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.