Thursday 19 June 2025
Dear Parents and Guardians,
RE: FROM THE RECTOR’S DESK
We are halfway through the term; incredibly, halfway through the year.
While there has been much to celebrate in the first half of the term, we recognize that the coming weeks
include important academic benchmarking for our public examination candidates. Next week heralds the
start of the mid-year “mock” examinations. To this end, there has been considerable activity in our
academic spaces, and the recent mid-term Mark Order suggests that a lot of ground has been covered in
preparing our examination candidates. You will have received the most recent assessments for your
children, and I encourage you to discuss their performance with them. In the most recent review, Senior
Tutors were reasonably encouraged by the academic progress of many of our pupils. Nevertheless, they
were realistic in terms of the need for ongoing academic consolidation. From a syllabi perspective, many
subjects are close to completing the requirements for the Cambridge examinations; this will help facilitate
a longer and more intense revision programme leading up to the November examinations. In terms of
academic support, the more formalized and “ring fenced” support classes after lunch have added another
level of academic support for our pupils.
The Curriculum Support Department has also done much in terms of building capacity for those who need
additional interventions, and, in this regard, they have done much to identify and ensure that our pupils
have the appropriate concessions in writing the public examinations. Mrs Jennifer Nell has, in a relatively
short space of time, done much to facilitate and support the needs of pupils who require additional
interventions. There can be little doubt that, in recent weeks, the level of academic urgency and raised
expectations have been clearly felt by both staff and pupils alike. To this end, the work being done by
Heads of Department, Directors of Studies, and the Head of Academic Advancement, Mrs Michelle Scott
Elliot, has done much in supporting staff in achieving their academic goals. At the Boys’ School, the
reintroduction of supervised prep has helped ensure class work is being appropriately reinforced. Under the
guidance of the Director of Studies there is also a more specialist prep session in the Megahey Centre
which allows pupils the opportunity of engaging staff with concerns or difficulties. With the above in
mind, this “free weekend” without sporting fixtures is an ideal opportunity for our examination candidates
to add some polish to their classroom endeavours.
The impact of Emma Sadleir’s visit to Peterhouse continues, and in conversations with the pupils, her
message has certainly impacted our community with respect to the safe and responsible use of cell
phones. Her direct and frank approach to the inappropriate use of digital space will have raised eyebrows
and sent a very powerful message about how the law views the misuse of digital platforms.
Peterhouse Group of Schools : Private Bag 3741, Marondera, Zimbabwe: www.peterhousegroup.co.zw
secretary@peterhouse.co.zw +263 (0) 65-2324951/2/3, 2322200/1/2/3, (0)772-136470/1
Please note that there will be a $5 charge to school accounts for the Emma Sadleir presentations in May.
On the back of her visit, the school has been reviewing its “device policy” and will be putting forward a
revision of the policy to the Peterhouse EXCO in late July.
Peterhouse Girls, this week, hosted a touring Group of musicians from Trident College from northern
Zambia. Following some combined workshops with our own musicians, they produced an outstanding
Concert on Wednesday night. With the repertoire of some well-known contemporary songs, they raised
the roof of the PHG Music Centre and had the audience captivated by their entertaining performances. It
was a wonderful example of educational co-operation and I have no doubt that the musicians from both
schools gained much from this experience. Alongside this, the NIAA Speech and Drama adjudications
have also started, and we wish all the candidates well.
On the sporting front, we have enjoyed a full programme of winter games. There have been some
incredibly tight and entertaining fixtures. The Springvale Winter Sports Festival is always a highlight, as
we once again hosted teams from local and Zambian Preparatory Schools. Both Peterhouse Boys and
Girls have also enjoyed considerable success in our winter disciplines, and we look forward to what
awaits in the second half of the term. A couple of sporting diary entries would be the AMG Sevens on
Saturday 5 July and the return Falcon game, at home, on 26 July. Springvale play Ruzawi away on
Wednesday 2 July and PHG play Falcon hockey alongside the boys on 26 July. The school will also be
hosting the Golden Girls Hockey tournament from 1-3 August and the boys’ Super12 hockey festival will
be on the Astro from 7 August.
With warm regards,
Jon Trafford
Rector