Kloof High School
Encyclopedia
Kloof High School is a public, co-educational high school located in Kloof, near Durban
in KwaZulu-Natal
, South Africa
.
The school grew quickly under the third principal, Mr Dudley Barton, who succeeded Mr J.F. Dixon in July 1963. Construction had begun on permanent buildings in 1963 and by mid–1964 the students in the eighth to eleventh grades were able to move into their new classrooms. For some time the prefabs on the top hockey
field remained as further building continued. In 1965 the first grade 12 pupils wrote the School's first matriculation examinations
, and the present school houses, Churchill, Founders and Keller, were established.
In 1969, Mr T. Gerdener (then Provincial Administrator for Natal
) officially opened the school. At that time, there were 524 students and 26 teachers, and a further classroom wing, including an Art Studio and Media Centre had been added and a school hall. During the July holidays of that year the first sports tours were undertaken with a 1st Hockey XI touring the Eastern Cape and the first rugby
touring Rhodesia
(now Zimbabwe
). The faith of the founders had been justified and a coat of arms
was designed by Mr Alan Woodrow, including the motto: "In hoc signo vinces" meaning "In this sign (the cross) you will conquer."
Academic, sporting and cultural aspects of school life were catered for but Mr Barton felt the spiritual needs of the students should be met. Fund raising began for a chapel and the Dudley Barton Sanctuary was opened in 1977, dedicated by the Bishop of Natal. Despite being a public school, Kloof High retains its Christian ethos, but accommodates pupils of all religions.
Mr Barton retired in 1978 and was succeeded by Mr H.M. Puzey under whom the school continued to grow. Further classrooms were built including a Computer Room. On the sports front, provincial and, on occasion, national honours, were earned in swimming, (the school now had a swimming pool), cricket, hockey, athletics and tennis. Mr Hugh Deane was Principal from 1989 until 1994.
In January 1995 Mr Deane was succeeded by Mr Dave Seager. The school was declared a Model C school early in the nineties, and the school governing body was formed to deal with financial concerns.
In the new millennium, the school introduced a sports centre, the John Dickson Indoor Centre, and an auditorium.
During March 2005, Mr Seager resigned and was replaced by Mrs Dawn A. Léfort in her capacity as Acting Principal. She has worked at the School since 1977 as a French teacher and more recently in management.
It is run by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education and a school governing body. Approximately 26 teachers are employed by the governing body and about 23 are employed by the Department of Education.
About 1000 students, mostly from the suburbs of Kloof
, Everton
, Gillitts
, Waterfall, Forest Hills, New Germany
, Wyebank and pinetown, attend the school. A daily school bus operates from Marrianhill through to the school via Lyndhurst Primary School in New Germany.
It is an English
-medium school and offers both Afrikaans
and Zulu
as second languages (or first additional languages in the new FET curriculum) and French
as a third language.
The school comprises a large white population (approximately 75% of the school), with those of Indian/Asian descent (12%) and black Africans (13%) completing the school. Pupils of mixed European-Asian-African descent also attend the school.
Cultural activities, including chess, forum discussions, choir,conservation, environmental clubs, investment/business groups
The Argus School (run by Mrs Dawn Crookes) uses the school during evenings. This service is involved in adult education of domestic workers and disadvantaged peoples in the area. Members of the Kloof community teach literacy and skills. Further to this, the school runs an annual Spring School under the auspices of the Kloof Rotary Club. Subjects range from baking to flower arranging to poetry. This is held during the Spring holidays.
There is a traditional sporting rivalry with nearby Hillcrest High School
. Derby Day is held every mid-June, alternating between Kloof High and Hillcrest High, and culminates with the 1st XV rugby game in the afternoon.
Matrics have the privilege of a slightly different uniform. This includes a white, as opposed to brown, school jersey. They also have the option of special ties. Most importantly, though, they are then allowed to purchase their annually renewed Matric Jackets. The jacket design is voted for by the upcoming matric class.
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
in KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
History
Kloof High School opened in February 1960 under the first headmaster, Mr Goodwin. The 127 students were taught in prefabricated classrooms situated on a temporary site at the corner of Emolweni and Dan Pienaar Roads in the village of Kloof.The school grew quickly under the third principal, Mr Dudley Barton, who succeeded Mr J.F. Dixon in July 1963. Construction had begun on permanent buildings in 1963 and by mid–1964 the students in the eighth to eleventh grades were able to move into their new classrooms. For some time the prefabs on the top hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
field remained as further building continued. In 1965 the first grade 12 pupils wrote the School's first matriculation examinations
National Senior Certificate
The National Senior Certificate or NSC is the equivalent of a high school diploma and is the school-leaving certificate in South Africa. This certificate is commonly known as the matriculant certificate, as grade 12 is known as the matriculation grade...
, and the present school houses, Churchill, Founders and Keller, were established.
In 1969, Mr T. Gerdener (then Provincial Administrator for Natal
Natal Province
Natal, meaning "Christmas" in Portuguese, was a province of South Africa from 1910 until 1994. Its capital was Pietermaritzburg. The Natal Province included the bantustan of KwaZulu...
) officially opened the school. At that time, there were 524 students and 26 teachers, and a further classroom wing, including an Art Studio and Media Centre had been added and a school hall. During the July holidays of that year the first sports tours were undertaken with a 1st Hockey XI touring the Eastern Cape and the first rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
touring Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
(now Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
). The faith of the founders had been justified and a coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
was designed by Mr Alan Woodrow, including the motto: "In hoc signo vinces" meaning "In this sign (the cross) you will conquer."
Academic, sporting and cultural aspects of school life were catered for but Mr Barton felt the spiritual needs of the students should be met. Fund raising began for a chapel and the Dudley Barton Sanctuary was opened in 1977, dedicated by the Bishop of Natal. Despite being a public school, Kloof High retains its Christian ethos, but accommodates pupils of all religions.
Mr Barton retired in 1978 and was succeeded by Mr H.M. Puzey under whom the school continued to grow. Further classrooms were built including a Computer Room. On the sports front, provincial and, on occasion, national honours, were earned in swimming, (the school now had a swimming pool), cricket, hockey, athletics and tennis. Mr Hugh Deane was Principal from 1989 until 1994.
In January 1995 Mr Deane was succeeded by Mr Dave Seager. The school was declared a Model C school early in the nineties, and the school governing body was formed to deal with financial concerns.
In the new millennium, the school introduced a sports centre, the John Dickson Indoor Centre, and an auditorium.
During March 2005, Mr Seager resigned and was replaced by Mrs Dawn A. Léfort in her capacity as Acting Principal. She has worked at the School since 1977 as a French teacher and more recently in management.
Principals
- Mr Goodwin (1960 -)
- Mr J.F. Dixon
- Mr Dudley Barton (July 1963 - 1978)
- Mr H.M. Puzey (1979–1988)
- Mr Hugh Deane (1989–1994)
- Mr Dave Seager (1995 - March 2005)
- Mrs Dawn A. Léfort (April 2005–Present)
The school today
The school's location in the tree-lined avenues of Kloof make it a scenic suburban school.It is run by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education and a school governing body. Approximately 26 teachers are employed by the governing body and about 23 are employed by the Department of Education.
About 1000 students, mostly from the suburbs of Kloof
Kloof, KwaZulu-Natal
Kloof is a leafy, middle- to upper class suburb and small town, that includes a smaller area called Everton, in the greater Durban area of eThekwini in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa....
, Everton
Kloof, KwaZulu-Natal
Kloof is a leafy, middle- to upper class suburb and small town, that includes a smaller area called Everton, in the greater Durban area of eThekwini in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa....
, Gillitts
Gillitts, KwaZulu-Natal
Gillitts is a suburb on the western boundary of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa.-Overview:It is about inland from the city centre at an elevation of 1800 feet . Although Durban is semi-tropical and very humid, Gillitts is above the humidity and is not humid, except when it is in the...
, Waterfall, Forest Hills, New Germany
New Germany, KwaZulu-Natal
New Germany is a town situated just inland from Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It has been incorporated firstly into Pinetown and now into eThekwini. It was established in 1848 by a party of 183 German immigrants who settled on a cotton growing estate named Westville after the...
, Wyebank and pinetown, attend the school. A daily school bus operates from Marrianhill through to the school via Lyndhurst Primary School in New Germany.
It is an English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
-medium school and offers both Afrikaans
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
and Zulu
Zulu language
Zulu is the language of the Zulu people with about 10 million speakers, the vast majority of whom live in South Africa. Zulu is the most widely spoken home language in South Africa as well as being understood by over 50% of the population...
as second languages (or first additional languages in the new FET curriculum) and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
as a third language.
The school comprises a large white population (approximately 75% of the school), with those of Indian/Asian descent (12%) and black Africans (13%) completing the school. Pupils of mixed European-Asian-African descent also attend the school.
Academics
Its school-leavers write the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education exams and consistently achieve good results.| Matric Results | 2005 | 2006 |
|---|---|---|
| Number of candidates | 175 | 184 |
| Number of failures | 0 | 0 |
| University endorsement (%) | 81 | 76 |
| A aggregates (%) | 17.1 | 18.5 |
| A-B-C aggregates (%) | 83 | 78 |
| Subject distinctions | 225 | 238 |
| Subject failures | 12 | 21 |
Facilities
Sports offered include rugby, hockey (both indoor and outdoor), waterpolo, soccer (football), swimming and athletics as well as rock climbing and adventure racing, represented by both boys and girls teams. Boys can also participate in cricket and golf, while girls take part in netball and softball.Cultural activities, including chess, forum discussions, choir,conservation, environmental clubs, investment/business groups
The Argus School (run by Mrs Dawn Crookes) uses the school during evenings. This service is involved in adult education of domestic workers and disadvantaged peoples in the area. Members of the Kloof community teach literacy and skills. Further to this, the school runs an annual Spring School under the auspices of the Kloof Rotary Club. Subjects range from baking to flower arranging to poetry. This is held during the Spring holidays.
Traditions
The school celebrates its Founders Day every year on the final day of the second term (usually on 22 June) by commemorating its first set of grade 12 students.There is a traditional sporting rivalry with nearby Hillcrest High School
Hillcrest High School (South Africa)
Hillcrest High School is a public co-educational high school in Hillcrest, near Durban, in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.-History:Hillcrest High School is a large co-educational high school situated 2,5 km from the centre of Hillcrest and 35 km from Durban...
. Derby Day is held every mid-June, alternating between Kloof High and Hillcrest High, and culminates with the 1st XV rugby game in the afternoon.
School uniform
The blazer is brown and special awards (such as honours, colours or honours cum laude) are indicated with yellow ribbing for colours or white, blue and yellow, in the case of honours. The tie is striped with brown, blue and yellow. Blazer and tie are not required during the summer terms for girls.Matrics have the privilege of a slightly different uniform. This includes a white, as opposed to brown, school jersey. They also have the option of special ties. Most importantly, though, they are then allowed to purchase their annually renewed Matric Jackets. The jacket design is voted for by the upcoming matric class.