West Bank High School

West Bank High School is a co-educational facility located in East London, South Africa. The school has a Preparatory school, a Primary School and a High School. Apart from conventional classrooms, the building has a large hall seating over 400 people, a separate gym for fitness training (especially for the Rugby First Team), Science laboratories, a library, as well as specialist classrooms for Computer Application Technology, Consumer Studies, Music and Art. All classrooms have internet connectivity. A foyer followed by a wide flight of stairs adjourns the school hall.

West Bank High School
Location
East London
,
Eastern Cape

South Africa
Coordinates33°2′2″S 27°54′21″E
Information
TypePublic & Boarding
Motto Justorum Semita Quasi Lux Splendens [The Path Of The Just Is As A Shining Light]
Established1861 (1861)
School districtDistrict 9
School number043 731 1912
HeadmasterGraham Steele
Exam boardEC[1]
Grades8–12
Age14 to 18
Number of students350
LanguageEnglish & Afrikaans
Schedule07:30 - 14:00
Campus typeSuburban
Houses
  • Dugmore
  • Edwards
  • Price
Colour(s)  Black
  Maroon
  White
Websitewww.wbhs.co.za

History

The school's ethos is: Justorum Semita Quasi Lux Splendens. The school was erected in 1861 and is currently 154 years old - making it the oldest school in East London, and one of the oldest in the Eastern Cape. In 2011, the school had its Founders' Day, and celebrated its 150th birthday. The school also had an Old Banker's reunion, inviting all the past pupils of West Bank High School. The school's current headmaster is Graham Steele.[2]

School song

The West Bank school song consists of two verses, one in English and the other in Afrikaans - because West Bank High is in fact a bilingual school. The school song also contains the phrase Justorum Semita Quasi Lux Splendens, which is the school's ethos:

With pride and joy we acclaim you our school
Justorum Semita Quasi Lex Splendens
The path of the just is as a shining light
We've learnt to be true to your name, dear school
Bless our school, Oh Lord we pray
Bless our school from day to day

Wesbank staan en onthou julle naam
Sing julle liefde en prys ons naam
Hou om hoog julle kop en doen julle bes
Kroon elke jaar met groot sukses
Seën ons skool, O Heer ons vra
Seën ons skool van dag tot dag

Houses

The school has three houses that annually compete in an Inter-House sports day. The houses are:

  • Black House (Dugmore)
  • Red House (Edwards)
  • White House (Price)

The Houses were named after the three colours of the school's uniform.

Sports

West Bank High offers a range of sport activities, both for the summer and winter seasons.

The school also has annual "classic clash" derbies against neighbouring schools, especially George Randell High School (a neighbouring rivalry school only a walking-distance away from West Bank High School) and de Vos Malan High School in King William's Town.

West Bank High School also has various matches in most, if not all, sport activities.

Cultural

• Marimba Band • Choir • Chess Society • Debating Society • Public Speaking • Drama • Blood Peer Promoters

Extra murals

West Bank High School offers a wide variety of extramural activities for its learners. The most popular include: the chamber choir, debating, drama, marimba band, remedial CAT.

The school also hosts an annual talent show called "West Bank's Got Talent" - a parody to the TV hit-show America's Got Talent, where the learners can participate and showcase their talent for the whole school and guests to see. This is just one of the many ways that the school raises funds.

Academics

The school has two Academic Assemblies a year and also a Prize-Giving Ceremony during the fourth term (quarter) just before the learners take their Final Examinations in November.

During the Academic Assembly, the learners who have excelled academically are announced and are rewarded with one of the following:

  • Academic badge
  • Merit badge
  • Veritas badge (the highest reward)

During the annual Prize-Giving ceremony, learners are also given certificates commending their excellence in various academic, sport and other areas (for example, Traffic Scholar Patrol, assembly duties etc.) Senior learners (Grade 10, 11 and 12) also receive Cum Laude blazers if they excel in academics, sports or cultural activities (chamber choir, debating, drama and the marimba band).

The school's Prefect Council is also announced during the annual Prize-Giving where they receive a black tie with the school's badge on it, underwritten with the words "Prefect", or "Deputy/Headboy" or "Deputy/Headgirl".

Learners who excel also receive a black school tie, containing the name of the sport or extramural that they have been awarded for.

Each grade in High Schools also elects two Learner Representative Council members (one male and one female), otherwise known as LRC Leaders. They govern each class and make sure their respective classes behave during class time and also solve any possible conflict between classmates.

Each grade in West Bank High School is separated into two classes to minimise learners per classroom and to effectively maximise teacher-to-learner communication

Footnotes
  1. EC
  2. "Headmaster". WBHS - Westville Boys' High School. Retrieved 23 October 2020. WBHS is pleased to announce the appointment of Graham Steele as the 10th Headmaster of the School. He assumes duty on 1 July 2019 following the retirement of Trevor Hall.
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