A new headmistress is ready to start her historic reign at a local boys’ prep school on January 12.
St Peter’s Boys Prep School headmistress Catherine Steenhoff is the female head of a standalone boys prep school and takes the headship after 20 years of teaching at the campus.
Steenhoff said she had been very involved in the research and development of the school’s curriculum since also being academic head at the boys’ prep.
“As head I intend to remain involved in that crucial element. This position carries immense responsibility and I am excited to step up to the challenge of guiding these young lives.
“Teaching and watching boys grow up to fulfil their potential is a unique privilege. I love the way that boys are so open and honest, I love the way they look at life. They take risks and do so with a wonderful sense of fun,” she said.
The headmistress described herself as ‘similarly straightforward, black-and-white type person with no hidden agendas’ as the boys she guides, which she feels is appreciated by her learners and fellow staff members.
She also mentioned the school’s encouragement of diversity, transformation as there was an even proportion of male and female teachers. However, she said it was not a conscious decision to appoint a female head.
“Being the first female head wasn’t part of my plan, but when the opportunity came up, and it was within the St Peter’s environment, I had to go for it. It’s never been about the title for me, it’s about the love for this school and for education as a whole.
“I was finally ready to apply eight years later when Rob Macauley was promoted to rector, and after an exceptionally stringent application process, my appointment as headmistress of St Peter’s Boys Prep was announced in March 2021.”
Steenhoff said the past two years have been difficult for education due to the pandemic and she was ready for the challenge of re-affirming the values of the school that were altered during the lockdown.
“While the need for continual adaptation during the pandemic has taught us a great deal; the loosening of structure, the lack of uniforms and the falling away of certain routines has also caused us to lose some of what we stand for.”
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