Upcoming Events 2022
School Terms 2022
Edition 25 | 04 November 2024
MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL
EXAMS
Our learners are busy with their exams and will write until Friday 15 November. We encourage parents to support their children with a structured study routine during this time. We wish all our learners the best as they put their hard work into action. Extra murals will also come to an end on 15 November.
AGM
A reminder that our 71st AGM will be held on Thursday, 7 November at 18:00 in the school hall. Please remember to bring your ID or driver’s license for the verification process. All Grade R to 7 parents are welcome to attend the AGM. We look forward to seeing you there.
JUBILEE RECIPE BOOK
Don’t miss out on your copy of our Jubilee Recipe Book! It’s the perfect gift for Christmas or any special occasion. Books are available from the finance office for R300 each. We hope you’ll enjoy creating and sharing these delicious recipes with your family and friends.
For those parents unable to attend the AGM on Thursday 7 November 2024, please find below Mr. Marx’s Principal’s Report:
PRINCIPAL’S REPORT
INTRODUCTION
This year has been marked by numerous highlights as we celebrated our 70th Jubilee. Our journey has been strengthened by the implementation of solar power, which reflects our commitment to sustainability. We have also added an additional borehole to support our irrigation system, ensuring our grounds remain lush and green. The construction of our Multi-Surface sports area has been completed and supporter stands are in place. The resurfacing of our tennis and netball courts has greatly improved our facilities. The hall bathrooms have been renovated, giving a refreshed and welcoming space for parents and visitors attending school plays, functions and other events in the hall. We are proud to announce that Bryanston Primary School has achieved the status of an Official Apple Certified School. From next year, teachers will begin integrating iPads and Smart TVs into their classrooms alongside Coding and Robotics to enhance teaching efficiency and support our commitment to innovation.
2025
In 2025 we will maintain our focus on staff development while promoting strong parental involvement through our Parent Involvement Committee. Our facilities will see continued improvements, including additional bathroom refurbishments. We are also excited to launch our Coding and Robotics Centre next year. Striving to become an Apple Distinguished School remains a key objective for us. We aim to lay the foundation for our new Grade R section which will create a dedicated and enriched environment for our youngest learners.
ACTIVITIES AND FUNCTIONS
Our calendar has been filled with many events, from Open Days and Introduction Days to our annual Golf Day and Six-a-Side sports tournaments. We have held several sport and cultural festivals, Tickey, parents’ evenings and various inter-house activities. Our Awards Evenings, Fun Day and the Alumni Soccer and Netball Tournament have brought our school community together in celebration. highlights include Soap Box Derby, our Foundation Phase School Play, the Jubilee Tea and the ceremonial burying of our Time Capsule which was buried to commemorate our 70th birthday. The Time Capsule will only be opened when the school celebrates its 100th birthday.
ACADEMIC HIGHLIGHTS
We continue to strive for excellence and endeavour to make teaching and learning fun and relevant for all learners. Â We continue with Isizulu together with Afrikaans as our First Additional Language. Chess has been a huge success and this year we are hosting our first Interhouse Chess competition. We continue to mentor and support our interns from Thandulwazi who come from the St Stithians initiative.
Next year we introduce Coding and Robotics to all learners. It is a compulsory additional subject for Grade R-3. For Grade 4-7 learners, Coding and Robotics becomes compulsory in 2026. However, next year we will be introducing Coding and Robotics to our Grade 4-7 learners as well.
We are a proud Apple school and are excited about making teaching and learning fun and exciting for our learners.
OLYMPIADS AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS
Our learners participated in a range of Olympiads, showcasing their talents.
- In the Math HCM Olympiad, our top achiever could not progress to the next round due to another commitment.
- Â In the SS Olympiad for Grade 6 and 7, one learner from each Grade came in fourth in the District.
- Technology OlympiadÂ
- The Afrikaans Dinkskrum saw impressive performances with two Grade 6 learners earning a first and third place at Cluster level and a third place at District level.
CULTURAL HIGHLIGHTS
Our cultural activities have been a tremendous success this year. We hosted a very successful Foundation Phase concert and are eagerly anticipating the House Plays in 2025. Our Eisteddfod participation was exceptional, with 88% of learners achieving distinctions in English, Afrikaans, and Art. Cultural Colours: Twenty-five percent of learners were awarded Full Colours for Culture while 18% received Half Colours. Next year, we plan to expand Eisteddfod entries by including Marimba, thanks to our newly renovated Marimbas.
Our very own BPS Interschool English Festival welcomed participants from Bryandale, Sagewood and Reddam House. We also had an impressive showing in the Visual Vibes Art Competition at Bryneven, taking first place in the Grade 6 category. Our learners excelled at the National Art Eisteddfod, earning two Diplomas, five Gold, and six Silver awards.
SPORT HIGHLIGHTS
We participated in a variety of sports festivals/ leagues and tournaments throughout the year with good results.
Special mention goes to:
- Under 9 boys who participated in the Discovery Knock-Out Tournament Semi-Finals
- District Representation:
- Soccer – 4 learners
- Athletics 7 learners
- Various District and Provincial representation for outside sports
- Netball – Under 13 competed in District Semi-Finals
- Netball – Under 12 competed in District Finals
- Soccer Referees
- 7 Staff Members: Level 1 SAFA Referees
- 2 Staff Members: Level 5 SAFA Referees
- 1 Staff Member: SAFA D License
- 1 Staff Member: UEFA 1,3 License
- Netball Umpires
- 3 Staff Members: Provincial Grading Umpires
- 1 SA Applications Umpire
- Athletics Coaches
- 5 ASA Level 1 Coaches
This year we brought swimming and galas back to our sports program. These events have not only provided a platform for our swimmers to showcase their skills but have also shown team spirit and enthusiasm within the school. Rugby has also made a strong return, bringing with it a renewed sense of excitement and achievement.
Transition Football Club and Girls Soccer has had a remarkable season, marked by determination and achievement. Our Camp Discovery trip for Netball and Soccer was a success. Our cross-country team saw three learners qualifying for the District team. We look forward to further growth in Hockey next year.
2024 COMPLETED PROJECTS
This year we expanded our School Wellness Centre and significantly improved accessibility with wheelchair and ambulance access. Bathrooms in the hall were refurbished. Our Multi-Surface sports arena and the resurfacing of netball and tennis courts, along with newly added basketball hoops, have improved our sports facilities. our beautification projects around the school has made a more attractive space for our learners and upgrades to security infrastructure have contributed to a safer school for all.
MERITS AND DEMERITS
BADGES ACHIEVED | Number of learners | TOP 5 DEMERITS ISSUED | Number of Demerits |
Blue Badge (25 merits) | 291 | 1. Failure to complete classwork | 711 |
Silver Badge (50 merits) | 133 | 2. Disruptive behaviour in class | 377 |
Gold Badges (75 merits) | 58 | 3. Talking while the teacher/another learner is     talking to the class | 331 |
Platinum Badges (100 merits) | 20 | 4. Negative attitude | 218 |
Class Badge (Badge of honour 150 merits) | 13 Classes | 5. Textbooks, books, notes or equipment     necessary for a lesson not at school | 162 |
Average number of badges issued per learner | 1,09 badges | Average number of Demerits issued for a learner per Term | 3,45 |
PASTORAL CARE
We are committed to the well-being of our learners through a comprehensive pastoral care programme. Our services include:
- Counselling of Learners
- Clinical Psychologist
- Educational Assessments
- Vaccinations for HPV, TD and Measles
- Screening of Learners (auditory and visual)
- Lunch Parcels
- Community Collections
- Multi-purpose therapy room
- Play therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy
- Community school visits for educational purposes by the police, Child Protection Unit and Health Department
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Our community initiatives have made a positive impact. We collaborated with Wheel Well, a non-profit organisation that refurbishes used car seats for families in need. Our Winter Warmer drive collected beanies, blankets, scarves, and gloves, which were distributed to Kids Haven and refugee camps in Musina. Dignity Packs, containing toiletries, were prepared for both boys and girls. We also held a teddy collection for Childline to provide comfort and support to young children during the festive season.
Each of these achievements shows our commitment to creating an inspiring, supportive, and inclusive environment at Bryanston Primary School. We are excited to build on this foundation in the year ahead.
Latest News
GENERAL ASSISTANTS’ HAMPER COLLECTION
This has been an extremely busy year, and not a particularly easy year, for everyone. We as a school, would like to take a moment to say a very practical ‘Thank you’ to our General Assistants. Daily, they have worked tirelessly to keep our school clean and tidy. We therefore ask all learners to bring small items for the General Assistants’ Christmas Hampers.
We do realise that it is also time to think about buying stationery and workbooks for 2025. However, the cost of these items, that will make a meaningful difference to the General Assistants over the Christmas period, is relatively small.
During the year, we take for granted the daily cleaning of the grounds jacaranda flowers, leaves; seed pods), of classrooms, replacing broken items. sanding doors, sweeping tennis and netball courts, mowing and marking of fields, edging and weeding of gardens, clearing of gutters, emptying the dustbins, the washing of corridors and many other tasks.
Please view the letter with the list of items required here.
D6 CONNECT APP AND BPS WEBSITE
Parents are encouraged to install the D6 Connect App in order to receive important communication from the school regarding Newsletters, Resources, Alerts etc. Information regarding finances and learner discipline records are recorded on the app for parents to access. View instructions here.
On our website, www.bryanstonprimary.co.za documents like Learner Assessment Plans, 2024 Stationery lists etc are published therefore parents need to ensure that both these methods of communication are monitored on a weekly basis, in order for communication to be received.
Academics
Assessment Timetables
Please note that the assessment timetables for all grades can be found on the website here.
Term 4 Academic Focus
Exams began on 30 October 2024. The focus for this term is academics.
Although revision will be done in class, it is important that your child starts preparing and studying in the afternoons to avoid added stress and feelings of overwhelm.
Please note that ALL LEARNERS are required to be at school from 7:25 – 13:40.
No learner will be allowed to leave early without a valid reason communicated in advance to the register teacher on email and approved by the Departmental Head. Learners will also be given time to study during the school day and take part in the athletics Inter-house team trials.
We have too many learners not being collected timeously after 13:40 and this has a huge impact on their academic performance.
Please note that the crowded afternoon waiting area is not conducive for our learners to study and to make the most of their time.
Please make arrangements for your child to have a structured learning environment, allowing them some downtime and a space to focus and study.
You are welcome to enrol your child (depending availability) into our after-care facility for the next month to enable a more productive environment. Please contact Mr Botha lrbotha@bryanstonprimary.co.za in this regard.
As from 4 November learners can come dressed in their PE uniform on Mondays to keep them comfortable during the exam sessions.
Being successful in exams is a two-step process – believe in yourself, and back it up with plain old hard work!
Extramurals
Timetables for Term 4
The extramural timetables for Term 4 have been uploaded to the website. They may be viewed here.
Reminders
Tuckshop Orders
Please see details on our tuckshop page here regarding menus, payment and order placing.
Lost Property
We encourage parents to label all school items. Items that are unmarked will be washed and sold!Â
The lost property shop/second hand uniform shop is open Mondays and Thursdays from 14:00-15:00.Â
Items have to be labelled with the child’s name and surname.
Debit orders
Bryanston Primary School offers a 5% discount for debit order payments on current fees and aftercare. Please email debtors@bryanstonprimary.co.za for a form or complete the form on our website here and return to Lauren in the Finance Office.
Debit orders that bounce for more than 3 occasions will be cancelled by the school and the discount for each month that has bounced will be reversed.
If a debit order needs to be cancelled, the school must be notified within 5 working days (excluding weekends) and the account must be amended via EFT/Cash within 7 working days.
Payment References
Please use the Account Reference (5-digit number on your statement) with your child’s surname. The clear use of the below allows for account statements to be allocated with accuracy. If you are uncertain of your reference, please email debtors@bryanstonprimary.co.za
Lightning Procedure
If lightning is detected during school or at functions and extra murals the following procedure is to be followed:
- The educator in charge of the activity will press the Weather Alarm situated across from Room 25 and hold for 5 seconds. All activities are to cease with immediate effect and all learners are to be ushered to safety under cover of the school buildings or classrooms which ever are available at the time.
- If there is lightning during dismissal times, learners will stay in the classrooms in their Grade Corridor and parents will collect the learners from the classroom. If an educator has an extra-mural that is not cancelled and continues during rain and lightning, then they will split their learners amongst the educators on the corridor.
- Learners will stay in their class until 14H30 at which time they will move to the hall and will be looked after till 15H00 by the sport coaches on duty, at which time the security officers will take over the duty. If there is no lightning and it is just raining, then learners will go to the gate as per normal. Please ensure all learners carry an umbrella with them to school
Dismissal Times
Parents are reminded that the dismissal times for the Grades are as follows:
| Grade R | 13:00 |
| Grade 1-2 | 13:00 |
| Grade 3-7 | 13:40 |
Aftercare Details
All information regarding aftercare may be found here.
Mount Street Parking
There are still many parents who are entering the NO RIGHT TURN area on Mount Street. Please adhere to all road signals to assist with the flow of traffic. Please obey all instructions given by our security guards.
JMPD have informed BPS that they will be doing spot visits to the school to monitor and assist with regulating traffic.
JMPD have also suggested that parents drive up Mount Street (if coming from Grosvenor), and turn into Cross Road (towards the gym) and then join onto Main Road to flow into William Nicol, if you need to get back onto William Nicol Drive.
There is a NO RIGHT TURN sign on Mount Street, on the island (coming from Grosvenor) that indicates that no cars coming from Grosvenor are allowed to turn right into the parking area. Please adhere to all road signs in order to assist with traffic congestion.
Inclement Weather
As we are moving into warmer weather and the rainy season, please ensure that your child has wet weather fear (umbrella/raincoat) in their bags each day.
D6 Connect
Parents are encouraged to install the D6 Connect App in order to receive important communication from the school regarding News, Resources, Alerts etc. Download the app here.
Digital Learning
From the school side, all MS Teams and BPS online profiles have been created and are working. Login details are the same as last year and if resets were done, they were sent to parents. Please use the MS Teams or BPS Online password reset button on the front page of the login page if ever you forget the password.
For BPS online login password queries when you have difficulties, please contact support@bpsonline.co.za from a login aspect. If the query is subject related, regarding content, please contact the subject teacher and not support.
If you are experiencing MS Teams login password queries please email troman@bryanstonprimary.co.za
If you are experiencing technical difficulties (not related to passwords), depending on the device you are using, please ensure that updates are done on the learners' devices.
For details on resetting or changing of passwords, please refer to our Troubleshooting guide.
Parent's Contact Details Updates
If parents' cellphone numbers, work or personal e-mail addresses, medical aid details or any other personal details have changed, please can parents urgently update details with the Admissions Department.
The D6 connect App will not connect you to the learner’s profile, if any of your details have changed. This information is also important for staff to retrieve parent contact details from our administrative database.
If any changes, please e-mail Mrs van Eeden on jvaneeden@bryanstonprimary.co.za
Bryanston Primary Lockers
The use of the Bryanston Primary lockers is a privilege that will only be granted to Grade 4 to Grade 7 learners. A learner will have to apply for the use of a locker, but a learner that has had any transgressions in regard to damaging of school property, will be denied the use of a locker. There are a limited number of lockers and lockers will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis. Bryanston Primary School cannot be held responsible for lost, stolen or damaged personal property.
Lockers may be rented per term or yearly:
- Term: R100 per Term, paid in full before the allocation of a locker.
- Year: R350 to be paid in full before the allocation of a locker.
If you would like to rent a locker, please inform your child’s register teacher so that they can send you a Locker Use Agreement which needs to be signed and returned to the school.