Stockwell School Update - February 2023

Stockwell School continues to expand and develop, despite the problems of overcrowding, reduced funding and extended load-shedding.  

There have been a number of developments and changes which have happened over the last two years.  A lot has changed, not least the extended load shedding, but so much has improved and the school is a happy and vibrant place.  

There are 201 children at present.  The number can increase at any time, as families are constantly moving from Johannesburg to the Western Cape Province.

Grades 5 & 6 are still taught together in one classroom: 48 students, in one classroom.

The Donations of 2022 and 2023 have been used in the following ways; a smaller office has been created from a store cupboard, and it doubles as an admin office and a space for the children requiring additional help. 

One student who is a double-leg amputee (from below the knees) has had a ramp created so he can access his classroom and the toilets.  Money donated helped with the cost of this.

New floor tiles have been laid between the Grade R and Grade 1 classrooms, making access easier and safer.

Money donated this year (2023) is being used to concrete the area outside the kitchen and two classrooms, to tile the new library floor and to put  ‘fake grass’ between the library and a classroom. 

The kitchen provides good and nutritious food for breakfast and lunch.  Unfortunately, the sponsorship for breakfast by a local company has been reduced, so breakfast, at present, does not include any oats, which is a local staple food.  However, the lunch menu is different every day, thanks to the amazing kitchen staff.

The school continues to be successful, especially with children who have additional learning needs.  One particular boy, Leroy, who was been diagnosed as autistic soon after arriving at Stockwell, had not spoken for the first six years of his life.  However, after one term he went home and screamed his name out loud to his mother.  This was the first word he had ever spoken.  The staff were overjoyed at this improvement. The school helps him every day.

The children are able to enjoy a number of sports, including rugby and netball in the winter and athletics in the summer.  Mr Neumann is keen to introduce mini cricket for the boys and girls, no mean feat as there are no areas within the school grounds, which are either level or not pitted with stones.

Stockwell School Update - May 2019

It was sad to see that Melanie Marais has left Stockwell, after 8 years of extremely hard work but we all wish her luck in her new venture, she will be missed.

Our trip to Stockwell in January 2019 has once again seen amazing progress.  The number of students attending the school has increased from 180 in 2018 to just over 200 in January of this year.  Stockwell’s reputation continues to grow with success in many areas.

It is well known for the children’s progress in Afrikaans, English and Maths and they are now showing prowess in sports.  The team of educators, led by an energetic and charismatic  Beverley Jonas, is becoming ‘famous’ throughout the Western Cape.

students at aquariumStudents at the aquariumFunding from last year ensured that all the ‘Wendy’ houses were lined inside, so they now meet local authority standards.  The school has had its first organised trip, nicknamed Stockwell-on-Tour;  61 year 6 students and staff were taken to Cape Town and had a wonderful time.  The first highlight of the trip was going through the Huguenot tunnel (3,900m in length), something no child at Stockwell had ever experienced and they were raucous in their approval.

We were also able to provide the promised rugby shirts and enough netball bibs for two teams, so they can now play without having to borrow kit.  We would dearly like to provide them with athletics kit, so if anyone knows how we could achieve this we would love to hear from you.

Although the school has now only got one multi-grade teaching group, it is something  we would like to address.  We have written to the local education authority informing them of our continued support for Stockwell and that our main focus of fundraising this year will provide them with another classroom, however, another teacher would be essential.  We are hoping that the authority will provide the educator needed, if we can provide the building.We have found another exceptional way to raise money (at no cost to the donor), this is done through easyfundraising.org.uk   Please see details on our donate section.

Stockwell School Update - January 2018

news2Our annual trip to Stockwell in January 2018, has once again seen amazing progress. However, there has also been sadness: Martha, who described herself as the Jack-of-all-trades (because she did the cooking, looked after the staff, and looked after the children) died at the beginning of January 2018. She is sadly missed by all at Stockwell School, and by all in FOSSA. She was an amazing woman who was loved by everybody.

We are pleased to announce that now there are 180 students in the school and only one class is multi-grade. Children now want to come to this school! Cape Dry (formerly Montagu Dried Fruit) decided this year to refurbish one of the toilet bocks, but FOSSA was asked to provide funding for the pump to the second block, which is, as yet, not refurbished. Eventually, both staff and visitors will be able to use a separate facility.

Funding from last year provided furnishings for the wooden classrooms - known as Wendy-houses - and to ensure that one of the temporary teachers has been given a full-time contract. This year we gave the school R5,000 when we first arrived and this has been put towards cladding materials for the inside of the Wendy-houses. This material has been delivered and will be installed soon, helped by Johannes, Martha's husband, who is now the school’s caretaker.

During a discussion with Gaewinne Niemand (DeputyPincipal/Grade 4 teacher) we learnt that Gaewinne is organising a trip to Cape Town for 61 students. The majority of these students have never been away from their village Zolani, which is 0.5km from the school Gaewinne has got funding for a coach for the 3 days, and breakfasts for the children. In order that all 61 students could take part, FOSSA has agreed to pay the RI0,000 necessary for the accommodation. The school is making up the shortfall for the other meals, but any further contributions would gratefully received

. Thanks to the enthusiasm and experience of the increased staff numbers, students are now taking part in rugby, athletics and netball. Barclay School provided its annual donation of spare uniform and kit, which means the rugby team now has team shorts and, hopefully, next year, we will provide rugby shirts and netball bibs. Any offers of athletics kit (small sizes) for these children would be very special. The children wear the Barclay School kit with pride.

Beverley Jonas, the Headteacher, feels that the new experiences and opportunities offered have contributed to the children's improved numeracy and literacy skills. All the staff firmly believe that FOSSAs influence has now put Stockwell School on the map and the local education authority is now taking positive notice of their progress.

Although FOSSA provides much-need extra funding, they would not be where they are without the incredible hard work and dedication of their staff.

Sudent in the News!

Student in the News!

Carol-Ann Skippers (middle) from Stockwell Primary School has now qualified for the Boland Athletics Team. She will be going on to the Western Cape Atheletics meetings event in Paarl. With her is Beverley Jonas (Pricipal) and Gaewinne Niemand (Sports Coordinator).

If Carol-Ann is successful in Paarl, she will be eligible to compete in Johannesburg.

Long Jump

Reproduced from the Breede River Gazette

School update - January-February 2017

Great news. In 2016, one of the aims of The Friends of Stockwell School, was to provide the school with another Educator. We wrote to the Local Authority, outlining the support we had given to the school, and that this support was ongoing. We asked if it was possible that a new Educator could be allocated to Stockwell so that the students could be afforded the opportunity to achieve the highest level possible. It was also important to enhance the hard work already being put into school by their staff. Over the 8 years we have supported the school, the level of commitment from the staff to these children has been nothing short of outstanding.

In January of this year, at the start of the South African new school year, 2 new Educators arrived! What a difference this has already made. Only one class now has multi grade students. There is more room in the classrooms, you can even move around between the desks! We have no doubt that there will be a significant improvement in the progress made by these very important children. They are the future of South Africa.

IMG 2200 opA new classroom had been provided! This houses the Grade 3 students. Although it is already in use, the school has been told that boards need to be put up around the walls to ensure there are no gaps. This will ensure that snakes and spiders cannot enter, and that the children will not hurt themselves on the rough wooden interiors. This has to be the main priority, so it seems we have another project to undertake!

More updates to come!

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