A MESSAGE TO PROSPECTIVE PARENTS
Perhaps
you already know Peterhouse, or perhaps you knew it in the past and your
information may be out of date. It may be that you have never even seen
the school. But you are making a critical decision in the life of your
son - the school where he will spend his formative years, from pre-adolescence
to adulthood.
Prospective parents are encouraged to come and see the school for themselves, and if at all possible to bring their son along as well. If you put your son's name down in good time then you will automatically receive an invitation to an "Open Day" in his Grade 6 year. In this message I deal with some questions, which are the ones I am most often asked. The answers may help you in deciding whether Peterhouse is the place for your son. But best of all, come and see us.
I look forward to receiving your emails if you have any queries : The Rector <peterrec@mweb.co.zw>
J B CALDERWOOD
RECTOR
FACTS AND FIGURES
Founded in 1955 as an independent, Anglican boarding school for boys aged 12 to 18, it has now expanded to include two other schools as well: a co-educational preparatory school, Springvale House and Peterhouse Girls' School. The schools are controlled by a Board of Governors who include: Dr N A F Williams (Patron), Mr J D Carter ( Chairman, ex Chairman of Barclays Bank, Zimbabwe) Senior Minister, the Hon Didymus Mutasa, and others. The schools occupy a 3 000 acre site straddling the main Harare-Mutare road, 85 kilometres south-east of Harare; 700 acres of this form our game park, Gosho Park.
There are 480 boys (all boarders) at Peterhouse, and across the road we now have two associated schools: Springvale House is a 220 strong Preparatory School for boys and girls (weekly boarders and day scholars), Peterhouse Girls' has 290 pupils (almost all of whom are boarders) Post-O Level girls come over to Peterhouse for lessons.
HOW DO PARENTS KEEP IN TOUCH?
We have both formal and informal mechanisms for this. Parents receive full reports at the end of each term; in addition they will see their son's "Mark Order Card" which is a set of grades and places given twice a term and discussed with the boy by his housemaster. The Rector gives regular newsletters during the term as well as an end of term letter. There is a Parent-Master meeting for each form each year. There are House Braais and other social occasions.
Boys go home for the three fixture free weekends during the term and are allowed out on two other occasions for floating weekends.
In addition, we hope of course that parents
will come and support school events. We hope too that they will keep in
touch with their son's housemaster.
WHAT SHOULD I DO NOW?
Come and see Peterhouse; meet the Rector peterrec@mweb.co.zw and staff and pupils - then you can decide if this is the place for your child.
FILL IN a Registration Form (with the small payment to cover administrative costs) - some parents register their children up to 12 years in advance.
WRITE to The Registrar, Peterhouse, P Bag 3741, Marondera or Email The Registrar <petrean@pci.co.zw>
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
WHY SHOULD I CHOOSE PETERHOUSE?
Perhaps because you want a school in a rural not an urban setting, or because you want a fully-boarding school rather than a day or mainly day school;
Perhaps because you value opportunities such as exist at Peterhouse (with good staffing, libraries and equipment) for attaining fine academic results. The 2002 Cambridge results were outstanding. The Girls' School had a 100% pass rate for all A Level subjects and the Boys' 97.3% at A Level and 81% at AS Level. Our results are particularly impressive as we take into the school pupils with a wide range of abilities.
Perhaps because you value the spiritual dimension symbolised in our imposing chapel. The answer to this question will vary from person to person; or
Perhaps you like what you see and feel - and that will mean visiting the school.
WHAT ABOUT THE ENTRANCE EXAM?
This takes place each year in July for boys and girls in the middle of their Grade 7 year. It is a competitive examination - we cannot take all boys whose names are down for Peterhouse. But we also take note of the report from your son's primary school headmaster will give us; and naturally we take note of possible links with the school; a son or daughter may already be here; or you yourself may be a Petrean ... you may live in the district.
DO YOU TAKE CHILDREN INTO FORM ONE ONLY?
Most boys (and girls) enter the D Block ( i e Form 1) at age 12/13, via the competitive entrance examination. That is undoubtedly the best time to start, but places are sometimes available for entrants into C or B Blocks. In additon some places are usually available for pupils currently in their O Level year elsewhere: we have had many successful pupils who joined us to take their A Levels.
IS THERE ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE?
Peterhouse is one of the very few schools to offer Academic Scholarships and Exhibitions. These are not in themselves worth a great deal in monetary terms, but in needy cases these may be supplemented by a bursary. In addition, Peterhouse offers Music Scholarships and Exhibitions. Again, in needy cases these may be supplemented by a bursary.
WHAT IS THE HOUSE SYSTEM?
All boys, before they arrive, are allocated to one of the six boarding houses - you may have a family connection with one of them, which you can make known. These units are very basic to the life of a boy in a school like Peterhouse - your son will sleep there, work there in the evenings, and have his daily routine centered round the house organisation. So your son's housemaster will be an important man in his life, and you will want to get to know him; he is his main contact with the wider life and organisation of the school.
But to make life easier for the 12 and 13 year olds who arrive in our D Block, your son will, for his first year live, in Tinokura - a purpose built house for all Form One. There they can acclimatise to boarding if necessary, and to the life of a large place like Peterhouse. The resident housemaster, Mr Paul Davis, and his tutors, look after them. By the end of a year, we believe your son will be better fitted to move on into the life of his boarding house.
WHAT ABOUT DISCIPLINE?
Perhaps those words "structured" and "caring" are most appropriate here - it is important that young people should know where they are; should know about the boundaries they cross at their peril. It is important that they learn good manners and self-respect and respect for others. Peterhouse is "strict" in that these things are enforced by prefects, housemasters, and the staff in general. Corporal punishment is administered only by the Rector, Senior Master and Housemasters. Expulsion is reserved only for the most serious offences deemed to be damaging to the community. But all this must be set in the context of a caring community - a place where boys can grow up with clear guidelines of conduct, and can leave as self-disciplined and self-respecting young men.
WHAT ARE THE ACADEMIC PATTERNS AT PETERHOUSE?
| Year | Age | Form | Academic pattern |
| 1 | 12/13 | D Block | Four forms of 24 boys, of mixed ability to start with, but progressively streamed during the year. All boys do the whole range of academic subjects, as well as Computers, Craft and Drama. |
| 2 | 13/14 | C Block | Boys are "setted' in the major subjects in C Block and then "setted" in each subject for B and A Blocks. |
| 3 | 14/15 | B Block | Depending on their sets (i e their ability) boys take a minimum of eight IGCSE subjects |
| 4 | 15/16 | A Block | Boys write IGCSE |
| 5 | 16/17 | 5th Form | Having gained at least six passes, boys and girls (now taught together on the Peterhouse site) choose A level subjects (see below) Aptitude tests help them make sensible decisions. |
| 6 | 17/18 | 6th Form | In additon, all 5th and 6th Formers may take extra courses in Design, Information Technology, Statistics etc. |
The following subjects are taught to IGCSE and/or A Level:
| Accounting | Chemistry | French | Physics |
| Art | Design | Geography | Shona |
| Biology | Divinity | History | Technical Drawing |
| Business Studies | English Language | Mathematics | |
| Electronics | English Literature |
WHAT NON-ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES ARE THERE?
Perhaps the best way to answer this is to give a list of all the activities currently on offer. All pupils must take part in a range of activities and this involvement is monitored by housemasters:
| Athletics | Soccer | Chapel Choir | Engineering | Printing |
| Badminton | Squash | Chess | Falconry | Scripture Union |
| Basketball | Swimming | Choral Society | Games coaching | Servers Guild |
| Cricket | Tennis | Interact Club | Leatherwork | Snake Club |
| Diving | Volleyball | Conservation | Library work | Instrumental tuition |
| Golf | Computing | Cookery | Marimbas | Theatre back stage |
| Hockey | Art | Debating | Motor mechanics | Toastmasters |
| Polocrosse | Band | Diner's Club | Music Society | Social Service |
| Riding | Batik | Design | Orchestra | Video Club |
| Rowing | Bee keeping | Drama | Pottery | Weights training |
| Rugby | Bridge | Electronics | Sailing | Woodwork |
Peterhouse remains a boys' school, but with a parallel girls' school - on a site across the main road. All classes up to O Level are taught separately on the two sites, but there is contact between boys and girls through drama, music and societies. After O Level, girls travel over each morning for their A level lessons. We believe that this is an acceptable level of co-education: allowing younger boys and girls to grow up at their own (very different) rates, in surroundings attuned to their own particular needs; but also allowing young men and young women to work together and to know each other within a structured and caring environment.
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