Parel Vallei High School

Parel Vallei High School is a dual-medium co-ed high school located in Parel Vallei, a suburb of Somerset West, which is in the Western Cape, South Africa.
Pupils attending the school are from the surrounding towns, such as Somerset West and Strand, as well as areas further away, such as Grabouw.

School badge

Christo Maritz, a Grade 9 pupil, designed the logo in 1987.

The design of the badge is MADE up as follows:

The gable is from the old Parel Vallei homestead.

A window in the gable symbolises insight (“intellegentia”).

The open BOOK symbolises wisdom (“sapientia”).

Sun and light emphasise the message of the motto “Sapientia et Intellegentia” which means wisdom and insight, a Biblical quotation used at the very first gathering of pupils and staff, in January 1986.

School song

The school song was written by Mr J.F Spies and composed by Dr Guurt van der Tas in August 1989. Half of the lyrics are in English and half are in Afrikaans.

'In ons soepel lentejare

Word ons vir ons taak gebrei,

skep ons vir ons ideale

in ons eie Parel Vallei.

Dis die skool wat ons so liefhet,

wat die mag van wysheid leer

en ons aanspoor om met insig

ons probleme te hanteer.

In our sport and in our labour

always vigilant we'll stay,

and by word and deed the spirit

of this lovely school display.

Parel Vallei we shall remember

how you tend us in our youth,

how to grow in the art of living

and to flourish forth in truth.'

Academics

The school is well known for its quick entrance in the academic excellence. Classes are bilingually tutored.

The following National Senior Certificate subjects are offered by the school:

• Afrikaans Home Language
• Afrikaans First Additional Language
• English Home Language
• English First Additional Language
• German Second Additional Language (After school)
• French Second Additional Language (After School)
• Pure Mathematics
• Mathematical Literacy
• Advanced Programme Mathematics
• Physical Sciences
• Life Sciences
• History
• Geography
• Consumer Studies
• Accounting
• Business Studies
• Information Technology
• Engineering Graphics and Design
• Life Orientation
• Dramatic Arts
• Visual Communications Design
• Music

Cambridge International Examination Center

Parel Vallei High School is the only school in South Africa offering the CIE course as well as the Senior Certificate course concurrently. Parel Vallei runs AS-Level and A-Level classes for pupils who want extra academic qualifications. Teachers are from the internal school or from surrounding Universities. A-Level programs are done after hours and costs extra to the school's internal fee.

Subjects offered:

• Mathematics AS-Level
  • Including Mechanics AS-level as of 2011 (previously Statistics AS-level)
• Mathematics A-Level
  • Including Mechanics A-Level as of 2011 (previously Statistics AS-level)
• Physics AS-Level
• Physics A-Level
• Biology AS-Level
• Biology A-Level
• English Literature AS-Level
• English Literature A-Level
• Psychology AS-Level
• Psychology A-Level

Subjects previously offered:

• Afrikaans AS-Level (Only as a self study option available to pupils.)
• Technical Drawings AS- and A-Level. Technical problems were a limitation as this subject is now done on computers(CAD).

Student Leadership

Students hold an annual democratic vote to elect a representative council of learners known as the Learner Council. The members of this council then vote among themselves in a multi-step election process in order to elect the head leaders for the coming year. The head boy and head girl of the school automatically earn positions on the school's governing body.

Student Awards

A. DUX

This award goes to the pupil with the highest academic average during their matric year, awarded before final National Senior Certificate examinations take place.

B. PAREL VALLEI Award

The Parel Vallei Award is a highly prestigious award given to the matric learner who has shown the highest level of versatile excellence in his or her school career. Achievements in academics, leadership, sports and culture are taken into consideration.

PV in the News

Parel Vallei was recently in the published media regarding submissions to the school. The school had a few legal issues as it did not accept applications to the school due to size limitations. The school is currently in the process of building and extending the school. In 2004, the school was briefly in the local news after the governing body presented the idea to erect a cellphone mast on the school grounds to the community.^[1]

Parel Vallei is Growing

The school has shown enormous growth in the past 20 years. Originally the facilities were designed for 750 pupils, but currently tutors 1,155 pupils. The school had recently applied for a budget of R10.25 million to be used to extend the school to accommodate 1,200 pupils comfortably. Constructions are to start in October 2007. Plans for the future will be:

• Upgraded staff room
• New library (Opened in 2011) and office
• New Gallery to the old hall
• Improvements to the entrance and admin block
• New mini theatre and music block
• Changes to the drama department
• New outdoor theater and film venue (which is still to come)
• Changes to class rooms
• New class rooms
• New cafeteria (which is currently under renovation)
• New sports hall
• New covered verandah
• Increasing the hall's capacity(the school currently has two halls[one that was constructed recently which is used for the assemblies on Mondays and the other for special functions], to accommodate everyone.)
• New termly LAN Party hosted by 6 students of the school.

and recently the new AstroTurf for hockey has been completed and the first official match played on 1 June 2012

References

External links

• Official Website