There are just as many private and government high and primary boarding schools in Pretoria as there are in other big cities across South Africa.
Here in this article, we are going to provide a comprehensive review of the top 10 affordable boarding schools in Pretoria including their fees.
What is A Boarding School?
A boarding school is primarily a pre-tertiary institution that provides lodging accommodation and meals to the students while being given formal education.
Check Also: Top 10 Cheapest Boarding Schools in Gauteng
And, oftentimes, these schools only offer boarding services to learners from middle school up to high school level.
In some cases, however, pupils in the primary school (Grade 1 to Grade 7) can also be offered accommodation and the same boarding services as their senior counterparts.
In boarding schools, learners study and live on the school premises during the school year with their schoolmates and possibly teachers or administrators.
Boarding schools in Pretoria are of various types, and this often depends on the intervals at which the boarders visit their families.
This leads to our next subheading:
Types of Boarders
There are basically three types of boarding schools in Pretoria and South Africa in general.
- Full-term boarders go to their homes at the end of an academic year
- Semester boarders visit their homes at the end of an academic term
- Weekly boarders visit their homes at weekends.
In addition to the list above, there are semi-boarders who attend a boarding school during school hours for formal instruction and activities but return home by the end of the day.
Are Boarding Schools in Pretoria Worth It?
Yes! That is the shortest and simplest answer. Boarding schools are well worth the hype theyโre getting.
Boarding school allows a child the freedom to spend the majority of their academic life away from home, within the school premises.
Given the duration these children will have to spend with their fellow students and the school educators at the institution, with all the facilities at their disposal, they usually tend to perform exceptionally well in academics and extra-curricular activities.
That said, for parents who are still undecided whether to send their children to a boarding school or not, perhaps because of the exorbitant tuition and accommodation fees, this article will help you find the cheapest boarding schools in Pretoria.
List of the Top 10 Cheapest Boarding Schools in Pretoria
1. St. Albanโs College
| GRADES | 8 โ 12 |
| SCHOOL FEE | R155 100 (Boarding & Tuition: R272,850) per annum |
| PHONE | +27 12 348 1221 |
| [emailย protected] | |
| ADDRESS | 110 Clearwater Road, Lynnwood Glen, Pretoria |
| WEBSITE | stalbanscollege.com |
St. Albanโs College was founded in 1963 by Anton Murray, a South African cricketer, to provide an independent English medium day and boarding school for young boys around the suburb of Lynnwood Glen in Pretoria.
The College started with a student population of just thirty-seven boys and three educators. It currently has a student body of approximately 580 boys and 43 teachers, including support staff.
Over the past years, the College has maintained its reputation as one of the best-performing boarding high schools in Gauteng.
St. Albanโs is not the cheapest of schools in South Africa. And if we were to make a list of the most affordable boarding schools in Gauteng, honestly, this school would not by any chance be considered.
For some parents, St. Albanโs could probably be an ideal choice. However, others may raise a few eyebrows to the sky-high fees.
The annual tuition fee at the College is R155 100 per child; R51 700 paid per term, or R15 820 per month over ten months. Note that these do not include the boarding fee.
The school accepts installments, monthly and termly, payments of boarding, and tuitions. However, annual Tuition & Boarding fees at St. Albanโs are R272,850 per learner.
Please note that fees are subject to changes. However, it is advisable to check the school website for any recent updates regarding fees.
2. Pretoria High School for Girls
| GRADES | 8 โ 12 |
| SCHOOL FEE | R41 800 โ R46 770 (Boarding: R65 000) per annum |
| PHONE | +27 12 430 7341 |
| [emailย protected] | |
| ADDRESS | 949 Park Street, Arcadia, Pretoria, Gauteng |
| WEBSITE | phsg.org.za |
Pretoria High School for Girls, also abbreviated as PHSG, is a government-aided English medium school located in Hatfield, a small town in Pretoria.
Founded in 1902, the same year as its sistersโ school -PBHS, with 106 eager young learners on the roll, Pretoria High School for Girls currently boasts of a student body of approximately 1,500 girls aged 14 to 18 years old.
To stamp its authority as one of the best public boarding high schools in Gauteng, the school has, over the years, invested several millions of cash into proper renovation and building of new structures.
PHSG now boasts of a plethora of state-of-the-art facilities, including a swimming pool and warm-up pool, squash courts, netball courts, and an Astroturf.
In addition, the focus has also pointed towards the building of other modern infrastructures for cultural and academic enthusiasts. These include modernization of the Art Centre, the establishment of 21st-century Music Centre, the restoration of Library and ICT Centre; plus upgrading of other facilities to enable students to compete against the very best in the country.
The boarding application is open to students from Grade 8 to Grade 12.
Payment of boarding fees at the Pretoria High School for Girls is divided into two. At first, R65 000 is the annual boarding fee per learner, irrespective of the Grade.
Another option to pay for boarding fees is to opt for the term basis. In this case, you are to pay R16 250, and the payment must be processed before the start of each month.
3. Pretoria Boys High School
| GRADES | 8 โ 12 |
| SCHOOL FEE | R58,300 โ R60,800 (Boarding: R73,150) per annum |
| PHONE | +27 12 460 2246 |
| [emailย protected] | |
| ADDRESS | 200 Roper St, Brooklyn, Pretoria, 0181 |
| WEBSITE | boyshigh.com |
Pretoria Boys High School, commonly known as PBHS, is a public co-educational English medium school situated in Brooklyn, a suburb of the city of Pretoria in the Gauteng province of South Africa.
The school began to open its doors to pupils in 1909 and has long grown tremendously since then. Today, it caters to approximately 1,540 boys, including 345 boarders.
PBHS is an all-boys school and serves learners beginning from Grade 8 up to Grade 12.
Pretoria Boys High is administered by a Government Body elected by the parents and run under the National Department of Education and the Gauteng Department of Education.
Apart from its rich history as one of the oldest and best-performing boys high schools in South Africa, it is arguably one of the best government boarding high schools in Gauteng province.
At PBHS, student growth gets enhanced easily through 21st-century learning facilities. Also, the school provides a calm and safe learning environment while encouraging them to give their best in academics and extra-curricular activities.
In all honesty, PBHS is not, in any way, the cheapest boarding school in Gauteng and not the most expensive either.
As with most, if not all, boarding schools around Gauteng province, living in the school hostel costs a few thousand Rand.
Currently, PBHS charges R73,150 additional boarding fees per annum.
Please note that this amount only covers the boarding accommodation and does not apply to the general school fee, which presently ranges between R58,300 to R60,800 per annum for learners from Grade 8 (Form I) to Grade 12 (Form V)
However, to pay for both boarding and school fees altogether, then you are expected to cough up R133,950 per annum, or R13,395 per monthโpayable over ten months.
4. Pro Arte Alphen Park
Having been founded in 1994, it is not among the oldest of schools in the province. However, it has been quite successful in attracting learners who are passionate about pursuing a career path in the arts fields.
As of this writing, Pro Arte Alphen Park currently offers six study fields, including enterprise management, art, music, dance, drama, and hospitality studies.
There school currently caters to approximately 800 students from Grade 8 to Grade 12, and it is one of the most academic private boarding schools in Gauteng.
The school boarding facilities cater to students from Grade 8 to Grade 12.
Please visit the school website for more information on the tuition and boarding fees schedule.
5. Menlopark High School
By striving for the highest, boundaries are constantly shifting, and learners are allowed to grow and become the best versions of themselves. In the process, the schoolโs distinctive blue, white and red attract the attention of local and international selectors and tertiary institutions.
Menlopark offers both day and boarding school. And its residence is located in the heart of the school and provides a home for motivated, performing learners who want to take advantage of the wide range of opportunities that the school offers.
This residence supports the schoolโs pursuit of excellence in every way and is proudly rooted in the Menlo values โโof integrity, loyalty, respect, and zeal.
As of this time, the residence accommodation provides for 80 boys and 60 girls from grade 8 to grade 12.
The application form for selection is on the schoolโs website. The closing date for new applicants for residential accommodation for the next academic year is published annually on the schoolโs website.
If selection is successful, the learnerโs R2 000 registration fee is payable within 14 days after the student has received the selection result to secure a place in the residence.
The annual residence fee is strictly payable in advance; and can be made either once in January, or quarterly installments within the first week of each term or in 10 monthly installments from January to October, before the third day of each month.
6. Waterkloof High School
It opened its doors in 1979 with 215 standard 6 and 7 pupils on the roll. There were only 12 educators and 12 classrooms at the time.
Hoรซrskool Waterkloof, as often called by the Afrikaans-speaking community, is one of the most expensive boarding schools in Pretoria.
The school over the past years has grown to accommodate approximately two thousand learners from Grade 8 to Grade 12.
Waterkloof High School fee per child ranges from R32,400 to R38,000 per annum for day and boarding students, respectively, excluding the R40,000 boarding fee.
Starting in 2004 to 2012, it has received the award for the academic school of the year from the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE).
Also, in 2018, it received the award for best academic school in Gauteng province.
The school claims a 100% matric pass rate for 30 consecutive years โ one reason why it is among the best public boarding high schools in Pretoria.
7. Willowridge High School
The school was founded in 1987 with a student roll of 187 in Form One and Two, and ever since, grown to become one of the best boarding high schools in Pretoria.
Willowridge not only prides itself on catering to approximately 1,000 learners in Grade 8 to Grade 12, but it is also among the leading schools in the city and across the Gauteng province and South Africa in general.
Enrollment into Willowridge is straightforward and hassle-free. Admission is open to children between the age of 14 to 18 years old.
Willowridge High School is a day and boarding school. In other words, the school admits all types of learners, including day students and boarders.
Although a public institution, however, payment of fees is of utmost importance.
School fee at Willowridge High School ranges from R26 150 to R31 000 per annum, from Grade 8 to Grade 12, excluding boarding fees.
8. St Maryโs Diocesan School for Girls
Since its inception, the school has focused on creating a pathway that will instill confidence in young women and encourage them to explore their potential and contribute to society.
And, like most of the schools, we have listed here, thus far, St Mary DSG provides both day and boarding school.
St Maryโs is a typical day school, providing quality education to pupils in 000 up to Grade 12. However, it also provides boarding facilities for students aged 14 to 18 who wish to live on the school premises.
St Maryโs Diocesan School for Girls is among the most expensive boarding schools in Pretoria.
The annual tuition fee per child at St Maryโs ranges from R70 500 to R109 800 in the Junior School (Grade 0 to Grade 7) and up to R126 900 to R138 000 per annum for learners in Grade 8 to Grade 12.
Boarding fees for pupils in Grades 4 โ 7 cost R104 010 per annum, and R114 690 Grades 8 โ 12 learners.
9. The Waldorf School at Rosemary Hill
The school is known for its multiculturalism and diversity. Since its inception, Waldorf School has welcomed pupils from all parts of the country, irrespective of race and ethnicity.
The Waldorf School equips learners to take on the challenges of the 21st-century and assist in building a society that reflects the countryโs true potential.
As a day and boarding institution, it serves the needs and interests of approximately 1,000 learners in Kindy to Grade 9.
The school is divided into three: Primary Class, also known as the Foundation Phase (1 to 3), Middle Classes, or Intermediate Phase (4 to 6), and Senior Classes, also referred to as Senior Phase (7 to 9).
Learners in Grades 7-9 are taught the CAPS system of the GET (General Education & Training).
Pupils in classes 1-9 also take Special subjects in Handwork, Music, and Arts.
The Waldorf School at Rosemary Hill fees for Grades 1-9 day scholars range from R44 100 to R74 640 per annum.
Boarding fees for Grades 1-9, added to day-scholar fees, range from R65 340 to R98 340 for weekly and full boarders, respectively.
10. Cornwall Hill College
The school is situated in Nellmapius Drive in the suburb of Irene in the city of Centurion in the Gauteng region of South Africa.
As an academically-inclined school, it placed emphasis on all spheres of education from academics, to the sporting arena, as well as culture.
Cornwall Hill College admits its relatively short history, but make up for it through beautiful buildings project and state-of-the-art facilities. Plus its huge student body of 1,800 pupils pushes it high up the ranking as one of the largest high schools in Centurion.
The school strives to maintain a solid educational foundation through a wide range of academic, sporting, and cultural opportunities.
Final Thoughts
Of all the schools in Pretoria, including government and private, boarding institutions account for only a few proportions and are also one of the most sought after.
Like many provinces across South Africa, boarding schools in Pretoria have day students who attend the institution by day and return home to their respective homes in the evenings, after school hours.
For parents looking for a list of affordable boarding schools in Pretoria to send their youngsters, this article is indeed a great place to help them find one.
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