Hoërskool Strand (Strand High School)

With the post-war growth of the Hottentots Holland district, a second High School was opened in 1963 – namely Hoërskool Strand (English: Strand High School). It is an Afrikaans high school located in Strand. Students attending the school are mostly residents of Strand, although students from as far as Gordon’s Bay, Somerset West and even Grabouw attend. It is a major provider of secondary education in the area and provides classes from grade eight to twelve (the latter also known as matric).

Sport

Hoërskool Strand competes in inter-schools activities with neighbouring schools Parel Vallei High School and Hottentots Holland High School. It also competes against tour groups such as the Bablake School from England, which last toured Strand in mid-2006. Sports include rugby, cricket, hockey, netball, squash, tennis and chess. Sport activities which the school provides but not limited to inter-school competition includes swimming and surfing.

The school has a strong academical focus, but it is considered by most to be concentrating on excelling in the sports-world. A school rule requiring students to take part in at least one winter and one summer activity was introduced at the beginning of 2006 and is evidence of the school’s goal to become a sport power within the area. They succeeded in winning the winter inter-schools again in 2006 by beating Hottentots Holland in the main rugby match of the day.

On 14 October 2006, the school has sent a student, Corné Blaauw, to compete in the World Junior Chess Championship which was held in Georgia.

Academic

Academically the school also excels on national front. It provides a wide variety of subjects; however, the students are required to take the default subjects in grade 8 and 9, with the option to take English as a first language.

Exchange System

The school is very active in exchanging students with the Burgerschool in Roeselare in Flanders (Belgium), due to the language similarities between Afrikaans and Dutch which makes communication much easier. Students can also visit schools in Germany, Switzerland and Argentina. Exchange students visiting the school come from Belgium, England, Germany and Italy. England and Italy however mainly provide sport tour groups. The exchange students from Germany go there through FSA Youth Exchange.

Short History

The first school was situated at 96 Mills Street and opened on the 22nd of January 1962, with 97 std. 6 pupils. At this stage the school was called “Hoërskool Valsbaai”.

On July the 23rd, 1963 the present school was officially opened in a new building as “Hoërskool Strand”.

The first principal was Mr. MJ Odendaal.