Dear Parents and Guardians,
RE: FROM THE RECTOR’S DESK
We are very much in the head long race towards the end of the academic year. Many of our year end functions have been taking place since half term and it has been good to be able to celebrate so many of our achievements in 2024. We have also been able to pay tribute to the 2024 Leavers whose final function will be their Leavers Ball in Harare on 16 November.
Immediately after half term, both PHB and PHG hosted their annual Speech Days. In a departure from the past both were held on the same day; a change which seems to have been well received. The Girls lead the way in the morning where Ms Nellie Nyeke was Guest Speaker. As you will appreciate Ns Nyeke has been Deputy Head at PHG since 2020. She leaves to take up the headship of Lomagundi College. Obviously, we are deeply saddened by her departure but, in equal measure, delighted with her appointment. We look forward to remaining in close contact with her as she navigates her new role in
2025. At the boys’ school, Stephen Cox, Zimbabwe Paris Olympic Rower, was our Guest Speaker. Stephen is a Petrean having left school in 2010. Stephen currently serves in the British Army and were delighted that he was able to make a very fleeting visit to Zimbabwe to share his thoughts at Speech Day.
Both schools also bid formal farewell to their respective Leavers last weekend. The Girls Leavers Service was in St Francis Chapel followed by a celebratory lunch attended by Leavers, their parents and staff. With tradition the girls also left a pair of school shoes on the alter area as a symbol of their departure. These shoes go to school communities in the Marondera District. The boys’ school service took place on Sunday in which the boys’ received their Petrean Ties, also witnessed by parents, the school and staff. With tradition the Leavers, in their last school activity, lead the school war cries from the steps of the school Chapel. While these Services marked a formal acknowledgement of the VIth
Form’s journey through Peterhouse the Cambridge Examinations only end on Thursday 14 November.
With the end of the public examinations next week, the A Block heads off on their “expedition” to southern Matabeleland. Unlike previous A Block Expeditions which went to Nyanga, this trip, will not only focus on hiking but will also expose the pupils to a range of outdoor pursuits and activities. This will include a range of bush craft techniques. The expedition returns to Peterhouse on 20 November. For the rest of the school internal examinations are done and normal classes have resumed. In all cases there is still much to be done in terms of our academic programme. The Vth form has moved onto their A Level studies and C Block will start on their IGCSE syllabi. B Block move onto the second year of their IGCSE curriculum and D Block move into the senior houses and the start of their C Block journey. Once again, can I stress the importance of not requesting early departures as this last quarter of term is crucial in ensuring we cover important and new academic ground. Term closes on Thursday 5 December.
Work on the school’s sustainable energy programme has begun. This significant investment in building our capacity to move into a more sustainable energy environment has now started in earnest. The installation of solar geysers in all staff housing has begun and this will continue through the rest of the year until all staff houses have solar heating. In the kitchens, a move from electricity to gas will start in the December holiday. All the equipment for this transfer has arrived and will, as soon as term ends, be installed in the three kitchens. The Board has also approved the plans for the construction of a substantial solar farm. This involves a significant investment which will, to a large degree, take the school off the grid. We are currently in the process of completing regulatory approval after which a large solar array will be constructed on the Peterhouse Boys’ campus. This will feed into the transmission system serving all three schools.
The Development Office and Petrean Society have been hard at work in preparing a calendar of events for the celebration of our 70th Anniversary next year. Please look out for the 2025 “calendar of celebration” which will be published before the end of term. For saving as a date, the school will, in Harare, host a “Grand Ball” on Saturday 5 April. Again, details will be circulated in the coming weeks.
We now head into the final weeks of the 2024 academic year. I have already highlighted the importance of the coming weeks in the classroom. Equally, there will be several important closing functions. I would like to invite you to share in the Carol Service in the Boys’ School Chapel at 18h00 on Sunday 1 December. This will be followed by a Combined Marondera Choirs Service, again, in the Chapel at 18h00 Monday 2 December. The Pupils Christmas Dinner will be on Tuesday 3 December .
With warm regards for the upcoming weekend
Jon Trafford
Rector
