Empowering Words from our Head of School
Respect, Responsibility, Relationships and Resilience. These are the four core values of St Peter’s College. Values that have imprinted on my fellow students and me for the past 5 years and have shaped the people we have become. The values and lessons that I learned through St Peter’s College were the driving forces that motivated me to become Head Student. Furthermore, they are the central driving force behind participation in sports, culture, service, academics, leadership roles and representing our school externally. These values imprint on every single one of us; they moulded us into students who can look “bravely into the future” and tackle life head-on.
Since being in grade 8, The College has shaped me into the person I am today. I was encouraged to participate in many co-curricular activities until I found a space where I felt comfortable, accepted, and as if I belonged. I found that space in music, where I participated in the rock band, orchestra, jazz band, chapel band, and spirit band. But St Peter’s didn’t just make me comfortable; I was encouraged to participate further into spaces where I felt out of place, I learned to push my boundaries far out of my comfort zone, and was taught that I was never limited by what I could or couldn’t do, only by how hard I was willing to work. Our colours system taught me that lesson directly: I yearned for the braiding on my blazer, worked hard for it, and slowly rose into positions of leadership across sport, service, academics and culture. And even though I was not the best at sports, I was never discouraged. My coaches always pushed me to my limits and never belittled me or made me feel inferior. This is my story, but it is not an original experience; it is the journey that every student at St Peter’s is given the chance to walk.
That is what is so special about St Peter’s College. There is a space for every student here. Every part of our school is so equipped that students can start as beginners and grow in confidence, whether that is through sports, culture, service or academics. St Peter’s College helps you find your voice and your niche; you don’t have to arrive knowing exactly who you are or what you’re good at because there are pathways here that are built to grow you. You could arrive chasing excellence or something you already love, or curious to try something new, and you will be given the chance, structure and support to flourish.
Underneath all of this though is our steady faith. Christianity is not an add-on at St Peter’s College; it is the foundation that everything else is built on. Every assembly, every classroom, every sports field carries the same quiet thread of faith running through it, not just our chapel service every Thursday. It is what shapes how our teachers care for us, how our students treat one another, and how, as a school, we understand what it truly means to serve. Faith is not separate from academics, sport, culture or leadership at St Peter’s College; it is woven into all of it, and it is what gives everything we do its deeper purpose.
When I stepped into leadership, my goal was to grow unity and pride. I wanted every single student to feel the home that I felt every time I walked in through the gates of the college. I wanted people to feel moved by our war cries, by our 4R’s, and by each other. Throughout the year, my incredible prefect body has promoted the school through social media, participation in co-curricular events, and creating an exciting and electric space where everyone is encouraged to support and promote the school in everything they do. The student leaders at St Peter’s are the best role models a child could hope for, and throughout my high school experience, they motivated me, shaped me, and served as idols towards which I can grow. But what makes our leadership culture so special is that it doesn’t stop at admiration; the College actively equips every student with the tools, mentorship, and opportunities to become that same role model for someone else. From prefects to team captains to service leaders, St Peter’s doesn’t just showcase leadership; it teaches it, and hands every student the chance to pick up that mantle themselves.
St Peter’s College is my home; every teacher and staff member is warm, kind and caring. Every student is your friend, and there is so much support and love that I wanted to be at school rather than leave at 14:30. My goal for the college when I stepped into leadership was to grow a culture where every single student wants to leave the school better than they found it. Where there is such love and pride of the school that we all desire to build it up and create culture, identity, and continuity. And I can confidently say that I can feel this community and culture every day when I step through the gates.
St Peter’s truly does equip every child to go bravely into the future, and I don’t take for granted that I still have time left to live that out here. As I carry the 4R’s into everything I led this year, I hope that every student who walks through these gates, whether they’ve been here five years or five days, feels the same sense of belonging, purpose and pride that this school has given me. That is the St Peter’s I want to keep building, today and for every student who comes after me.
With love,
Leila Van Den Berg
Head of School, St Peter’s College 2026
