St Peter's School
St Peter's School
About Us
About St Peter’s School
St Peter’s School Nelspruit is one of the leading independent preparatory schools in the Lowveld, situated on a beautiful hillside in Sonheuwel. The school combines the best of traditional values with a modern and balanced approach to co-educational learning. As a prep school our focus is on the preparation of children for life in high school (and beyond). We admit children from the age of 3 years old and educate them in a caring environment until they leave us at the end of Grade Seven.
Our pupils are prepared for entry into senior schools of their choice in South Africa, with many of them opting to go to Penryn College or Uplands College, where I might add they are sought after. We have an exceptional Pre-School with a balanced curriculum combined with play and lots of outdoor activities. We also offer modern aftercare facilities (ideal for working parents) where children are assisted by staff to complete homework after a healthy meal which is followed by opportunities to be active. Academic success is important, our pupils are encouraged to be inquisitive and reflect on academic insight through critical thinking in the senior phase. Overall they are assisted and motivated to excel in every area of achievement; including sporting and cultural pursuits.
Parent involvement is highly valued and when you join the school you become part of a wide group of like – minded friends. The strength of St Peter’s School is its family atmosphere, with education seen as a partnership between pupils, staff and parents.
Our Mission
St Peter’s School is a Catholic Primary School, founded on the Franciscans principle of Universal Brother / Sisterhood. The School strives to remain relevant to the current trends in education by welcoming all persons irrespective of gender, race, culture or religion. The School upholds the Catholic Ethos respecting the faith of all members of the school community, their different identities, backgrounds and traditions.
Our Vission
St Peter’s School offers a holistic education to boys and girls, through a diverse and relevant curriculum based on Christian values.
Our Values:
- Integrity
- Responsiveness
- Justice
- Care
- Learning
The History of St Peter’s School
The story starts in Austria in 1938, when Hitler promised to lay a “convent free” country at his feet and many private schools that existed were confiscated. That meant that the Sisters who taught there either had to take up posts at Nazi-controlled government schools or return to their homes, or accept missionary work in Brazil or South Africa.
In 1939, Sister Ambrosia Karner and 9 other Franciscan Sisters boarded the German ship “Ubena” in Hamburg and left for South Africa. They arrived with 15 pounds in their pocket, and found a train compartment reserved under the name of “The Mission Girls”. They travelled for 5 days, to reach Lydenburg, where they were to start their missionary work at the Maria Trost Mission station.
In 1957 the Catholic Church bought the premises at 6 Emhke Street, Nelspruit. The Catholic Women’s League and Father Morscher asked the Franciscan Sisters if they would manage the School that already existed on the grounds. On 18 February 1957, St Peter’s School was registered with the Department of Education. The School was first known as the Nelspruit Private Kindergarten. It consisted of a Preschool and classes from grade 1 to 3. Mrs. Fitzhpatrick was the first teacher. The School fees were 4 pounds and 4 shillings. By the second term, the School had grown to 28 children. It was decided to establish a boarding school at the new premises to cater for the needs of the local community, amongst them farmers, as well as pupils from Mozambique and Swaziland. Sister Leona Krivonok was transferred from Lydenburg in July 1957. The first boarders to St Peter’s School were Jenny and Susan Twycross as well as Peter and Fritz Beckenstrater.
Peter later became the 1st Advisory Council Chairperson of the School. Sister Leona later became the Principal of the Preschool. In 1958 Sister Vita Vollman came from Austria to assist with the Preschool. Meanwhile, sister Ambrosia became Principal and Sister Leona was registered as a teacher. The pupils acquired their uniforms and, by the end of the year, 50 children had enrolled and an additional School was started in 1959. In December 1959, Sister Cecilia Binder. a qualified teacher, arrived from Austria and was registered by the TED (Transvaal Education Department). In 1960, Bishop Anthony Reiterer bought 6,8 morgen of farmland on the outskirts of the town from Mr. Attie Bester. On this land was a farmhouse, outbuilding and a cattle kraal. In 1961, Mother General from Graz came to visit and working plans were drawn up for the new school. In 1962 a bulldozer levelled the ground and foundations were established.
Sister Emily Schmidt arrived from Austria. In 1963 the School had 5 classrooms. Some of which were used as dormitories. The farmhouse was the convent. The foundations for the hostel were completed and St Peter’s became the first convent School in the Lowveld.
The words of the School song were written by Mrs. Marjory Pereira and composed to a well-known German tune.
Mr. J Nadeau, a French Canadian, appointed himself “caretaker” and laid out the grounds and stonework. It was his dream to make St Peter’s the most beautiful place in Nelspruit. Unfortunately, he passed away before his dream could be realized, but his spirit lives in the masonry rock inlay patterns, with messages such as “Be good” and “Wees soet” that can still be seen today.
The grounds for the hostel were levelled in 1963 and now, Sister Bernadette, a qualified teacher, arrived from Austria. The hostel was completed in 1964 and both the School and hostel were blessed and officially opened by Bishop Anthony. That year Sister Christopher Watzinger arrived from Austria.
Many a great time was spent in the hostel. Past boarders will remember the long walks on weekends through the surrounding hills and bush, which the Sisters had given nicknames, such as “Giant’s Legs, “Valley of Death” and “St Peter’s Rock”.
In 1966, Mother Johanna paid another visit. Michael (red and white) and Gabriel (blue and yellow) sports houses came into being. The tennis courts were completed in 1970 and the School invested in a duplication machine, film projector and screen. In 1968 the swimming pool was completed at the cost of R12,000 and officially opened on 7 September. Schooled in handiwork skills (typical of Austrian girls) St Peter’s pupils were soon asked to display their handiwork at the annual Lowveld Show.
In 1971, the road to the School grounds was tarred and the running field was lengthened to more than 100 meters.
In 1972, the School uniform was changed and in 1973 the roller-skating area with a radius of 7,5 m was built. At the time, it was the most popular sport at St Peter’s and probably the only School in the then Transvaal, with such a facility. St Peter’s and Uplands Preparatory started participating in inter-primary sports functions as a combined team.
In 1974/75, the Chapel was built and blessed, and Sister Cecilia became Principal. The building of the new large School hall started and on completion was blessed and opened by Bishop Anthony. In 1976, the principal’s office was built.
Sewing machines were purchased in 1977 and, to the delight of boarders, friends and relatives of sister Cecilia gave her money to buy a TV set whilst visiting Austria.
The netball field was laid out in 1978 and the athletics track enlarged so that cricket and soccer could be played. In 1982, a library was built in the small hall. In that year, St Peter’s celebrated its 25th birthday. Mr. Helling, the secretary’s husband at that time, baked a special birthday cake. It took Sister Louisa 2 hours to cut 250 pieces of cake for everyone to enjoy.
In 1983, a staff room was built. A third sports house became necessary, i.e. Raphael (orange and green). In 1986, the athletics track was enlarged again and terraced. During 1988, a prefabricated room was erected as a woodwork class and another 4 classrooms built to house more pupils.
St Peter’s became a multi-racial school in 1983, long before the dawn of a new political era in 1994. During this period, St Peter’s and Uplands were disallowed by all the schools from participating in sports. The two Schools ended up playing against each other up until 1994.
A remedial center was started at the School in 1997. The old Preschool property was sold and the new Preschool built, which was opened in March 1998 by Father James. Mrs. Janet Bennett, current H.O.D., still leads the Preschool and keeps a remarkable set of diaries.
In 2012, RT Rev Bishop J Sandri officially opened the Sister Ambrosia Centre in honour of the founding principal of the School.
Contact Us
- +27 13 741 1021
- admissions@stpetersschool.co.za
- 1 Neethling Street, Nelspruit, 1200
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School Times
- Mon - Fri: 07:30 - 15:30
- Sat - Sun: Closed
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