Selborne College

Selborne College was founded in 1872 by Pastor Heinrich Muller, a German settler, and at that stage was known as the Panmure Public School. In 1880 the first recorded sporting engagement involving the school took place, namely a cricket match against Dale College in King William’s Town.

The mission of Selborne College is to offer boys an excellent, well-rounded, holistic educational experience that will equip them to become confident, effective and caring adults.While our approach has Christianity as its basis, we strive to promote tolerance of other faiths and belief systems.

Selborne College has excellent facilities which provide learning opportunities for scholars in the academic, cultural, technological and sporting areas of the curriculum.

The Arts Block is home to the Accounting, Afrikaans, Arts and Culture and History departments. The Major Lecture Theatre, Whippet, Ken McIntyre Museum, Public Relations Office and Neil Emslie Centre are also in this block.

The College block is the main entrance to the school and is home to the Headmaster’s office, the Library, Computer Laboratories, Geography, English, Mathematics and Xhosa Departments.

The Science block is home to the Engineering, Graphics and Design department and the Science and Biology Departments. The Engineering, Graphics and Design department has its own computer laboratory which is used solely for this learning area.

The Biology laboratory has an internet-connected PC and data projector for the teacher to use during lessons. It was agreed at a recent Board meeting that the Biology Department will be next in line for an upgrade, very much in line with the Mathematics Department.The Science department has a computer with special software on it that runs a variety of measuring devices for example, the ultrasound unit. The boys can experiment with the physics notions of speed, motion and acceleration. A variety of chemical and electrical sensors provide computer data which can then be analyzed.

The acquisition of a fully equipped Fitness Centre has been the highlight this year (2009). After years of waiting and planning the dream has been realized. All Selborne boys will be assessed and monitored from Grade 8 to Grade 12 each year as to their health and fitness. All the sports will be covered as boys prepare to perform at higher levels of achievement. We look forward to reaping the benefits of this exciting new development.

Sports offered at Selborne include athletics, cricket, cross country, hockey, rowing, rugby, squash, swimming, tennis and water polo.

Facilities include three beautifully situated and tree lined rugby fields, and a grass hockey field which are converted to two cricket fields in summer, cricket nets, a water polo pool and a hockey Astroturf; all with ample viewing areas for spectator participation.

On the same weekend the sportsmen of Selborne College was battling it out on the Grey High School sports fields, our Dramatic Society presented Selborne College at the national competition, ATKV Tienertoneel, in Port Elizabeth at the Opera House. After an exceptionally strong performance at the elimination round, “Rondo was selected to perform again at the regional finals and was named the winner in the Eastern Cape region.

More than 200 schools entered the ATKV Tienertoneel competition this year, with more than 300 plays nationwide – all in Afrikaans – which is a third and even fourth language to some of our Thespians. The plays are adjudicated at a national standard by acclaimed adjudicators, such as Ira Blanckenberg, Albert Maritz and the Head of Drama at Pretoria University, Prof. Marie-Heleen Coetzee. To achieve a gold award, a percentage of 85% or higher needs to be achieved.

National exams were written for all subjects in grade 12 as well as Mathematics and Physical Sciences in grades 11 & 10. Provincial exams were written for the remaining grade 11 subjects as well as for selected subjects in grades 10 and 9. Although some papers were challenging, boys have risen to the challenge and achieved pleasing results. There is a 99,9% pass rate in the school. Grade 10 and 11 have produced record numbers of Bachelor passes with 91% of grade 10 and 87% of grade 11 achieving at this level. The top of every grade is particularly impressive. Congratulations to the following candidates who achieved distinctions for all their subjects: William Minnaar, Samuel Mountfort and Brady Choudree in grade 11, Travis Hayward, Keagon Mnyaka and Chris Sajan in grade 10, Daniel Griffith and Keegan Worth in grade 9 and Okuhle Mpeta and Ryan Saayman in grade 8.

The table below shows the number of distinctions and the top mark achieved in each subject in each grade as well as the names of candidates who achieved 90% or more for the subject.