In the leafy streets of Selborne, East London, Clarendon High School for Girls has been producing capable, confident women since 1903. Ranked among the top public schools in South Africa for academic distinction, it is one of the Eastern Cape’s most sought-after secondary schools — and for parents weighing the decision, the fees, the application process, and what the school actually delivers all deserve a clear-eyed look.
School Overview: More Than a Century of Girls’ Education
Clarendon High School for Girls sits on the corner of Connaught Avenue and Oxford Street in Selborne, one of East London’s established residential suburbs. It is a public, English-medium, all-girls high school and holds Section 21 status, meaning it manages its own finances under allocation from the Eastern Cape Department of Education. As a Quintile 5 school, it is permitted to charge school fees — and it does, placing it in a similar category to other well-resourced public schools that function at near-independent levels.
The school traces its origins to 1872 and the Panmure Public School, a co-educational institution founded by German immigrant Heinrich Muller. By 1903, the girls’ section had separated and moved to Park Avenue as an independent school for girls from Grades 1 to 10. When the upper grades relocated to their current premises in 1937, the institutional split between Clarendon Primary and Clarendon High was formalised. The Clarendon name itself came in 1957, in honour of the former Governor-General of South Africa and Lady Clarendon. Its brother school is Selborne College, the boys’ school that grew from the same Panmure roots.
The school’s motto, Fac et Spera — Latin for “Work and Hope” — captures the ethos that has guided Clarendon for generations. In 1991, the school adopted a non-racial admissions policy, ahead of the broader transformation of South African education. Today it serves around 700 learners across Grades 8 to 12, with a staff complement that has historically maintained a learner-to-educator ratio of roughly 14:1 — well below the national average.
Clarendon is often described as a “private” school because of its fees and resources — but it is legally a public school under the Eastern Cape Department of Education. As a Section 21, Quintile 5 institution, it receives state funding and charges supplementary school fees in addition to that. This distinction matters for applications, for NSFAS eligibility conversations, and for understanding its accountability structures.
School Fees for 2025–2026
Clarendon High School for Girls charges tuition fees set annually by the School Governing Body (SGB). For the 2025 academic year, the published annual tuition fee is R53,428 — payable annually, quarterly, or in ten equal monthly instalments via EFT from January to October. Parents who pay the full amount upfront by 31 January 2025 receive a reduced rate of R50,757.
Boarding fees at Connaught House, the school’s girls’ hostel, are charged separately and depend on the boarding arrangement selected. These fees are reviewed annually, so always confirm the latest structure directly with the school before committing. Fees for 2026 will be published by the SGB in advance of the new academic year — contact the school from around September to October 2025 to confirm the 2026 rate.
| Fee Category | 2025 Amount (Annual) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition (standard) | R53,428 | Payable annually, quarterly, or monthly (Jan–Oct) |
| Tuition (early payment) | R50,757 | Paid in full by 31 January 2025 |
| Hostel: Weekly Boarding | R56,885 | R54,041 if paid in full by 31 Dec 2024 |
| Hostel: Termly Boarding | R76,165 | R72,357 if paid in full by 31 Dec 2024 |
| Stationery & Extras | Varies | Confirm with school at time of registration |
The figures above reflect the 2025 fee schedule published on the school’s official website. Fees for 2026 and beyond will differ. Always verify the current fee schedule directly with the school before making any financial commitments. The bursar can be reached at 043 722 4887.
Admission & Application: How to Apply for 2026–2027
Applications to Clarendon High School for Girls open every year in April for the following academic year. Unlike some schools that manage applications through online portals, Clarendon requires that all application forms be collected from and submitted to the school office in person. The school then communicates outcomes by email, notifying applicants whether they have been accepted or placed on a waiting list.
Demand for places at Clarendon is high. Applying as soon as applications open in April — rather than waiting until closer to the closing date — significantly improves a learner’s chances of securing a place, particularly for Grade 8 entry. The school does not appear to use a formal academic selection test for admission; placement follows assessment of applications against available capacity and any SGB-defined criteria.
Step-by-Step: The Application Process
Required Documents for Application
Academic Performance & Matric Results
Clarendon’s academic record is, by any measure, exceptional for a public school. The 2020 National Senior Certificate class achieved a 100% matric pass rate, improving on the 98.6% pass rate of 2019. Between 2018 and 2020, the school averaged a 99.5% pass rate — a consistency that places it well above the national average and far above most public schools in the Eastern Cape.
In 2019, Clarendon recorded 2.455 distinctions per learner, placing it 9th in South Africa across all school categories. The following year, the National Education Excellence Awards recognised Clarendon as the third-best performing public school in the country for 2018. The Grade 12 class of 2024 included top achievers earning seven and eight distinctions, with Mikayla Muller named Dux learner with 8 As in the 2023 matric results — an illustration of the depth of talent Clarendon consistently nurtures.
Nationally, the 2024 NSC results marked a record-breaking year, with South Africa’s overall pass rate climbing to 87.3% — the highest in the country’s history — and the Eastern Cape recording an 85% pass rate, up from 81.42% in 2023. Against this provincial backdrop, Clarendon’s sustained near-perfect pass rates represent a significant outlier of excellence.
2020 NSC
2018–2020
9th in SA (2019)
SA (NEE Awards 2018)
Boarding: Connaught House Girls’ Hostel
Connaught House is Clarendon’s boarding facility for girls, and its history mirrors the school’s own: the original hostel opened in 1905 and was destroyed by fire in 1964. The rebuilt hostel opened in 1967 and has operated continuously since. For families based outside East London — particularly those in smaller Eastern Cape towns who want their daughters to benefit from Clarendon’s academic environment — boarding is a practical and popular option.
Two boarding arrangements are available: weekly boarding, where learners return home on weekends, and termly boarding, where learners remain at the hostel for the duration of each school term. The two options carry different fee structures (see the fees table above). Hostel fees cover accommodation and meals. Boarding applications should be made alongside, or immediately after, academic admission — hostel space is limited and allocated separately.
Sport, Culture & Facilities
Clarendon’s reputation is built on more than classroom results. The school competes seriously across a wide range of sporting codes, with learners regularly placing in provincial and national teams. Squash is a particular strength — multiple Clarendon players have featured in the SA Top 10 junior rankings. Water polo, swimming, hockey, rowing, tennis, netball, and lifesaving all have active first teams, and learners are encouraged to participate in at least one sport throughout their school career.
The school’s facilities have seen significant recent investment. The Harrison Aquatic Centre is a purpose-built competition pool that hosts inter-school galas. The Mary Laurie Memorial Hall is a large multipurpose venue used for school events, cultural showcases, and indoor sports. Additional facilities include squash courts, netball courts, tennis courts, and an astroturf pitch. Multifunction rooms support individual and group music tuition, and a weekly computer course covering coding and robotics runs across the grades.
Culturally, Clarendon is active in choral music — the De Novo Serenata Chamber Choir has competed in national eisteddfods — as well as drama and visual arts. A peer tutoring programme, run entirely by learners and overseen by the Head of Academics, provides structured academic support to girls who need it, reinforcing the school’s commitment to leaving no learner behind.
Houses, Leadership & Old Girls’ Guild
Clarendon’s house system was introduced by headmistress Miss Donald during her long tenure from 1925 to 1945 — the same headmistress who introduced the prefect system in 1933 and appointed Betty Chew as the first head girl in 1934. The houses are named after early figures in the school’s history: Ketchen (after headmistress Marjorie Ketchen, 1912–1925), Booty (after a Miss Gittins who became Mrs Booty), and Hunter (after a long-serving teacher). The house system anchors school spirit and organises inter-house competition across sport and culture.
The Old Girls’ Guild remains one of Clarendon’s most active community structures. It issues three annual monetary awards to current learners: the Old Girls’ Guild High School Award (for a learner who embodies the Clarendon spirit across all areas of school life), the Betty Chew Memorial Scholarship (awarded to a deserving Grade 8 pupil, honouring a long-serving teacher known for her love of English and hockey), and a third award for academic achievement. The Guild’s ongoing fundraising continues to support the school’s development.
Contact Details & Getting There
Selborne, East London
Eastern Cape, 5201
Private Bag X9063
East London, 5200
clarendonschools.co.za
Facebook: ClarendonHighSchoolForGirls
Amathole District
(Boys’ High School)
Selborne is one of East London’s central suburbs, approximately 3 kilometres from the East London CBD. The school is accessible from the N2 highway and most parts of the city. Public transport routes serving Selborne connect through East London’s central taxi ranks. The school’s corner location on Connaught Avenue and Oxford Street makes it identifiable and easy to find.
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One of South Africa’s Top Public Schools — With Fees to Match
Clarendon High School for Girls is a Quintile 5 public school in East London with a 122-year track record, near-perfect matric pass rates, nationally recognised academic performance, and a full boarding facility. Annual tuition fees sit at around R53,000 for 2025, with boarding costs on top of that — making Clarendon a significant but well-evidenced investment in your daughter’s secondary education. Applications open every April for the following year. Apply early. The school does not carry over unsuccessful applications automatically.
