Please note:

Last day of this term is Friday 18 September.

It is a normal school day.

Next term the girls will return in summer uniform.

We are coming to the end of a very busy academic two terms, which have seen us work first with a distance learning programme and then a blended approach that has included online interactions alongside face-to-face teaching and self-guided learning. It has been a challenging time everyone, so thanks must go to the staff for the input they have given in all of their classes, to the pupils for the work they have done both on and off of the campus, and to the parents and guardians, who have supported everything happening at school from their homes.

There will be a comprehensive report provided to the parents and guardians of Grade 8, 9, 10 and 11 pupils via the Ed-admin parent portal at the end of the term, so please keep an eye out for a communication from Mr Morgendal about how to access the report. Report time can be a stressful time for both parents and pupils, so here are a few tips about working with the feedback your child has received about each subject:

• Talk to your daughter about her results and the accompanying comments calmly, going through the report and asking how they are feeling about it.

• If anything is unclear about the feedback in a particular subject, please discuss the report with the teacher involved to understand the situation fully rather than jumping to conclusions.

• Help your child to set goals for themself where improvement is needed. Encourage them to set small, practical steps that will allow them to work on their goal. It might not be realistic to aim for a 20% improvement in a subject all at once, so start with 5% - or even 2% - just to take that first step.

• Where a pupil has done well, don’t forget that encouragement is as valid a form of support as remediation is.

Working in this way make the report a valuable document that helps to track and promote learning, rather than simply being a measuring stick that stands in isolation of a pupil’s education.

In other news, The Western Cape Education Department’s eLearning Directorate has released some resources via their eportal that features information for both parents and pupils. You can access what they have on offer here, should you be interested in exploring how they are managing the process of education provincially at present. The WCED also makes use of a more general ePortal, their website, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram should you wish to engage with them in the spirit of civic responsibility.

DAVID FICK

Head of Academics

Royal Schools Music Exams 2020

We have received notification from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music that the August/September session of Royal Schools practical examinations has been cancelled owing to the ongoing COVID situation. The fees will be refunded via the school.

Theory exams will proceed as normal.

Art Department

As the term draws to a close, we would like to showcase some of the exceptional work our grade 10 art students have produced. Well done girls.

CONGRATULATIONS to Holly Cleworth on more swimming achievements! She has been selected to represent The WCA Open Squad. This is the most impressive and biggest achievement for Holly as this squad is for the open category and comprises all of the districts that make up the Western Cape.

For an U16 swimmer to make this squad is amazing! Well done Holly!