In the Foundation Phase we aim to foster the development of the whole child – academically, physically, emotionally, socially, spiritually and culturally.  We do this within the framework of a happy, nurturing and progressive school environment.

This Department caters for boys from Grade 1 to Grade 3, of which there are four classes in each Grade.  There are twelve Foundation Phase teachers and they are assisted in the classrooms by Learnerships and Teacher Assistants.  The Learning Support Department consists of a full-time Remedial Teacher, Occupational Therapist, Speech and Language Therapist and a Counsellor.  In attendance, there is a Music teacher, Art teacher, a Librarian and a KDA Specialist (Physical Education).

The Grade 1 and 2 Classes commence their day at 08:00 and end at 12:55, while the Grade 3 classes commence their day at 08:00 and end at 14:30 Mondays to Thursdays and at 12:50 on Fridays.

RBPS adheres to the National Curriculum And Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS).  This curriculum consists of Home Language (English), Mathematics, Life Skills and First Additional Language (Afrikaans).  Reports are sent home to Parents at the end of each term and regular Parent/Teacher interviews take place throughout the academic year. 

Foundation Phase boys from Grade 1 to Grade 3 attend an Assembly every Friday in the school hall.  The format involves listening to a short story/moral/guest speaker, followed by the celebration of the Merit Award System. Two boys from each class are celebrated and receive a special badge to wear for one week.  Each week birthdays are celebrated and the winners of the Cleanest class competition are read out and celebrated. 
Boys from Grade 1 to Grade 3 may audition for the Foundation Phase Choir.  The FP Choir attends two practices each week and are often asked to perform for Special Occasions and Eisteddfods.  Individual music lessons in piano, violin, recorder and guitar are offered to boys in Grade 2 and 3.  Music concerts are hosted by the Music Department twice a year.  Every three years, the Foundation Phase hosts a major production which involves every boy.  The boys are involved in singing, acting or dance items. During the year the Foundation Phase Department hosts Harvest Festival in May and Spring Day in September.  Community outreach programmes and support for a variety of charities is taken on by every Foundation Phase Grade.  Every Wednesday, RBPS collects sandwiches for a very needy school in Ysterplaat, an initiative that has been most successfully supported at RBPS for many years. 
Each class in the Foundation Phase attends the Library once a week, an Art lesson, a Music lesson and two KDA lessons (Phys Ed).  Celebration Day is held in November every year in the school hall.  Every boy in the Foundation Phase receives a certificate and parents are encouraged to attend.

All the boys in the Foundation Phase attend Library once a week.  This entitles them to take home a book of their choice for a period of one week.  The library is open every lunch break and on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons.

In the Foundation Phase, the emphasis is on using educational programmes to consolidate and extend the same skills and concepts that are taught in the classroom.  The computer is used as a tool for word processing and for communicating.  Programmes focus on perceptual, mathematical, problem solving and language skills.  Foundation Phase classes have Smart Boards and Interactive White Boards and these are used as a means to enhance and stimulate the learning of Languages, Mathematics and Life Skills.

All pupils in the Foundation Phase participate in KDA which is a specialised programme aimed at developing appropriate skills to improve gross and fine motor control required for most sporting codes.  A KDA Specialist is employed to teach all the Foundation Phase classes from Grade 1 – Grade 3.  Each class attends two lessons per week.  Professional Swimming coaches are employed during the 1st and 4th Terms and each class in the Foundation Phase attends a compulsory swimming lesson once a week.

RBPS offers Learnerships to prospective students who assist teachers in the Foundation Phase whilst they study for their teaching degrees.  Two Teacher Assistants are employed to assist in the Grade 1 Classes.

In Grades 1 and 2 the following activities are offered:  Park Cricket, Tag Rugby, Hockey, Mini Tennis/ Ball Skills and Swimming.  Chess is offered during the winter terms to Grades 1 and 2.  Grade 3 boys are encouraged to take part in one Summer Sport and one Winter Sport from the following:  Hockey, Rugby, Mini Cricket, Swimming and Squash. 

Optional Extras include:  Clay and Pottery, Nature Network, Curious Cubs, Judo and Golf.

Preppies Aftercare is available to all boys at RBPS and is on the school premises.  Little Bosch Activity Centre is in Laidlaw Lane and offers aftercare to all boys at RBPS.  They offer a shuttle service to the premises at Little Bosch and transport boys to and from their sporting commitments.
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Regularly read stories (including nursery rhymes) to your child.
Teach them:

• Their full name and surname
• Their telephone number/mobile numbers of both parents
• To dress and undress themselves
• To fasten shoe laces
• To be able to knot a tie
• To be able to carry out simple instructions
• To carry their own school bag
• To take care of all their possessions
• To convey important messages

The Grade 2 year consolidates the skills and concepts that are learnt in Grade 1.  In Grade 2 the boys are able to apply their knowledge and their reading becomes more fluent, mathematical concepts are more readily understood and applied in bigger number ranges.  Sentence construction and general work presentation shows an overall improvement which indicates the growth and development that unfolds during this year.  Social interaction is a very important part of a Grade 2’s day and the friends they make in the classroom and on the sports field often become their friends for life.

Grade 2 boys are encouraged to acquire good manners, to become self–disciplined, to become independent and ultimately self-motivated to achieve their personal best.  The importance of strong family values and relationships are often discussed as well as the celebrating of personal talents and gifts.  The importance of a good self-esteem is recognised by each Grade 2 teacher and they strive to ensure that this develops throughout the year. The boys in Grade 2 attend an outing each term. 

This being the final year in the Foundation Phase, one of the aims is to ensure that the boys progress to the Intermediate Phase with a sense of responsibility for their actions and learning.  Within the safe and nurturing environment of the Foundation Phase, each boy is encouraged to become independent and encouraged to be mindful of the consequences of the choices they make.

Boys develop sound work habits and problem solving skills and they are encouraged to adapt to any new learning environments they may encounter as they progress to the next phase.

The Grade 3 Curriculum has 4 main subjects:  Home Language (English), Mathematics, Life Skills and First Additional Language (Afrikaans).  As part of Language a wide range of activities are covered to develop reading and writing skills and cursive handwriting is introduced.  In Mathematics, emphasis is placed on the value of developing entrepreneurial skills and the boys thoroughly enjoy the “market days”.  Practice and consolidation of Bonds and Times Tables is an important part of each day.

Life Skills is varied and extensive, focusing on topics such as “Our Community, Our Country, Healthy Living, HIV/Aids and Habitats of the World, Transport and Space”.  An outing takes place once a term and formal project work is undertaken during school.  Age appropriate ethics and values are built into Life Skills, such as tolerance and respect for all cultures and religions.

The Grade 3’s are actively involved in all aspects of school life and start to represent their school in a wide range of sporting codes.  Grade 3’s are encouraged to participate in one Summer Sport and one Winter Sport.  They may choose from the following:  Swimming, Mini Cricket, Rugby, Hockey, Tennis, Squash, Chess and Choir.
All Grade 3’s are encouraged to reach their potential in a secure, fun-loving and “boy focused” environment.