Not an email or text or WhatsApp message but a hand written letter on beautifully illustrated note paper using a proper ink pen. Snail Mail.
At Pembroke House, as much as we take a progressive approach to our curriculum, we also instil good, old-fashioned values and manners. We still believe that sitting down to write a letter is a valuable skill and an excellent habit to hold.
Regardless to who they write, there is almost a ritual involved with the careful addressing and sealing of the envelope, licking of the stamp and running straight off to the letter box to pop it in the post. And the Pembroke post box is a thing of beauty; a traditional English ‘hole in the wall’ painted in pillar-box red with gold, ER II insignia.
Then there is the anticipation of waiting for a reply.
Children can often be seen sneaking into the school office to check the boarding house in-tray for the long awaited correspondence. Letter writing is a thoughtful act that not only brings joy to the recipient but is rewarding to the sender when they receive a letter in return. In an age when we expect instant digital notifications or responses, there is something rather special about waiting for a letter, carefully opening up the envelope and holding the paper in your hands.
Our top five benefits to letter writing for children;
The rolling hills of Gilgil came alive this past weekend as Pembroke House hosted the much-loved Ndume 7s Rugby Tournament, a highlight of Kenya’s prep school calendar that’s been inspiring young players since 1977.
The Year 6 trip this year was to the Karebe Gold Mine up in the Nandi Hills. The trip started with a wonderful stop at the Brook's farm in Koru, where the children were treated to sodas, biscuits, and an idyllic garden to play in.
The weather held fair at least for the largest part of our 2 day horse show this year. Every child that rides at Pembroke House was invited to take part, being entered in a class appropriate to their level of experience and ability.
There’s something special about standing on the side of a mountain, looking out over the world below. It’s a moment of perspective, of challenge, and of achievement.
At Pembroke House, we believe that the best learning happens when children truly understand what they are being taught - not just memorising facts but making sense of them.
How we educate and nurture well-rounded individuals who are kind, empathetic, and emotionally intelligent.