Blue plaque status for Heidelberg Public School

In attendance was Johan Pretorius, current principal at Heidelberg Public School and the sponsors from 4Seasons Nursery, Steve and Nicol Bannister.

Magistrate FK Maré donated the property for the building of a school. The stipulation was that the medium of education was to be in Dutch.

The school became operational in 1891 by uniting several private schools.

There were reports you could hear the lions roaring in the hills and the blesbokke and ostriches running freely in the area.

Some people even said the ostriches danced to the beat of the music coming from the school by bopping their necks up, down and sideways.

In 1891, PJ Möller was appointed the first principal.

In 1894, PA Donges became principal until the outbreak of the second Anglo Boer War in 1899.

During the war, the school was used as a hostel barrack for English soldiers. When the war ended in 1901, the school reopened with E Stefan and five teachers.

Sir Alfred Milner, governor of the Cape Colony and British High Commissioner in South Africa (1897–1905), issued a proclamation that all government schools must be English-medium schools. Therefore, De Heidelberg School was renamed Heidelberg Public School.

In 1903, Lord Milner visited Heidelberg Public School followed by Lieut Governor Lawley and Lady Lawley in 1904. In 1912, Sir John Adamson tried to amalgamate Laer Volkskool and Heidelberg Public School but it was rejected by the community of Heidelberg.

In 1966, the school burnt down but teaching continued in prefabricated classrooms. In 1974, the school burnt down for a second time and was relocated to Jordaan Park thereafter.