Plett Primary School

Welcome to Plettenberg Bay Primary School – a proudly English / Afrikaans Parallel Medium school with a rich history. At Plett Primary we develop our children’s talents and create an environment where they can live out their dreams. We strive to make our school a ‘Haven of Excellence’, a place where learning is a joyous experience. Our main goal is to provide the best for our pupils and to encourage their academic, sport and cultural talents. You are welcome to visit us and experience the joy of being part of the Plett Primary Family. We would love to meet you.

Anita Schnell – Principal

History
As taken from Plettenberg Bay Primary School’s 1978 yearbook

“From the Past to the Present – Uit die Verlede tot die Hede

The first private school in Plettenberg Bay started as far back as 1909 and was situated near the residence of Mr Billy Jones, the Postmaster and Fort Captain at the time. Ten pupils (later 12) attended school and names such as Milly Smith, Sidney Duncan, Daisy Monk, Cecil Monk, Arthur Monk, Edie Cowley, Bertha Pienaar, Cecile Pienaar, Leonard Derbysshire, better known as Jessie, even only 16 years of age at the time with one year’s training, was the first teacher. She taught for approximately 12 months and was succeeded by a Miss Annie Kapp. At about this time there was an English Mission School in the old parsonage near the old timber shed. Miss Susan Oosthuizen (now Mrs Charlie Derbyshire) was the teacher.

The private school was eventually replaced by a provincial (or government) school round about 1912/1913 and was accommodated in a wood-and-iron building next to the old Post Office opposite Monks Boarding House and the teacher was a Miss Francis Schnetler. This school then moved to the Lions Hall and from there to Odland Street, and then to Beacon Way where it is today. Interesting to note that the houses in the Bay totaled five or six and two shops where anything from a needle to an anchor was sold. Good old days those!

In die Piesang-riviervallei staan vandag nog n geboutjie langs die gruispad wat met die Nasionale-pad aansluit, wat destyds as skool gedien het en ń man wat diep spore daar getrap het is Oom Gideon le Roux, bekende inwoner van die dorp. Hy het in 1936 Mnr Pieter van Rooyen as hoof van die tweeman-skool opgevolg wat 19 jaar lank hierdie pos beklee het. Oom Gideon het 27 jaar lank in die Piesangrivier Primȇre Skool, soos dit destyds bekendgestaan het, diens verrig en assistente was ń Juffrou Ina Cowley. Ongeveer 50 leerlinge van Sub A tot Std VI het hier skolastiese onderrig ontvang en persone soos Beatrice van Rooyen (nou Mev Marnewick), Jimmy van Rooyen, Cecil van Rooyen, die Tait-kinders en baie ander bekendes het hier kennis gemaak met die harde skoolbanke, om nie te praat van die spreekwoordelike kweperlat nie.

In daardie dae, 42 jaar gelede, was daar nie paaie soos ons dit vandag ken nie, inteendeel, dit was voetslaan skooltoe, daar van Roodefontein en Robberg se gewestes, om maar weer so teen 3 uur die middag die voet-pad terug huistoe te vat waar nog vele take op die plaas gewag het.”