Academics

Staff

Junior School Staff Members

Pre-Primary Department

Foundation Phase Department

Senior Primary Department

Specialists

Administrative Staff

After Care Staff

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Curriculum -

Foundation Phase

The Foundation Phase forms the second phase in the educational journey of our girls.  They embrace the transition from Pre-School to Foundation Phase with excitement and fascination as they enter into a more formal learning experience, building upon the foundation already established within Pre-School.

The Foundation Phase welcomes girls from the age of six to an all encompassing learning process in which they acquire further skills in reading, writing and numeracy while witnessing to the values of truth, honesty, respect, compassion and kindness.

These values are strived for by observing our Dominican Motto, Veritas, meaning truth.  Our girls are nurtured, affirmed and challenged to reach their full potential in a spirit of co-operation whilst building a healthy self esteem.  We aspire to instil a sense of independence, self discipline and responsibility.

OPTIMUM TEACHING PRACTICE:

Our individual teaching programme is designed to teach half-classes during Art and Computer Education (1 hour each) respectively. The class teacher then teaches the remaining half of the class, numeracy and literacy.  This provides excellent contact time for teaching more challenging concepts or consolidating basic skills to a small group and it really is the perfect optimum.

Educational Programme:

Literacy   

English (First Language)
Afrikaans (First Additional Language)
Xhosa (Second Additional Language)

Numeracy 

Religious Education 2 hours of Religious Education per week which includes regular mass attendance.

Life Orientation - Environmental Education (Social and Natural Sciences)

Arts and Culture (which incorporates Art, Speech & Drama, Singing, Class music)
Physical Education (Gym, Swimming, Ball Skills and Cross Country)
Technology (Design and Library skills), Computer Education and Entrepreneurial skills.

Learning Support
Enrichment Club

Extra Mural Activities:

Our Foundation Phase extra-mural programme includes opportunities for a diverse range of interests. Refer to Clubs and Societies for all the wonderful opportunities.

Intermediate and Senior Phase

Springfield offers a dynamic, interactive curriculum based on the National Curriculum Statement which is enhanced and further developed by a group of highly talented and extremely dedicated staff. The Curriculum is at the forefront of primary education in South Africa and focuses predominantly on developing the whole child inclusive of the development of necessary knowledge, skills, attitudes and values in a faith based environment. The curriculum is thoroughly integrated and includes an outstanding physical education and sport programme and an exceptional music syllabus offering learners the opportunity of learning a wide range of musical instruments.

In the Intermediate Phase (Grades 4 to 6) and during the first year of the Senior Phase (Grade 7) our girls are taught the following learning areas: English, Afrikaans, Xhosa, Mathematics, Natural Science, Social Science (History/Geography), Economic Management Science, Life Orientation, Art and Design Technology.

A large emphasis is focused on the development of Information Technology skills which form an integral part of all Learning Areas and is taught as an individual subject. Our computer laboratory is a state-of-the-art centre with internet access.

The Design Technology laboratory and Art Centre are both fitted with numerous resources and tools in order to allow our girls to engage and develop a wide range of necessary skills. The Physical Science laboratory is fitted with an Interactive Smart Board which provides the girls with an additional opportunity to engage in a variety of scientific investigations and experiments.

Our classes are small and the majority of classrooms are fitted with a computer, data projector, whiteboard and interactive smart board.  Springfield also has an excellent and well resourced Media Centre/Library and a Learning Support Centre.

Our girls also experience education away from the classroom in the form of exciting, dynamic programmes including annual camps, outings to a range of interesting interactive workshops and spiritual retreats.

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Religious Portfolio - Junior School

Our Catholic/Christian ethos promotes deep respect and tolerance of all faith backgrounds at Springfield.  The religious education programme teaches Catholic doctrine and our Grade 3 Catholic girls are prepared to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist within their academic year.  Our ethos is permeated into every fabric of daily school life and great awareness of both the Liturgical and Secular calendar influences termly planning across the grades.  Different Grades prepare the liturgy for weekly chapel masses.  The whole school attends monthly first Friday mass in the Centenary Hall. 

We have a vibrant and spirited altar server group of approximately 20 students.  They meet weekly for spiritual input and direction. Our music ministry also provides opportunity for the liturgy to be further enhanced by a celebration of varied talent.

Retreats are planned for Grades 3 to 7 during the course of an academic year.  Our Pastoral Care programme also provides different opportunities for staff, pupils and the parent community to feel affirmed and treasured.

Our hard working Outreach Portfolio undertakes a host of different initiatives to raise awareness of our need to witness to those less privileged.  All drives are met with such zeal and generosity and many derive benefit from a very generous community.

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Culture

To allow pupils to evolve and develop additional skills that might not be readily measurable by marks or scores, we provide a wide range of extra-curricular activities. Art is a medium of expression that is part and parcel of our curriculum and you will be delighted to see the exceptional talent that our teachers have kindled and do so on an ongoing basis. Springfield stimulates creativity through music and drama and there is an outstanding selection to choose from and delivered with a great sense of passion, pride and energy. We encourage generosity of spirit. Our pupils become actively involved in hands-on assignments that enhance the lives of underprivileged communities, thereby developing life skills such as social awareness and teamwork. Springfield boasts a huge variety of societies from Chess to Debating and Ceramics to Environmental Groups thereby ensuring that our pupils become even more accomplished adult individuals.

Music

 Achievements

Orchestra

 Choir 

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Cultural

At Springfield we believe in empowering our girls to reach their full potential. To this end we offer an exciting variety of cultural activities.

Library/ Media Centre

The Library plays a central role in our school. All girls from Gr 2-7 attend classes once a week where they are taught how to use resources that are on offer both print and digital. They also complete library projects where they practise these skills. Our new library, which is open every day from 8-5, is a busy, inviting, bright and comfortable space where the girls love spending time reading on the cushions and taking out books. The stock is up to date and girls are encouraged to read all the time. We hold regular reading challenges and Book Week for Gr 1-7 is held annually to give extra time to celebrating reading with visits from authors and reading sessions.

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Junior School Sports

Springfield girls are encouraged to find the balance between healthy competitive prowess with the ethics and principles of sportsmanship. Physical fitness and participation in sport has been proved, time and time again, to be an integral part of the development of the child and the Springfield Sports & Physical Education Department strives to ensure that the girls develop confidence, independence, friendships and ability through general sports participation, while fostering a competitive environment and spirit based around team work and a sense of achievement. 

A wide variety of sporting facilities are available to Springfield girls – a diving pool, swimming pool, 3 fields and 6 tennis / netball courts – as well as individual attention from a large number of skilled and dedicated coaches. Springfield offers Tennis, Swimming, Diving, Synchronised Swimming & Indoor Hockey in summer and Netball, Field Hockey, Squash and Cross Country in winter. 

Many of our pupils achieve in Sports arenas outside of the official school sports and they, as well as the Springfield Sports achievers, are recognised as great representatives of the school and honoured for their achievements, but especially so for the manner in which Springfield girls are known to compete.  

Summer Terms

The following sports are offered during the summer terms. 

• Swimming

Swimming (Beginners)	Grade 1
Swimming (Competent)	Grade 1 - 3
Swimming (Social)	Grade 4 - 7
Swimming (Team)	Grade 1 - 7

Waterpolo	Grade 6 - 7
Diving	Grade 1 - 7
Synchronised Swimming	Grade 4 - 7
Swimming (Team)	Grade 1 - 7

• Tennis

Tennis (Social)	Grade 3 - 7
Tennis Squad	Grade 4 - 7
Tennis (Private coaching)

Winter Terms

The following sports are offered during the winter terms.

• Hockey
  

  Hockey (Social)	Grade 1 - 3
  Hockey Teams	Grade 4 - 7

• Netball
  

  Netball (Social)	Grade 1 - 3
  Netball Teams	Grade 4 - 7

• Cross Country
  

  Cross Country (Social)	Grade 1 - 7
  Cross Country Team	Grade 1 - 7

• Squash

Sporting Fixtures

Sporting Results

Sporting Achievements

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Clubs

Great significance is placed on the balance of a school day for your daughter.  Apart from the importance of her academic, sporting and cultural lessons, there is a great opportunity for her to participate in a number of exciting clubs and societies to pursue an interest that she is passionate about and it is certainly a happy way to end her fulfilling day.

Arts and Crafts Club

Every week is a new artistic and creative adventure while we explore our endless talents.
 

Celtic Dancing

Celtic (Irish) dancing has been offered at Springfield since 1999, with Táryn Behr taking over the classes from 2002.  Since then, Springfield has produced some exceptional dancers, with girls participating in high level grade examinations, achieving excellent results at local as well as national competitions and, of course, simply enjoying the foot-tapping music and rhythms made so popular by this dance form.  Classes are offered to the girls from Grade 1 and many of the dancers remain with Táryn's dancing studio long after Grade 7.

Chess

Enviro-Club

This Club meets weekly.  These girls in Grades 2, 3 and 4 enjoy a wide variety of games, challenges and web activities. They share their enthusiasm and expertise with others.  They are beginning to understand the importance of protecting their natural environment.  These girls have become practical ambassadors and role models.

Conundrum Club And Brainy Buddies

These exciting clubs offer excitement and extension to bright lateral thinking pupils from Grade 1 to Grade 7.

General Knowledge

At Springfield we recognise that a sound general knowledge is a very important life skill. Therefore our girls are encouraged to join the GK club which meets once a week for active discussion and challenges.

Junior School Orchestra

The Springfield Orchestra consists of instrumentalists from Grade 1 to Grade 12! It is the one area where the whole school combines to make music together, exploring all types of wonderful music together.

Living Maths

The Living Maths programme continues to stretch, enrich, challenge and fulfil each and every pupil.  We are developing women thinkers who have plans to take over the world and we only hope that they remember us when they get to the top! This year is the 15th birthday for Living Maths and we have loads of exciting events taking place throughout the year. Brace yourselves for a challenging ride....it will be well worth it!

Nib (Nose In Book) Club:

If books are your passion, this exciting club will encourage you to extend yourself. Open to girls from Grades 6 and 7, we meet once a week to discuss, debate, recommend and test our knowledge of books. Girls from this club participate in the termly Inter-Schools Literature Quiz and in the annual Kids' Lit Quiz, Springfield has twice been the National Champions and then gone on to proudly represent South Africa at the International Kids Lit Quiz both in New Zealand and England - an outstanding achievement for Springfield and a notable achievement for South Africa!

Outreach

Opportunities to help others would not have been possible without the enthusiasm and support of the Springfield girls and parents. Each term, new Outreach Monitors are elected from the Grade 7 pupils. They are encouraged to get involved and to help highlight any outreach drive that is taking place.

Some of the regular outreach activities that take place at the Junior School include Tuesday Sandwich day, Poor Money collected in the classroom, Easter egg Drives, Help-the-Rural-Child and gifts for the under-privileged at Holy Mass at the end of the academic year.

Pottery

The kilns have barely had time to cool down between firings this year, having to keep up with the prolific potters and their magical masterpieces! Our year has been filled with the wonderful anticipation and excitement that only waiting to open a kiln .... or Christmas morning .... can bring.

Quilting

Scrap Booking

Scrapbooking is all about telling a story....a story about love, life and special moments. Sometimes in our busy lives, we forget that children experiencing funny moments, saying special things, having imaginary friends, telling their own stories which we may find silly, is linked to time……time  that passes so quickly. Techniques with paper using inks, paints, cutting tools, special punches are explored. The girls experiment using various methods of preserving memories e.g. page layouts, box decorations, picture frames. Scrapping techniques e.g. matting, creating antique items, making of tags are taught and journaling is encouraged.  Card-making sessions are also included.

Speech And Drama Club

All Junior School girls participate in weekly Speech and Drama lessons. They learn the importance of good articulation and projection while also improving their dramatic and presentation skills. Learning to use inflection and expression appropriately bring colour to the spoken word. This equips them to present themselves confidently and clearly. The girls gain confidence by working in groups and learn to deal with situations through drama.

The Junior Primary girls all participate in a Production once every three years and the Senior Phase girls present a Production every second year. This is always a dramatic highlight and of the highest standard.
Drama Club is also offered as an afternoon activity, where the girls can further their dramatic interest.

Tasty Treats

Tasty Treats is a weekly extra-mural cooking class for Grade 1 and 2 girls. We bake cakes and have tea parties, make the best hamburgers in the world, and learn about healthy eating. Some of the girls are quite skilled in the kitchen while others have never cooked before.  They wear aprons, wash their own dishes and have lots of fun!

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Opera in a Convent Garden

Date: Sunday 3 February 2013

Time: 17h30 start (gates open from 15h30)

Pricing:

Adults R100

Scholars R20

Children under 10 Free

Queries: operainaconventgarden@mweb.co.za or 021 7979637 

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