St. Charles College, Pietermaritzburg

St. Charles College

Fideli certa merces – to the faithful one, a certain reward
Location
Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal
South Africa
Information
Type Private, Boarding
Established 1875
Locale Suburban
Headmaster Allen van Blerk
Exam board Cambridge International Examinations
Grades 000-12
Number of students 800 boys
Colour(s) Blue and Gold          
Website www.scc.co.za

St Charles College, founded in 1875, is a Christian, independent boys college situated in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, catering for day boys from Grade 000 to Matric, with boarders from Grade 4 upwards.

History

St Charles Grammar School for Boys was established on 26 July 1875 by Bishop Charles Jolivet of the Order of Mary Immaculate (OMI), in Loop Street, Pietermaritzburg. The School was later sold to the Marist Brothers in 1912 who renamed it St Charles College. Growth was so substantial that 14 years later it was necessary to move the College out of its cramped buildings in the city to the suburb of Scottsville, also in Pietermaritzburg. Undergoing rapid expansion, particularly in the 1950s, the future of St Charles was seemingly assured until, with declining interest in vocations in the Catholic Church, the College almost closed its doors in 1978. It was saved by the eleventh-hour intervention of a small group of Old Boys who worked to re-establish the College, resulting in a non-denominational school with a secular Headmaster.

An Aerial view of the college in early 2011

Significant dates

Academics

Cambridge International Examinations

St. Charles College offers Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) in the senior school. In 2002, Previous headmaster Ronnie Kuhn, implemented CIE Examinations into the school system and 2012 marked the tenth anniversary that St. Charles College has benefited from using CIE. Students in grade 10, write IGCSE and students in grade 11 and 12 write AS and A Levels, the GCE Advanced Level.

Subjects offered

Sports

Facilities

SCC boasts one of the largest Cricket Ovals in Pietermaritzburg

The school is situated on 15 acres of land in Scottsville Pietermaritzburg. St. Charles College provides a large variety of sports. Facilities include:

  • 11 fields used for cricket, rugby, football, hockey
  • Indoor basketball court
  • 6 tennis courts
  • Artificial hockey surface
  • Provincial size cricket oval
  • 2 squash courts
  • Gym and conditioning centre
  • 20 cricket Nets
  • Indoor Basketball Centre
  • 4 outdoor basketball courts
  • 2 swimming pools

Sports offered

Houses

Entrance to St. Charles College on Harwin Road

There are currently four houses at St. Charles College, with equal numbers of students in each. O'Meara House was disbanded by former Principal, Mr Ronnie Kuhn, in 1991 due to small numbers at the College in the early years of his Principalship. Kuhn's reasoning for disbanding O'Meara House was that the numbers at the Senior School were at about 180 which meant four Houses had approximately 45 boys each – three Houses meant 60 boys per House.

References

    External links

    Coordinates: 29°36′30″S 30°24′31″E / 29.608375°S 30.408557°E / -29.608375; 30.408557

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