The word “boarding” is used in the sense of “room and board” meaning, lodging and meals. They have existed for many centuries, and now extend across many countries, their function and ethos vary greatly.
It is one of the basic functions of a good boarding school to provide students with a unique educational experience that allows them to live on campus and be fully immersed in their studies.
In the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, there are several boarding schools that offer quality education and a supportive environment for students. In this article, we will list the 10 best boarding schools in the Eastern Cape and provide a detailed explanation on each of them.
List of Best Boarding Schools In Eastern Cape
- St. Andrew’s College
- Queen’s College Boys’ High School
- Diocesan School for Girls
- Kingswood College
- Clarendon High School for Girls
- Stirling High School
- Selborne College
- Bedford Country School
- Hudson Park High School
- St. Andrew’s School for Girls
1. St. Andrew’s College
St Andrew’s College is one of the best boarding schools in Eastern Cape. Apart from it being the best, this school is also an independent public Anglican high school for boys only. It is situated in Makhanda, Eastern Cape. Its founding father is also the first bishop of Grahamstown, Reverend John Armstrong in the year 1855. St. Andrew’s College also has day facilities for other students who do not want to stay in the boarding house. It has 4 distinct boarding houses for its students; the Storey house and Dunn house for the junior students and the Twells house and Chandler house for the senior students. Being one of the best boarding schools in Eastern Cape, it also has the Carey homes, which is for the students in its day school. It is a very affordable boarding school in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa as its boarding fee is placed at R48,800. It is the second oldest boarding school in Makhanda.
Contact Information:
- Physical Address: 1 Somerset Street, Grahamstown, Makhanda, 6139, South Africa
- Email: contact@sacshool.com
- Phone: +27 (0) 46 603 2300
2. Queen’s College Boys’ High School
Queen’s college Boys’ High School has been an independent boarding school for more than 15 years. It is one of the oldest schools in South Africa, as it was established in 1858. It is among the best boarding schools in Eastern Cape as its academic standard and dedication of its staff and teachers is top-notch.
The motto of this school is “Esse Quam Videri” which means “to be rather than seem to be”. In other words, discipline, courtesy, and loyalty are highly imbibed into the students of this school to ensure that they not only grow academically but also grow in other aspects of life. Queen’s College Boys’ High School annual school and boarding fee is about R93,400.
Contact Information:
- Physical Address: 14 Haig Avenue, Windsor, Queenstown, 5320
- Suburb: Balmoral
- City/Town: Queenstown
- Phone: +27 (0) 45 838 4400
3. Diocesan School for Girls
The Diocesan School for Girls or DSG is one of the best private boarding schools for girls in the Eastern Cape. It is situated in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape province of South Africa. This particular boarding school was founded in the year 1874, by the founding father Nathaniel Merriman. DSG has attracted a lot of pupils from all over Africa as well as Europe because of its good academic records.
Together with St. Andrew’s College, it is among the only four (4) schools in South Africa to offer a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University for one of its past pupils every year. Not only is this school among the best boarding schools in Eastern Cape, it is also one of the most affordable schools in Eastern Cape as its boarding fees fall between the range of R82,569 to R134,487. Its tuition fee is around R67,377 annually.
Contact Information:
- Physical Address: 16 Worcester Street
- Suburb: Westhill
- City/Town: Grahamstown
- Phone: 046-603-4300
- Email: marketing@sacschool.com
4. Kingswood College
Kingswood College is a co-educational Methodist boarding school in Eastern Cape, located in Makhanda, Eastern Cape. This boarding school was founded in the year 1894, by William C Muirhead, Clifford Witheridge Dold, William Burnett Stocks, and Richard Restall Stocks.
If you are looking for the best boarding schools in Eastern Cape for both boys and girls, then Kingswood College is a good choice for you. As one of South Africa’s leading boarding schools with over 650 pupils, apart from its excellent academic records, it is one of the few boarding schools in South Africa with a very strong sense of family and togetherness among its staff and pupils. The fees for this boarding and day school are relatively cheap as it ranges from R86,150 to R157,710 for its boarding students and R20,850 to R88,725 for its day students.
Contact Information:
- Physical Address: 1 Burton Street, Makhanda, 6139 South Africa.
- Junior School Reception: +27 46 603 6650
- Main College Reception: +27 46 603 6600
5. Clarendon High School for Girls
Clarendon High School for Girls is an English public boarding school that accommodates only female students. It is among the top 10 best boarding schools in Eastern Cape founded on the 4th of August, 1903, and located in the suburb of Selborne of East London in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is one of the oldest boarding schools for only girls in South Africa.
The educational system provided in this school with the aid of a well-designed curriculum ensures that the students in this school also come out top among their peers from other schools in South Africa. Clarendon High School for Girls features a very serene and conducive environment for learning so as to maximize the understanding and retentive capacity of its students.
Apart from all these said about Clarendon High School for Girls, this boarding school is also a very affordable boarding school in the Eastern Cape, as the tuition fee of this boarding school is about R48,000, and its boarding fee is about R78,000.
Contact Information:
- Physical Address: Connaught Avenue
- Suburb: Southernwood
- City/Town: East London
- Phone: 043-743-1603
- Website: www.clarendonschools.co.za/high
6. Stirling High School
Stirling High School is a co-educational government boarding school in the Eastern Cape for both boys and girls. This boarding school offers acceptance to pupils within the grade range of 8-12. Founded in the year 1968, this boarding school has over 1100 students enrolled.
Stirling High School supports the Classical educational philosophy of a child active in all four spheres of development, which are academic, physical, cultural, and pastoral. It also encompasses extracurricular programs to nurture and develop the hidden talents in its students. Stirling High School is a boarding school that takes pride in its students’ academic performance, especially in the subject Mathematics, as for decades, this boarding school has been repeatedly selected to represent South Africa in the Maths Olympiads. Its boarding fees are between the range of R27,020 to R31,100.
Contact Information:
- Physical Address: Gleneagles Road
- Suburb: Stirling
- City/Town: East London
- Phone: 043-735-1444
Related: 15 Best Boarding Schools in Pretoria
7. Selborne College
Selborne College is a semi-private English boarding school for boys only. It is sited in the suburb of Selborne of East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa. It was established on the 8th of October, 1872 by Pastor Heinrich Muller. Selborne College’s sister school is Clarendon High School for Girls. It is among the top 10 best boarding schools in the Eastern Cape and has an enrollment of over 800 male students.
This boarding school has a very good academic standing of its students and also provides all necessary facilities needed by its students to excel in all ramifications. Extracurricular activities are also incorporated into the program of its students to not only build them academically but also in other aspects. The tuition fee of this boarding school is placed at about R49,000 and its boarding fee is placed at about R53,000.
Contact Information:
- Physical Address: Dawson Road
- Suburb: Selborne
- City/Town: East London
- Phone: +27 (043) 722 1822
- Email: info@selborne.co.za
- Website: www.selborne.co.za
8. Bedford Country School
Bedford Country School is an independent top leading primary boarding school in the Eastern Cape for both boys and girls. It is a private boarding school located in the picturesque town of Bedford in the Eastern Cape. It was established in the year 2009 by parents from the farming district. Although this school isn’t so large, it has an enrollment of over 100 students, and the educational requirements provided to its pupils are of high quality.
This particular boarding school is registered with ISASA (Independent Schools Association of South Africa) and offers classes up to grade 7. What makes this school very unique among others is the fact that its teachers and staff are very passionate about children and their development. Also, the teachers are very skilled in their different areas of teaching. The tuition fee of this school is quite affordable and is placed at about R31,900.
Contact Information:
- Physical Address: 19 Graham Street
- City/Town: Bedford
- Phone: 046-603-4300
9. Hudson Park High School
Originally founded in 1905, Hudson Park High School has a long and proud history of providing its students with an outstanding and high-quality education. It is a public boarding school located in the suburb of Vincent in East London, Eastern Cape province, South Africa.
This boarding school occupies property on both sides of Devereux Avenue, which is also known as one of East London’s main roads. Hudson Park High School features splendid buildings, sporting facilities, well-trimmed gardens, numerous classrooms, elevated areas of the grounds, and a serene and neat environment. The tuition fees of this school range from R23,500 to R24,805.
Contact Information:
- Physical Address: Devereux Avenue
- Suburb: Vincent
- City/Town: East London
- Phone: 043-726-3205
- Email: office@hphs.co.za
10. St. Andrew’s School for Girls
Sited at Senderwood, Bedfordview, St. Andrew’s School for Girls is among the best boarding schools in Eastern Cape for girls only. Founded in the year 1902, this school has a large population of over 500 students due to the fact that it strives to create an educational system for its students that extends beyond the classroom.
It is dedicated not only to providing quality education to its students but also to instill in them quality leadership traits. St. Andrew’s School for Girls is made up of 4 schools; kindergarten, primary, high school, and Saturday school Bambsiwano.
Contact Information:
- Physical Address: St. Andrew’s Avenue, Senderwood, Bedfordview, Johannesburg, South Africa, 2145
- Phone: (011) 453 9408
- Email: head@standrews.co.za
Conclusion
In summary, the Eastern Cape boasts of a rich selection of outstanding boarding schools, each distinguished by its unique qualities and characteristics. Whether your preference leans towards a school with a strong emphasis on academics, a nurturing and supportive environment, or a culturally enriching experience, you’ll uncover a fitting choice within this picturesque region.
We trust that this compilation has furnished valuable insights to aid you in making an enlightened choice regarding the ideal boarding school for your child’s future. Feel free to delve deeper into these options and unearth the one that aligns most closely with your educational aspirations and values.
It’s important to recognize that Eastern Cape’s boarding schools don’t just provide education: they serve as gateways to a world of opportunities and personal growth for your child.
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