklands College Learners, and we will be accompanied by some of our own teaching staff and a dedicated guide provided by the tour organiser, Travel and Sport.
If you would like to find out more information regarding the tour, please view the proposed itinerary and complete this form to join us for information evening on Monday 19 October at 17:30.
The tour cost will depend on exchange rates, but the estimated cost is R45000 per child.
2027 Egypt Tour.pdf
ROBOTICS
ROBOTICS
FLL Team Learns from Industry
During the holidays, our FIRST LEGO League team was introduced to Machalin from TASC, a leading global carbon project developer, thanks to Mr Delport. The visit helped our learners dig deeper into this season’s Bio Glow theme and see how it plays out in the real world.
The team competes next week. Good luck, team!
A big thank you to Machalin and TASC for their time, and to Mr Delport for making it happen.
LIBRARY
LIBRARY
FIGHT OR FLIGHT? PREORDER TODAY!
The first edition of Diary Of A Wimpy Kid, the journal of middle schooler Greg Heffley, was published in 2007. Since then, with more than 300 million copies sold, and translations into more than 70 languages, this series has been a firm favourite with children worldwide. There is great excitement in anticipation of the 21st novel, Fight Or Flight, which will be released on 20th October.
If you’re a wimpy kid, surviving middle school can be tough, but Greg has it all worked out. He has a binder with information on the bullies, as well as surefire strategies to outsmart them in any emergency. But when the binder falls into the wrong hands, Greg could be in for a rough ride if his identity is discovered.
Once again our avid collectors have the opportunity to pre-order their personal copies from the libraries. Please send R225.00 in a marked envelope by Monday, and we will collect the books on Tuesday and deliver them to school.
OUTREACH
OUTREACH
As part of our Quarter Four outreach, we are excited to support the Santa Shoebox Project, a wonderful initiative that provides personalised gift boxes to children in need. Each class is responsible for preparing two boxes – one for a girl and one for a boy. Your child's class teacher will be in touch with details about what is needed for these boxes and how you can contribute. Completed boxes are due 3 November 2026.
If you would like to donate an additional box on your own, please reach out to Ms. Pietersen at kpietersen@parklands.co.za to pledge a box and receive further details.
Thank you for your generosity!
SPORT
SPORT
Prep Sport Weekly Update: Welcome to Quarter 4!
Prep Sport Weekly Update: Welcome to Quarter 4!
Welcome Back!
We are kicking off a fast-paced, action-packed Quarter 4, with official sports matches commencing next week! I hope all our athletes are energized and ready to hit the ground running across Softball, Cricket, Tennis, Chess, Golf, Swimming, and Water Polo. It is going to be a fantastic summer season!
Key Upcoming Dates & Events
Key Upcoming Dates & Events
Home Gala: Friday, 23 October @ Parklands College Senior Prep
Culture, Sport and Technology Awards Morning: Friday, 30 October @ 08:30
Please ensure learners have their correct summer sport kit ready and check schedule details for Match Days and Practices. Let’s make this final quarter a memorable one!
U12 Cricket Tour: Hermanus
Unforgettable Moments on the Pitch: U12 Hermanus Cricket Tour
History was made recently as twelve U12 cricketers represented Parklands College Prep with immense pride on our first cricket tour in years!
The weekend kicked off on Friday with a wonderful joint Parent-Learner Braai, setting the tone for a fantastic weekend of sportsmanship and community. Across three days, the team tested their skills against Curro Hermanus and Hermanus Primary across T20, T15, and T30 formats. Off the pitch, the boys enjoyed a stop at Peregrine Farm Stall, tackled aerial climbing at Whale of a Time, and explored the famous Hermanus Cliff Path.
Coach Liam reflected: "It was a fantastic experience filled with camaraderie, laughter, and memories that will last a lifetime. While results were mixed, the boys showed great determination and sportsmanship, growing both as cricketers and as young men."
A huge thank you to our parents for their incredible support.
October Cricket Clinic Success!
October Cricket Clinic Success!
Our pre-season Cricket Clinic on Monday, 12 and Tuesday, 13 October was a resounding success! We had a fantastic turnout with just under 50 enthusiastic young cricketers joining us to sharpen their skills and get match-ready for the Quarter 4 season.
Across the two days, the coaches focused on fine-tuning the fundamental - batting techniques, bowling accuracy, and fielding drills - before rounding off each afternoon with some high-energy mini-matches and fun games.
It was wonderful to see the learners' energy, dedication, and sportsmanship on full display. With official matches starting next week, our players are tuned up, confident, and ready to take the pitch!
Thank you to all the coaches and parents who supported this event.
GRADES 4 – 6 SUMMER QUARTER CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAMME 2026
Please ensure that learners participating in outdoor activities have sunblock in their bags for application. ALL learners MUST wear their school caps when outdoors. NO HAT, NO PLAY!
Where practices and matches are affected by inclement weather, learners will be involved in indoor training sessions from 14h45 – 15h45.
Parents must collect learners after their session. If a parent is late and unable to collect on time, learners will be sent to aftercare and parents billed.
Reminder that the campus buildings are locked at 16:45.
EXTERNAL ACHIEVEMENTS
EXTERNAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Please find a link to the form to notify the College of a learner's external achievements at Area/Regional/Provincial level. We request that you upload an image to the form where possible.
Any queries to our Head of Sport, Coach Jared - jmargetts@parklands.co.za
Khloé’s CLA Winter Mist Gala – 8 August 2026
Khloé proudly participated in the CLA Winter Mist Gala, held at Curro Langebaan on 8 August 2026.
She competed in five events and delivered an outstanding performance, achieving the following results:
🥈 50m Backstroke: 2nd Place – Silver Medal
🏊♀️ 100m Backstroke: 6th Overall – achieved an outstanding Best Performance (BP), improving her personal time by an impressive 6.25 seconds
50m Breaststroke: 7th Place
100m Butterfly: 4th Place
50m Freestyle: 12th Place
A special highlight of the gala was Khloé’s 6.25-second improvement in the 100m Backstroke, demonstrating her hard work, dedication, and continued progress in the pool.
We are incredibly proud of her commitment and determination. Well done, Khloé! 🏊♀️🥈
Khloé’s CTA Qualifying Gala – 5 September 2026
Khloé took part in the CTA Qualifying Gala, held at UWC on Saturday, 5 September 2026. She competed in six events and once again had an excellent day in the pool, achieving Personal Bests (PBs) in four of her six events.
Her results were:
🏊♀️ 100m Breaststroke: 8th Overall – an outstanding 8.04-second PB
🏊♀️ 50m Breaststroke: 9th Overall – 0.12-second PB
🏊♀️ 100m Freestyle: 9th Overall – 2.89-second PB
🏊♀️ 100m Backstroke: 5th Overall
🏊♀️ 200m Freestyle: 5th Overall – 1.06-second PB
🏊♀️ 50m Butterfly: 6th Overall
The highlight of the day was undoubtedly her 8.04-second improvement in the 100m Breaststroke, a fantastic achievement that shows just how much she continues to develop and improve.
With four Personal Bests across six events, Khloé continues to show great commitment, determination and progress in her swimming.
Another fantastic day of swimming for Khloé! 🏊♀️💪🏼
Kathryn van der Merwe represented Blouberg Marlins Swimming Club at the 45th Annual Freda Barnard Gala. The gala took place from 1 to 4 October and she competed in 9 individual events and 2 relays. Kathryn achieved 4 new PB times and won the following medals: (1) Bronze - 50m Backstroke (2) Silver - 50m Breaststroke (3) Silver - 100m Breaststroke (4) Silver - 200m Breaststroke.
Elise won the Champion of Champions (1st place) in the 13 to 14 age group for the National Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Competion. She was selected for the South Africa Mental Maths Team and will represent South Africa at the PAMA Global Competition in Moscow, Russia, in December 2026.
Olivia competed at the 45th Freda Barnard Invitational Gala, held in Oudtshoorn from 1–4 October 2026.
Competing in the Girls 11–12 age group, Olivia achieved five individual Personal Bests (PBs) despite challenging weather conditions throughout the four-day competition.
Her results included:
100m Backstroke: 1:31.00 – PB, improved by 4.59 seconds
50m Breaststroke: 48.10 – PB, improved by 1.69 seconds
200m Individual Medley: 3:28.51 – PB, improved by 11.55 seconds
200m Freestyle: 3:07.77 – PB, improved by 3.89 seconds
100m Freestyle: 1:23.57 – PB, improved by 0.72 seconds
Olivia was also part of the Mixed 200m Medley Relay team that finished in 3rd place.
Sebastian competed in 15 events at the 45th Freda Barnard Invitational Gala in Oudtshoorn from 1 to 4 October 2026. His achievements:
Silver: 400m Freestyle
Bronze: Boys 200m Freestyle Relay
8 Personal Best Times
Sport Quick Links
Sport Quick Links
GENERAL
GENERAL
CALENDAR AND EVENTS
CALENDAR AND EVENTS
Please bookmark the following calendars and add them to your personal calendar by using the + at the bottom of each calendar. They can also be accessed through the EdAdmin App (more information under the general tab)
MY DIFFERENCE SCHOOL LOYALTY PROGRAMME
Woolworths has recently introduced its new MyDifference loyalty programme, replacing the previous MySchool system.
To continue supporting Parklands College & Christopher Robin Pre-Primary through your Woolworths shopping, please follow the steps below before 31 October to select us as your beneficiary in the Woolworths app.
Thank you for your continued support and for helping us make a difference
Download or update the Woolworths App on iOS (Apple App Store) or Android (Google Play Store).
Log in or register for a Woolworths account and activate your MyDifference profile.Tap the "Loyalty" tab located at the bottom menu of the app.
Select "Causes" or "My Causes" to manage your chosen beneficiaries.
Choose "Choose My Own" and search for your specific school by name.
Select your school from the search results and choose Parklands College as your active cause.
PARENT LEARNER DIRECTORY
PARENT LEARNER DIRECTORY
Our Parent Learner Directory contains all the information you will need. You can find this important document under the General Tab
20260112 SENIOR PREP P&L Information Directory.pdfPARENT BUSINESS DIRECTORY
PARENT BUSINESS DIRECTORY
College parents are able to list their businesses in our Parent Business Directory for free – www.parklands.co.za/parent-business-directory/.
Should you be interested in marketing your business to over 1000 families, email: marketing@parklands.co.za to get started.
All listings will be subject to the College’s final approval.
This week's feature business is...
2026 Dates
2026 Dates
Spring Quarter: 14 October - 4 December
Proposed 2027 Parklands College Dates
Summer Quarter: 19 Jan 2027 - 18 March 2027
Autumn Quarter: 7 April 2027 - 23 June 2027
Winter Quarter: 21 July 2027 - 22 Sept 2027
Spring Quarter: 6 Oct 2027 - 3 Dec 2027
Wednesday 21 October:
West Coast Song Festival @ Bosmansdam Primary 18:00-21:00
Tuesday 27 October:
Happy Birthday Nadine Marais-Swart
Thursday 29 October:
Happy Birthday Sivenathi Ngaba
Friday 30 October:
08:30-09:30 Culture, Sport and Technology Awards (Dress Full Summer Uniform)
09:30-14:30 Academic day (no sports hour)
Monday 2 November:
Happy Birthday Tayla Blewitt
Assessment Period Begins
Wednesday 4 November:
School Closed: Local Government Elections
Friday 6 November:
Santa Shoe Box Drop Off
Sunday 8 November:
Diwali
Monday 9 November:
Assessment Period
School Ends 13:30
Sport: Softball 13:30-14:30
Optional Study Session 13:30-14:30
Tuesday 10 November:
Assessment Period
School Ends 13:30
Drama Society 13:30-14:30
Optional Study Session 13:30-14:30
Wednesday 11 November:
Assessment Period
School Ends 13:30
Design Society 13:30-14:30
Sport: Cricket 13:30-14:30
Optional Study Session 13:30-14:30
Thursday 12 November:
Assessment Period
School Ends 13:30
Junior Chefs 13:30-14:30
Design Society 13:30-14:30
Sport: Squad Swimming 13:30-14:30
Optional Study Session 13:30-14:30
Friday 13 November:
Assessment Period
School Ends 13:30
Optional Sports Hour 13:30-14:30
Wednesday 18 November:
Happy Birthday Mckaylan Daniels
Friday 20 November:
Happy Birthday Courtney Busi
Monday 23 November:
Grade 5 Camp
Tuesday 24 November:
Grade 5 Camp
Wednesday 25 November:
Grade 5 Camp
Friday 27 November:
SP Growing Minds Ceremony @ 09:00
Monday 30 November:
Domino Day
Mathletics Celebration - 10:30-11:30 (Grade 4&5)
Tuesday 1 December:
SP FAL Day
Wednesday 2 December:
Happy Birthday Candice Holder
SP Takeover Day
Thursday 3 December:
Happy Birthday Austyn Delport
Grade 6 Fashion Show @ 11:30
Grade 6 Farewell @ 18:00
Friday 4 December:
Last day of the Quarter. School closes at 11:00
Monday 14 December:
Happy Birthday Emma Oxley-Simpson
Monday 17 December:
Happy Birthday Louise Wells
Monday 11 January:
Happy Birthday Lauren Drawbridge
CONCLUDING COMMENTS
CONCLUDING COMMENTS
Have a wonderful weekend,
Paul Mayers
Senior Preparatory Principal
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Links to other faculty memos:
Pre-Primary Faculty: https://ppblog.parklands.co.za
Junior Preparatory Faculty: https://jpblog.parklands.co.za
Secondary Faculty: https://secblog.parklands.co.za
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