Founded in 1921 P RO S P E C T U S KEARSNEY COLLEGE
F ROM T H E H E A DMA S T E R Kearsney College is one of the great South African traditional boys’ high schools, at the forefront of independent education in our country and the continent. We strive to empower all our young men to develop to their full potential, achieving balance in pursuing academic, sporting and cultural excellence. At Kearsney we embrace diversity and transformation and encourage our boys to respect, understand and value each other’s differences. We aim for each boy to emerge from Kearsney with a thirst for knowledge and an enquiring mind. We seek to equip our boys with the knowledge, skills, character and self-confidence to succeed in the modern world, and the values and wisdom to be valuable members of society and make a meaningful contribution to our country and the world at large. I trust that this prospectus will give you an insight into life at Kearsney College and inspire you to visit us. It would be our pleasure to welcome you to our school. Patrick Lees
H E R I TAG E Kearsney College was founded in 1921 by Sir Liege Hulett, at his family home on KwaZuluNatal’s North Coast, near KwaDukuza (Stanger). The school was named after the Kearsney Abbey in the village near Sir Liege’s ancestral home in Kent. The school opened in its remote location with 11 boarders and two day scholars in August 1921. Kearsney’s badge was designed in 1923. The greyhound is taken from the arms of the Founder, Sir James Liege Hulett. The scallop shells and the dividing chevron are from the arms of the founder of Methodism, John Wesley. The pheon, or arrowhead, is taken from the badge of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, where the then Headmaster, Mr R H Matterson, studied. The dangers of malaria on the North Coast prompted a search for a more suitable site, and in 1939 Kearsney College moved to its present site in Botha’s Hill. A month before the outbreak of World War II the new Kearsney College opened its doors, with ninety-six boys enrolled. Today Kearsney College is home to around six hundred and fifty boys and is recognised as one of the country’s most prestigious schools, renowned for its world-class holistic education. As Kearsney moves conf idently into the future, we remain true to our founding ideals of being an extraordinary place of learning, passionately committed to producing young men of distinction.
P E R S ON A L D E V E L O P M E N T A N D PA S T O R A L C A R E Kearsney is a Christian school closely linked to the Methodist Church of Southern Africa. A full time Chaplain directs the spiritual programme of the College, which includes devotions each weekday, with a full Chapel service once a week. Although Kearsney has a Methodist foundation, all denominations and faiths are welcome at the school. The Mentorship Programme, which pairs senior boys with junior boys, is designed to integrate the junior boys into the life of the College as quickly and smoothly as possible, assisting their academic, sporting, cultural and social development. Similarly, the Tutorship Programme assigns every boy a staff member as a tutor to oversee the boy’s holistic development and ensure that every boy in the College has at least one adult with whom they can build a supportive relationship. Kearsney believes that every pupil should be treated with respect and dignity and should live and learn in a welcoming and empowering environment. The College values and embraces diversity and the “Imbizo” was established in 2017 to provide a platform for all groups within the College to have their voices heard and to be understood. The Imbizo recognises that the Kearsney community consists of many cultural groups and that it is vital that every group be afforded the respect and dignity it deserves. We provide a wide range of curricular and extra-curricular programmes to facilitate the personal, social, emotional and spiritual development of every boy. Personal growth is promoted through numerous courses, including leadership, social skills and etiquette, personal effectiveness, public speaking and f inancial education, and through our compulsory and extensive Community Service programme. We also provide career guidance and work experience placements.
In 2010 the boys developed and instituted an Honour Code, reinforcing the values of the College and committing themselves to the highest standards of personal integrity. The Honour Code: We are boys of integrity, honesty and honour. We do not cheat, lie, steal or bully and do not tolerate those who do. We respect each other, value diversity and reject all forms of racism, gender bias, prejudice and discrimination. We undertake to uphold all the worthy traditions of the College. An Honour Council, comprising elected boys, guides and upholds the expected moral standards of their peers.
‘Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.’ Aristotle
AC A D E M I C E XC E L L E N C E The highly qualified and dedicated staff, superb teaching facilities, small class sizes and an extensive academic support programme combine to ensure that the highest academic standards are consistently achieved. The College enjoys an outstanding reputation as a centre of academic excellence and the boys approach their academics with the same competitive attitude as they approach their sporting and cultural endeavours. Our sophisticated Inclusion Programme paves the way for boys with barriers to learning both to be accepted into the school and to be assisted to achieve the highest academic standards of which they are capable. We believe that true education means fostering a love of learning and developing intellectual curiosity and independent thought. The curriculum is designed around this ideal. In keeping with the philosophy of preparing boys for success after school, the College places a strong emphasis on Mathematics, English and Science excellence.
Kearsney boys write the internationallyrecognised IEB examinations, providing the best possible academic foundation and preparation for success at university and in life.
A RT S & C U LT U R E Kearsney believes that the Arts are a vital component of a holistic education and the skills and values developed in the Arts are crucial to a boy’s development. The Kearsney College Choir enjoys international renown and is famous for the energy, passion and precision of its performances. Since 2000 the Choir has been crowned world champions on four occasions and won fifteen gold and seven silver medals at the biannual World Choir Games, making it the second-most decorated choir in the history of the Games, the largest choir competition in the world. In 2012 and 2014 the Choir was selected to represent Africa at the “Rhythms of One World” International Choral Festival in the UN headquarters in New York and Geneva respectively. In 2022 the choir was ranked 24th, out of the top 1000 choirs in the world, by the international cultural organisation Interkultur. The Kearsney Choir undertakes regular international tours and has performed on some of the world’s most famous stages, including the Musikverein in Vienna, the Hachioji Theatre in Tokyo, the Avery Fisher Hall in New York and the Victoria Hall in Geneva. The Music Department also comprises an orchestra, marimba band and gumboot dancing troupe. The annual Culture@Kearsney programme, comprising art, drama, music, dance, words, and photography/ videography festivals and exhibitions, provides a platform for talented youngsters from around the province to showcase their talent to large and appreciative audiences. This unique commitment to cultural excellence ensures that all the Arts enjoy a high profile at the College and that all boys at the College are exposed to and learn to appreciate the Arts.
Kearsney College is acknowledged as one of the country’s top independent schools for sporting excellence. Participation in sport is regarded as integral to the Kearsney experience. Our highly trained and dedicated coaching staff, complemented by professional coaches, and world-class facilities provide the framework for boys to f lourish on the sports f ield. At Kearsney we understand that sport provides more than just physical well-being. A wide variety of sports are offered at Kearsney, allowing each boy to f ind his place in the sun, contributing to his social and psychological development. The College’s High Performance Programme ensures that talented sportsmen can achieve their potential, and every year numerous national and provincial sportsmen are produced. Personalised f itness and conditioning programmes are developed and specialists from a variety of f ields, including biokineticists, sports scientists, physiotherapists, dieticians and doctors, work with the boys to ensure optimal development and performance. S P O RT
FAC I L I T I E S Set in 124 wooded acres overlooking valleys and hills of exquisite natural beauty, Kearsney boasts magnif icent educational and sporting facilities. Boys enjoy the benef it of more than twenty sporting venues on campus. The facilities include seven sports f ields, a f loodlit, water-based hockey astroturf, basketball courts, squash courts and tennis courts, two pools, one of which is heated, and a mountain bike track set in the conservancy. The SportZone, an indoor sports centre, houses a fully equipped gymnasium, seven indoor cricket nets, an indoor hockey and soccer pitch and two basketball courts. Kearsney has state-of-the-art classrooms and facilities for academic, sports and cultural programmes. Advanced IT resources in the classroom support progressive teaching and participative learning, contributing to our consistently outstanding academic success.
B OA R D E R S & DAY S C HO L A R S Kearsney College offers boarding and day schooling options. A f lexible arrangement, with both termly and weekly boarding, caters for diverse circumstances, personalities and needs. Boarding provides opportunities for personal growth, fun and friendship, and boys benef it from the structure and discipline of the boarding environment. With two hours of monitored prep time each evening, boarders receive a quality academic experience. Day scholars are assigned to the various houses and are fully integrated into all aspects of College life. Many day scholars take the opportunity to stay overnight in the boarding houses to share the camaraderie, or to take advantage of the environment to focus on their studies. There are f ive boarding houses on campus – four senior houses and Haley House, for Grade 8 boys exclusively. Pupils are under the care of House Prefects, Duty Masters and their Housemaster, who is responsible for looking after them during their time at Kearsney. The boarding houses provide a supportive environment where boys learn independence and responsibility, vital qualities for success at university and beyond. The College provides transpor t to and from the airpor t for boarders at the star t and end of holidays.
S TA F F & L E A D E R S H I P The Headmaster of Kearsney College, Mr Patrick Lees, is the College’s eighth headmaster in over one hundred years. Patrick has a wealth of teaching and leadership experience and is highly respected as a dynamic and passionate leader. Kearsney College is distinguished by the exceptional quality of its staff. The College’s highly qualified, dedicated and professional staff members are integral to the success of the College in all spheres. Our staff share a passion for teaching, a love for the school and a commitment to helping each and every Kearsney boy develop to his full potential.
The spacious and beautiful 50ha campus is situated in Botha’s Hill, on the edge of the ‘Valley of a Thousand Hills’, midway between Durban and Pietermaritzburg, in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We are conveniently located just six kilometres off the M13 and N3 highways, a short thirty minute drive from either city. King Shaka International Airport is a forty-f ive minute drive from the College. L O C AT I ON
w w w . k e a r s n e y . c o m 25 Old Main Road, Botha’s Hill, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, 3660 Phone: +27(0)31 765 9600 | email: info@kearsney.com
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