School History
The Parkhurst suburb of Johannesburg saw a population boom in the 1950’s thereby creating the need for an academic institution to take care of the educational needs of the young minds of the community.
It was an auspicious day when Parkhurst Primary School was born. Starting with humble beginnings under the then T.E.D.; 139 pupils (as they were then known); enrolled on 29 July 1952 and together with two teachers and Mr. E. Duncan as Principal, formed the institution which is now an integral part of Parkhurst Village.
When the school was officially opened on 21 February 1953, by the then Administrator of the Transvaal, Dr. W. Nicol, and the enrolment had more than doubled. By 1956 there were 820 pupils and the M.O.T.H. hall was hired to house some classes.
Mr. Duncan retired at the end of 1973 and the school was blessed with the appointment of Mr. Dennis Prior who upheld the wonderful ethos of the school from 1974 to 1981. 1975 saw the opening of the Parkhurst Provincial Nursery School which utilised classrooms formerly used by the Primary School. Over the years the Parkhurst community had changed and with young people leaving the area, with the result that fewer children enrolled at the school.
At the beginning of 1982 Mr. P.G. Robertson was appointed Principal and brought with him a new and modern outlook on education. In 1991 Parkhurst changed its status to that of a Model B school and included for the first time children of different race groups. 1992 brought about further change to the school to that of Model C.
Miss J. M. Strachan was appointed as Principal in 1996 and retired in 2005. She was succeeded by Mr. S.D. Maharaj.
The School Today
Currently many of our learners come from the local suburbs where they join their peers from Alexandra and Soweto. Together, they gain valuable and holistic educational instruction. We trust that this enables them to cope in our diverse society and are able to enter secondary schooling with confidence to go into adulthood with every success. No matter where a child hails from, or who their parents are, we strongly believe that no matter the social-economic background of a child – each one deserves access to quality education.
Children with Special Needs
The three Parkhurst Learning Centre classes(Special Education Classes), initiated by Mr. Prior in 1975, offer opportunities for children with special learning needs to achieve success within the framework of their own abilities. Learners are identified on an on-going basis and are encouraged to participate in school activities -and a spirit of support and understanding is fostered. Due to reduced need, the school has incorporated the three classes into one multi-grade class. The class can cater for up to 20 learners. The reason for the small number is to ensure that Learners with Special Education needs (LSEN) get the best possible education, within their scope of ability. Learners admitted to this class must undergo testing by an educational psychologist.
Extra and Co-Curricular Activities
To ensure that our learners are afforded the chance to explore outside their immediate environs; day and overnight tours are arranged on a yearly basis which involves outdoor education and adventure learning programs. This allows our children to be exposed to a wide range of social and physical learning experiences. Various educational productions and workshops take place in the hall to help learners deal with the many socio-economic perils they face in their daily lives. The school does have a compulsory extra mural programme that varies according to grades and the sports season. Currently the school offers soccer, netball, athletics, and speech and drama. The grade 6 and 7 learners also take part in the Media Monitoring and Web Rangers programs.
Our Values
GDE Vision Statement
Every learner feels valued and inspired in our innovative education system.
School Mission Statement
To ensure quality learning and teaching take place in the classroom every day.
To promote education; positive values and responsibility amongst our learners
To encourage a culture of learning in our school
To be a self-reliant, well-managed school committed to change
To involve all stakeholders in the development in our school
To provide a safe and pleasant environment in our school
School Focus
Respect; Discipline; Parental Support; Passion; Hard Work
