Victoria Girls' High School

Description

Victoria Girls' High School (VGHS) is a public school in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape. It is one of the best schools in the province, repeatedly producing top results for mathematics and science. Victoria Girls' High School caters for Grades 8 to 12 and currently has 410 students.

HERITAGE

The school was founded in 1892 in a cottage owned by Miss Bertha Mingay. The school was called the Acorn School and had just 8 students. The school grew, moved to Hill Street, and was renamed Hopewell School.

The school was first recognised in 1896 when the Education Department of the Cape Colony invited Miss Mingay to sign her school under their name. In 1897, the British Empire was celebrating Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. Once the foundation stone of the school was laid, the name Victoria Girl’s School was given to commemorate the Queen’s 60 year reign.

ACADEMICS

The school has fantastic academic achievements. It won the 2007 Proudly South African School of the Year and the 2011 CGF/Proudly South African Best Governed School of the Year award. It was also named as the Fairlady Top School in the Eastern Cape in 2013.

The 2014 Matric pass rate was 100% pass rate. An impressive 97% of the candidates achieved a Bachelor's pass to gain access to university.

SPORTS & CULTURE

SPORT

• Tennis
• Squash
• Swimming
• Athletics
• Hockey
• Cross country
• Netball

CULTURE

• Chess Club
• Christian Club
• Choir
• Debating
• Film Society
• First Aid
• Hiking Club
• Interact
• Music
• Photojournalism
• Poetry and Creative Writing

SCHOOL FACILITIES

• Johan Carinus Art Centre
• 2 computer labs
• 3 science labs
• 90-seater venue
• Music centre
• Consumer Studies lab
• 5 tennis and netball courts
• 2 hockey fields
• 2 swimming pools

SCHOLARSHIPS

Each grade has a scholarship and there are sport/cultural scholarships available too.

NOTABLE GRADUATES

• Unathi Msengana(Singer/radio personality/Idols SA Judge)
• Nomfundo Xaluva (Singer)
• Letshego Moshoeu (SA Survivor Maldives Runner-Up)
• Samela Tylebooi (actress)
• Zola Nombona (actress)
• Lois Bassett (former South African national swimming coach)
• Elsbeth Dixon (CEO of Common Purpose South Africa)