Living true to their school motto: Fiat Lux – Let there be light, is what Auckland Park Preparatory School (APPS) plans to continue to do in 2026.
“I would like this year to deepen the values that define us: Family, integrity, respect, and resilience,” said headmistress Joanne Glendinning, citing these values to be at the heart of the school.
She hopes 2026 strengthens them, not only in the classroom, but in daily interactions, relationships, and rhythms of school life, serving as a compass for those who leave them. Ultimately, her hope is that every girl feels known, inspired, and supported to be the best version of herself.
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As a school, their overarching goal is to offer an education that is both grounded in timeless Christian values and boldly aligned with the future the girls will inherit.
In 2026, they aim to:
• Strengthen their curriculum – Balancing rigour with joy, structure with inquiry, and discipline with playful curiosity.
• Instill a deeply rooted sense of resilience and independence, equipping girls with the confidence to solve problems, navigate challenges, and grow through effort and perseverance.
• Identify facilities projects, both big and small, that will elevate the daily experience of the girls, from ergonomic classroom seating and enhanced play areas, to heating the swimming pool and advancing sustainability solutions that strengthen the school’s water and electricity resilience.
• Continue building a strong school/home partnership, allowing each girl to thrive socially, emotionally, academically, and spiritually.
• Nurture a community of belonging, where parents, staff, and girls feel part of something special and meaningful.
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Personally, Glendinning’s goal this year is to lead with collaboration, commitment, and care.
“2026 will be a year of building, consolidating, and strengthening what already works so beautifully at APPS. Building teams, consolidating curricula, and strengthening their academic, co-curricular, and pastoral initiatives, to turn potential into achievement, curiosity into discovery, and to allow every girl to grow with purpose and joy.”
For this years new Grade 0s, her desire is they step into APPS feeling immediately at home, embraced by a community where they belong and are celebrated as individuals.
“I want them to build meaningful friendships, develop social skills, and experience the thrill of discovering their own potential. I want them to experience classrooms, alive with curiosity, joy, and discovery, where learning is both intentional and playful.
Developing independence, confidence, and resilience, learning through exploration, problem-solving, and even occasional challenges, so that effort and perseverance are celebrated, as much as achievement.”
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