Established in 1858, New Hanover Prep. is the sixth oldest independent school in South Africa.
1858 – Three farmers, who were then members of the Hermannsburg Congregation, came together to form a new congregation.
For nine years a building on Mr Aulfes’ farm was used as the parsonage, church and school.
1867 – The first two classrooms were built.
The children had to feed the pigs on their parents’ farm, milk the cows and then walk for many kilometers to get to school.
School year: Started on 2 January and closed on 31 October. (There was no winter vacation because the children were required to help with the farming in summer.)
1875 – Compulsory education was introduced for members of the congregation. This was a first for the New Hanover community who introduced this form of compulsory education 33 years before the rest of KZN.
1979 – A farm and piggery were acquired to help finance the school. This outstanding piggery and sugar cane farm is still financing the school today, and has been an invaluable asset to the school.
Since those early beginnings, the enrolment at the school was hardly ever over 100 children. Today the school educates over 170 children from Grade RRR – Grade 7.
The school is steeped in the faith and culture of its founders and a high standard of education has always been maintained.
While the school is over 160 years old, our teaching approach and systems are progressive which enables us to offer a standard of teaching at the forefront of primary school education in South Africa.
