Welcome to Oudtshoorn High School

The original building is currently the C.P. Nel Museum. A year later, in 1882, the Girls’ High School was established, located where the police station is today. In the 1960s, however, it was decided that the two schools should merge.

Oudtshoorn High School, the product of the merge, uses, as its emblem, the family crest of the Van Reede Van Oudtshoorn family – one of the most respected families of the 17th century in the Netherlands.

Why does a South African town on the other side of the Swartberg Mountains bear the name Oudtshoorn and why does Oudtshoorn High School use this family crest as their emblem? In 1772 Baron Pieter van Reede van Oudtshoorn was appointed Governer of the Cape, but unfortunately he died during the sea voyage while on his journey to South Africa. He was buried with great honour in the Company Garden.

When the two schools merged in 1963, it was decided to adopt the emblem of the boys’ school and the motto of the girls’ school. Today we still have the emblem and blazer of Boys’ High and the motto of Girls’ High: Per Laborem Ad Astra – through hard work you reach the stars.

The school emblem is rich in tradition and dates from the Middle Ages. Not only is it a precious heirloom, but it is possibly the oldest crest used in its original form by a school in South Africa.

The horns on the school emblem are hunting horns which played an important role during the Middle Ages and also served an important function later in the old Cape Colony. It served as a fast means of communication and bearer of a message which still inspires us to work hard today.