The Little School is a privately owned school with a Grade 0 for children from the ages of four to six and a primary school with classes from Grades 1 to 7. The classes are small, having not more than 25 pupils in a class.
The school is situated in Pine Valley, Mbabane, three kilometres from the centre of the city.
School Hours: the children are expected to arrive at school at 7:30am in time for assembly at 7:45am.
The infants in Grade 0 and Grade 1 finish at 12:30p.m; Grade 2 finishes school at 1:30p.m;
Grade 3 to 7 finish classes at 2:00p.m and from Grade 2 to 7 they attend a supervised homework hour from 2:00p.m to 3:00p.m. Extra curricular activities are on Tuesdays and Thursdays for all the grades. The activities include :sports and cultural clubs, such as choir, drama, African games, sewing and knitting, chess and arts and craft.
On Fridays the whole school closes at 1:00p.m.
During the school week the children have computer lessons, class music, library periods, Practical arts, Physical Education and Siswati and French language.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Since 2006 the Grade 7s have achieved the best results in the country for the Eswatini Primary Certificate – the examination set by the Ministry of Education to mark the end of Primary education and the criterion by which pupils are accepted into High School.
The Little School’s EPC results have been as follows since we started having Grade 7 classes in 2005:
2006: 25 pupils – 13 first class passes with merit and 12 first class passes.
2007: 21 pupils – 12 first class passes with merit and 9 first class passes.
2008: 21 pupils – 16 first class passes with merit, 4 first class passes and one second class pass. Our pupils achieved first and second place in the country and three more were in the top 50.
2009: 24 pupils – 14 first class passes with merit, 7 first class passes and 3 second class passes.
2010: 25 pupils – 16 first class passes with merit, 8 first class passes and 1 second class pass. Two of our pupils achieved 6th and 8th position in the country.
2011: 24 pupils – 11 first class passes with merit, 13 first class passes, one pupil in the top 50 in the country.
2012: 15 first class passes with merit, 6 first class passes, 3 second class passes.
2013: 17 first class passes with merit, 5 first class passes, 2 second class passes.
2014: 15 first class passes with merit, 12 first class passes, 1 second class pass.
2015: 11 first class passes with merit, 7 first class passes, 1 second class pass.
2016: 17 first class passes with merit, 10 first class passes, 4 second class passes.
2017: 9 first class passes with merit, 15 first class passes, 2 second class passes.
2018 – 16 first class passes with merit, 10 first class passes, 2 second class passes
2019 _ 14 first class passes with merit, 9 first class passes, 2 second class passes
2020 _
2022 _10 first class passes with merit, 1 first class pass and 4 second class passes
HISTORY
The school was started in 1975 with three children and progressed through the years until by 2005 it consisted of a pre-school, catering for three year olds through to grade 0; and a primary school with classes from Grade 1 to 7. At the beginning it was a single stream school, but it has gradually expanded to provide two classes for each grade.
In 2012 we decided that the school should move to larger premises. A beautiful plot of 5.2 hectares was bought in Pine Valley, 3 km from the centre of Mbabane. There were 12 classrooms, to begin with, and a staff room, an office, toilet facilities playing fields and a beautiful area for agriculture and gardening.
Now we have 15 classrooms, a library, a computer room, an office and a consulting room and a school hall.
The philosophy of the school is based on respect: Respect from the teachers for the children, respect from the children for their teachers, their classmates and playmates, their books, toys and the school environment. Having respect as our ethos virtually does away with the need for rules and punishments.
Abuse, in the form of corporal punishment or mental abuse, such as sarcasm and ridicule, is not tolerated. This in entrenched in the School Code of Conduct, which all pupils and parents are required to sign.
Our staff – 2022
Name | Position |
Joy Farrell | The Founder |
Frances Farrell | Managing Director |
Nomsa Tsela | Administrator |
Nelford Motsi | Head Teacher |
Lizbert Makota | Senior classes |
Nompumelelo Ncongwane | Senior classes |
Edlyn Chigume | Senior classes |
Thabiso Mhlanga | Senior classes |
Smolline Muzekenyi | Senior classes |
Precious Mhlanga | Middle School |
Nester Mutsigwa | Middle School |
Simphiwe Dlamini | Middle school |
Martine Ndayisaba | Middle school |
Zinhle Dlamini | Infant school |
Tapiwa Tombo | Infant school |
Gabsile Mncina | Infant school |
Fisokuhle Mnisi | Infant school |
Jean Marie | French Teacher |
Shauneen | Grade 0 class |
Alice Mazibuko | Grade 0 Assistant |
Lindiwe Mahlambi | Siswati language |
Phumlile Mkhonta | Librarian |
Fikile Mndzebele | Computers and IT |
Celumusa Msibi | Physical Education and Sports Coach |
Joy Magagula | Assistant Teacher |
Khanyisile Dube | School Secretary |
Celiwe Malinga | Office Assistant |
Nicholas Magongo | Grounds Man |
Sabatha Dlamini | Grounds Man |
Mazwi Sigudla | Grounds Man |
Dumsile Sigudla | Support Staff |
Estella Mhlanga | Support Staff |
Phindile Mtsetfwa
Zandile Khumalo |
Support Staff |
Vusie Simelane | Night Watchman |