Leffler Astro Turf, Thomas More College

General information

The College can trace its origins to modest beginnings when on 1st February 1962 it opened its doors to only 55 pupils, all boys. Co-education was not to come for another 14 years. The Founder-Headmaster was Robin Savory, who had long had a dream of starting a Catholic School run by the Catholic laity. In this he had the support of Archbishop Denis Hurley. So, from the start the School had a strong religious element strengthened in later years with a broader Christian base.

The choice of Kloof as the site for the Thomas More School (as it was originally called) was due to the availability of the Great House, and the presence of a small core of likely pupils. However, at the time Kloof was indeed a village with a scattering of shops within easy reach of what was then a functioning railway station. What today are flourishing residential areas were then largely open grassland, and Kloof High School was in fact Kloof Secondary as in 1962 it only went as far as Standard 7 (Grade 9 in modern parlance). One could ask what was it that stimulated the growth of the School? Between 1962 and 1992 (by which time there had been a name change to the present Thomas More College) the School was served by 3 Headmasters, Robin Savory, Chris Hurley and Bill Pickering. Much was achieved in that time, notably the acquisition of considerable tracts of land, some of which carried buildings which have remained part of the central core of the School.

However, numbers never rose above a maximum of 197 and, in fact in 1990 the School was facing closure. Fortunately, this was averted and a vigorous campaign was launched, not only to revive it, but to promote its expansion.

A major step in this direction was the establishment of a Primary School, based in the Farmhouse. In 1992 Peter Habberton was appointed as Principal, and in 1993 the Junior Primary School opened, based in the Farmhouse and led by Jacquie Habberton, Hilton Stander joined as Primary School Headmaster the following year, followed by Greg Brooks in 1999, Nigel Sloane in 2005, and Barbara Taljard in 2009. Much expansion in terms of buildings and other facilities took place and, thanks to the generosity of Peter Savory, the Robin Savory Pavilion was erected above the Savory Field. The boarding facility closed at the end of 2002 due to a significant drop in demand, and the rooms which became available as a result, were converted to offices and specialist classrooms.

In 2002 Shane Cuthbertson followed Peter Habberton as Principal. In 2009, due to re-structuring in the High School, Shane retained his position as Principal of the whole school, and Allan Chandler, Senior Master at the time, was appointed as Headmaster of the High School. Expansion continued, attention being focussed on improving the sporting facilities, notably a new hockey field, an all-purpose field and netball courts, and at the end of 2006 a 25m x 35m swimming pool was completed. The Ken Mackenzie Centre appeared on the other side of the Savory Field. To date the facilities include 6 computer labs, a recently upgraded High School library, laboratories and classrooms - the majority of which have smartboards and projectors, two heated swimming pools, a recently built Astro Turf and a Music School. Recent improvements to the gardens and all the wonderful facilities have contributed to making this one of the most beautiful school campuses in the country. Pupil numbers have risen to 1200, from Grade 000 to Grade 12, making Thomas More College the largest independent co-educational school in KwaZulu-Natal.