The Cowan House Story

OUR TIMELINE

1948

1948

The school opens

Founded as a private venture in 1948, by David and Joy Black, the original school property was situated in Mountain Rise, Pietermaritzburg and began as a boys’ only prep school. David Black was granted permission to name the school after the residence he had stayed in while studying at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. So too was the emblem of Cowan House Residence adopted – the Rampant Lion.

1978

1978

Opening of the skateboarding rink

In 1978, Cowan house undertook a unique form of organised sport in the form of skateboarding. Having initially been orchestrated as a way to market the school, Cowan House became the first school in the country to have its own skateboarding rink.

Strict rules were applied with five zones being marked out according to their difficulty and only boys judged to be sufficiently competent would qualify to use the next, more difficult zone.

1997

1997

Fire burns down the Boarding Establishment

In January of 1997, an electrical fire reduced the entire Boarding Establishment to ashes. A passionately supportive Cowan House community ensured that, by the end of that year, the Boarding Establishment was rebuilt – this time out of bricks and mortar. School continued as normally as possible, with boarders being accommodated in mobile homes on T-Field near the Theatre. The re-opening of the Boarding House coincided with a decision to discontinue Grade 8 at Cowan House.

2018

2018

School turns 70

2018 saw Cowan House celebrate its 70th Birthday. It was a splendid affair of reminiscing of how far our school had journeyed since its humble beginnings in Mountain Rise. A special celebration was held which included special guests of past Head Girls and Boys, Mr Chris Black, Mr Tom Peattie and a number of other families who have had longstanding relationships with our school.

2020

2020

COVID and online learning

2020 saw the commencement of what was to be an exciting year ahead, when suddenly in March our Cowan House community and the world came to a grinding halt with the arrival of Covid-19. Online school, learning packs and Microsoft Teams teaching became the new normal, with a slow and phased approach back to school in June 2020. Sanitiser, face masks and school arrival screening became part of an ordinary day at Cowan House as our grades enjoyed a phased return to school.

2022

2022

A Year to Remember

Cowan House celebrated its 75th Birthday, marking a milestone in our proud history. Several capital projects were completed, including a new swimming pool, classroom block, theatre upgrade, and practice astro. Our school was fuller than ever, thriving with energy and life. 2022 was a year of positive progress, all while staying true to the four values that guide everything we do: Be Yourself, Be Reasonable, Be Caring, & Be Your Best.

2025

2025

A new chapter begins

Our Cowan House family continues to grow under the leadership of our new headmaster, Mr. James Hough. This exciting new era brings increasing enrollment from Grade RRR through Grade 7 and a renewed celebration of our heritage.

We’ve opened our Heritage Centre in the last remaining wooden classroom block on campus, creating a special space for our Marketing, Foundation and Admissions teams that also connects past and present. This renewed focus on our foundations has brought many former pupils back to visit and share their cherished memories of their time at Cowan House.

Nurturing Potential,
Guiding Futures.

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The Cowan House Story

OUR TIMELINE