Rustenburg School for Girls

Rustenburg School for Girls
palmam qui meruit ferat
Location
Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
Information
Type	All Girls State School
Established	1894
Headmistresses	Mrs D. Berry (Junior), Ms. L. Bekker (High)
Grades	1–12
Students	350 (Junior), 770 (High)
2011 Fees (Junior)	R20,500 pa
2011 Fees (High)	R24,000 pa (tuition) R31,250 pa (boarding)
Houses	Michael, Cambridge, Bleby, Innes, Marchand
Website	www.rghs.org.za www.rgjs.co.za

Rustenburg Girls' High School and Rustenburg Junior School make up a prestigious public school situated in the suburb of Rondebosch in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. It was founded in 1894. The school offers a range of cultural activities and societies.

History

Sketch of Rustenburg House by Montrose Cloete

The school was founded in 1894 in the historic Rustenburg House, which dates from the early years of the Dutch settlement at the Cape In 1932, the High School moved into its new buildings on Erinville Estate and Charlie's Hope. Charlie's Hope was subsequently demolished in 1976, before being rebuilt closer to the school. Erinville is now the name of the High School's boarding house. Rustenburg House was declared a National Monument in 1941, but still houses the Junior School.

Headmistresses of the High School:

• Miss Alicia Bleby, 1894–1911
• Miss Jean Donaldson-Wright, 1912–1916
• Miss Caroline Kemp, 1916–1936
• Miss Gwen Hazell, 1937–1951
• Miss Margaret Thomson, 1952–1979
• Mrs Josephine McIntyre, 1980–1991
• Mrs Mary van Blerk, 1991–1999
• Dr Elizabeth Fullard, 1999–2006
• Miss Laura Bekker, 2007 -

Headmistresses of the Junior School:

• Miss Marion Roper, 1933–1944
• Miss Zoë Orton, 1945–1967
• Mrs Ruth Jones, 1968–1977
• Miss Hazel Lentin, 1978–1998
• Mrs Conway, 1998–2007
• Mrs Di Berry, 2008 -

Academics

Rustenburg has an excellent academic record. Rustenburg has been ranked in the top 10 schools in the Western Cape for academic results in the Matric Examinations for many years. In 2010 the school was placed as the third most academically successful school in the Western Cape, up from position six in 2009.

Grade 12 NSC Results	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
Number of candidates	127	130?	142	152	161
Pass Rate (%)	100	100	100	100	100
Matriculation Exemption/ Bachelors Pass	98.4%	97%	99%	97%	97.5%
A aggregates/Distinctions	50	47	-	-	-
Subject A's	-	262	324	313	373
Subject B's	-	199	357	-	-
Top aggregate	-	106,1%	92.3%	90.8%	90.8%

Previous top academic candidates include: 2005 - Katherine Paterson, 2006 - Carmen Hartmann, 2007 - Kirsten Rowe, 2008 - Rudi Botha, 2009 - Adriana Oberholzer. In 2010 the top candidate was Samantha Filby with an aggregate of 90,83% and 8 subject distinctions, placing first in the province for Music. In 2008, Jana Terblanche was awarded 300/300 for Visual Arts, placing first in the Western Cape and was nominated as one of the best young artists in the country.

In 2009, the Sunday Times published a list of the top 100 government schools in the country, based on the 2008 matric results and Rustenburg was placed fifth.

Sport

A Rustenburg tennis player at the 2006 Interschools Tennis

Rustenburg has always been well-represented in South African and Western Province teams. In 2007, three girls represented South Africa in sailing, squash and Artistic gymnastics while two staff members represented South Africa in touch rugby and triathlon. Western Province was represented by 39 girls in:

• Artistic gymnastics
• cricket
• cross-country
• diving
• golf
• hip-hop
• hockey
• ice-skating
• karate
• kick-boxing
• lifesaving
• indoor netball
• sailing
• squash
• swimming
• tennis
• waterpolo

The school has nine tennis courts, a swimming pool and two hockey–cricket fields. Sports offered by Rustenburg: badminton, cricket, cross-country, diving, hockey, indoor hockey, indoor netball, netball, running, soccer, squash, swimming, tennis, touch rugby, waterpolo.

Music

Rustenburg has always been known for its outstanding musical record. The Music Department is run by Miss Elizabeth Sole and features an Orchestra, Choir, Chamber Choir, Jazz Band, Wind Band, String Quartet, Vocal Quartet, String Ensemble and Savuyisa (Marimba Band). Rustenburg excelled at the Royal College of Music practical examinations with four distinctions and an ABRSM High Scorer with 94%. The Junior School Choir went to Pretoria and came first in the ATKV Applous in 2011.

Notable Old Girls

• Hlubi Mboya, actress on Isidingo, a South African soap opera
• Grethe Fox, actress on Isidingo
• Karen van der Laag, actress on Isidingo and starred in The Story of an African Farm
• Nicky Greenwall, one of South Africa's leading entertainment TV journalists
• Lisa Brice, artist
• Sacha Hendricks, dancer with the Cape Town City Ballet
• Yunn-Chih (Yvonne) Chi, member of Blast Impact and Survivability Research Unit
• Carol te Water, principal of Greenfield Junior School
• Désirée Talbot, opera singer
• Professor Catherine Albertyn at the University of Witwatersrand
• Katherine Ward, Spent many years at The Priory before recently marrying a mental health professional. She is happy and stable.
• Prof Lesbury van Zyl (née Wagener) - Emeritus Professor of Law , Department of Jurisprudence, Unisa
• Louise Carver, singer
• Gaby Lomberg, actress and singer
• Pauline Vogelpoel MBE, late director of the Contemporary Art Society and member of the International Council of the Tate Gallery
• Professor Jennifer Thomson of Microbiology at the University of Cape Town
• Marjorie Scott, Marine biologist and later freshwater biologist
• Dr Kim Prochazka, Director of the International Ocean Institute-Southern Africa
• Jennifer Ehlers, Creative Director and equity partner of King James RSVP who judged the Promotional Marketing at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival
• Margaret King, a director of Aquascutum
• Marcia Leveson, formerly Professor of English at the University of Witwatersrand
• Elizabeth Voigt, late director of the McGregor Museum in Kimberley

See also

• List of primary schools in South Africa
• List of High Schools in South Africa