About Us

Founded in 1962, Edenvale High School is a well established academic secondary school which has a proud heritage, and has established a sound reputation for:

• Maintaining high standards
• The pursuit of excellence
• The development of the intellectual, physical, social and cultural interests of our learners
• learners who have Self-discipline and accept responsibility.

Before 1960 there were very few English-medium High Schools on the East Rand.  The major and older towns, such as Germiston, Boksburg, Benoni and Brakpan each had one. Towns such as Kempton Park, Edenvale and Bedfordview had none, making it necessary for the children to travel great distances to get to school.

As the population of Edenvale, Befordview and Kempton Park grew, there arose a pressing need for at least one English-medium High School to serve the area. As Edenvale offered the most central location, a site in St. Mary Road, Hurlyvale, was set aside for the new school.

The first few years were spent in pre-fabricated buildings surrounding dusty playgrounds.  The first PTA meeting was held in the Edenvale Town Hall because the school had no electricity!  The Edenvale Sports Club grounds were used for athletics and soccer, but already a great spirit was developing.  A school uniform was designed, and the year ended with the Acting principal handing over to Mr C van der Schyff.

In 1965, Edenvale High produced its first Matriculants and by 1966, pupil numbers were up to 507, despite the fact that Kempton Park pupils now had their own school.  By this time, levelling of the new site in Linksfield Road had begun, and a foundation stone was laid on 22 October 1966.  The new buildings were ready for occupation at the end of the third term of 1967 but the Department was unable to help with the move.  Teachers and pupils who loaded up all the furniture and goods into a fleet of trucks and vans generously loaned by the business community of Edenvale, and the school moved into the sparkling new buildings over a period of two days.

Edenvale High School has been successfully functioning in its existing buildings since then.  A swimming pool, tennis court and netball courts, driveways, pathways and carports were built with money raised by the parents.  There are now four fully equipped computer centres with 306 computers with internet connections, as well as twelve interactive Smart Boards in various classrooms.  Sixty - eight staff use lap laptops and data projectors in their everyday teaching.  We also have an Internet Café with twenty four computers for project work and Information Technology.

The school is growing.  Currently we have a student body of 1168.  The school at present has sixty-eight staff members, giving a teacher : pupil ratio of 1:23  Staff and pupils alike are motivated by the theme of the school:  “GOOD TO GREAT”.

DR L HARMER

<< go back