| Wynberg Boys' High School | |
| Motto: | Supera Moras |
| Motto Translation: | Overcoming Difficulties |
| Type: | All-boys public school |
| Founder: | John McNaughton |
| Number: | +27 (021) 797 4247 |
| Headmaster: | Deon Scheepers |
| Coordinates: | -33.9964°N 18.4589°W |
| Schedule: | 08:00 - 15:00 |
| Lower Age: | 14 |
| Upper Age: | 18 |
| Gender: | Male |
| Grades: | 812 |
| Campus: | Urban Campus |
| Campus Type: | Suburban |
| Students: | 1000 boys |
| Houses: | Glebe Hawthornden Littlewood McNaughton Oude Wijnberg Silverhurst Sunninghill Trovato Tennant Garrison |
| Colours: | Navy White |
| Alumni: | Old Wynbergians |
| Publication: | The Wynbergian |
Wynberg Boys' High School is a public English medium boys high school situated in the suburb of Wynberg of Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Founded in 1841, it is one of the best academic schools in Cape Town, it is believed by scholars and old boys to be the second oldest school in South Africa, however, there are several schools that were established at earlier dates as far back as 1738.[1]
In 1841, John McNaughton re-opened the doors of his school, the "Established School at Wynberg",[2] in Glebe Cottage with 16 pupils enrolled.[3] McNaughton's school shared the cottage with the Lady D'Urban School of Industry for young ladies.
Initially a co-educational school, it limited enrollment to boys in 1853. The senior and junior schools operated as one school until 1943 when they separated.[4]
In 1845, the school moved to Bryndewyn Cottage. In 1863, the Government relegated the school to the status of "second class elementary school" and instructed the headmaster, Mr. MacNaughton to close on 27 February.[5] Permission was granted to change Wynberg Boys to a private school on 2 March.
A building was purchased from the Higgs estate in 1876, and in 1891, Sir Herbert Baker designed new buildings that opened in 1892. In 1980, the school moved to its current site on the Hawthornden Estate in Wynberg.
The school has two museums. Two books have been written on Wynberg: The History of a School (1961) by English teacher Doug Thompson, and A School Reflects (1991) by Old Boy Roger Goodwin.
The school's motto, Supera Moras, can be translated from Latin as Overcome Difficulties.
There is an unofficial motto that is used frequently for marketing, "Brothers in an endless chain"
Wynberg Boys' High School has a competitive sporting tradition. Students take part in sporting competitions, with schools from Western Cape and sometimes from other parts of South Africa, as well as occasional competitions with visiting international teams. Rivals include Rondebosch Boys' High School, Diocesan College, and Paul Roos Gymnasium as well as South African College Schools.
The school offers sporting facilities such as an astro turf area, a swimming pool, tennis and squash courts, four rugby fields, and the WBHS cricket field, which was renamed in 2010 as "The Jacques Kallis Oval" in honour of the World cricketer of the year and former Wynberg Boy.
The WBHS music department boasts a large collection of bands that play a range of music from jazz to classical. Choir and band members are offered professional training. WBHS has three fundamental school bands: the Concert Band, the Steel Band and the Jazz Band, however also has smaller ensembles for guitarists and string players. With a nod to the Scottish history of the school, Wynberg is one of only a handful of schools in the country that has a bagpipe band. The Wynberg Boys' and Girls' High bands come together every year to form the Combined Band, playing at many inter-school events.
Every year Wynberg Boys' High School holds a memorial day celebrating the school's founding. The school pays tribute to Wynberg Old Boys who died fighting in World War I, World War II and the South African Border War. In World War I, 42 Wynberg Old Boys were killed.[6]