McGregor Waldorf School

Our History

From as early as 1991, a group of parents and teachers met in McGregor and decided to set up a school that would meet the real needs of the country and the individual. It would develop creativity, practical work skills, inner confidence and would bring children from different cultures, races and economic groups, together to heal the past and to develop co-operation and understanding for the future.

In 1994, the Whole Life Education Centre was founded with the McGregor Waldorf school as a branch. Other branches envisaged were boarding facilities, Aftercare, a college, community activities and a bus. The school opened its doors with 17 children and in 1996 was registered with the Education Department and accepted as a member of the Federation of Waldorf Schools.

It was in 1995 that a lady from England visited the school. She was so inspired by the history, the vision and what she experienced at the school that she offered to buy a school building, sponsor 10 children and pay the shortfall for 5 years. That gave a real impetus for the growth of the McGregor Waldorf school. During the following years, the number of pupils increased, the grounds were expanded and upgraded and new classrooms were built. A mini bus gathered the children from further away and Aftercare was started. Several local people became trainee teachers and the involvement in the community increased.

Happy Birthday

The High School, which was part of the pioneer group’s vision, was started in 2001 with a practical orientation and has grown ever since. The name became the McGregor Waldorf School up until grade 9 and McGregor College for grades 10 up to 12. After sharing grounds with the primary school for the first 6 years the College moved in January 2007 into the ‘Kampterrein’ which was a High School in the past and which the school rents for this year.

The hostel also became a reality in 2003 when our first few children boarded in a house with Jay Botha, the hostel parent. Matthew and Felicity from the local village became hostel parents in 2004 and continue to serve in this capacity. Nina Saunders assisted with the Boarding establishment in 2006 and Rein Buyze joined the hostel in 2007. Now in 2007 there are 20 students. The 5 boarders from class 7 until 9 stay in rooms on the Primary school premises with Rein as the their house parents while the 15 boarders from class 10 till 12 stay in the house on the High School premises with Matthew and Felicity as the house parents .

Community Activities over the years have included festival craft lessons for children attending farm schools, holiday programmes, local schools attending our termly plays, computer lessons to involvement in village events and festivals. At present children under the wing of the Family Centre – a local organisation focusing on children from dysfunctional families – are participating in some of the practical lessons in the High School and make use of the much appreciated swimming pool in the Summer.

McGregor festival

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McGregor Waldorf School

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