Our School’s History
A Colourful 100 Years
1926
Ms Sheila Ross
The Pinelands Primary School (formerly known as Pinelands Central) is one of three public primary schools in Pinelands and is commonly known by the community as The Blue School. The school was established in a private home belonging to Mrs Bush in Central Avenue, Pinelands, on the 25th January 1926 with 16 children, under the leadership of Ms Sheila Ross, the local Forestry Officer’s daughter, as its first principal.
1928
Ms M.J. Mylne
By 1928, the school had grown to 55 children, and the school was moved to the Civic Hall (located behind the BP garage) to accommodate this growth. At this time, the school had its second principal, Ms Mylne and an additional teacher was appointed.
As the suburb of Pinelands expanded with more families with children, it led several parents, led by Mr E. J. Croxford and Major F. W. Wells, to approach the Cape School Board to request the building of a school in Pinelands, as the school-going children were having to travel to Mowbray or Rondebosch to attend school.
On 11th July 1931, the foundation stone of the Pinelands Primary School was laid by Sir Richard Stuttaford, M.P. (founder of Pinelands Garden City). When the stone had been laid, he said, “This is a red-letter day in Pinelands history. I hope that I have laid the foundation of a school in which the three main concepts inculcated in the minds of the scholars will be fear God, honour The King and love your country.” When the school building was completed in 1932, it comprised an office and 3 classrooms for Miss Mylne, her two assistant teachers, and the 102 pupils to occupy.
Mr C. Martin
The new school was officially opened by Professor M. C. Botha, who was the Superintendent General of Education.
The third Principal, Mr C. Martin, served the school for a short period only before moving to the Eastern Cape, where he later became an inspector of woodwork.
1934 – 1951
Mr H. A. van der Hoven
Messrs Clarke, van der Hooven and Wells at the 1962 opening of the swimming bath.
Mr H. A. van der Hoven, the fourth Principal, served the school from 1934 to 1951. The current school hall is named in his honour and as a memorial to his work. The hall, which cost more than £ 9,000 (about R157,000), was designed by architect Mr L. Marriott Earle, who was later responsible for extensions of the hall, added in 1970.
1952 – 1970
Mr J. D. Clarke
Opening of the swimming bath in 1962
Mr J. D. Clarke became the fifth Principal in 1952 and was at the school until his retirement at the end of 1971. It was during Mr Clarke’s tenure as principal that the school underwent its greatest growth. The tennisette area (where the swimming pool is now located) was named the Clarke Courts as a tribute to his valuable contribution to the Blue School.
1971 – 1992
Mr E.R. Wylie
Mr E. Wylie, after having taught at the school for seven years, was appointed as the sixth Principal in 1972. Wylie’s tenure as principal lasted for 21 years until his retirement at the end of 1992. During his tenure, the school saw the introduction of many new ideas which have become proud traditions and enthusiastically encouraged academic, sporting and cultural programmes. During Founder’s Day, the choir and orchestra were established during his time, as well as annual drama productions. Sadly, he died three months after his retirement, following a short illness.
The opening of the School Hall in 1952
1993 – 2000
Mr B.R. Phillips
Following Mr Wylie’s retirement, Mr B. Phillips was appointed as the seventh principal from 1993 – 2000. It was in 2000 that three classrooms were completed on the site of the former bicycle sheds to open our Pre-School.
2001
Ms E. Holmes (Acting)
Ms E. Holmes acted as principal for a year in 2001
2002 – 2016
Mr M. Counsell
Mr M. Counsell was appointed as the school’s eighth principal in 2002. During the tenure of Mr Counsell, the school community bid farewell to Ms Holmes as she retired at the end of 2014 after a remarkable 42 years of service to the school. With the support of parents and the leadership of Mr Counsell, the school raised money to build its present large swimming pool, which was opened in 2003 and to upgrade the library and computer centre in 2004. Mr Counsell left at the end of 2016.
2017
Mrs L. October (Acting)
&
Mr C. Diedrick (Acting)
Mrs L. October and Mr C. Diedrick each shared a period of performing duties of the principal up until November 2018.
2018 – Present
Mr H. Abrahams
The school’s current and ninth principal, Mr H. Abrahams, was appointed in 2017.
During Mr Abrahams’s tenure, the school has navigated through challenging economic issues facing South Africa. In March 2020, the country went into an unprecedented lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the mandatory closure of all schools. After three months, the education system saw a staggered return of learners and adopted a new teaching approach involving technology. In 2022, South Africa’s energy grid faced a national crisis, resulting in frequent loadshedding that disrupted curriculum delivery. In 2023, the school invested in installing solar panels to address this crisis and actively promote renewable energy use.
To offer more children a Blue School primary educational experience, the school, in partnership with the Western Cape Education Department, launched an expansion project that saw seven new classrooms built and completed in the former Garden Quadrangle in 2024.
In 2025, the school undertook two major building projects, which included refurbishing all existing ablution facilities and reconstructing the struggling Aftercare Facilities.
As the school marks its 100th year serving the Pinelands community, it also celebrates the broader achievement of education in Pinelands, as other local educational institutions strive to provide quality, holistic education to children from both within the area and surrounding regions. The centenary honours the dedication and innovation of leaders succeeding Sheila Ross, the educators who invested so much into shaping the Blue School into what it is today, and the generations of families entrusting their children to our care, as well as current and past students who continue to uphold the Blue School’s proud legacy, inspiring future learners.
Honouring the Service of Educators
The location of the current Aftercare buildings was the former site of the original (smaller) swimming pool. That area was called the Cox Swimming Area, named after Mr A. Cox, who was a member of staff from 1934 until he died in 1960. Cox had established P.T.A. projects that raised funds for different projects, like the courts and the swimming pool.
The two quadrangles in our school bear the names of teachers who served the Blue School for many years. The Alexander Quad is located outside the school hall, and the Dickson Garden Quad houses the new senior phase classrooms.
In 2019, the multipurpose courts were built and dedicated to the memory of Mrs J. Wasserfall-Richards, an educator from 2000 – 2018.
Past Celebrations of the School’s Jubilee Years
In 1976, during the school’s 50th anniversary, the tennis courts were built and named the Jubilee Courts, and in 1986, during the school’s 60th anniversary, the Jubilee Room next to the hall was built, play equipment was purchased for the Foundation Phase, and a basketball court was established. Two computers were purchased, and a Beta Video movie recorder. The Jubilee Media Centre which includes the computer room and library, was officially inaugurated on 26th March 2002, following the vision of Mr Phillips. The Centre was established under the direction of Mrs J. Hill, Head of Department and librarian, and Mr G. Robinson, the first Media Officer, with funds raised by the parents of the school during the school’s 75th Jubilee Year in 2001.
Contribution to Community
The Blue School is proud to have contributed to the primary education of renowned former pupils such as Colin Eglin, Pieter Dirk-Uys, and Jimmy Nevis, among others. Additionally, the school takes pride in having supported the professional journeys of former staff members who now lead the following schools in the Western Cape: Pinelands North, Cannons Creek, SACS Junior, Rondebosch Boys’ Prep School, Kenridge Primary, and Riverwood Primary Echo School in Knysna.
The Blue School, being the oldest school in Pinelands, has come a long way from those first 16 pupils and today has close to 500 children from Grade R to Grade 7. It has transformed from a community school where most of its children walked or cycled to school into a multilingual, multicultural, happy family school over the years that draws learners from the Pinelands community and several surrounding and distant suburbs of the city.
School Houses
In 1943, three schoolhouses were established using the school colours, dark blue, light blue and gold as their names. It was only later in 1974 that the houses were renamed Ross (after the first principal of the school), Wells (named after a parent who led the request to the Cape School Board for a school building) and Derham (named after an active role-player on the then Board of Governors during the development of the school).