On 30 August 2010 the Western Cape Education MEC, Mr Donald grant made the following statement: "As part of the Provincial Government's on-going expansion of access to the focused teaching of science and mathematics, I am proud to announce that a new specialised high school will be opened in Claremont in January 2011."
The school was to be located in the renovated premises of the former Teacher's Centre. As is usual with focus schools, the new school would service the needs of learners from a very broad catchment area. Claremont High is ideally situated for this purpose because of its proximity to rail and motor transport and has excellent teaching facilities. In order to minimise the teething problems associated with many new schools and to ensure that appropriate standards are met from the outset, the WCED entered into a governance and management agreement with Westerford High School (WHS) (one of the leading public schools in the country) to support and guide the new school for the first few years.
This followed on negotiations between the WCED and the management of Westerford after they were approached by the newly appointed Superintendent General of Education in the Western Cape, Ms Penny Vinjevold, to share her vision. In discussing the merits of the project, the Board of Governors of Westerford acknowledged, with a great deal of pride, that it was indeed a real honour to have been approached to pioneer this exciting project and have pledged their full support.
Once the announcement was made, things progressed at a rapid rate. Building operations on the site at the end of Molteno Road in Claremont, between Greenfields Primary School on one side and Barkly House and Molteno Road Pre-Primary Schools on either end, were intensified to ensure completion before opening day in January 2011.
The building was renovated by the WCED at great expense, and was eventually able to accommodate 500 high school learners, or three classes of approximately 35 each per grade. Initially, in 2011, the school opened with three Grade 8 classes and one Grade 10 class. The intake for 2012 was the same, and thereafter CHS admitted three Grade 8 classes each year. This meant that our first Matric class was in 2013.
Claremont High School opened its doors on 19 January 2011, with 135 pupils in 3 Grade 8 and 1 Grade 10 class
