ACADEMICS

It is an honour, a privilege and our collective passion to educate and raise young gentlemen, who will become our hope for the future, and ultimately, adults that the world can and will depend on.

The collective community at WHPS exposes our pupils to a sound, yet innovative and global curriculum – a curriculum that is imbued with the tone, values and ethos of our village and our community.

Honour, integrity, personal endeavour and accountability, a strong and determined work ethic and the encouragement to achieve one’s personal best are all intrinsically interwoven within the core curriculum and everyday activities at WHPS.

Add to this our beautiful, village-like surroundings; modern state of the art facilities; supportive and committed teachers and staff, parents and pupils; and a Council exemplifying visionary leadership and progressive forward thinking… and you have a School that strives to raise and educate balanced, motivated, successful and happy young people.

The strong academic drives include, The 16 Habits of Mind. Critical and Creative Thinking, Reading and Writing Fair, Integration of technology in the classroom and De Bono’s Thinking Hats. Staff are committed to developing their own skills as teachers and part of this included being exposed to new and innovative ideas.

Our aim continues to provide an education for our boys so that they might gain a love of learning and the intellectual skills to acquire knowledge and become life-long learners. It is not always easy but it sets an aspiration for those who believe, as we do, that teachers must walk tall in our society.

MUSIC

Music is exciting. It crosses borders, turns frowns into smiles and it is a language everyone speaks and understands! Schools that fail to encourage the development of this expressive art, deny their pupils access to a stunning part of their culture. WHPS Senior Preparatory Music is alive and well.

At WHPS we have a proud Music Tradition which sets us apart from many other schools, giving all boys the opportunity to be exposed to a variety of instruments. They learn to be productive and creative, and at the same time also have a lot of fun.

WHPS Music Vision

• to provide music education to pupils of all ages.
  

  WHPS Music Mission

• to give every boy the chance and opportunity to experience music and all that we have to offer.
  

  WHPS Music Objective

• to be passionate and create a love and appreciation for music.

The task of every music teacher is to develop a love and appreciation for music from a very young age.

Music Tuition at WHPS is offered in a wide range of instruments:

• Strings – Violin, Viola, Cello and Bass
• Woodwinds – Recorder Saxophone, Flute and Clarinet
• Brass – Trumpet, French Horn, Trombone and Euphonium
• Other instruments – Guitar (acoustic and electric), Bass Guitar, Classical Guitar, Drums and Voice.

WHPS Senior Preparatory Music boys participate in the following:

• Senior Orchestra
• Keynote Singers
• Senior Rock Band
• Percussion Band

As boys become more advanced, they are offered opportunities such as eisteddfods, practical exams and our regular Matinee/Soirette concerts that take place throughout the year.

Another extremely important aspect of music is THEORY. Every boy taking an instrument attends a theory class once a week. We also have a Computer Theory Centre where the fundamentals are taught by means of games and stories, taking the learners on creative music trips.

WHPS offers a very active Class Music programme. Throughout the year different grades are exposed to:

• String Group Classes
• Brass Group Classes
• Guitar group Classes
• Djembe Group Classes

WHPS Senior Preparatory Music is dedicated to teaching the boys about different kinds of music and some interesting facts about music. This gives them the ability to make an educated and informed opinion about what they like and dislike.

The smartboard is an invaluable tool in Class Music. Interesting videos, music clips and pictures are easily viewed by the whole class. Activities come alive with the smartboard by giving the boys a chance to actively participate in and help shape the lesson.

The WHPS Music Department works in accordance with the stipulations laid down by the Education Department ensuring that all boys are easily assimilated into the Arts and Culture syllabus of any High School. The music experience at WHPS will hopefully lead to a lifelong love for and involvement in music, giving boys the opportunity to start off their careers from a very young age.

Our music and arts programmes are an important component of learning and success and have become a natural part of our school day. The dynamic team of music teachers certainly play a major role in the complete education of our WHPS boys.

The powerful impact that music has on our lives is as important as reading, writing and maths for a well-rounded education. By exposing your child to culture, he acquires a taste for the things in life that will feed his soul, and music does just that!

DRAMA

The cultural life of WHPS is an extremely important part of the School curriculum and all boys are expected to participate fully in all areas. Drama is a vital component of this aspect of School life and is a subject in which all boys from Grade 000 – 7 have lessons on a weekly basis.

Through all 8 years of Drama the boys work on the importance of correct breathing, expression and emotions, of use of the body and voice as well as the ability to imagine themselves as something or someone else. Special effects make-up and film classes are also covered. Most of the boys are drawn to the drama exercises and have much to offer. For those who show a particular aptitude there is opportunity to start channelling and developing that skill. For others who are less confident, there is the chance to start finding artistic freedom within themselves.

Children who show learning difficulties, ADD, etc, often find this creative time an opportunity to focus in a non academic and less formally structured environment. In this, as in so many ways, Drama and academics are complementary disciplines. Every year all boys are involved in a production. The Grade 0’s put on a Nativity Play and then move through the Junior Prep learning concrete performance skills.

Cultural evenings give the boys the opportunity to experience the inter- dependence of all that they do at School and that drama is not just a recreational activity but a reflection of life. In the Senior Primary the boys start moving into more abstract areas of drama. They develop characterisation and interpretation skills and their ability to interact in character becomes more evident.

The Senior Primary School play (Grade 6 and 7) is the showcase of the year. Although it is not uncommon for boys to develop inhibitions at this age, the training that they have received and the inspiration of their peers, brings out a performance in every child. The boys demonstrate that they have learnt, not only acting skills, but also the true theatrical requirements of commitment, communication and respect for their fellow performers. They also show that they have learnt how to engage an audience and hold their rapt attention.

Drama is not just stage performance. It is a life skill, which ultimately carries young men to a business meeting or a boardroom. Boys learn to present themselves and their subject in a calm, confident, clear, convincing and competent manner.

ART

WHPS Senior Preparatory Art offers a unique experience for the boys. It enables them to see and appreciate things in a different way. Learning in art is an exciting exploration of doing, of understanding, of seeing and creating. Through this the boys learn tenacity and patience in creating their artworks.

The vision of the WHPS Art Department is to cultivate a love and appreciation of art in the boys of WHPS. The teaching objective is to inspire them and to enhance their creativity. This is done in a supportive yet disciplined environment. This environment will enable them to develop a sense of independence and confidence.

Art is critical to the development of a positive sense of self in children and an appreciation of the world around them. From Grade 0 to Grade 7 the boys are given the skills to develop there workls through various dimensions. Development takes place from 2D drawings on a 2D surface to 3D drawings on a 2D surface to 3D sculptural elements.

Scissor work, gluing, texture, painting, molding and sculpting, dexterity with their hands, fine motor skills and using the techniques and tools taught all tie up with projects set for them. In each grade these tools are being re-enforced and built on each year. If the boys are taught to look and have the tools to create, draw and sculpt practice will only strengthen those skills.

WHPS Junior Preparatory Art Outcomes:

MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES: Deals with exploration, choice and mastery of a variety of artistic media to solve visual challenges and to communicate visually. This is the most detailed component because of the emphasis on art exploration and production.

ELEMENTS OF ART AND PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN: Includes the correct use of the language of art and an understanding of basic structure of art works.

DEVELOPMENT OF IMAGERY: Focuses on the need to encourage students’ imagination in order to produce works of art that are creative, reflective, and personal.

VISUAL AWARENESS: Refers to the ability to observe and record the everyday world and create from memory.

RESPONDING TO ART: Promotes critical thinking in describing, analyzing and judging art, develops a personal response to art, and stresses the importance of art for individuals and societies, past and present.

SPORT

Sport plays a vital role in the development of each WHPSian. Boys are encouraged to strive for personal excellence and develop a broad – based skill set.

A number of different sports are offered including cricket, rugby, soccer, hockey, tennis, swimming, squash and athletics. All the major sports are compulsory and in the rugby season, boys may choose to play Tag – rugby. By the time WHPS boys move on to High School, they have been exposed to a variety of sports and they have developed a skills set that will allow them to be successful at high school. The boys are given opportunities to learn about themselves through a number of tours and derby fixtures. The coaching staff is well equipped to handle boys at different levels and with different talents.

The Grade 4 to 7 boys have sport from Monday to Thursday between 14:30 and 16:30. Their timetables are confirmed at the beginning of each term to ensure the boys know which days are allocated to sport.

All boys are actively involved attending practices, participating in galas and representing the School in matches in the Pretoria and Johannesburg leagues in both midweek and weekend games. This commitment to their School, their team and their own development is a vital life skill and a vital part of their life at the School. Leadership, team building and camaraderie are developed. Those boys who may not be able to actively participate are involved in scoring and supporting their peers, wherever their skills are best suited.

Physical Education is also offered during the morning to the Senior boys to enhance and maintain their physical strength and suppleness. They are taught how to warm up and warm down and how to stretch properly as part of their school sports training. This minimizes the risk of injury and prepares them for the physicality of senior sport.

Senior sport teams regularly go on tour throughout South Africa and compete effectively and successfully against schools nationwide. These tours enhance pride in themselves, their sport and their School and the boys are the best ambassadors WHPS could have. A good education is not just exemplified by success in academics. A truly holistic education must encompass culture and sport as well as allowing every boy to find his strengths and build on them, as well as acknowledging his weakness and strengthening them.

Not all boys may be budding professionals, but there is a sportsman in each boy – if he is allowed to find him!