1895-1908

In September 1884 the Kerkraad of the Dutch Reformed Church, situated on the top of Carr Hill, decided to found a school for girls in Wynberg. Wynberg at this time was a little village on the wagon road from Cape Town. It was situated near the Military camp and surrounded by "Little Chelsea" with its cottages and narrow winding streets.

The minister of the Dutch Reformed Church at that time lived in the old Pastorie where the boarding house is situated today. The church council decided to build a little school building (where the school library is today) and named the school "Ladies Seminary" - it was soon nicknamed the "School in the Bush."

The school was officially opened in 1885 with two teachers - Misses Annie Brink and Nellie Brink - and twenty-seven young boys and girls. The first principal was Miss Margaret Stewart (1885-1890)

The school motto was chosen in 1890 – and the phrase Honour before Honours means "Personal integrity and character are more important than winning prizes and awards."

The first Standard Ten class matriculated in 1892, and until 1936, the school included pupils from Sub A to Standard Ten. The Cape Education department took over the running of the school in 1905.

The first hostel was built in 1885, and was situated where the main hall is today. The new school was built in 1900, and had dormitories upstairs. The room now used for Career Guidance and Life Skills used to be a dormitory. Lab One was the kitchen, and the library was the dining room. The school at this time was called Girls’ Public School.

During this time Physical Education and Sport were introduced into the school. Wynberg was the first girls’ school in South Africa to have a fully qualified Physical Education teacher, Mrs Dolly Rees who studied in London. A gymnasium was erected in 1900, and a hockey field was laid out where the Wellington Quad is today. Activities at school were hockey cricket and tennis.

1909-1914

During Miss A Chambers time (1909-1914) as principal, the school hall was built. It is now our Ballet hall and is the oldest building in the school, dating back to 1891.

Miss King 1914-1936

Under the leadership of Miss King, a new building was made for the Junior pupils. The Peninsula Girls’ Schools Games Union was formed and Interschools events became a feature of school life. Prefect and House systems were introduced and the school magazine was revived, and has been published every year since 1916

Miss Hawkins

In 1936, the Junior School became a separate school, but still wore the same uniform as the High School. School colours were originally brown and gold, but changed to navy and blue, until Miss Hawkins discovered an original silk banner and changed the colours back to brown and gold.

The land the school was built on originally belonged to Captain Underwood who fought under the Duke of Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo. He named his estate Waterloo. In 1938, a new hostel was built and Miss Hawkins named it Waterloo House. Miss Hawkins asked the 5^th Duke of Wellington if she could use his coat of arms as the new school badge. A new gymnasium was built, and opened in 1944, after the other one was damaged in a gale force wind.

Miss A Currie

The classroom which is called Room A today, was the only new classroom built during the difficult years after World War 11. In 1958, the new hall as we now know it was opened.

Miss J Urie

In 1963, the school song was written. In 1965, nine new classrooms were built. In 1968 four new tennis courts were built in Ellerslie Road. In 1969, the swimming pool was built (entirely out of school funds) and in 1970 the hockey field was grassed. The first tuckshop was opened behind the ballet hall, where our present kitchen is today. The 7^th Duke of Wellington visited our school in 1969, and the names of our houses are associated with him.

In 1974 ballet was introduced as a subject. In 1984, in time for the Centenary celebrations 17 new classrooms were built on the old hockey field and our school as we know it was complete.

Mrs C Walters –1988-1998

In the year in which Mrs Walters arrived, a Parent Teacher Association was established for the first time, and matriculants were encouraged to become paid up members of the Wiyberg Old Girls' Union. In 1993, the library was compeletely reburbished: a mezzanine floor put in and the library administrative area extended. A new tuck shop between the hall and the art room was built. From 1996-1998, significant technological developments were made: more television sets and video casette recorders were bought. The new state of the art computer room was opened in 1997, and scanners, a digital camera and a hi-tech dignital projector system were purchased, establishing this computer training centre as one of the finest in the country. During 1997, the hostel and the hockey clubhouse were renovated. Wynberg became the first South African school to lay an Astroturf. Computer Science was introduced as an academic subject in 1998, and A levels courses are offered either as a post matric course or as one which could be studied concurrently with Grades 11 and 12.