Michaelhouse

The Anglican Diocesan College of Natal, is one of the best schools in the Midlands and South Africa

The Michaelhouse estate is situated on a 600 hectare estate in Balgowan valley in the midlands of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, amid rolling green hills, natural bush, forests and sparkling clear streams. A more idyllic, safe environment in which a boy may develop and grow during his formative years, is difficult to imagine.

Michaelhouse was founded in 1896 and is acknowledged as one of the world's finest independent senior boarding schools for boys.

There are 8 Houses at Michaelhouse and a Post-Matric residence. Boys graduate from a small dormitory situation in their first year to their own bed-sits in their Matric year. Each House has a Housemaster who acts in Loco Parentis and he is supported by a pastoral care team of professional teaching staff. Houses are designed to accommodate 65 boys. They are modern and user-friendly.

The educational programme of any top school should reflect a balance between academic, cultural, environmental and sporting activities. In this respect Michaelhouse endeavours to remain at the cutting edge of each pursuit. Achievement in one area so often proves to be the key to the will to succeed in school life as a whole.

In coaching sport, the major objective is not simply the improving and refining of skills. It is equally, ensuring that boys are imbued with the spirit of the highest standards of sportsmanship, including how to win and to lose like true sportsmen. We try to engender a sense of balance, of courage, of commitment, of fair play. Grace and dignity are to be cherished.

For boys, sport often constitutes a vital and dynamic facet of school life. We believe that most have it in them to derive pleasure, success and personal satisfaction from the challenge of sport. We are fortunate to enjoy some of the finest sporting facilities in the country.

SPORTS FACILITIES:

A total of 12 playing fields includes rugby,soccer,hockey fields, an athletics track and 7 turf cricket pitches. The 25m X 25m swimming pool is 2,1m deep all round. It is heated when required, enabling swimmers to train throughout most of the year. Further sporting facilities include 8 tennis courts, 2 basketball courts and a 6 court squash complex, with 3 glass-backed courts. The services of professional swimming and tennis coaches are available. Golf is played at Bosch Hoek Golf Club (7km from school). There is a climbing wall on campus for the climbing enthuisiasts, as well as a dam for canoeing. Midmar Dam (20km from school) is the venue used for sailing.

There are about 40 Clubs and Societies ranging from Debating and Toastmasters to Scuba Diving. Boys are required to join one but may be a member of as many as they are able to manage. Clubs and Societies add to the 3 dimensional experience of Michaelhouse life.

Michaelhouse has always been a source of employment for the local community. To meet the needs of mothers in the area, it opened a creche in the 1930's and later a library to enable local people to have access to books. A fund was established by its teachers to help educate disadvantaged children. Michaelhouse then provided land for the building of a clinic. When the need for a school became evident a small school was built on its land in 1949. This has, over the years, with the help from private donors and the government, expanded to become the Asithuthuke Combined School. When the need for Teacher Upgrade Programmes became clear these were introduced and run at Michaelhouse. Since then programmes for English oral skills, adult literacy, computer literacy and sports upgrade have been added. Health awareness programmes are run through the clinic. Michaelhouse continues to use its facilities for local educational and community social projects. Ukubambisana Komphakathi is a programme run by Michaelhouse in response to the needs of the local community. Its aim is to develop community based, accountable and sustainable projects whereby Michaelhouse can share its expertise and facilities to the benefit of the local community, and through partnership instil a social awareness and culture of service into each boy passing through our school.

TELEPHONE SCHOOL 033 234 1000

FACSIMILE 033 234 4428

ADMISSIONS International : +27 033 234 1141

FACSIMILE 033 234 1120

gilder@michaelhouse.org