Maritzburg College

Description

Maritzburg College (previously called the Pietermaritzburg High School) is a public boarding school for boys in Pietermaritzburg and the oldest boys’ high school in KwaZulu-Natal. The school teaches from Grade 8 to Grade 12 and currently has 1,280 students, of which around a third are boarders. Maritzburg College prides itself on its high academic standards and excellent sporting achievements.

HERITAGE

Maritzburg College was founded in 1863 to accommodate the arrival of children in the new city and surrounding farms of the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. As the school grew, an architect designed a larger classroom and boarding block, which was completed in 1888. This later became known as Clark House after Mr RD Clark, the third headmaster often referred to as the “father of the college”. Today, Clark House is a city landmark and national monument. The Victoria Hall is also a national monument which served as a British Army Hospital during the Second Boer War.

The school motto is Pro Aris et Focis which means “for God and Country”.

ACADEMICS

The school’s external National Senior Certificate results are among the best in the North West province. In 2014, the Matric pass rate was 99%.

SPORTS & CULTURE

The school has fixtures against rival schools like Durban High School, Glenwood High School, and Westville Boys High School, as well as private schools like Michaelhouse, Hilton College, and Kearsney College. Maritzburg College is the strongest sporting school in the North West for sports like rugby, cricket, canoeing, water polo, polocrosse, and hockey. The most important sports grounds are called Goldstones, Barns, Snow, Lamond, Leaches, Nicholson, and Papes.

SPORT

• Rugby
• Cricket
• Canoeing
• Hockey
• Athletics
• Swimming
• Water polo
• Tennis
• Shooting
• Soccer
• Basketball
• Cross country
• Cycling
• Table tennis
• Squash
• Golf

CULTURE

• Chess
• College for Christ
• Debating
• Drama
• First aid
• Interact
• Music
• College camera club
• Tech squad
• Theatre crew

SCHOOL FACILITIES

• Water-based hockey AstroTurf
• Indoor cricket training facility
• High Performance Sports Centre
• Indoor basketball courts
• Indoor shooting range
• Over 250 computers
• Full Wi-Fi throughout the school
• Library
• Media and Information Centre

NOTABLE GRADUATES

• Jonty Rhodes
• David Miller
• Joel Stransky
• Kevin Petersen