St Marks opened its doors to 180 learners on 26 January 1999. Since then we have grown to full capacity and have built separate facilities for the High School and Primary School.
The visionaries, Bruce and Sandy Woolard saw the need for a private Christian education at an affordable cost to the community. Their passion for ministry inspired a call to reach children and their parents/guardians practically. Not only was the vision quality education, but mere importantly offering spiritual and emotional support throughout their school career. A happy child is a successful child.
Computer classes form part of the curriculum and are offered during or after school hours. There are between 32 and 36 forty-five-minute sessions per year. The course caters to all levels and fees are included. The program includes a Year-end assessment, moderation, and certification for those who pass the assessment with 70% or more. This is a nationally moderated course and prepares learners thoroughly for the world of computers.
These are included in the School Fees but all workbooks, dictionaries, and rule books are at the parent's expense as they will be retained by the learner at the end of each year. Tests are set throughout the year with formal examinations being written only twice a year during the second and fourth terms. The teachers will prepare reports at the end of each term. No formal examinations are written by the Foundation Phase learners (Grade R-3) as their work is evaluated daily. Reports are issued at the end of each term.
Promotion requirements are based on the National Curriculum Guidelines. Learners will be assessed on a CASS (Continuous Assessment) mark and their examination mark in both June and November for learning subjects. If a learner is absent for an exam, a valid doctor's certificate must be produced for the learner to be granted permission to write the examination/s on their return to school. Test marks and continuous assessment will be included in their report in March and September.
There is so much more to school sport than just the benefit of physical activity. Sport builds character and self-esteem in a child. It teaches patience and perseverance. Sport inculcates discipline and teaches the value of winning and losing with dignity. The awareness of others and learning to work in a team is an invaluable life skill.
At St Mark's, these are the lessons we aim to instill whilst teaching our learners the benefits of a well-rounded, healthy, and balanced approach to life.
We have competitive team sports and can challenge other schools and hold our own. We are always looking for opportunities to grow our sporting program but have to take into account that a larger spectrum of choices will weaken our teams due to our smaller numbers.
If your child excels at a certain sporting discipline, the school will fully support them in joining a team at the club level. Learners participating in outside sports are recognized within the school. We however encourage learners to participate in our school teams with pride.
