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 never 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 7.30 in time for assembly at 7.45.
The infants in Grade 0 and Grade 1 finish at 12.30; Grade 2 finishes school at 1.30;
Grades 3 to 7 finish classes at 2 p.m and from Grades 2 to 7 they attend a supervised homework hour from 2 to 3p.m.
Tuesdays and Thursdays for Grades 3 to 7 from 1 to 2 p.m. are for sports and cultural clubs, such as choir, drama, sewing and knitting, chess and arts and craft.
On Fridays the whole school closes at 1p.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 Swaziland 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 SPC 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
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 Grades 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 – 2018
Name | Position |
Joy Farrell | Headmistress |
Frances Farrell | Managing Director |
Simolline Chagwinya | Senior classes |
Nelford Motsi | Senior classes |
Lizbert Makota | Senior classes |
Nompumelelo Ncongwane | Senior classes |
Aggrey Walubiri | Senior classes |
Martine Ndayisaba | Senior classes |
Fisokuhle Mnisi | Middle school |
Thabiso Mhlanga | Middle School |
Edlyn Chiguma | Middle School |
Simphiwe Dlamini | Middle school |
Thabsile Dlamini | Infant school |
Edlyn Chigume | Infant school |
Tapiwa Tomo | Infant school |
Gabsile Mncina | Infant school |
Jean Marie | French senior classes |
Martine Ndayishaba | French junior classes |
Margaret Daglish | Grade 0 class |
Alice Mazibuko | Grade 0 Assistant |
Lindiwe Mahlambi | Siswati language |
Mukisha Beuta | Music |
Fikile Mndzebele | Computers and IT |
Prosper Sithole | Physical Education and Sports Coach |
Precious Mhlanga | Trainee teacher |
Judith Fierkamp | Reading Assistant |
Joy Magagula | Class Assistant |
Phumlile Mkhonta | Trainee Teacher |
Khanyisile Dube | School Secretary |
Celiwe Malinga | Office Assistant |
Nicolas Magongo | Grounds Man |
Sabatha Dlamini | Grounds Man |
Maswi Sigudla | Grounds Man |
Dumsile Sigudla | Support Staff |
Estelie Mhlanga | Support Staff |
Phindile Mtsetfwa | Support Staff |
Nonhlanhla Ngwenya | Support Staff |
Vusie Simelane | Night Watchman |