Our history

1923
10 January
Col. Edwin Smedley-Willams

Founding headmaster of Selborne Primary School. There were 342 students registered in the first year and the school premises were located in Muir street. 

Two schools

Selborne Primary School became separate from Selborne College

1930
Mothers' Committee started

by Miss Elizabeth Sims

1937
Requested to move to same premises as Selborne College
1938
Soccer

The sport was started at the school by Walter Munday. He was a teacher from 1938 - 1968.

1939
Parents Teachers Association

Mr Mollatt founded the Parents Teachers Association. Conway Cragg was the first chairman.

School library

Miss Sylvia Dickie proposed a school library.

1940
Sporting codes

Athletics, swimming, cricket and tennis

1944
Alan Lister

Alan Lister became the president of the South African Teachers Association

1947
Selborne badges

Mr Lister asked permission to use the College badge with Primary wording included. George Floyd agreed.

New premises

The primary moved to the same premises as the College, in Dawson road.

Boys' council

The Boys' council was started by Mr Lister

1952
First school magazine

School magazine, named 'The Beehive' was first published.

Group work

Mr Stevens took up the idea of group work which started in 1950 by Lister. This required tables and chairs instead of desks.

1955
Music department

Music department was started by Miss Jean Fowler.

1957
50 years

The 50th anniversary of the naming of Selborne was celebrated at the Primary School.

1966
14 September
Architectural drawings of new premises

Architects advised to proceed with draft working drawings for Selborne Primary.

1969
4 February
Site hand-over

Site handed to the builders

24 October
Foundation stone was laid
1972
New home at Crewe road

Founding headmaster of Selborne Primary School

1972
14 April
Official opening

Opening of new Primary buildings by Mr S Theron, director of Cape Education Department

Wild fig planted by Lord Selborne during centenary celebrations in 1972.

1974
First school swimming pool in East London

Swimming was able to take place at the school itself - The school had its own swimming pool opened by Lorna Betteridge.

1984
Grit award

The grit award was initiated and recognised determination in hardship.

1987
Selborne Pups

Selborne Pups Pre-Primary was opened.

1990
B model school

Adopted Model B (open schooling)

1992
C model school

Moved to model C, which meant the school was state subsidised with compulsory fees from parents.

First pupil exchange

Brockhurst

120 years

Selborne celebrates 120 years, with the Primary on current premises (Crewe road) for 20 years.

1993
The Big Walk

The funds enabled the sports pavilion to be started

1994
Construction completed

The sports pavilion was completed and the pre-primary building was established

1996
A new curriculum

The SA Schools Act introduced a new curriculum

1997
More sporting codes

The school now also offered hockey, waterpolo, cross-country, table tennis and cycling as part of their sporting codes.

125 years

Celebrating 125 years of the Selborne schools

1998
Standards to grades

Schools made the switch from standards to grades.

for example: Grade 7 was known as Std.5; Grade 3 as Std.1. 

Outcomes-based education introduced

Outcomes-based education (OBE) introduced in grade 1, together with the subject of design and technology

The Black & White

Boys of different cultures were accepted. On that evening, the primary hall was filled with a myriad of black and white balloons that signified that the doors were open to all young boys.

2000
Multipurpose centre

The Ken Schaefer Multipurpose Centre was opened

2001
Music centre planning

The dream of the WA Stevens Music centre to be realised in 2005.

2004
Stevens House closed

The Primary hostel, Stevens House was closed.

2005
WA Stevens Music Block

The WA Stevens Music block opens

2007
Golf

Golf is added as a school sport

2009
900 boys registered

900 boys from Gr RR - Gr 7

Four-stream school

Expansion to a four-stream school

2011
CAPS

OBE is replaced by CAPS (National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement)

2014
Gone Google

Selborne Primary has gone Google.