JENS Primary School
Introduction
JENS Primary School is registered as an Independent School with The Department of Education (EMIS number: 500492766/500498168). The school became affiliated to ISASA in July 2017 and JENS Senior Primary School accredited by UMALUSI, Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training on 15 December 2019.
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A school environment is a dynamic one involving change and development. It is an ongoing process of planning, developing and implementing new strategies to suit an ever-changing environment. This requires positive input into the development of physical structures as well as persons functioning within these structures.
It is The School’s policy to create and maintain a safe physical environment conducive to learning to allow the learners to work to the best of their ability using the resources at their disposal.
Vision
JENS Primary School aims to develop citizens for our country who will be accountable individuals, with unique talents, who acknowledge a responsibility to work together as a team, to create a self-sufficient economy and peaceful society built on sound moral standards.
Mission
JENS Primary School aims to equip learners with a sound foundation and knowledge in all academic fields required, to enable them to enter any school, at any grade and to be able to complete high school successfully. The School aims to find each learner’s strengths and endeavour to create a positive image by promoting Christian principles and teachings.
JENS Primary School aims to do this by:
Recognising that learning can only be achieved in a safe, caring, controlled and structured environment.
Recognising that all learners should have access to quality education.
Putting learners needs first by identifying gaps in the learner’s education and difficulties that the learner may have and suggest ways that these can be overcome.
Emphasising the importance of developing the learner holistically. This includes inter alia: Academics, Sport, Culture and Social Skills.
Identifying learners’ talents, strengths and interests and developing these.
Emphasising the importance of developing independent thinking.
Installing pride in our school, its facilities, its ethos and its traditions.
Identifying with the fact that the school is part of the local community and must have a positive impact on it.
Installing a pride in the diversity of our country by recognising individuality and promoting tolerance through understanding.
Core Values
The core values for JENS Primary School were defined by learners, teachers and the School Governing Body as representative of the parents of the learners. These core values are evident in the Vision and Mission Statement of the school, as well as various other policies developed by the school. JENS Primary School Core values are:
Life-long learning and independent thinking
Acceptance and tolerance
Respect
Integrity
Self-discipline and sound work ethic
Individuality and self-worth
Equality
Responsibility
Fairness
Pride and loyalty
Compassion
Honesty
Creativity
Recognition
Leadership by example
Dedication
Unity and team work
Being prepared to serve
A Bit of History
At the foot of Mount Currie, surrounded by the rolling green hills of the Southern Drakensberg, you will find the small town of Kokstad. The wilderness of the Eastern Cape, in all its underdeveloped glory is a stone’s throw away from the town. Within this little town, that has become a hub of economic activity and provision of services for people from East Griqualand as well as the Eastern Cape, you will find JENS Primary School. Two old homes have been converted into classrooms, and house the two sections of JENS Primary School, grade R-2 and grade 3-7. The massive rooms, wooden floors, enclosed verandas and wide passages create a perfect environment for learning to take place.
In 2001, Jen Ciro saw the need for a school in the community that would afford the necessary bridging for learners who were being turned away by established schools due to poor performance or lack of space, or due to the fact that they were too expensive. The school later adopted the Acronym ‘JENS’ (Jesus Equips, Nurtures and Saves), in her honour as the founder, and as a constant reminder of the Christian principles underlying the school. From a modest 20 learners in 2001, the school has grown to 240 learners in 2017.  As the school has grown, the initial role of bridging learners, has diversified and the school now aims to equip learners with a sound academic foundation and knowledge in all fields required for them to enter any school, at any grade and to be able to complete high school successfully.
Early Childhood Development
Shrieks of laugher can be heard as grade R learners swing high and low, clamber up and down the jungle-gyms or balance carefully as they walk across the obstacles set out for them in their newly up-graded playground.
Remediation
The giant oak tree, in the front of the school, wears its lime green summer outfit proudly. In the cool shade of its outstretched arms, grade 3 learners gather, each with a reader in their hands, confident to partake in the daily reading activity, eager to find out what happens in the next chapter of their story. However, not every learner who is enrolled at the school has had an equal opportunity to acquire this somewhat unappreciated skill of reading, in their previous schools. Identified learners of concern are enrolled in a remedial reading programme. The delight on the face of a child, who for the first time, makes sense of the scribbles on the paper before them, is magical!
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Computer Literacy
In today’s digital world, an education would not be complete without an introduction to computer skills. The initial clumsy manipulation of the mouse by grade 3 learners culminates in a confident power-point presentation by grade 7 learners. The computers at the school have proven to be a valuable resource to both the learners and educators. Learners are taught research skills through supervised internet access. Concepts taught in class are consolidated through various activities performed on the computers.
Extra-Curricular Activities
With the Soccer World Cup fever upon all South Africans in 2010, soccer was introduced as a boys’ sport at JENS Primary School. Netball for the girls was also introduced in the same year. Since many of the learners travel far every day, the school time was lengthened to include sport during school hours. Each Tuesday and Thursday end in an audible excitement and anticipation of some outside physical activity. With the focus on enjoyment, participation and sportsmanship, the learners’ skills and understanding of the various sport codes have developed quickly and the school now enjoys competitive matches against neighbouring schools in Kokstad.  With an invitation from a neighbouring high school to take part in their evening athletics event, the disciplines of sprints and relays were introduced into the third term extra-curricular programme. This evening event has proven to be a highlight for the learners as, for some of them, this would be the first time to compete on a circular track, running in their very own lane.
Soccer
Athletics
Netball
Creative Arts
The innate ability of the learners to move rhythmically, sing and create has resulted in powerful drama productions over the years. Learners are encouraged to question the environment around them in positive, respectful and socially acceptable ways through drama productions. The Christian ethos of the school plays a pivotal role in these productions.
Heritage Day is a true celebration at JENS Primary School! Traditional beads and vibrant colours adorn the learners on this day. Each learner has a story to share, whose beads she has on, or how Mommy wore the ‘doek’ that she is wearing for her wedding! Boys seem to grow a head taller as they wear their traditional headdress with pride.
Curriculum
Defining a Framework
JENS Primary School values and understands the need to stay up to date with trends in education as well as the need to identify and overcome obstacles that face all schools in South Africa. It is for this reason that the school has become affiliated to ISASA. JENS Primary School hopes to work with and learn from schools that face similar challenges, grow in knowledge and confidence in what is offered, maximise the use of our resources and continue to develop as an institution offering quality education to its learners.
JENS Primary School follows the Department of Education CAPS Curriculum, but the school has embraced a unique framework, as is the privilege of an Independent school, and that we are proud of.
Contact Us
Email
Gr R, 1 & 2: manchap@telkomsa.net
Gr 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7: wolhuter@jenschool.co.za
Address
Gr R, 1 & 2: 164 Main Street, Kokstad
Gr 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7:Â 101 Hawthorne Street, Kokstad
Gr R, 1 & 2: 083 357 2513 / Gr 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7: 083 321 6936