Academic Programmes
Pre-School
The Grade 000 programme allows plenty of opportunity to learn through play in a loving, caring environment. The girls spend a busy day exploring and making discoveries.
Our Grade 00 class continues to learn through lots of play, but they also have more formal periods where they explore the concepts necessary to prepare them for Grade R.
The Grade R programme covers the concepts as laid down in the CAPS curriculum and our pre-reading, pre-writing and pre-maths programmes ensure our girls are well prepared for Grade 1.
Junior Primary
Our Grade 1, 2 and 3 classes create the basis of learning by both laying a strong foundation in Mathematics and English, and by the development of critical thinking skills and creativity. Music, Art and Drama play an important and vital role in nurturing self-confidence, the power of the imagination, and effective communication skills. Outdoor skills, developed both in sport and by the use of our adventure playground, add a wonderful richness to childhood in our phase. Our focus is on extending and affirming a child’s curiosity, sense of inquiry and ability to make the correct choices. Continuous assessment takes place to monitor individual progress. Our teachers make themselves available to assist a girl, or girls, who need support for a particular section of the curriculum. If additional support is required, we have professionals are available on site to assist.
Senior Primary
Maris Stella Senior Preparatory has a close working relationship with both the Foundation and Senior phases of our school. Prep girls are encouraged to strive for excellence in all aspects of school life, where an ethos of mutual respect, responsibility and care is emphasized. Learning is fun and we fully embrace all learning opportunities both inside and outside the classroom.
In the Senior Primary girls form a bond with their homeroom teachers where class teaching takes place in the core subjects namely, English, Afrikaans and Mathematics. Cultural subjects such as Religious Education, isiZulu, Art, Technology, Computers, Music and Drama are introduced through specialist teachers. Whilst we teach within the framework of the new Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement ( CAPS), we are constantly extending our girls through developing problem-solving and critical thinking skills. This integrated learning allows our girls a happy and smooth transition into High School. Many Prep girls also take part in fun inter-school competitions, such as the Kids Lit Quiz, Conquesta Olympiad and Maths Relays.
We are part of the IEB Primary Schools Initiative and ISASA shared assessments, which assists us to monitor both the girls and teachers progress. Girls receive recognition for their academic achievements at the end of the year at our prestigious Speech Day.
High School
In High School, especially Grades 10 to 12, the focus is on equipping the girls, via subject choices, to enter into any field of tertiary study, and the options available to them are varied. In this phase of the school the emphasis is on encouraging academic excellence in order that pupils are able to gain entry into any South African university on the basis of their results. The school’s excellent NSC results illustrate that this goal of obtaining entry into any tertiary institution for all students is being achieved and more importantly ensuring that their future employment is secured and their sense of self-fulfilment realised.
In the FET phase the girls have to study the 4 subjects stipulated by the State i.e. a language at Home Language level (English), a 1st Additional Language (Afrikaans or IsiZulu), Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy and Life Orientation. They are then offered 3 elective subjects which are arranged in packages and include Visual Art, Drama Arts, History, Accounting, Business Studies, French, Music, Consumer Studies, Geography, Life Sciences and Physical Science. In addition, girls may study Advanced Programme Maths or Advanced Programme English. It is possible for another 8th subject to be taken in consultation with the Academic Head.
The girls are given the opportunity to participate in the English, Maths and IsiZulu Olympiads annually, while extension opportunities are provided in other subjects through participation in activities such as French Evenings, History Quizzes, Art competitions and Drama Eisteddfods to name only a few.
Every afternoon girls in the different grades have the advantage of structured extra lessons in their subjects, either as part of an extension or assistance programme, or by private arrangement with their subject teachers.