Treverton Preparatory School and College, situated in Mooi River (

Umgungundlovu District Municipality uMgungundlovu is one of the 11 district municipalities ("districts") of KwaZulu-Natal province. The seat of uMgungundlovu is Pietermaritzburg. The majority of its 1 million+ residents speak Zulu (2001 Census). The district code is DC22 Geogra ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

, cater for boys and girls of all faiths from Grades 0 to 12 and Post-Matric.As a member of the

Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa The Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa (ISASA) is the largest and oldest association of independent schools in Southern Africa. ISASA traces its origins back to the Conference of Headmasters and Headmistresses formed in 1929, and m ...

(ISASA), Treverton is an inter-denominational

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

school founded on a

Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...

heritage.

History

Peter Binns (grandson of Sir

Henry Binns Sir Henry Binns, KCMG (27 June 1837 – 6 June 1899) was Prime Minister of the Colony of Natal from 5 October 1897 – 8 June 1899. Life Born into a Quaker family (the Binns family) in Sunderland, County Durham on 27 June 1837, he was the ...

, third prime minister of Natal) opened the Treverton Preparatory School for Boys on the present Prep School site in 1939, serving as Headmaster until his death in 1957. It had been his wish that Treverton continue in perpetuity, but it was "''with great sadness and utmost reluctance''" that his successor, Douglas Pennington, and the administrators decided to close the school and put the property up for sale in 1961. The Rev Sydney Hudson-Reed, then President of the Baptist Union of South Africa, cherished the idea of establishing a school embracing the Baptist ethos. He visited the derelict Treverton in 1963, shared his enthusiasm with friends and encouraged his brother Derek Hudson-Reed, a teacher at St Stithians College, Johannesburg, to visit the school site. The five Founders of the Treverton Trust who re-established the school, were the Rev Dr. Syd Hudson-Reed (RIP 2010), Prof John Jonsson (RIP 2011), Dr. Derek Hudson-Reed (RIP 2003), Mr. Wilfred Harland (RIP 1998) and the Rev Rae Trew (RIP 2014). The Preparatory School opened in 1964 with 51 pupils under the headmastership of Derek Hudson-Reed, who took the school through to the first Matric class in 1970. Girls were first admitted in 1978 and the Post-Matric course started in 1987.

Academics

Treverton College is a mainstream, independent, co-educational school writing the

Independent Examinations Board Independent Examinations Board The Independent Examinations Board, or IEB, is a South African independent assessment agency which offers examinations for various client schools, mostly private schools. It is most prominent in setting examinations ...

examinations. Since 1995, it has enjoyed a 100% National Senior Certificate (Matric) pass rate Treverton does not require an entrance examination, but acceptance is dependent on school reports and interviews.

Environmental education

Treverton developed a reputation as a leader in education for sustainable development when it convened a national conference in 1982 at which the Environmental Education Association of Southern Africa (EEASA) met for the first time. The 270-hectare Treverton estate has a variety of ecosystems – wetland, grassland, rocky outcrops, springs, spring dams, catchment area and indigenous forest together with exotic forest and plants. In 2000, a game fence was erected and the Treverton Wildlife Area (TWA) was established as the first natural, wildlife and game area in South Africa entirely managed by school pupils and staff under the guidance of experts in the field. Treverton's contribution in the environmental education sector was recognised by the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa when it was awarded the WESSA Corporate Award in 2012.

References

External links

* Boarding schools in South Africa Private schools in KwaZulu-Natal Baptist schools in South Africa Co-educational boarding schools Educational institutions established in 1964 1964 establishments in South Africa Umgungundlovu District Municipality {{SouthAfrica-school-stub