Sports and Clubs

At Athlone Primary School we encourage all our pupils to participate in the extra mural programme that we offer. We provide a wide range  of extra-curricular activities, both cultural and sporting. It is our prime aim to get our pupils involved and to enjoy the activities that they select. Our sports administrator Mr. Gawie Pienaar oversees all our sporting arrangements, including match fixtures and coaching appointments. He can be contacted through the school office should you have any queries related to sport at Athlone School. For recent sporting and cultural news and results click here.

Sports offered during the school year include:

Tennis

Tennis is played throughout the year at Athlone.
For girls and boys - from Grade 3 to Grade 7.

We are extremely proud of our tennis achievements at Athlone. Our pupils continue to play very exciting, competitive games at inter-school level as well as representing us in the Midlands tennis teams on an annual basis. Our coaching time is divided between beginners, intermediate and team players. We have two courts situated in the school grounds and exclusive access to the Valley Tennis Club courts opposite Greys Hospital. Athlone was recently involved in the upgrading of two of these courts as well as the resurfacing of our own school facilities.

Swimming

Swimming is offered in the first and fourth terms.
For boys and girls - all ages

At Athlone we believe it is imperative that all our pupils should be water-safe. To this end we include swimming in our school curriculum as a compulsory subject, during our Physical Education lessons. From Grade One the children are coached by Mrs. Rita Townsend until they are able to swim unaided across the width of the pool. Our school staff take over at this stage and the children are coached by their class teachers until Grade Three when Mr. Pienaar then oversees the Phys Ed lessons.

Athlone School has a very successful swimming team and we participate annually in the Inter-Schools A Gala with both our girls and boys teams achieving winning times and records. We are very proud of our current pupils who represent us in the KwaZuluNatal swimming teams.

Cross-country

Cross Country is offered in the second and third terms.
For boys and girls in age groups from Under 8 to Open.

Athletics

Athletic training is offered in the third term.
For boys and girls of all ages. Our teams always perform well in the interschool athletic meetings. We have had representation in both the Midlands and KwaZuluNatal teams in recent years.

Basketball

Basketball is played in the first and fourth term.
For girls and boys from Grade Three upwards.

Netball

Netball is played in the second term.
For girls from Grade Three upwards. Our girls always give of their best and we have been proud to have representation in Midlands teams in recent years.

Cricket

Cricket is played in the first and fourth terms at Athlone.

Mini-Cricket (soft-ball)

For boys in Grade One and Two.

Hard-ball cricket

For boys from Grade Three upwards.

Rugby

Rugby is played in the third term

Mini-rugby

For boys in Grade One and Two.

Rugby

For boys from Grade Three upwards.

Soccer

Soccer is played in the second term

Mini-soccer

For boys in Grade One and Two.

Soccer

For boys from Grade Three upwards.

Hockey

Girls hockey is played in the second term and boys hockey is played in the third term.
We have been proud to have pupils represent us in Midlands teams in recent years.

Mini-Hockey is offered to Grade One and Two.

Cultural activities offered during the year include:

Choir
Our choir is led by our music teacher Ms. Beulah Benade. The choir is made up of children from Grade Three upwards. They frequently sing for us in assembly and provide excellent entertainment at various inter-school eisteddfods in the city throughout the year.

Book Club

The Book club is held at lunch-time once a week in the media centre. Grade Six and Seven pupils attend where they prepare for the Kids Lit literature quiz. This year the quiz will be held on the 7th October. Athlone book club is also involved in an outreach programme named Phendulani, which translates as "everyone answer." This organization seeks to promote and develop a love and interest in reading in children who have a different reading background to that of pupils in schools such as our own. It is a peer-tutoring system, and this year Athlone has partnered with children from Alston Primary School and Woodlands Primary School. Our pupils will be hosting their guests and working through a number of books with them to help them prepare for the Phendulani literature quiz which will be held in August this year. See results and photos here

Art Club

A privately run art class takes place weekly in the school. It is organized by Mrs. Penny Forder. Further information can be obtained from the school office.

Ballet

Ballet is offered once a week as an extra-mural activity for Grade One and Two girls. The girls are tutored by Mrs. Brenda McLachlan. The older girls can attend ballet classes on a private basis. Details of the Ballet School can be obtained from the school office.

Scripture Union

A Scripture Union club is run once a week during the lunch break at the school. Pupils from Grade One to Seven attend on a voluntary basis.

Homework Class

We offer supervised homework classes between 2.30pm and 3.30pm from Monday to Thursday as a service to working parents. All children who are left at school in the afternoons and are not attending sporting activities or aftercare are expected to attend homework class. It is imperative however, that parents check their children's homework in the evenings in order to be up to date with school notices etc, as well as being aware of their child's progress.