ABOUT US
" The spirit and camaraderie that King Edward VII School has engendered sets us apart from most other schools."
Our School remains at the cutting edge of holistic education, ever mindful of our ethos, values and heritage. The rounded and balanced environment for which our School is famed combines legacy with leadership, high moral standards with high-tech facilities, all focused on an unrelenting goal for the boys we teach and mentor – Academic, Cultural and Sporting Excellence.
While formal and informal aspects of education are interwoven, extra-mural activities teach lessons that cannot be learnt in the classroom - legacy, leadership and loyalty.
The School’s loyal men have fought in many wars and won many military honours. Not all came home. The School has the highest number of fallen outside Great Britain from the two World Wars. Alumni have fought for freedom and democracy in South Africa and for justice throughout the world. Above all our alumni have a loyalty to their friends and schoolmates and a generosity of spirit, which cannot easily be matched.
Of the Financial Mail’s eight greatest achievers of the past century, three were educated at King Edward VII School – an achievement unmatched by any other South African school.
Over the past century, thousands of youngsters have come to us as boys and left as men. Men with the education, confidence, morals, discipline, passion and courage to shape our nation’s progress.
Not all of the School’s most successful achievers were great scholars - but the School equipped them with the skills, drive and conviction to ensure they could compete with the best of the rest – not only in South Africa, but worldwide.
Many are internationally renowned – as leaders and captains of industry, sports icons, human rights activists, academics, artists or authors.
Could you be such a person? Could you tread in their footsteps – or create a new path? What we do know is that we will educate, mentor and enable you to accomplish your ambition.
ADMISSIONS
OUR MISSION
Our Mission is ambitious and guides the school's philosophy, culture and code of conduct.
- We strive to nurture our pupils to help them develop to the best of their ability, and to guide their growing minds towards high ideals as they take charge of their own lives.
- In pursuit of this mission we shall endeavour to:
- draw our School body from all quarters of Society
- build for the future of our School and country on the best traditions of the past
- encourage academic achievement
- attain excellence and balance in the academic, sporting and cultural aspects of School life
- develop enquiring minds, sound moral values, moral courage, a social conscience, political awareness, respect for the rights and dignity of others, a sense of responsibility for the world we live in and self-respect, self-confidence, self-discipline and humility
- create a sense of community among teachers, parents and pupils and to foster an enjoyment of the School in this community.
TOUR OF THE SCHOOL
The magnificent main building of King Edward VII School was specially designed for the School, which officially moved into the building, its third and final home, in 1911.
Although officially a National Monument, the passion for excellence and spirit of the learners (and staff!) ensures that this is very much a school for the 21st Century – and beyond.
Surrounded by beautiful gardens, the grounds have been developed over the decades to incorporate state of the art sports and cultural facilities.
Don’t take our word for it though – or imagine what it would be like to attend our school. Take our virtual tour and see for yourself how you fit in.
TERM DATES FOR 2024
2 0 2 4 TERM DURATION 1 17 January – 20 March 2 03 April – 14 June 3 09 July – 20 September 4 01 October – 11 December Subject to change
HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL
In 1902 when the South African War came to an end there was an urgent need for schools in the Transvaal.
The Milner Administration, looking round for suitable buildings in which to establish temporary classrooms, found a vacant cigar factory on the corner of Gold and Kerk Streets in Johannesburg and there established “The Government High School for Boys”, also known as the “Johannesburg High School for Boys”. Thus was born a school that was ultimately to become the renowned King Edward VII School.
It grew so rapidly that in 1904 it was moved to Barnato Park where it was established in the mansion that originally had been designed for Barney Barnato, the mining magnate. Here it was known as “Johannesburg College”. These premises also proved inadequate and in 1911 the school was moved into magnificent, specially designed buildings on the Houghton Ridge, which became its final home.
All this came about shortly after the founding of the Union of South Africa and the death of King Edward VII, Queen Victoria’s eldest son. To honour his memory the school was granted the right to change its name to King Edward VII School.
The School remains a Government Secondary School, with an enrolment of over 1000 boys in Grades 8 – 12 (ages 13 to 18).
King Edward VII Preparatory School, which is situated adjacent to the High School and shares its grounds, caters for boys from Grades 1 to 7.
GOVERNANCE
The governance of the School is vested in the Governing Body pursuant to the South African Schools Act No.84 of 1996. The Governing Body stands in a position of trust towards the School.
The professional management of the School is undertaken by the Headmaster under the authority of the Head of the Department. The Governing Body supports the Headmaster, educators and other members of staff in the performance of their professional services.
Membership of the Governing Body comprises:
- 9 elected parent members
- the Headmaster
- 3 elected educator members
- 1 elected non-educator member of staff
- 3 members of the Representative Council of Learners
- a number of co-opted members of the community.
The term of office of the Governing Body is 3 years save for its learner members who are elected on an annual basis. The Governing Body elects its chairman, treasurer and a secretary from amongst its members on an annual basis. Only a parent member of the Governing Body who is not employed at the School may serve as the chairman.
The Governing Body has an executive committee, a finance committee and a boarding house committee. The committees are chaired by a member of the Governing Body and persons who are not members of the Governing Body are appointed to such committees on the grounds of their expertise.
The Governing Body prepares a budget showing the estimated income and expenditure of the School for the following year and tables the budget at a general meeting of parents for consideration and approval. The charging of school fees, the amount of fees to be charged and any exemption criteria in respect of school fees are approved by the general meeting of parents and implemented by the Governing Body. The financial affairs of the School are controlled and administered by the Governing Body in accordance with the South African Schools Act and audited on an annual basis. The financial year of the School commences on the first day of January and ends on the last day of December of each year.
The Governing Body of the School functions in terms of a Constitution that provides for:
- a meeting at least once every school term
- an annual general meeting with parents, educators and learners
- rendering of an annual report on its activities to parents, educators and learners.
The Governing Body promotes the best interests of the School and strives to ensure its development through the provision of quality education for all learners of the School. The School’s property, buildings (including the boarding houses) and grounds are administered, maintained and controlled by the Governing Body.
The extra-mural curriculum of the School and the choice of subject options in terms of the provincial curriculum is determined by the Governing Body under the guidance and direction of the Headmaster.
The Governing Body has adopted a Code of Conduct for the learners of the School and at the request of the Headmaster will convene a disciplinary inquiry for allegations of misconduct and serious misconduct in respect of a learner.
44 St Patrick Road Houghton 2198 Johannesburg | 26°10’22’ S 28°3’47’E | +27 (0)11 551 5800 | info@kes.co.za