Peterhouse Girls

Head's Welcome

Welcome to the Peterhouse Girls’ website. I hope you will find it useful and informative, and I hope too that it will give you a glimpse into life here at our beautiful school.

The campus is centred around St Francis Chapel just as our school ethos is based upon our Anglican faith and our seven core values: loyalty, honesty, decency, humility, service, self-sacrifice and respect. We believe that every member of our community has infinite value and infinite potential and we strive to create an environment in which we appreciate each person’s value and unlock their potential.

Peterhouse is a school steeped in tradition but we also look to the future, to prepare our young ladies for the world which awaits them.This preparation is based upon developing 6 core competencies (the 6 Cs): Critical thinking, Creativity, Communication, Character, Collaboration and Cross-Cultural skills; all of which are essential to success in today’s rapidly changing and highly innovative work place.We promote academic excellence by embracing and encouraging a growth mind-set, and by effectively teaching and using these 6C’s in all aspects of school life.

Head's Profile

Claire Hough has been Headmistress of Peterhouse Girls since January 2020.

Claire was educated at Rhodes University graduating in 1988. She taught at Watershed College and Arundel School and, in addition, worked in finance before joining Peterhouse Girls in 1996. Claire has been Deputy Head at Peterhouse Girls since January 2015 having previously been a Head of Department, Housemistress of D Block and Director of Sport.

Claire is married to Nigel. They have five children, the eldest four of whom completed their High School education at Peterhouse and are now at university and the youngest, Oliver, is in A Block.

Aims of the Peterhouse Group

Peterhouse is a community of three schools:

1. Peterhouse Boys (PHB) – a full boarding school for boys from Form 1 to 6th form (with girls from Peterhouse Girls being taught at 5th and 6th form level)
2. Peterhouse Girls (PHG) – a full boarding school, with a small number of day pupils, for girls from Form 1 to 6th form
3. Springvale House – a weekly boarding and day school for boys and girls from Grade 1 to Grade 7
4. In addition there is a Nursery School for boys and girls located at PHB

Academic Staff

HEADMISTRESS
Mrs C Hough BA

DEPUTY HEADMISTRESS
Ms N Nyeke BSc

SENIOR MISTRESS
Miss BJ Hall BA

SENIOR CHAPLAIN
Mr S Davy

CHAPLAIN
Mr K Heuer

DIRECTOR OF STUDIES
Mrs ML Scott Elliot BSc UED

DIRECTOR OF SPORTS
Ms K Cordy HFPA FI

Senior Pupil Appointments

OFFICE BEARERS 2021
Head Girl	Franchesca Chinhundu
Deputy Head Girl	Sophie le Boulenge'
Head of Vth Form	Chimwemwe Msiska
Head of A Block (Elizabeth House)	Gamuchirai Mhere
Head of B Block (Margaret House)	Sarah Burdett
Head of C Block (Kathleen House)	Mupiwa Mungoni
Head of D Block (Tatanga House)	Done' Erasmus
Deputy Head of D Block	Cailin Theron
Head of Culture	Jemimah Muusha
Head of Sport	Maja Potzas
Head of Eland	Anne Kirkman
Head of Impala	Tinasihe Madavo
Head of Kudu	Erin Elliott
Head of Sable	Rebecca Chihota

History

When Peterhouse was founded, as a boys only secondary school, by Fred Snell in 1955 there was no intention of it becoming the Peterhouse Group of Schools (a boys' school, a girls' school and a preparatory school). In the early 1980s, however, it became apparent that there was a demand for the re-opening of Springvale School (under the name Springvale House) and the establishment of a secondary girls’ school.

Springvale House was opened in 1985 and Peterhouse Girls two years later.

Peterhouse Girls admitted 28 pupils in its first year who were accommodated at Springvale House while the girls dormitories were being made ready. At the end of that first year the Prime Minister, the Hon. Robert Mugabe stated “I am particularly pleased that you are expanding into the field of girls’ education…. For too long we have tended to think that the education of girls is an expensive luxury”.

Glossary of Terms

ATS
- The Association of Trust Schools.

Blocks
- Our forms or year groups are called Blocks, and run bottom to top as D Block (Form 1), C Block (Form 2), B Block (Form 3), A Block (Form 4 - IGCSE), and 5th Form, 6th Form (A Level).

CHISZ
- The Conference of Heads of Independent Schools in Zimbabwe.