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School Video

Advanced Education at Parel Vallei

Parel Vallei Advanced Education Trust

The Parel Vallei Advanced Education Trust was formally established in 2006 to support and provide advanced educational opportunities to pupils at Parel Vallei High School, as well as any deserving educational institution in the Helderberg Basin. The Trustees have a vision of enabling children to develop academically, beyond the confines of a National Curriculum. The Parel Vallei Advanced Education Centre is based at Parel Vallei High School.  Since its inception, this Trust has grown slowly but steadily and has served Parel Vallei extremely well. Since 2013, the Trust has been registered as a Public Benefit Organisation (PBO) and any donations which are made into this trust are claimable from tax.  Readers are invited to support this trust and in this way, ensure that Parel Vallei High School will always be at the top of the academic list.

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The Advanced Education Centre (AEC)

The AEC operates as a stand-alone provider of advanced education within Parel Vallei High School. It is backed by the Parel Vallei Advanced Education Trust but learners pay for tuition and text books. The Centre offers AP Mathematics (IEB) and AP English (IEB) as a supplement to the NCS Maths curriculum.
 

Advanced Programme (AP) Mathematics

AP Maths was introduced by the AEC in 2011. Its purpose is to supplement the NCS and to give matric candidates a better chance of success in the fields of Maths and Statistics at university.

The AP Mathematics curriculum, which focuses on problem-solving skills, has been developed by the IEB and is accredited by Umalusi. The AP National Examination is written at the end of Grade 12. Successful candidates will receive IEB Certification.

The course takes place over three years, starting in Grade 10. The following fields are included in the curriculum:

  • Calculus
  • Algebra
  • Probability and Inferential Statistics

Advanced Programme (AP) English

AP English was introduced in 2018 to supplement the NCS.

The AP English course takes place over three years, starting in Grade 10 and culminating in the national IEB examination which will be written in October of the Grade 12 year.

AP English specifically promotes and cultivates a deeper appreciation and understanding of English literature and allows for more thorough analysis and discussions which could ease the transition from high school to the first year of university.

The following fields are included in the AP English curriculum:

  • poetry (compulsory) and
  • two of the following options: prose, drama or film.

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In 1997 we had a very important strategic session during which the staff, management and Governing Body plotted the future of our school.

After very meaningful discussions and deliberation, we came to the conclusion that we were entering a time of huge change. We were on the threshold of introducing OBE (Outcome Based Education) and realised that the one constant going into the future would be change!

We were very proud of our academic excellence and were working hard at bringing sport and culture up to the same level as the academics. Around the table we penned our Vision for the future: "EXCELLENCE IN A CHANGING WORLD"

Since those very important discussions we are very proud to be able to say that we really do achieve excellence in our ever changing environment.

Some 10 years ago my wife and I attended a stage production of the musical ‘Evita’ which depicted the life of Evita Peron, wife of the Past President of Argentina.
During the show, Evita says, in a very defiant moment: "I’m proud to be and Argentinian."

At school at the time, I was thinking about ways in which I could spark off some pride in the school. Although many of our pupils had tremendous talent, they were often lacking in confidence and were almost scared to show pride in themselves or their school. I took Evita’s words and entered our own name and got: "Proud to be a Parel Valleier". I motivated and encouraged pupils to buy into the concept of having pride in themselves and in what they do but without being arrogant.

We also started to use this slogan on the foot of all our outgoing mail and on our letterheads. Interestingly, some of the grade 8’s, when they answer the question in their little test about the motto of the school, say that, “Proud to be a Parel Valleier” is the school’s motto instead of the real motto "Sapientia et intellegentia."

Long may this slogan live in the hearts and minds of our learners and may they always be "Proud to be a Parel Valleier".

Ettienne Gouws
2013