St John's College

Pupils enter the Pre-Preparatory School in Grade 0, in the year that they turn six. They spend three years at the Pre-Prep.

The Pre-Prep is a creative and vibrant learning environment in which our team of professional, dedicated staff encourage boys to be curious and to explore their world with a sense of wonder. Our aim is to prepare boys for future academic rigour and to encourage in each boy a love for life and learning. Classes are small in number, ensuring that pupils receive personal attention.

Each class has a student intern present. The interns are young people studying towards a Bachelor's Degree in Education who gain the essential practical knowledge in our classrooms while studying.

Grade 0

The aim of our Grade 0 classes is to build a strong foundation in all the readiness skills needed for formal schooling, including spiritual, social, emotional, cognitive and physical development. The role of play in a child’s life has been highlighted as critical for their development. Each day is carefully planned. Parents are kept informed of Grade 0 events and the theme to be covered for the week, by means of a weekly Grade 0 newsletter. In Grade 0, Afrikaans, isiZulu, Drama, Music, Physical Education and Computer Studies (ICT) are taught by specialist teachers each week.

Grade One and Grade Two

Each day starts with an Assembly – either on the Amphitheatre or in the Pre-Prep Hall, and once a week we attend a short Chapel Service by one of the College chaplains. The programme for these two years provides for the teaching of foundation skills in Literacy, Numeracy and Life Orientation, which includes an appreciation and care for our environment and its people.

We include Afrikaans, isiZulu, Computer Studies, Physical Education, Art, Music and Drama, into our programme. The Library is open all morning for boys to use whenever they have the time.