Parel Vallei High School
| Hoërskool Parel Vallei High School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| South Africa | |
| Coordinates | 34°04′00″S 18°51′27″E / 34.0666°S 18.8574°ECoordinates: 34°04′00″S 18°51′27″E / 34.0666°S 18.8574°E |
| Information | |
| Type | High School - Public |
| Motto |
Sapientia et Intellegentia Wisdom and Insight |
| Established | 1986 |
| School district | Somerset West |
| Principal | D Schenck |
| Grades | 8 - 12 |
| Number of students | 1 155 |
| Color(s) | Navy and white |
| Mascot | Bulldog |
| Exam Board | WCED and CIE |
| Additional | Co-Ed and Dual-Medium |
| Website | www.pvallei.co.za |
Parel Vallei High School is a dual-medium high school located in Parel Vallei, a suburb of Somerset West, which is in the Western Cape, South Africa. In summer it competes in inter schools sports activities with Hoërskool Strand (English: Strand High School) and Hottentots Holland High School. Pupils attending the school are from the surrounding towns, such as Somerset West and Strand, as well as areas further away, such as Grabouw.
Academics
The school is well known for its quick entrance in the academic excellence. Classes are bilingually tutored and listed below are a few subjects offered by the school:
- Language, Literacy and Communication Department
- Afrikaans First Language
- Afrikaans Second Language
- English First Language
- English Second Language
- German Third Language(After school)
- French Third Language (After School)
- Mathematics Department
- Mathematics
- Mathematical Literacy
- Additional mathematics
- Science and Biology Department
- Physical Sciences
- Life Sciences
- Human and Social Sciences Department
- History
- Geography
- Home Economics
- Business/Economics Department
- Accounting
- Business Economics
- Computer Department
- Information Technology
- Computer Literacy
- Computer Sciences
- Technology
- Enginerical Graphics and Design
- Technology
- Life Orientation
- Life Skills and Psychology
- Design Department
- Visual Communication Design
- Practical
- Theory
- Music Department
- Practical
- Theory
- Drama Department
- Practical
- Theory
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. For the past nine years Parel Vallei have been running 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
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).
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