Facilities

The school possesses a specialized Visual Arts wing, with internet access where students are encouraged to explore their creative talents and showcase their creative expressions.  Our art department is proud of our specialist teachers and our amenities include a fully equipped ceramics studio, facilities to teach drawing, painting, mixed media and sculpture. The site of the art rooms is ideal for practical work, as there is access to the outdoor area and no other classes are disturbed.  The yearly art exhibitions have become important dates to diarise amongst the community.  Many past pupils have gone on to achieve successful and lucrative careers in the arts.

Our spacious school library is stocked with periodicals, newspapers and an impressive array of books, covering both fiction and non-fiction. These have been selected across all genres and three languages for their informative, educational and enjoyment values, catering to all our relevant age groups. Children are encouraged to make full use of these facilities in order to encourage a healthy reading habit. The library is managed by highly qualified library personnel who are able to assist learners. In addition, the library also features an integrated audio-visual suite of 38 work stations, with internet access to complement school research activities.

Port Shepstone High School is proud to have an expert team of highly qualified and experienced Maths educators.  Boosted by The Epoch and Optima Trusts, who have been supporting us with the Maths Challenge since 2008, our objective is to increase the number of learners taking Core Mathematics (as opposed to Maths Lit.) in Grade 12 and to increase the number of “higher level passes” (levels 5, 6 and 7).

We utilise the grant money from The Epoch and Optima Trusts to:

• Pay an additional Educator to keep our senior classes smaller for more individual attention.
• Purchase maths software; interactive whiteboards; learner desks and chairs
• Extra lessons: these are offered across the grades on weekday afternoons. We also offer 10 revision lessons to grade 12s on Saturdays before trials and Final exams. All these are free of charge.
• Maths interns: Epoch and Optima trusts support 2 young aspiring Maths educators by paying their UNISA fees; covering their book and stationery costs and paying them a monthly stipend. These interns assist Maths educators and learners in the classroom; and teach Maths classes should an educator be away.

Our impressive, fully equipped kitchen and Consumer Studies area provides a conducive learning space for the learners to focus on developing their knowledge, skills, values and attitudes in order to enable them to become responsible consumers of food, clothing, housing, furnishing and household equipment and to use resources optimally and in a suitable manner. The importance of entrepreneurship is highlighted in practical ways.

We encourage learner interest in programmes of physical education.  A wide range of sports facilities are available that include 11 acres of sports fields, a 25m swimming pool, an indoor sports centre, basketball and netball courts, hockey, rugby, soccer, cricket fields and nets, a volleyball court and a sports pavilion with kitchen facilities at the sports grounds.

Port Shepstone High School has the original hall which was used in the past for all assemblies and inter-school activities, until the school outgrew the capacity which this space could hold.  It is now used as an ideal space for our annual drama productions, most major school functions, prize-giving’s etc.  It has a vast stage, back-stage area, professional lighting, a sound room, musical instruments and immaculate bathroom facilities.

The Noel Rowe Centre is a multi-purpose space which is used for indoor sports, Physical Education, as an exam centre and for our assemblies. 

Our much-loved Tuckshop offers a vast range of home cooked meals, healthy snacks and beverages which are served throughout the day, and during sports events.

EGD teaches internationally acknowledged principles that have both academic and technical applications.  In order to facilitate these goals, the EGD department has over 40 desktop PC’s, all with specific software programmes and the latest AutoCAD.  The emphasis in EGD is on teaching specific basic knowledge and various drawing techniques and skills so that the EGD learners will be able to interpret and produce drawings within the contexts of mechanical, civil, design and electrical fields.

The specific aims of EGD are to teach the following:

• Graphical drawings as the primary means of communication in the technological world
• Specific basic content and concepts within the contexts of Mechanical Technology, Civil Technology and Electrical Technology
• Various instrument and freehand drawing techniques and skills, use of AutoCAD
• Solving technological problems through graphical drawings and mathematical skills
• The application of the Design Process

Our ICT facilities have greatly benefitted our learners, especially during this age of technological education.  Our educators are all digitally trained and understand how to integrate the new available technology into the curriculum.

Port Shepstone High School uses a diverse set of ICT tools to communicate, create, disseminate, store, and manage information. We have 30 interactive digital whiteboards, 25 digital visualisers and over 300 computers, with each classroom boasting a complete digital setup.

We have two fully equipped computer labs, with 30 computers in each.  These are fully networked, have internet access and visualisers, smartboards and projectors.

Our Physical Science and Biology laboratories offer state of the art equipment and facilities – ensuring a safe and inspiring learning experience in a spacious and distinct setup.

Members of staff at Port Shepstone High School operate a second-hand clothing and textbook shop on site.  Many parents take advantage of our pre-loved uniform range of school and sports uniforms.

We have 2 sick-bays for children feeling unwell and a fully stocked First Aid Supply unit. Whilst routine first aid is administered by our qualified First Aid team, any emergency is referred to the nearby hospital.