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Thomas More College (South Africa)
Encyclopedia
Thomas More College is an independent
, co-educational day school
located in Kloof, near Durban
in KwaZulu-Natal
, South Africa
.
Thomas More College can trace its origins to modest beginnings when on 1 February 1962 it opened its doors to only 55 pupils, all boys. Co-education was not to come for another 14 years. The founder and headmaster was Robin Savory, who had long had a dream of starting a Catholic School
run by Catholic laity
. In this he had the support of Archbishop Denis Hurley. So, from the start the school had a strong religious element, strengthened in later years with a broader Christian
base. The school was named after Saint Thomas More at the request of Chris Hurley, co-founder, second headmaster and brother of Archbishop Denis Hurley.
The choice of Kloof
as the site for the Thomas More School (as it was originally called) was due to the availability of the Great House, and the presence of a small core of likely pupils. However, at the time Kloof
was indeed a village with a scattering of shops within easy reach of what was then a functioning railway station. What today are flourishing residential areas were then largely open grasslands, and Kloof High School
was in fact Kloof Secondary, as in 1962 it only went as far as Standard 7 (Grade 9 in modern parlance). Between 1962 and 1992 (by which time the school's name had changed to the present Thomas More College) the school was served by three headmasters: Robin Savory, Chris Hurley and Bill Pickering. Much was achieved in that time, notably the acquisition of considerable tracts of land, some of which carried buildings which have remained part of the central core of the school.
However, attendance numbers never rose above 197 and, in fact, in 1990 the school was facing closure. A vigorous campaign was launched, not only to revive it, but to promote its expansion.
A major step in this direction was the establishment of a Primary School based in the Farmhouse. In 1992 Peter Habberton was appointed as principal, and in 1993 the Junior Primary School opened, based in the Farmhouse and led by Jacquie Habberton. Hilton Stander joined as Primary School Headmaster the following year, followed by Greg Brooks in 1999, Nigel Sloane in 2005, and Barbara Taljard in 2009. Much expansion in terms of buildings and other facilities took place and, thanks to the generosity of Peter Savory, the Robin Savory Pavilion was erected above the Savory Field. The boarding facility closed at the end of 2002 due to a significant drop in demand, and the rooms which became available as a result were converted to offices and specialist classrooms.
In 2002 Shane Cuthbertson followed Peter Habberton as principal. In 2009, due to re-structuring in the high school, Shane retained his position as principal of the whole school, and Allan Chandler, Senior Master at the time, was appointed as headmaster of the high school. Expansion continued; attention was focussed on improving the sporting facilities, notably a new hockey field, an all-purpose field and netball courts. At the end of 2006 a 25 m x 35 m swimming pool was completed. The Ken Mackenzie Center appeared on the other side of the Savory Field. Pupil numbers have risen to 1150, from Grade 0 to Grade 12, making Thomas More College the largest independent school in KwaZulu-Natal
.
school accepting pupils from the pre-primary level to grade 12. Its boarding establishment closed in 2002.
The school is situated on a conservancy estate of 42 acres and has 1150 pupils, making it the largest private school
in KwaZulu-Natal
.
All pupils are put into houses there are three houses; Hurley House, Savory House and Dalberg House that regularly compete against each other in many events such as the house gala and sports day.
in 1962, when he challenged his fellow Americans to walk a 50 miles (80.5 km) event annually. In March every year, approximately 1,300 students, parents, past pupils, teachers and visitors set off in the hope of completing the 80 km.
The earliest walks were from Pietermaritzburg to Greytown, away from Kloof. In the early 1960s there were no more than 30 participants on the Long Walk. Later walks still started in Pietermaritzburg
, but students would then walk 80 km toward the coast, finishing at the school. It was easier than the walk to Greytown because there were fewer steep hills to walk up.
The modern route starts from the school grounds in Kloof, and winds its way through the suburbs of Kloof, Hillcrest
and Botha's Hill
, before finishing in Summerveld.
Before 2004, the finish was not at Summerveld, but back to the school. Due to safety concerns, the course now loops around Summerveld several times before finishing at the Polo Pony Club.
Thomas More is also home to the TMC Thundering Thirds Rugby Team, a popular rugby team in the Upper-Highway area. In contrast to most school's, this team manages to attract larger crowds and support than its 1st and 2nd team counterparts. Most local fans point the reason for this as being the adventurous brand of rugby that the coaches instill in the side.
The Team has a proud tradition of consuming copious amounts of KFC after 3 consecutive wins, which the coaching staff believes further motivates the players.
The 1st Waterpolo sides (Boys 1st and Girls 1st) went on a successful tour to Serbia in 2010, whilst the 1st cricket and rugby sides regularly go on tours, however the former tends to go on overseas tours. The 1st hockey sides also go on an annual tour to Stellenbosch.
(IEB) exams.
Compulsory subjects include:
The students are also required to take at least three other subjects of their choice:
The school also helps to facilitate additional subjects, such as other languages like French.
The School of Music at Thomas More College offers tuition for beginners to advanced pupils, and is open to all pupils in the Highway community as well as adults.
Exams are offered through Trinity College as well as Royal Schools in all practical and theoretical aspects of music.
The following instruments are offered:
The Music School Director is Mrs Debra Moerdyk.
In later years, the chairman was co-opted onto the School Board. Rob Brislin and Dunstan Farrell, both lawyers, served in this capacity. Among achievements of those days were the forming of Cricket and Hockey Clubs, two teams in each case, and the establishment of a clubhouse in an old building, more or less on the site of the present clubhouse.
In the 1980s and early 1990s, the Association was struggling, but things changed circa 1998, when the Robin Savory Pavilion was built. Thanks to the initiatives of John Kearey and Roy Alderdice, this facility came under the control of the Thomas More Past Pupils' Association and is administered by that body in close cooperation with the school.
Apart from the Pavilion, the Association is active in several spheres, and under the energetic leadership of the present chairman, Rene Missen, it is flourishing. The Men's hockey teams continue to operate and a Ladies' team has been added. The Moorcock Chronicle, sent to everyone on the database, serves both as a mouthpiece for the Past Pupils and as a link with the school. The Association co-hosts the annual Past Pupils' Association Day.
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
, co-educational day school
Day school
A day school—as opposed to a boarding school—is an institution where children are given educational instruction during the day and after which children/teens return to their homes...
located in Kloof, near Durban
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...
.
Ethos
Thomas More College is a Christian-based school running classes from Grade 0 to Grade 12. Through a balanced programme of academic, cultural and sporting activities as well as a measure of fun, the school aims to develop Christian love and self-esteem in children and a moral code as espoused in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, ensuring that they are able to make a meaningful contribution to an ever-changing society. Focus is given to developing the whole child and equipping each one with leadership and life skills.History
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
run by Catholic laity
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
. In this he had the support of Archbishop Denis Hurley. So, from the start the school had a strong religious element, strengthened in later years with a broader Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
base. The school was named after Saint Thomas More at the request of Chris Hurley, co-founder, second headmaster and brother of Archbishop Denis Hurley.
The choice 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....
as the site for the Thomas More School (as it was originally called) was due to the availability of the Great House, and the presence of a small core of likely pupils. However, at the time 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....
was indeed a village with a scattering of shops within easy reach of what was then a functioning railway station. What today are flourishing residential areas were then largely open grasslands, and Kloof High School
Kloof High School
Kloof High School is a public, co-educational high school located in Kloof, near Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.-History:Kloof High School opened in February 1960 under the first headmaster, Mr Goodwin...
was in fact Kloof Secondary, as in 1962 it only went as far as Standard 7 (Grade 9 in modern parlance). Between 1962 and 1992 (by which time the school's name had changed to the present Thomas More College) the school was served by three headmasters: Robin Savory, Chris Hurley and Bill Pickering. Much was achieved in that time, notably the acquisition of considerable tracts of land, some of which carried buildings which have remained part of the central core of the school.
However, attendance numbers never rose above 197 and, in fact, in 1990 the school was facing closure. A vigorous campaign was launched, not only to revive it, but to promote its expansion.
A major step in this direction was the establishment of a Primary School based in the Farmhouse. In 1992 Peter Habberton was appointed as principal, and in 1993 the Junior Primary School opened, based in the Farmhouse and led by Jacquie Habberton. Hilton Stander joined as Primary School Headmaster the following year, followed by Greg Brooks in 1999, Nigel Sloane in 2005, and Barbara Taljard in 2009. Much expansion in terms of buildings and other facilities took place and, thanks to the generosity of Peter Savory, the Robin Savory Pavilion was erected above the Savory Field. The boarding facility closed at the end of 2002 due to a significant drop in demand, and the rooms which became available as a result were converted to offices and specialist classrooms.
In 2002 Shane Cuthbertson followed Peter Habberton as principal. In 2009, due to re-structuring in the high school, Shane retained his position as principal of the whole school, and Allan Chandler, Senior Master at the time, was appointed as headmaster of the high school. Expansion continued; attention was focussed on improving the sporting facilities, notably a new hockey field, an all-purpose field and netball courts. At the end of 2006 a 25 m x 35 m swimming pool was completed. The Ken Mackenzie Center appeared on the other side of the Savory Field. Pupil numbers have risen to 1150, from Grade 0 to Grade 12, making Thomas More College the largest independent school 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....
.
Today
Today Thomas More is a co-educational, interdenominational ChristianChristian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
school accepting pupils from the pre-primary level to grade 12. Its boarding establishment closed in 2002.
The school is situated on a conservancy estate of 42 acres and has 1150 pupils, making it the largest private school
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
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....
.
All pupils are put into houses there are three houses; Hurley House, Savory House and Dalberg House that regularly compete against each other in many events such as the house gala and sports day.
The Long Walk
The Long Walk (originally called "the fifty mile walk") is a tradition of Thomas More College. The first "fifty mile walk" was in March 1963 and was instigated and organised by Michael Leffler who was a staff member when the school opened in 1962. Michael Leffler's inspiration for walk came from John F. KennedyJohn F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
in 1962, when he challenged his fellow Americans to walk a 50 miles (80.5 km) event annually. In March every year, approximately 1,300 students, parents, past pupils, teachers and visitors set off in the hope of completing the 80 km.
The earliest walks were from Pietermaritzburg to Greytown, away from Kloof. In the early 1960s there were no more than 30 participants on the Long Walk. Later walks still started in Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg is the capital and second largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1838, and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its "purist" Zulu name is umGungundlovu, and this is the name used for the district municipality...
, but students would then walk 80 km toward the coast, finishing at the school. It was easier than the walk to Greytown because there were fewer steep hills to walk up.
The modern route starts from the school grounds in Kloof, and winds its way through the suburbs of Kloof, Hillcrest
Hillcrest, KwaZulu-Natal
Hillcrest is a settlement within eThekwini in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and forms a part of the Upper Highway Area.-History:Hillcrest was formerly a sleepy village, governed by its own Town Board on the outskirts of Durban that has now become a booming suburb incorporated into the eThekwini...
and Botha's Hill
Botha's Hill
Botha's Hill is a small town outside Hillcrest in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is the gateway to the Valley of a Thousand Hills. Kearsney College moved to Botha's Hill in 1939....
, before finishing in Summerveld.
Before 2004, the finish was not at Summerveld, but back to the school. Due to safety concerns, the course now loops around Summerveld several times before finishing at the Polo Pony Club.
Sports
Thomas More is very competitive in terms of sports. Although neither the high school nor senior primary have the same number of pupils as the other single sex schools in the greater Durban area, the school's teams are able to be more than competitive. The 1st cricket, rugby and waterpolo sides are regarded as some of the best teams in the area, whilst some players of individual sports have gained provincial colours.Thomas More is also home to the TMC Thundering Thirds Rugby Team, a popular rugby team in the Upper-Highway area. In contrast to most school's, this team manages to attract larger crowds and support than its 1st and 2nd team counterparts. Most local fans point the reason for this as being the adventurous brand of rugby that the coaches instill in the side.
The Team has a proud tradition of consuming copious amounts of KFC after 3 consecutive wins, which the coaching staff believes further motivates the players.
The 1st Waterpolo sides (Boys 1st and Girls 1st) went on a successful tour to Serbia in 2010, whilst the 1st cricket and rugby sides regularly go on tours, however the former tends to go on overseas tours. The 1st hockey sides also go on an annual tour to Stellenbosch.
Academics
TMC pupils write the Independent Examinations BoardIndependent Examinations Board
thumb|Independent Examinations BoardThe Independent Examinations Board or IEB South African independent assessment agency which offers examinations for various client schools. It is most prominent in setting the examinations for the school-leaving National Senior Certificate, or NSC, which...
(IEB) exams.
Compulsory subjects include:
- English
- Afrikaans or isiZulu (as a first additional language)
- Life Orientation
- Mathematics Core or Mathematics Literacy
The students are also required to take at least three other subjects of their choice:
- Accounting
- Art
- Additional Mathematics
- Visual/Design Arts
- Business Studies
- Geography
- History
- Information Technology
- Computer Application Technology
- Life Science (Biology)
- Physical Science
- Dramatic Arts
- Engineering, Drawing and Design
The school also helps to facilitate additional subjects, such as other languages like French.
The TMC School of Music
Thomas More College has its own dedicated school of music.The School of Music at Thomas More College offers tuition for beginners to advanced pupils, and is open to all pupils in the Highway community as well as adults.
Exams are offered through Trinity College as well as Royal Schools in all practical and theoretical aspects of music.
The following instruments are offered:
- Piano
- Drums
- Guitar
- Flute
- Violin
- Voice training
The Music School Director is Mrs Debra Moerdyk.
Past Pupils’ Association
The origins of the Past Pupils' Association can be traced back to 1973. Since co-education was not to come until 1975, it was the Thomas More Old Boys' Association that was formed with the dual aim of fostering relations between the Old Boys and the School, and amongst the Old Boys themselves. After 1976, when the first girls matriculated, the scope of the Association was broadened. Glen Bruton was the first chairman.In later years, the chairman was co-opted onto the School Board. Rob Brislin and Dunstan Farrell, both lawyers, served in this capacity. Among achievements of those days were the forming of Cricket and Hockey Clubs, two teams in each case, and the establishment of a clubhouse in an old building, more or less on the site of the present clubhouse.
In the 1980s and early 1990s, the Association was struggling, but things changed circa 1998, when the Robin Savory Pavilion was built. Thanks to the initiatives of John Kearey and Roy Alderdice, this facility came under the control of the Thomas More Past Pupils' Association and is administered by that body in close cooperation with the school.
Apart from the Pavilion, the Association is active in several spheres, and under the energetic leadership of the present chairman, Rene Missen, it is flourishing. The Men's hockey teams continue to operate and a Ladies' team has been added. The Moorcock Chronicle, sent to everyone on the database, serves both as a mouthpiece for the Past Pupils and as a link with the school. The Association co-hosts the annual Past Pupils' Association Day.