With a lot of help from above
January 14, 2025
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Boarding at Jeppe fosters a supportive and inclusive environment where students can form lifelong friendships, participate in a range of activities and experiences, and receive the guidance and care they need to succeed in all areas of life.
A welcoming place where the boys are safe and happy and are able to develop to the best of their ability
Our goal is to inspire your son, give him the confidence to take control of his life and create his own bright future.
In recent years, the boarding school experience at Jeppe has transformed from being a mandatory obligation to a choice made by students who want to enjoy the benefits of a welcoming and secure home away from home. Mr Bryan Hillock, the Director of Boarding, explains the changes made to ensure that the boys have a happy and safe environment in which to develop to their fullest potential.
Upgrades to the physical structure of the hostel houses have been made to support the concept of a comfortable and secure environment. A significant project was the upgrade of the ablution blocks in all four houses, including individual shower stalls and revamped toilets. New floors and tiled walls were installed to create a bathroom environment similar to those at home.
To ensure greater sustainability, the lower three houses are now fully on borehole water, and ground water is being sought for Oribi. All the hostels have inverters capable of providing lights and charging facilities during load shedding, with plans to double the capacity soon.
A lot of time and resources have been invested in creating and upgrading communal areas for the boys to relax in. The common rooms have been revamped, and outside areas with lawns and benches have been provided. The quad at Oribi has been transformed into an outdoor relaxation area.
Renovation of the dormitories has been a priority, with Tsessebe currently undergoing an upgrade. The new dormitory design emphasises privacy and independence, replacing long rows of beds with modular units consisting of an elevated bed with a large cupboard and study desk below. Common prep rooms for homework sessions will eventually be replaced, encouraging boys to apply self-discipline and work independently.
Old boys of Tsessebe have raised enough funds to renovate two full dormitories, and similar fundraising projects will begin in other houses soon. The school is grateful to the old boys and other donors who are helping transform the Jeppe boarding experience for the boys’ benefit.
Jeppe’s Deputy Principal: Student Affairs, Mr Peter Murison, believes that the changes to the boarding offering at Jeppe have not just been physical but also in line with the school’s focus on student wellbeing. The aim is to provide a home away from home for boarders and this involves changes in attitude and operating procedures on the part of hostel staff.
Hostel staff are encouraged to bring their personalities to the job to create a living environment that they would be happy to live in themselves. Relationships are essential, and house masters are urged to allow their characters to come through.
Improving the boarding offering at Jeppe depends on the support of the headmaster, staff, parents, and the old boy community. Old boys are particularly crucial in spreading the word about their positive experiences in boarding at Jeppe.
The tutor system that applies to all eight houses at Jeppe works particularly well in Tsessebe, Sable, and Oribi houses. The enrichment of the process is due to tutors and their tutor groups living under the same roof. The hostel breakfast, a place for communication ahead of the day, is replicated in dayboy houses’ early morning house tutor group meetings.
In recent years, the nature of boarding schools has changed, with more weekly boarders who go home on weekends. Termly boarders are now in the minority at Jeppe, yet the hostel boys are still passionate about their hostel lives and their houses. Upgrades are designed to build on this passion.
Head of House:
Mr. B. Hillock
Email: bhillock@jeppeboys.co.za
Head of House:
Mr. D. Williams
Email: dwilliams@jeppeboys.co.za
Mr. P. Mhlanga
Email: pmhlanga@jeppeboys.co.za
Grade 8 Boarding House
Head of House:
Mr. K McClean
Email: kmcclean@jeppeboys.co.za
Jeppe accommodates approximately 220 boarders in one of three senior boarding houses: Tsessebe House, Oribi House and Sable House, and an additional 60 boys in the Edgar Droste House, which is exclusively for Grade 8 learners.
We seek to provide our boys with a second home, one to which they look forward to returning either on a Sunday evening or Monday morning, and as much as they look forward to going to their homes over the weekend.
Being a boarder enables a boy to take full advantage of the facilities and opportunities that the school offers, without wasting hours of his time travelling to and from the school. Our boys are encouraged (but not coerced) to participate in a broad range of activities, whether competitively in school teams, or socially, and this includes inter-house competition.
Boarding encourages self-reliance, camaraderie, and consideration for others. We ask our boys to develop self-discipline rather than have discipline imposed upon them. Our ethos is based on the broad egalitarian and libertarian principles of the South African Schools’ Act. Senior boys do not enjoy automatic privilege on account of age. Privilege, where it exists at all, has to be earned.
The physical structure of the house encourages a sense of unity, as all the dormitories are arranged around one central landing. Most boys seem to develop a strong sense of brotherhood.
Each of the four boarding houses is well staffed. Houses are under the direction of a Head of House, who is a member of the teaching staff and resides in the house. Four single members of staff are also resident in each house, with other staff members living with their families in flats and houses nearby. There is resident matron in each house who look after the needs of the boys living away from home. In all, there are about 30 members of staff providing care and encouragement for boarders. The school also has a full time counsellor who resides on the premises.
Boarders are able to use Jeppe’s excellent facilities to their full potential. The Library and Computer Centre remain open on weekdays from 8:00 to 17:00, and the extensive school grounds, and most of the sporting facilities are available for use by boarders during leisure hours, with an Astroturf, basketball courts, squash courts, tennis courts, a swimming pool, a gymnasium, and six sport fields in which to expend their energy.
Homework is supervised on week day evenings by the House Master on duty. Help is never far away, whether from a member of staff, an older boy or from a student in the same year level. There is a structured approach to study to ensure all students perform to the best of their ability. For boys that may require it, extra lessons are available from all subject teachers after school. All four boarding houses have internet as well as computers and printers for boys to do research work and printing.
All meals are served in separate dining halls adjacent to the living accommodation. The food is of a high standard and is prepared in a modern kitchen.
Every endeavour is made to ensure that each boy receives a balanced diet and there is sufficient food for healthy appetites. Boys with special food requirements are catered for within limits and all meals are supervised by several staff members.
Each house also has a kitchenette equipped with microwave, refrigerator, toaster and electric kettle. Boys may use the kitchenette for preparing beverages and light snacks, if they wish.
There are recreational rooms in each house, providing comfortable areas for conversation, listening to music or reading. Table tennis tables and pool tables in the common rooms are well used. Separate areas are provided for television viewing which includes DSTV.
Jeppe has a doctor on call 24 hours a day. He is also available on request and, together with other consultants used by Jeppe, provides a full range of medical services to ensure the health of boarders. All boarding houses are well stocked with medication administered by the matron. Matron will also hand out medication that is required by boys.
NO MEDICATION MAY BE LEFT IN LOCKERS AND DAILY MEDICATION REQUIREMENTS MY ONLY BE ADMINISTERED BY THE HOUSE MATRON.
The school also has a physiotherapist on site.
A laundry is located in Tsessebe house and is operated on weekdays by Jeppe staff. Termly boarders are not required to do their own washing and ironing. Dirty clothes are placed by the boys in their laundry bags and the cleaned, ironed clothes are returned within 24 hours. Sewing is also performed for the boys by the House Matron or her assistant. No extra charge is made for these services if the boy is a termly boarder. Weekly boarders may use this service, but will be charged to the parents.
