Rondebosch Boys' Preparatory School

Rondebosch Boys' Preparatory School is a state primary school in Rondebosch, a suburb of Cape Town, South Africa. It was detached from Rondebosch Boys' High School and established as a separate school in 1929.HistoryThe first headmaster, Robert Ramage, took up this position on 1 February 1897 with the school having eight pupils from Standards 2 - 7. Faced with a flush of applications from local residents, a junior department was opened, and a one-acre plot of ground, "The Firs", at the corner of Campground and Rouwkoop Roads was purchased for £1900.New school buildings were erected and teaching began there in September 1898. Two years later Mr Ramage bought a local property which had been named Canigou Estate after an imposing monastery located high in the Pyrenees. This became a school hostel.The school flourished and, by 1927, had an enrollment of 568 boys. The Preparatory School's first headmaster, Mr WH "Papa" Law (1930-1943) was a Yorkshireman who was previously head of the large Tembuland Teachers' Training College where Nelson Mandela once studied.He was followed by Mr JCR Enslin (1943-1966) who guided the school through its change of site in 1948. The next incumbent was Mr RD Holmes (1967-1972), who remained at the helm until his appointment to the inspectorate. He was succeeded by former staff member Mr DM Laidlaw (1972-1987), an ex-RAF pilot, whose innovations included a science room, a computer centre and a 'Magnet' class for extending the brighter senior pupils.Mr Bruce Lane (1987-1997), the fifth headmaster, oversaw the major renovations which were completed in 1994. He was headmaster in the centenary year of 1997.