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Situational Analysis
Victoria Park High School
Our CredoAt Victoria Park, we believe in the power of individuality.
We break the mould and question the status quo.
We believe that everybody can be somebody. We believe in exploring and amplifying
the various talents that make each of our pupils unique. We believe that where you
are going is more important than where you have come from.
We believe in the pursuit of excellence and the enjoyment of the journey along the
way. We believe in giving our pupils every opportunity to find themselves by
providing them with a variety of activities and facilities.
We believe in fostering a pioneering spirit to tackle life’s challenges head-on. We
believe that everything you have is everything you need. We believe in bravery and
self-belief.
We believe in the power of encouragement, and in building confident and
empowered young hearts and minds. We believe in dreaming big and working hard.
We believe that talent can get you far but persistence can get you further.
A Victoria Park education is an education in life. It is a five year window of equipping
the next generation with the maturity, dedication and open-mindedness required to
readily embrace their uniqueness and leave their mark on the world.
At Victoria Park, we believe that preparation for life turns opportunities into success.
Prepared for life
Description
Victoria Park High School is a co-educational; higher education school located in
Port Elizabeth’s the popular Walmer suburb. Founded in 1940, the school maintains
the founder’s emphasis on a concern for the development of all aspects of young
people.
The school opened its doors in January 1940 in the Dutch Reformed Church Hall, off
Walmer Road. There were 38 standard seven boys and girls, the headmaster, Mr
Henry Arnott, and an assistant teacher. There were no desks, not even chalk!
By the time Mr Thorp took over as headmaster in 1947, the school had its own
buildings comprising of just two floors of classrooms, which is currently the front of
the school.
By 1965 the numbers had grown to over 500, and more classrooms, a woodwork
block and the TC Thorp Hall had been added.
The growth in terms of accommodation, pupil enrolment and the curriculum –
sporting, academic and cultural – was extremely significant during Mr Thorp's
principalship of 18 years, and placed Victoria Park High firmly on the educational
map in Port Elizabeth.
Mr GAC Pearson, from Berlin Secondary School, was appointed principal in April
1965. An important highlight of his term of office was the creation of the Dave
Weinronk Sports Complex, opened in 1967. Mr Pearson retired in April 1982, as the
long overdue renovation of the 'new' school had just begun. New principal, Mr David
Blake from Milnerton High in Cape Town, took over in July 1982. Mr Peter Hollely
suceeded him, and led the school into the new century.
Current principal, Mr Mike Vermaak has been leading our school since 2002.
Victoria Park caters for a wide variety of learners on a sport, cultural and academical level.
Sports offered: (all sports are offered to boys and girls, unless stated) Athletics
Chess
Cricket
Golf
Hiking
Hockey
Equestrian
Netball (girls only)
Paddling
Rugby (boys only)
Soccer
Squash
Swimming
Tennis
Victoria Park has a proud tradition of team spirit and participation in sports. Derby
Days against our local rival schools are fiercely contested, while many sports
participate in school leagues that embrace schools from the entire Port Elizabeth and
Uitenhage area. Several sports undertake regular tours to other centers to play
matches or tournaments against national opposition.
The school teams and individual representatives have yielded excellent results in all
competitive sports. A large number of our sportsmen and women have been
included in provincial and other representative teams in recent years.
Sporting achievement at all levels is recognized and rewarded through the school’s
Colours award system. In addition, the school’s First Teams are invited, with their
parents, to an annual Sports Dinner, on which occasion the Headmaster announces
a “Team of the Year”.
The school boasts a fully-equipped gymnasium for the use of our learners. A
professional bio-kineticist is available to oversee the training programs offered to our
various sports teams.
Subjects offered English Home Language
Afrikaans or isiXhosa First Additional Language
Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy
Life Orientation
Physical Science
Life Science
History
Geography
Business Studies
Accounting
Information Technology
Computer Applications Technology
Tourism
Consumer Studies
Dramatic Arts
Music (piano, voice, brass, woodwind, guitar)
Visual Art
Design
Passionate participation is key at Victoria Park and learners are encouraged to
develop their own unique talents and interests. The aspect of cultural awareness and
appreciation is deepened through the wide diversity of extra-mural activities and
social clubs that Victoria Park offers. Groups and societies include:
ChoirThe school choir is a mixed choir in four voices, consisting of seventy-five members.
The choir normally makes up the bulk of the cast of our Musical, every
alternate year. Every other year, we have a formal choir year, participating at
Eistddfods, Choir Festivals, our own Music Department “Spring Extravaganza” and
Hospice’s annual fundraiser “The Last Night of the Proms”.
MusicMusic is offered on two levels:
Music as a subject – as part of the curriculum
Extra-curricular instrumental tuition – which is offered subject to available teaching
time and in order of merit.
The Music Department offers tuition in the following instruments:
Piano
Flute
Clarinet
Saxophone (Alto and Tenor)
Brass
Drum kit and percussion
Violin
Vocal tuition
Rock and Classical Guitar
Steelpan
Steel BandVP has a senior and a junior steelband. Rehearsals take place on Tuesday and
Thursday afternoons. “pan x” , the senior band performs regularly. These include
performances at the Wildsfees 2013, a corporate function at the Red Location
Museum and numerous school functions. The repertoire of the band includes music
from the Beatles, Bob Marley, Coldplay as well as Toto’s famous “Africa”.
Jazz BandThe Jazz Band which varies between 12 and 18 players at any given time.
Players must be of at least Grade 4 ABRSM level to join the Jazz Band. The band is
made up of Saxophones, Trumpets, Trombones, Drums, Bass Guitar, Guitar,
Keyboards and an Auxiliary percussionist. We perform a variety of music ranging
from Pop,Rock to Jazz Standards. The jazz band is a very flexible group and
sometimes even performs as a little 4-piece combo with strong emphasis on
improvisation.
Wind BandThe Wind Band encompasses all the wind instruments that the school provides
tuition for. It is the largest ensemble at the school and players must be of at least
Grade 3 ABRSM standard. The Band performs a large variety of music varying from
Movie themes to classical pieces and also Rock. We perform at School Reunions,
Eisteddfods, Prize-givings, etc.
Dramatic ArtsDrama-related activities include our One-Act Plays’ Festival, our biennial musical –
this year we staged a most successful ‘Beauty and the Beast’ - and our three-day
Arts Festival held every alternate year where learners are encouraged to participate
in and appreciate the various creative art forms such as music, dance, poetry, visual
art, photography and various theatre performances in order to encourage and
nurture a love of the Arts.
OratoryEvery year the VP Department of English hosts the much anticipated oratory
competition. In the weeks leading up to the competition learners in this society
engage in workshops that prepare and shape them to be more effective and
confident speakers, and help them to master the invaluable skill of effective public
speaking.
Photographic SocietyThis society is open to anyone with enthusiasm, the ability to identify a great photo
opportunity, and who loves to view life and capture experiences through the click of a
button and the zoom of a lens. The society enjoys outings to scenic or significant
places, and is responsible for collecting photographs at memorable events and
special events involving the school.
To be a member of the Photographic Society one does not have to have the very
best camera, one just needs to make the best of the camera that you have!
Quiz LeagueThe Quiz Society is home to all General Knowledge enthusiasts and has proved to
be quite popular among pupils. At present quiz has a membership of approximately
30 pupils. We meet every Tuesdayafternoon to practise and we have great fun
playing various trivia games to improve our general knowledge.
Our quiz pupils, affectionately known as “quizzards” compete in a highly competitive
Inter- schools quiz league and write a number of general knowledge quiz Olympiads.
We also compete in the eagerly anticipated annual Varsity College Quiz Competition
where schools engage in a ‘battle of the brains’ hoping to earn bragging rights to the
sought after Albert Einstein trophy.
DebatingA debate is, basically, an argument. That is not to say that it is an undisciplined
shouting match between parties that passionately believe in a particular point of
view. In fact the opposite is true. Debating has strict rules of conduct and quite
sophisticated arguing techniques and you will often be in a position where you will
have to argue the opposite of what you believe in.
The debating society at VP consists of a number of dedicated and passionate
members. Both our junior and senior teams fiercely compete in the Port
Elizabeth/Uitenhage league, in which of over twenty schools in the bay area
participate. We also compete in various competitions, such as the Annual Alexander
Road High School Debating Festival and the NMMU Law Debating competition.
Ballroom DancingBallroom dancing is offered to the Grades 10,11 and 12 on a Monday evening
between 7-8pm. Two instructors from the dance studio, 'Dare to Dance' teach
various Ballroom and Latin American dances as well as Line dances. The learners
who do Ballroom have the option of doing their dance exam at the end of the year at
their respective level. The dance year is then concluded by an anual Spring Ball
Art ClubScience Club
Victoria Park also has a full-time school counsellor, Mr John Hutchinson.
Language context
The medium of instruction at the school is English. Sometimes the learners struggle
with the academic terminology in English but the teachers are always willing to assist
and going the extra mile to make sure that all the learners understand. The learners
are also very helpful and will explain to their friends if they do not understand.
Resources Context
Victoria Park High school is a well resourced. The teachers have a variety of
electronic resources in their classrooms; all the teachers choose their own resources
that they would use in their specific subjects. This enables the teachers to use a
variety of resources when they teach. The business class is equipped with a white
board; data projector and all the teachers have access to Wi-Fi. All the learners
within the school have their own textbook, which they got given by the school to use
for the year. Victoria Park is a well-resourced school catering for all teacher and
learner activities.
Motivation context
The learners are enthusiastic and highly motivated. They have set goals for
themselves and know what they want to achieve by the end of the year. The teacher
are well educated and each one passionate about his/her subject. Victoria Park
consists of an amazing group of teachers who are really passionate about teaching
and the learners.
So Sir/Mam if you are looking for a school where your child will be able to realise
their talents and build on it Victoria Park is the school for you! We promise to help
your child reach his/her full potential, to the best of our ability. To promote respect,
hard work and a safe learning environment where your child will blossom.
Photographs
Opportunity
I see a learner looking for an opportunity to win.
I think this learner is playing her heart out.
I wonder how hard this student has worked to get here.
Hope
I see a learner hoping to reach her full potential.
I think this learner is mentally preparing herself for a race.
I wonder if the learner has been preparing for this moment.
Challenge
I see learners who challenge themselves to do well in their academics.
I think if a learner can set goals for themselves they will stay motivated.
I wonder how far a learner will go in the future who can motivate him or herself.