Our School

Remedial teaching at Onze Rust Primary School provides targeted, specialised instruction for learners struggling with core subjects like reading, writing and mathematics, helping them bridge academic gaps. It features small-group or one-on-one sessions, customised teaching methods, and a slower pace to strengthen fundamental skills — often addressing learning barriers like dyslexia or ADHD.

Our social worker acts as a vital link between home, school and community. The main focus is on learners' social, emotional and behavioural well-being to enhance academic success. We provide counselling, crisis intervention and early identification of mental health challenges, while supporting teachers and families as well.

We provide individual or group counselling and emotional support to learners; implement positive behaviour support and manage issues such as bullying or defiance; address barriers to learning like poverty, abuse or family instability; and link families to community resources while assisting teachers with classroom management strategies.

The social worker also addresses community challenges — like making the school a more trauma-informed environment and encouraging value-based interactions.

This essential, mandated structure coordinates support for learners experiencing barriers to learning and assists teachers with inclusive education practices. Our team consists of school management, specialised educators and teachers who implement screening, assessment and intervention strategies to ensure quality education for all learners. It also includes the Social Worker and an Occupational Therapist representative.

The youth worker is responsible for Rissies for Jesus mornings, Rissies for Jesus week, our camp, and promoting our school values. This plays a vital role in the morale of our staff and learners and creates the foundation for building a culture of care and generosity. The youth worker also serves as the SBST assistant, playing a critical role in empowering learners who need more individual or smaller-group support to thrive — and runs the admin system that drives this multi-disciplinary team.

Occupational therapy may be recommended for an individual learner for reasons that might affect learning or behaviour — such as motor skills, cognitive processing, visual or perceptual problems, difficulties staying on task, disorganisation, or sensory integration challenges.

A common manifestation of difficulties in school involves handwriting, in many cases because this is a key "occupation" that learners must master to succeed in school. Our Occupational Therapists (OT) work with teachers to evaluate the child and identify the underlying problems that may be contributing to handwriting difficulty. They also take into account the school, home and classroom environments to find ways to improve the handwriting or to identify ways the child can compensate.

The Rooi Rissies initiative was established to provide meals for learners whose families are in a temporary crisis. The aim of this project is to ensure that no learner has to face the school day hungry, creating a more supportive environment for learning and development. Generous sponsors contribute financially to make this initiative possible, enabling the programme to continue making a meaningful difference in the lives of our learners.

Through encouraging material donations from learners, we also develop the habit of generosity in our learners, inspiring them to contribute positively to their communities in future.