• Investigates how formal and informal enterprises can be managed to achieve profit and other objectives and how these enterprises can contribute to economic growth.
• Equips one for informed, productive, ethical and responsible participation in the formal and informal economic sectors.

• Focuses on concepts and principles in the built environment and on the use of practical skills and scientific principles in the technological process required to improve this environment.
• Addresses knowledge, skills, values and attitudes relevant to construction processes and environmental sustainability.

Engineering Graphics and Design (EGD) teaches internationally acknowledged principles that have both academic and technical applications. The emphasis in EGD is on teaching specific basic knowledge and various drawing techniques and skills so that the EGD learners will be able to interpret and produce drawings within the contexts of Mechanical Technology, Civil Technology and Electrical Technology.
The specific aims of EGD are to teach the following:

• Graphical drawings as the primary means of communication in the technological world
• Specific basic content and concepts within the contexts of Mechanical Technology, Civil Technology and Electrical Technology
• Various instrument and freehand drawing techniques and skills
• Solving technological problems through graphical drawings
• The application of the Design Process from conception to completion
• The implementation of CAD (Computer Aided Drawings/Design) as a drawing method.

Career prospects include all areas of various Engineering fields, Architecture, Design Technology and Teaching.

• Explores physical and human processes and spatial patterns on Earth over space and time.
• Equips one to make sense of the physical and human worlds and to understand the many different forces such as environmental deterioration and movement of people that influence these worlds.

• Focuses on change and development in society over time and space.
• Equips one with the capacity to make informed choices to contribute constructively to society as a result of having an insight as to how the world has evolved.

• Focuses on the solution of problems through logical thinking, information management and communication and the development of computer applications.
• Equips one to use the facilities of technology and operate it purposefully and effectively and to access, retrieve, store, organise, manipulate, evaluate, maintain, analyse, interpret, present and communicate information.

ENGLISH
English Home Language is a compulsory subject, taken by all students at Pretoria Boys High. The syllabus from Grade 8 to Grade 12 includes literature, language, speech and creative writing.
Our vibrant and inspiring English Department offers a range of extra-curricular activities such as debating, public speaking, quizzes and drama. Through these activities our students are encouraged to read more widely, speak more confidently and write more clearly.

AFRIKAANS 1ST ADDITIONAL

Afrikaans is one of eleven official languages in South Africa and is widely spoken across the country.The main focus of this subject is to help our boys communicate effectively in Afrikaans. This is achieved through written work and oral assignments, that work together to improve their vocabulary and communication skills.

During their Matric assessment there are four main components:

• Paper 1: Comprehension, Summary and Language
• Paper 2: Literature
• Paper 3: Essay writing and transactional writing.
• These three papers (Paper 1, Paper 2 and Paper 3) are written at the end of the year.
• Paper 4: Oral component.

This paper (Paper 4) is assessed internally during the course of the year and moderated in August by external moderators.

SEPEDI

In this subject our learners are taught to communicate effectively in Sepedi, both verbally and in writing. This is achieved through the application of Sepedi in creative and real-world contexts. This will aid them in their future endeavours whether it is in a social, educational or occupational context.

FRENCH

French will stand our learners in good stead should they wish to pursue careers in international relations and diplomatic studies. It may also proof useful in number of different careers such as law, engineering, construction, medicine, hospitality, tourism and commerce.

By the time they reach Grade 12 our students are expected to have a proper command of the language, and should be able to apply critical thinking and reasoning in a literary and oral context.

The French course comprises an oral, aural and written component, with emphasis placed on mastering basic grammatical structures and concepts.

GERMAN

Germany is one of Europe’s largest economies, and there are also a large number of high profile German firms operating in South Africa today. Thus a working knowledge of the German language may prove highly advantageous to our learners with regards to their future career prospects.

During the course of their studies our learners will be taught to communicate effectively in German. This will entail reading, writing and speaking in German

ves in a responsible and positive manner.

Life Orientation is the only non-examinable subject in the FET course. However, your son will not be promoted or issued with a National Senior Certificate (NCS) without providing concrete evidence of his performance in Life Orientation. All evidence of your son’s performance will be reflected in his portfolio.

The focus of the subject is on managing one’s life in a well-informed and responsible manner and the approach to assessment is largely practical.

• Involves the systematic study of life processes and the interdependence of components in the natural and man-made environment.
• Equips one to understand the relationships between Life Sciences, technology, environment and society through scientific processes.

• Focuses on the use of mathematical skills in financial calculations, problem solving, the study of space, shape and measurement, and data handling.
• Equips one to reason creatively and logically in a mathematical context about problems in the physical and social world and in the context of Mathematics itself.

MATHEMATICAL LITERACY

• Focuses on the use of basic mathematics to solve problems in everyday situations and to make sense of information presented in mathematical ways e.g. tables, graphs, diagrams and texts.
• Equips one to think numerically and spatially in order to interpret and critically analyse everyday situations and to solve problems.

ADVANCED PROGRAMME MATHEMATICS

Advanced Programme Mathematic is aimed at those students who have a real passion for the subject and have an exceptional aptitude for Mathematics.

The study of Advanced Programme Mathematics will empower our learners to extend their mathematical knowledge. In so doing they will learn how to use sophisticated mathematical processes to solve complex quantitative arguments in a creative and critical context. This use of high level mathematics could prove pivotal in the pursuit of careers such as actuarial science, operations research, mathematical modelling, economic and industrial sciences, video game special effects, engineering, computational mathematics, theoretical and applied physics, and statistical applications.

Pretoria Boys High School has an active and vibrant Music Department. There are in excess of 180 boys taking music as a subject, each one learning to play an instrument and studying various aspects of the theory of music. Many boys start the subject never having done any formal music before their arrival here. Others continue with the instrument that they have started while at primary school or take a second instrument. The orchestral instruments on offer are the flute, clarinet, French horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, violin, viola, cello and double bass. Non-orchestral instruments such as the saxophone, piano and guitar are also offered. All boys are obliged to play four practical assessments a year. In addition to these, boys may enter for external examinations through the Royal Schools of Music.

The result of such an extensive teaching programme is that there are many extra-curricular activities. There is a full symphony orchestra, representing all the instruments of the orchestra and consisting of over 60 musicians. There is also a Dixie Band consisting of 11 members, which plays music in a Jazz style. The Wind Band, consisting of 25 members, plays Big Band and popular music. Several smaller ensemble groups exist: two string quartets, a cello ensemble, a guitar quartet, a saxophone quartet and a Brass Choir which accompanies the organ at every Friday assembly. The school choir is also an extension of the Music Department’s activities and consists of over 50 boys. In addition, there is a long tradition of presenting musical productions at the school. For this purpose, soloists, a chorus and an additional band or small orchestra are utilised.

Our philosophy is inclusive and we first try to establish if a new boy is interested in learning to play and read music in a formal way, and then ascertain if he has the sustained application and disciplined approach, which the study of music requires. If these attributes are present, the sky is the limit. We have had countless boys who start with no musical background and pass the Grade 8 Royal Schools of Music Examination.

A boy must have his own instrument so that he can practise daily and develop his technical competence and musical understanding. The cost of individual lessons is carried by the school and, as a result, it must be considered a privilege to take music as a subject.

For full details on taking music as a subject at PBHS, please click here to download the document

• Investigates physical and chemical phenomena through scientific inquiry, scientific models, theories and laws to explain and predict events in the physical environment.
• Equips one to learn, construct and apply Physical Sciences, and accommodates reflection and debate on its findings, models and theories.

• Focuses on the broad field of creative practice that involves the hand, the eye, the intellect and the imagination in the crafting of two-dimensional and three-dimensional objects.
• Equips one to make practical and aesthetic decisions in the development of a coherent body of work and become actively involved in shaping physical, social and cultural environments.