WYNBERG BOYS’ HIGH SCHOOL

INFORMATION BROCHURE | 2022

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OUR MISSION 1
OUR STANDING 2
OUR ETHOS 2
DEFINING FEATURES 3
A SCHOOL DESIGNED 4
FOR BOYS
THE WYNBERG WAY 5
ACADEMIC PILLAR 6
CULTURAL PILLAR 8
SERVICE PILLAR 8
SPORTS PILLAR 9
LITTLEWOOD 10
BOARDING HOUSE
COMMUNICATION 11
GENERAL INFORMATION 12
SCHOOL UNIFORM 12
SCHOOL HOURS 12
SCHOOL FEES 13
LITTLEWOOD 13
BOARDING HOUSE FEES
MUSIC FEES 13
SCHOOL CONTACT 13
DETAILS
AREA MAP (back cover) 14

WYNBERG BOYS’
HIGH SCHOOL
A Traditional School For Boys
OUR MISSION

Wynberg Boys’ High School is

committed to providing opportunities
for our students to pursue excellence
in all aspects of education: academic,
cultural, and sporting.
The school further promotes a
responsibility of service to our
broader community, a commitment
to unity from diversity, and an ethos
of relevant citizenship.
At the end of a student’s school
career he must be able to take his
place proudly and responsibly in
South African society.

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Wynberg Boys’
OUR
High School is STANDING
a school with a
fine tradition.

OUR PHILOSOPHY IS SET

The second ON FOUR PILLARS
oldest boys’ – Academics, Culture, Service and Sport, ensuring
school in every boy participates equally across all Pillars so that
South Africa, at the end of their time with us they leave as well-
established in rounded young men equipped for all spheres of life.
1841 in Glebe The School has an enviable academic record with
Cottage on Ministerial Certificates for Academic Excellence, with
Waterloo Road well over 90% of the students qualifying for university
in Wynberg, entrance. Recently rated by the authoritative South
the school has African Schools Annual as one of the top five sporting
schools in the country, we further pride ourselves on a
occupied three strong emphasis in cultural activity, particularly Drama
sites within and Music. Numerous opportunities for students to
historic Wynberg contribute to the Service Pillar exist across all school
before moving activities.
to its present
Comprehensive accounts of the history of the school may
setting, one be found in print: “The Story of a School” (D H Thomson, 1961),
of the most “A School Reflects” (R Goodwin, 1991), and the 175th anniversary
beautiful school book “Brothers in an Endless Chain” (N Veitch, 2016).
sites in Cape
Town.
OUR ETHOS

The characteristic spirit of our community manifests

itself in friendliness, manners, and mutual respect.
In the spirit of our school motto Supera Moras, every
Wynberg Man is encouraged to strive for greater
heights and never give up.
We are serious about, and committed to: being a boys’
only school; structure and accountability for actions;
good traditions; pastoral care for our boys; our
Four Pillars; offering opportunities for all; inclusivity
and diversity.

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DEFINING
FEATURES

THE SCHOOL MOTTO: THE SCHOOL’S

SUPERA MORAS FACILITIES
This is perhaps most accurately trans- Set on a magnificent 35 hectare site
lated as overcome difficulties, but below the eastern buttress of Table
we prefer a more liberal translation Mountain, the school boasts:
embracing the belief to never give • modern academic block
up, rise above adversity and strive for
• fully equipped science laboratories
greater heights.
• two state-of-the-art computer centres
The meaning is clear, our Wynberg Men
learn to live the Supera Moras spirit in • library and media centre
the classroom and on the playing fields, • an engineering and design faculty
and carry the call onto the world stage • fully equipped gymnasium
as proud Old Boys. • heated swimming pool
• two hockey astros
• four squash courts, two glass-backed
• four tennis courts
• four basketball courts
• an outdoor gym
• sports pavilions
• a coffee shop
• boarding house for 110 students
• a 1000-seater hall
• a 160-seater auditorium and music
centre
• outdoor amphitheatre
• museum
• staff accommodation
• numerous well-cared for fields
• a cafeteria
– all embraced securely in the heart
of the historic Wynberg greenbelt
in close proximity to Wynberg Boys’
Junior and the Wynberg Girls’ High
and Junior Schools.

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A SCHOOL Considerable credible research
confirms that boys do better at
DESIGNED boys’ only schools.

FOR BOYS Proudly a school for boys,

Wynberg’s broad curriculum and
sprawling facilities are designed
with their needs in mind.

Sense of belonging: Through our House and to becoming a Wynberg Man, and into their
Tutor system we recognise the need of all senior leadership years at school.
boys to belong to a group. Many activities Awards: Our awards system allows those who
are offered to ensure that our boys develop a achieve in any field an equal chance for
sense of teamwork and respect, pride in their recognition. We recognise boys once a term in
school, their uniform, their history, and one our Quarterly Awards Prize Giving Ceremony,
another. through the Colours system, and annual grade
House and Tutor (Pastoral) system: This is prize givings.
the cornerstone of all we do at Wynberg. The Action: Wynberg caters for the need of boys to
school is divided into 8 Houses, each with its be active. We offer a wide sporting programme
own House Head and five Tutors - the tutors and a variety of societies and activities in which
meet with their students twice daily, and are the boys are encouraged to participate. Shorter
directly responsible for each student’s well- class periods to aid concentration, movement
being. between lesson venues to stretch the legs,
Our innovative vertical system connects new and subjects with a practical component like
Grade 8s with the other grades in tutor groups Science, Electronics, Engineering Graphics
for the duration of their High School careers. and Design, Creative Arts, and Construction
As they move through the grades together, a are offered.
relationship between the student, his tutor and Mentors and role models: Boys need both,
the parents develops, with the tutor the first and the school relishes in providing them
port of call for parental enquiries. through the House & Tutor system, the Buddy
Discipline: Boys prefer to know their programme, Old Boys’ involvement, and our
boundaries and to live in the security of an expectation of all staff to be positive role
ordered structure known as the Wynberg Way. models.
Our House System helps maintain this boy- Leadership: There is every opportunity for all
friendly environment in which rules are students to develop their leadership and
carefully considered and applied. Boys are management skills. Captaining sports teams,
encouraged to accept responsibility for their acting as society chairpersons, serving on
actions, with minor transgressions dealt with numerous sub-committees, the Representative
swiftly, and with understanding. Those guilty Council of Learners (RCL), house captains and
of major transgressions, especially those which prefects are but some of the roles to stand
negatively affect the well-being of others, must them in good stead as they head into the
expect to be dealt with firmly. workplace and broader society after matric.
Nyamezela: Grade 10s have the opportunity The Four Pillars: The needs of boys aside, the
to undertake an extremely challenging 14 day educational programme at Wynberg is built
hike in the Cederberg. The Nyamezela, isiXho- on four pillars of Academics, Culture, Service,
sa for “see through hard times”, is both a physi- and Sport. Boys are expected to be actively
cal and mental test of endurance and an im- involved in all four pillars throughout their
portant milestone in the boys’ rite of passage school career.

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 THE
WYNBERG WAY
MANNERS - FRIENDLY - PRIDE - AIM HIGH
SUPERA MORAS

MAKE YOUR MARK!

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ACADEMIC
PILLAR The School unambiguously regards
the Academic Pillar as central to its
approach to education.

Academically the school

caters for learners in two
phases: The Further Education and Training Course
(FET)
• The General Education and Training phase
(GET) (Grades 8 and 9, ages 13 – 15) Grade 10 is the first year of a three year
• The Further Education and Training phase National Senior Certificate course, with
(FET) (Grades 10, 11 and 12, ages 15 – 18) the following subjects which count toward
at the end of which students will write the university entrance on offer:
National Senior Certificate university entrance The four core (compulsory) subjects:
examination.
• Home Language - English
•F
 irst Additional Language - Afrikaans or
The General Education and Training Course isiXhosa
(GET) • Mathematics
All students in the GET phase follow a course • Life Orientation
which lays a broad foundation for more
Students are required to choose three more
detailed study encountered in the FET course.
elective subjects:
GET subjects offered at Wynberg: • Accounting
Grade 8 and Grade 9
• Construction
• English Home Language • Economics
• Afrikaans or isiXhosa (First Additional
Language) • Electronics
• Mathematics • Engineering Graphics & Design (EGD)
• Natural Sciences (Physics, Chemistry and • Geography
Biology)
• History
• Social Sciences (History and Geography)
• Technology • Information Technology
• Creative Arts (Drama, Music, Art and Dance) • Life Sciences
• Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) • Music
an introduction to Accounting, Economics and
Business Studies • Physical Sciences
• In Grade 8 we also teach Digital Literacy • Visual Arts
• In Grade 9 we offer a Coding and Drone Advanced Programme Mathematics is
Programme. outsourced to AdMaths, an independent
organisation off campus. The school serves as
an intermediary only.
Qualifying immigrant students may arrange to
substitute another subject for the compulsory
additional South African languages.

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Other academic initiatives Microsoft Teams are increasingly being used
by teachers to create digital textbooks on
Examinations and tests: The entire school
topics within their subjects.
writes standardised tests every Tuesday morn-
ing and Friday afternoon during a designated Moodle: This state-of-the-art online Student
test period. There are formal examinations at Content Management System is in daily use,
the end of the second and fourth terms for all allowing us to redefine how we approach
grades. lessons and how our students access content. It
is used in conjunction with MS Teams with both
In addition, at the end of the third term the
platforms fulfilling the following functions:
Grade 12s write their Preliminary Exams.
Students are encouraged to work consistently •S  tudent assignments can be uploaded,
throughout the year, as the cumulative year automatically checked for plagiarism, and
mark is increasingly important in determining marked through a rubric on screen.
their final results. • L essons can be delivered and progress
tracked – certain tasks cannot be started until
Technology: All students are required to bring a student has mastered the previous stage.
an electronic device, preferably a laptop, to
• Vast resources are available for students to
school. A cell phone does not count as an practise their skills. Quizzes and tests are
electronic device for academic purposes. administered online and marks can be seen
Our drive towards a paper-light system for instantly.
downloading textbooks, tests, and work- Minimum Performance Level (MPL)
sheets has revolutionised the way we teach
at Wynberg. Our first step in the paper-light To calculate your aggregate points, add to-
process was the use of electronic devices, the gether your subject averages excluding LO
next step is the universal use of eBooks. We’ve and AP subjects. Subjects below 40% are not
entered into an agreement with Snapplify, and counted.
from 2021 all textbooks will be available to • In Gr 10–12, six subject percentages are added
order online through the Snapplify platform. together to the get the aggregate points.
We are justifiably proud to be recognised • In Gr 8 and 9, the percentages for Maths,
nationally as being at the forefront of the English, Afrikaans/isiXhosa are compulsory
application of technology in education, and to in calculating the points. To determine the
be a Microsoft Certified School. MPL, the best 3 marks out of Natural Sciences,
Social Sciences, Creative Arts and Technology/
• Free wi-fi available throughout the campus
EMS combined are added together.
• Free MS Office suite available to all learners
•U  niversity entry requirements are loosely
• Free Office 365 account available to all learners based on this system. 480 points results
on all devices (maximum 10 copies). in a guaranteed acceptance at first choice
Microsoft Teams: The Microsoft environ- universities for popular degrees (excluding
ment provides the full suite of products, with Medicine and some Science degrees) while a
those most regularly used being Word, Excel, score of 390–420 will gain acceptance at 2nd
Powerpoint, Outlook for email, and Microsoft or 3rd choice universities.
Teams. Every subject at Wynberg creates a Criteria for Wynberg Pass / Bronze - 290 points
Microsoft Team in which boys communicate (minimum required for Bachelors pass)
with one another and their teacher regarding Criteria for a SILVER Pass - 360 points
theory with interactive questions about the Criteria for a GOLD Pass - 420 points
subject matter. Criteria for a BLUE Pass - 480 points

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CULTURAL
PILLAR Culture is not a thing one acquires:
it is a lifelong process...

All students are encouraged to participate in various events. Students interested in learning
the wide variety of cultural opportunities at to play an instrument will be individually
the school. coached by one of the music staff. A choir
and vocal ensemble participate in a number
Activities may vary from year to year as interests of our school functions and Eisteddfods. The
grow and decline, though many have been in
Concert Band practises every weekday before
place for over a hundred years, and promise to
school, and those interested need to bear this
be so for decades to come.
commitment in mind.
Drama: The school has a strong drama tradition
with an annual major production presented in Societies: These meet before school, at breaks
collaboration with other schools. Various Music or in the late afternoon or evening. It is during
and Drama Evenings, including the inter-house this time that the debaters meet, students learn
play competition, are regular highlights of the new skills, and the chess players test their wits
school calendar. Each year the Wynberg Boys’ against each other, all without the interruptions
Acting Association (WBAA) participates in the of sport or academic matters.
National Schools Shakespeare Festival. Societies on offer include:
Music: Apart from taking music as a subject, Chess, Capstone, Muslim and African Societies,
boys are able to learn the piano, brass, strings, Gaming Society, Multimedia Society, Infotech,
and wind instruments as an extra-mural activity. Surfing Club, Gardening Society, Space
The school has five musical ensembles – the Society, Outdoor Society and the flourishing
concert band and string orchestra as well as Debating Society. Other societies are added
jazz, steel and pipe bands – which play at school from time to time as determined by interest
functions and perform outside the school at and demand.

SERVICE “Life’s most persistent and urgent

PILLAR question is: what are you doing
for others?“ (Martin Luther King)

It is important that young people learn to serve Library, Sound and Lighting, Media, Security,
the community in which they grow up, and we Ushering and Backstage crews, assisting in the
regard service as an important part of their organisation of various sports, and many sub-
education. committees. In conjunction with the organ-
The following opportunities for service exist isation Living Hope, the Grade 8s have in recent
in the school: Community Service Projects, years assisted the Capricorn Park community in
First Aid, Computer Room, Prefects, Interact, essential maintenance work.

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SPORTS
PILLAR Wynberg Boys’ High
is serious about sport.

Sporting expectations Coaching, in many instances by professional

coaches, is offered in all the above, and
Sports participation in a summer and winter players are guaranteed at least ten fixtures per
sport is expected of all students in Grades 8 - season in all team sports. The Swimming team
10. only takes part in inter-schools galas, without
In Grade 8 and 9, boys are expected to play practices or coaching offered.
rugby or hockey. They may play another winter Wynberg also enters teams or allows individuals
sport, but it must be in addition to hockey or to enter under the name of the school in other
rugby. inter-school activities such as:
All Grade 11 and 12s are expected to play • Bodyboarding
sport but may choose another activity with • Cycling
the permission of their House Head. Grade • Fencing
11 and 12s must be involved in a significant • Judo
sport/activity throughout the year in order to • Sailing
qualify for matric colours. • Shooting
Support and showing one’s colours are an • Surfing
essential part of our Wynberg sporting ethos • Triathlon
and our much-envied school spirit. All students
are expected to support certain derby fixtures Although we participate as a school, there is
during the course of the year. These compulsory no formal coaching offered in these activities,
events, known as All in for Wynberg events, and fixtures are not arranged by the school
are listed in the school diary and well- outside of the usual leagues. The list of these
advertised in advance. activities may vary from year to year.

Boys may choose from the sports offered at the Sportsmanship:

school: Friendship, Rivalry,
Summer sports and Competition.
• Athletics
All sport at school is aimed at teaching students
• Basketball
not only the skills, traditions and etiquette of
• Cricket
the various sports, but also to understand the
• Swimming responsibilities and advantages that come
• Tennis with teamwork: to play the game, to be fair, to
• Water Polo respect the umpires and referees, and to play
• Summer League Squash to the best of one’s ability.
Winter sports
• Cross Country
• Golf
• Hockey
• Rugby
• Squash
• Soccer

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LITTLEWOOD
BOARDING HOUSE Firmamentum Ludi
- the Backbone of
the School.

There can be many reasons why boys and The Hostel is under the personal supervision
their parents may decide that they would like a of a senior member of staff and his wife who
boarding option when moving to high school. are specialists in their field. They are assisted
by five resident masters, a professional team
• It offers the special structure, camaraderie and
of caterers and housekeepers, and Student
spirit provided only by communal living in a
Masters.
well-run institution
Littlewood supports the philosophy of boarders
• It opens wider options, as one is not limited returning home over weekends to maintain
to a choice of schools within daily commuting contact with families and their communities. No
distance boarder, unless termly (or unable to return to a
• It teaches young men to live together
family member or guardian), is allowed to stay
unselfishly and with tolerance in over a weekend after normal school activities
have ended. In the event of the student being
• Lifetime friendships are formed a termly boarder, every effort must be made to
allow him to visit family over weekends.
• Independence is developed

• Young men learn to work in a team

Boarding Fees
• Optimum usage is made of school facilities
Fees, as listed at the end of this document,
• Boarders become true all-rounders are payable annually, termly, or monthly. Full
details appear on our website under Boarding.
• Time spent travelling to and from school can Fees are reviewed and adjusted in November
be spent more productively each year.

LITTLEWOOD

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 It is Wynberg’s specific aim
COMMUNICATION to build a solid bridge of
communication between
the school and home.

Parent-School Communication
It is essential for the development of every Parent / Teacher Meetings
student that communication between parents
and teachers be positive and open. Parents are encouraged to support these
meetings which take the following forms:
Electronic communication: Weekly email
newsletters are distributed to all Wynberg General meetings are held from time to time
parents and guardians during term time. with the aim of parents and teachers to meet
These contain both news stories and our 7-day socially and get to know one another.
weekly planner of activities. In addition, regular Specific meetings are called after each
information notices are communicated either by
term’s formal assessments where parents are
email, via the students, or through our website.
given an opportunity to meet the teachers
Email: This is the preferred and most efficient to discuss progress of students in specific
method of communication between parents and subjects. Ten-minute slots with individual
the school. All staff email addresses are available teachers may be booked in advance on
on our website. Emails will be acknowledged Moodle using the student’s login details.
within 24 hours, with queries dealt with as soon
Grade meetings are held with parents
as possible.
to discuss matters pertinent to grades or
WhatsApp Groups: All parents are sent invitations houses.
to join their son’s grade group. These groups are
no-reply, broadcast-only, for essential messages,
web links, and event notices.
Website: www.wbhs.org.za The school website is
regularly updated with news and events, and is
our central platform for all information, including
the annual school calendar.
Social Media: Wynberg is renowned for its
extensive social media coverage of School Life,
major events, and Old Boys’ interests. A detailed
list of our Facebook Pages, Instagram accounts,
our YouTube channel, and other social media
platforms may be found on our website under
the Contact section
Diary: All students are issued with a School Diary
containing the school calendar including the test
and exam timetable for the year.
Circulars: These are sent via email, with copies
on the school website, and linked into weekly
newsletters.

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GENERAL
INFORMATION

School Uniform Our official School Uniform stockist is

School and Leisure situated in Rondebosch
Our compulsory school uniform is very much Main Shopping Centre – Tel: 021 686 1541/2.
part of our tradition, and important in provid-
ing boys with an identity, in countering dis- They are the only official stockists of school
crimination on financial grounds, and in cutting colours, but also stock charcoal longs, khaki
costs and avoiding fashion trend competition. shorts, school blazers, short black, charcoal or
khaki socks, etc. Though it is obviously more
• Summer Uniform: Khaki shorts with khaki convenient to do one-stop uniform shopping,
socks (or charcoal longs with black or charcoal there is no compulsion to use the stockist for
socks); white shirt (long or short sleeved); navy non-branded items – these may be purchased
blazer with school badge; black shoes; school at stockists of choice.
tie; black belt.
•W  inter Uniform: Long charcoal trousers with Quality used uniform items, as well as support-
black or charcoal socks and a black belt; ers’ gear, can be purchased from the School
white shirt (long sleeved); navy blue blazer Shop every Wednesday during term-time,
with school badge; black shoes; school tie; between 14:00 and 15:00, or at times adver-
black belt; regulation grey or blue pullover tised in the weekly email newsletters.
school jersey.
• School Shoes: Black lace-ups, with rounded Books
toe caps. Grasshopper-style footwear is not
permitted. Most textbooks are ebooks and must be
ordered by families from the suppliers.
Please note: Either winter or summer uniform
may be worn as appropriate for the weather on Lockers
the day. On all formal occasions (Prize Giving,
Valedictory, School Excursions, etc.) winter A limited number of lockers are available at the
uniform is worn irrespective of season and school and may be hired on an annual basis at
weather. a fee of R200. Boys will be required to provide
their own padlocks.
Other compulsory kit
or uniform items: 2022 School Hours
• navy blue shorts, house shirt, regulation School starts at 07:45 and closes at
school sport shirt 14:55 on Monday and Tuesdays,
• regulation school tracksuit 14:40 on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and
• regulation school tog bag. 12:40 on Fridays, but students may be expected
• regulation school book bag. to remain after school for a variety of activities.
Individual sports have their own uniform re- No student is allowed to leave the school
quirements communicated to players at sports premises during school hours without
registration. permission.

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2022 School Fees
School fees are R55 100 per annum payable
annually, termly, or monthly. Full details appear
on our website under Admissions. Fees are
reviewed and adjusted in November each year.
Section 39(4) of the SA Schools Act (1998)
stipulates that some parents may be partially
or fully exempted from paying school fees.
Exemption forms may be requested from the
fees administrator before the end of January.
Parents must be aware that requests for
exemption may place an additional financial
burden on those parents who do pay their
fees. The purpose of school fees is to maintain
staffing ratios and extensive facilities - the state
provides only 1% of our discretionary budget
annually.
Kindly note: when giving notice to take your
son out of the school and/or hostel, a term’s
notice is required or alternatively a term’s fees
in lieu of notice.

2022 Littlewood Boarding School Contact Details

House Fees Telephone: 021 797 4247
(Mondays - Fridays during term-time)
Boarding Fees are R59 900 per annum
payable annually, termly, or monthly. Website: www.wbhs.org.za
Full details appear on our website under Moodle: www.moodle.wbhs.org.za
Boarding. Fees are reviewed and adjusted
in November each year. Facebook: facebook.com/WynbergBHS
Instagram: Wynbergboyshighschool_official
2022 Annual Music Fees Email: [email protected]
R6 000 Subject music fees Address: Wynberg Boys’ High School,
(1 hour per week, 30 weeks). Lovers’ Walk, Wynberg, 7800
R3 000 Non-Subject music fees
(1/2 hr per week, 30 weeks).
R1 100 Instrument hire.

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