As the Stage 5s at Reddam House Waterfall reach the end of the school year and prepare to enter Grade 1, they held a very special farewell evening for the children and their families.
About 140 children in Stage 5 (equivalent to Grade R in other schools) took part in a very special send-off that was hosted at Reddam’s Early Learning School campus in Waterfall on 31 October. The children put on a heartfelt performance of their play Meerkat Manners which was filled with songs, dancing and important lessons they have learned at school. Parents also saw their children’s artwork from the academic year, which was exhibited in the piazza.
“We want to give a send-off for the children that isn’t traditional,” explained Annie Wootton, one of the Stage 5 teachers. “The send-off is the highlight of the year, marks the children leaving the early learning school and is a culmination of everything they have learned while they were here.”
Deputy head of the early learning school Tanya Gerasimo, who is also involved in the stage, added, “We found a script company that had a script that incorporated our school values, and the children have been working on preparing since March.”
The play Meerkat Manners tells the story of two little meerkats who befriend some hyena children that turn out to have horrible manners. The meerkat children, along with plenty of other animals (including zebras, lions, elephants and even a very large snake named Monty) sing, dance and teach the young hyenas how to behave properly. The children created the costumes for the performance themselves, and the performance featured a special performance of Johnny Clegg’s The Crossing.
“We chose that song partly as a tribute to Johnny Clegg [who passed away earlier this year], and partly because it explains how these children are crossing over to the next stage of their lives. Our isiZulu teacher has explained the words and the meaning to the children so that they understand,” Gerasimo added.
Dr Bev Evangelides, the headmistress of the early learning school, said she was very proud of all the hard work that went into the performance and believes everything the children had achieved was in line with the school’s values and aims. “[The performance] was really an integration of the skills our children have learned in their time here,” she said.
“Including performing arts that the children have learned from specialist teachers. Our approach to learning is to make children the protagonists of learning and I think it’s been a success when we look at the confidence that these children brought on stage.”
Most of the Stage 5 children who participated will be entering Grade 1 at Reddam House Waterfall next year.
Details: www.reddamhouse.com
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