Plain answers to ten honest questions.

Applications for Grade R and Grade 1 open in April and close in September each year, in line with the North West DBE timeline. Mid-year transfers are accepted any time, subject to space. Drop the completed form at the office, or send it on the school WhatsApp to 083 351 4410.

Makgobi is a Quintile 2 No-Fee school. There is no school fee. There are no compulsory uniform fees from us — we keep a small donated-uniform cupboard for families who need it. The only optional out-of-pocket items are an exercise-book pack at the start of the year (around R 120, and the SGB will cover this for any family who asks).

A hot lunch is served every school day under the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP), free of charge. Menus follow the national NSNP nutritional standard and rotate weekly — samp and beans, pap and stew, soya mince and rice, vegetables from our food garden when in season. Children with dietary restrictions: please tell the class teacher when you enrol.

Yes, on the two DBE Scholar Transport routes that serve Letsopa and Lokaleng farms, mornings and afternoons. The bus is free for qualifying learners. If you live further out, ask Mr. Marumo about the lift roster — we coordinate informal lifts among parents going the same way.

In 2024 we have 223 learners and 8 educators — an overall ratio of about 28:1. Foundation Phase classes (Grade R–3) are smaller (around 25 children); Intermediate classes can reach 32 in the busiest grades. Below the national norm of 40:1.

Setswana is the home language of teaching in Foundation Phase, with English as a daily First Additional Language from Grade R. From Grade 4 the language of teaching gradually becomes English — supported, not sudden. We do not penalise children for slower English; we keep teaching it.

Foundation Phase: ten to fifteen minutes a night, mostly reading. Intermediate Phase: twenty to thirty minutes, three to four nights a week. We do not set work that requires a printer or internet at home. If a parent cannot help with a particular task, the morning Homework Club at 07h30 covers it.

School ends at 14h30. After that we run an informal aftercare with parent volunteers until 16h00 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays — quiet time, a snack, and homework help. There is no fee. We need at least one working day’s notice if you would like your child to stay.

Bring the learner’s most recent school report, transfer card, birth certificate (or affidavit) and immunisation card. We will phone the previous school to request the transfer letter. If anything is missing, we still admit the child — we sort the paperwork in parallel, in line with DBE policy.

We are not a Full-Service School, but we do our best within mainstream limits. We work with the Mahikeng District-Based Support Team and have referred learners successfully for hearing, vision and learning assessments at the provincial clinic. Tell us early; we plan around the child, in writing, with you.