Pre-Primary Weekly Memo
16 October 2026

Dear Parents,

What a wonderful start to Quarter 4! Our school has been bursting with excitement, happy little faces, endless giggles and those precious words we love to hear… “But I don’t want to go home yet!” 

Our classrooms have been buzzing with creativity, colourful artwork, imaginative play and the sweetest friendships. From the joyful sounds of laughter on the playground to the wonderful stories filling our classrooms and office walls, there has certainly been no shortage of excitement!

It has been a week filled with little adventures, big smiles and special moments that remind us just how magical childhood can be.

What a fabulous first week back! We can't wait to see what the rest of this quarter brings! 

Khanya Mbikwana has thoroughly enjoyed her maternity leave and has made the decision not to return to Parklands College. We extend our gratitude to Sandisiwe Dlakavu, who has done an outstanding job stepping in during Khanya’s absence. We are delighted to announce that Mrs Dlakavu will be taking over as our permanent isiXhosa teacher. She has been a fantastic addition to our team, and we greatly appreciate our parent body welcoming and supporting her so warmly.

A big thank you to our lovely parents who helped with today's cake sale! We really appreciate the time and effort that went into preparing all the delicious treats and making the morning so special for our little ones. Thank you for your kindness and generosity. Your help is always appreciated!

Swimming lessons, including Grade R swimming, will begin in the first week of November, once the weather and pool water have warmed up. Please keep an eye on the school memo for confirmation of the official start date.

All extra mural sign-ups have now been concluded and will commence on Wednesday, 14 October. 

THE BRAVE LITTLE LION – CONCERT TICKETS (GRADE 000, 00 AND R)

There is much excitement at school as our little performers prepare for The Brave Little Lion, our end-of-year concert!

Both performances will take place in the Junior Preparatory Amphitheatre:

Wednesday, 25 November | 15h30

Thursday, 26 November | 15h30

Tickets cost R60 each and will be debited to your school account. Due to limited seating, each family may book a maximum of three tickets across both performances combined, not three per day.

Please complete the booking form below to reserve your tickets. Seating is unreserved. Once booked, physical tickets may be collected from the Pre-Primary reception and must be presented at the entrance on the day of the performance.

The Brave Little Lion Concert Tickets Order Form 

The Brave Little Lion Concert Photographs (Grade 000, 00 and R) 

THE BRAVE LITTLE LION – CONCERT PHOTOGRAPHS (GRADE 000, 00 AND R)

Please note the revised dates for our concert photographs:

Tuesday, 27 October: Grade 000 to Grade R

Wednesday, 28 October: Grade 000 to Grade R

All concert costumes will be provided by the school.

THE BRAVE LITTLE LION – CONCERT DAY ARRANGEMENTS

All Grade 000 to Grade R children will participate in both performances and will remain at school for the full day on Wednesday, 25 and Thursday, 26 November.

To help our little ones prepare for their busy afternoons, we will have a quiet rest period during the day. Please send a sleeping bag and pillow, along with a favourite soft toy or special blanket if your child would like one. A light snack will be provided to keep little tummies happy until it is time to go home.

Class teachers will dress the children in their concert costumes and help them change back into their own clothes afterwards. Each performance will last approximately 45 minutes, and all children should be ready to go home before 17h00.

Access to the amphitheatre will be via the passage between the Grade R classes only, once preparations have been completed. There will be no access from the front of Christopher Robin Pre-Primary or through Parklands College's main reception.

Crackerjacks will continue with their normal school day and usual collection arrangements.

In the event of inclement weather, Monday, 30 November, has been reserved as a provisional alternative concert date. Parents will be informed should any changes be necessary.

Parents of our Grade R learners are warmly invited to attend the Graduation Ceremony on Friday, 6 November, at 08h45. There is no limit on the number of guests, and grandparents and other special people are most welcome to join us for this special occasion.

Please note that all Grade R children will be involved throughout the entire ceremony, and we kindly ask that families remain until the conclusion of the proceedings.

Our Crackerjacks have had a lovely start to the new quarter, settling back into their daily routines with happy smiles and growing confidence. It has been wonderful to see how much more independent our little ones are becoming.

This week, we explored spring and the changes taking place around us. The children enjoyed spending time in the garden, discovering little bugs, looking at the flowers and enjoying the lovely weather with their friends. Back in the classroom, our budding artists had great fun creating their own colourful spring flowers.

It has been a busy and happy first week, filled with little discoveries, creativity and plenty of excitement. We look forward to another wonderful quarter of learning and growing together!

This week, our theme was all about books!

We explored the different parts of a book, learning about the front cover, back cover and spine. We also discovered the roles of an author, who writes the story, and an illustrator, who brings it to life through pictures.

We enjoyed some lovely discussions about libraries, with the children sharing their own experiences of visiting one. We also explored the difference between fiction and non-fiction books, discovering how some stories take us into imaginary worlds while others teach us interesting facts about the world around us.

It was lovely to see the children sharing their ideas, listening to one another and showing such an interest in books. We hope you enjoy a relaxing weekend, with perhaps a good story or two along the way!

What a lovely week it has been in Grade 00! 

Our little learners have enjoyed settling back into their school routine, reconnecting with their friends and sharing lots of happy moments together. From imaginative adventures in the fantasy play area to running, exploring and enjoying the fresh air during outdoor play, there has been plenty of laughter, excitement and fun! It has been wonderful to see the children enjoying each other's company, letting their imaginations run wild and making the most of their time together. We look forward to another exciting week filled with learning, laughter and special memories! 

Our Grade Rs have enjoyed a lovely start to the new quarter, making the most of the warmer weather and settling back into their routines.

This week, we explored the fascinating world of reptiles, learning about their habitats, diets and unique characteristics. Our discussions about chameleons, snakes, lizards and tortoises inspired some lovely creative activities, including colourful chameleon drawings, tortoise shell patterns and playdough reptiles. We also welcomed our new robotics teachers and enjoyed experimenting with pivot joints to create interesting builds and characters.

The children loved sharing their favourite holiday memories through drawings on their whiteboards, and a visit to the library was made extra special when we spotted some of the birthday books donated by our families. We have also been encouraging new friendships during outdoor play. With a busy and exciting quarter ahead, please keep an eye on the class blogs for important Grade R dates and celebrations!

Office Tales – If Only These Walls Could Talk!

Oh, how we wish our parents could sometimes be a little fly on the office wall! 🪰💛

Our office is so much more than a place of paperwork, phone calls and busy school days. It is a place filled with little footsteps, unexpected visitors, heartfelt conversations and some of the most magical, hilarious and precious moments!

We thought we would share a few little gems that have had us smiling, laughing and melting our hearts. ❤️

Last quarter, one of our little ones needed something from Chef Kerry. After she had done her best to help, our little friend looked at her with the most genuine sincerity and said:

"Thank you for trying your best, Chef Kerry!"

One of our little gentlemen, always eager to help and look out for his friends, came rushing into the office on a very important mission.

With great urgency, he announced:

"I have been commissioned to find the girls, and I can't find them!"

Well, when you've been commissioned, you clearly have a very important job to do! We couldn't help but smile at the seriousness of his mission. 😂

It seems the holidays felt rather long for some of our little ones!

We had a few parents sharing that they had spent much of the holiday answering the same questions over and over:

"When is school starting?"

"When can I go back to school?"

"Why can't we go to school?"

And while we hope our families enjoyed their well-deserved break, we must admit that hearing how much our little ones missed school made our hearts incredibly happy!

On the very first day back, we had a few familiar little faces popping into the office to say hello.

But one moment completely stole our hearts.

A little girl walked up to Liezl, looked at her with such love and announced:

"I missed you! You're my best friend!"

And just like that, our hearts melted. What a beautiful welcome back! 🥹❤️

And then there are those very important office emergencies!

One little gentleman came rushing into the office, determined to speak to Principal Riëtte.

"Principal Riëtte, I need Flings! I can't have the cake, and everyone is eating cake!"

Well, a little boy knows exactly what he wants, and sometimes only the principal can solve a snack emergency! 😂

20 October: International Chefs Day: colour in paper hat and decorate a Marie biscuit

24 October: Happy Birthday Liezl Stander 

26 October: Happy Birthday Miseka Mqoto 

27 October:   Concert Photographs (Grade R)

28 October:  Concert Photographs (Grade 000 and 00) 

30 October: Cake Sale: Grade 00 and Grade R (Edward Bear’s)

6 November:   Grade R Graduation 08:45 - 11:00 SP Hall 

7 November: Happy Birthday Erin Liggett 

12 November: Happy Birthday Khanyo Rafisa-Tabo

13 November: Cake Sale: Grade 000, Crackerjacks and Grade R (Kanga’s) 

16 November: Happy Birthday Tali Maltz

21 November: Happy Birthday Brenda Dingile 

23 November: Principal Chantel reading to Grade R’s

25 November: Grade 000 - R Concert 15:30 - 16:30 JP Amphitheatre

26 November: Grade 000 - R Concert 15:30 - 16:30 JP Amphitheatre

26 November: Jurassic Adventures Grade R

27 November: Jurassic Adventures Grade 00

25 November: Grade 000 - R Concert 15:30 - 16:30 JP Amphitheatre

30 November: Provisional (inclement weather) Grade R Concert - 15:00 - 16:00 JP Amphitheatre

30 November: Class lists released 

2 December: Bop Boppers - All grades (End of the year show)

3 December: Disney Dress-up and Class Parties

   Reports sent to parents 

4 December: Last day of the quarter - School closes at 11:00 

Happy Bosses’ Day, Principal Riëtte & Deputy Principal Kim! 

Today, we celebrate two very special people who make Christopher Robin Pre-Primary such a wonderful place to be. 

Thank you for always being there for us, believing in us, supporting us and continuously finding ways to make our school a better place. Your guidance, encouragement and care mean more than words can say. Honestly, what would we do without you? 

Behind every great school are leaders who make a difference in ways that go far beyond what we see every day.

There’s a teacher who feels more confident in their classroom because you believed in them before they believed in themselves. There’s a child who feels safe walking into school because you took the time to learn their name, their story and what they need. There’s a staff member who found the strength to keep going because you listened when they needed someone to understand. There’s a teacher who dared to try something new because you created a school where making mistakes is part of learning. And there’s a family who trusts their child’s school because you showed up, followed through and treated them with kindness and respect.

That is the impact of your leadership. It lives in the confidence you build, the people you uplift and the countless little moments that make our school feel like a family.

Thank you for leading with heart, for standing beside us and for making Christopher Robin a place where both children and staff can grow and flourish.

We are so grateful to have you both in our corner!