Cape Town school directory
High Schools in Cape Town
Looking for high schools in Cape Town? CapeSchools lists 287 public and independent high-school options across the city. High schools may also use “secondary school” in their names, and these listings are included. Start with two or three suburbs you can reach on a normal school morning, then compare teaching language, subjects, fees and learner support. Use the suburb guide below to narrow your search before contacting schools.
Find a high school
Choose the route that suits your family
2027 Grade 8 admissions
Applications and placement support
The regular and late online application periods for Grade 8 in 2027 have closed. As checked on 15 October 2026, WCED says parents can now apply only at district offices. If your child still needs a Grade 8 placement for 2027, contact your education district for the next step and keep your application reference and supporting documents ready. Schools apply their own admissions policies, and a place at a preferred school cannot be guaranteed.
View current WCED admissions guidance →Start with your daily journey
Compare Cape Town suburbs before choosing schools
There is no single best suburb for every learner. The comparison below suggests how to organise your search; it does not rank areas or promise admission. Test your own route at school drop-off and collection times, including days with sport or other activities.
| Suburbs to compare | How to narrow the search | What to ask next | Start browsing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rondebosch, Rosebank and Claremont | Compare these neighbouring suburbs as one starting area, then check the exact campus address. | Compare co-ed and single-sex options, teaching language, subject choices and the trip after afternoon activities. | Rondebosch high schools |
| Wynberg, Plumstead and Constantia | Start with campuses that fit your home-to-work route rather than searching the whole Southern Suburbs. | Check collection times, transport arrangements, total annual costs and support for your child’s needs. | Wynberg high schools |
| Durbanville, Bellville and Brackenfell | Search each suburb separately; a Northern Suburbs label can hide a very different daily journey. | Confirm teaching language for the intended grade, Grade 10 subject combinations and the correct senior campus. | Bellville high schools |
| Milnerton, Table View and the Blouberg area | Compare nearby campuses and include combined schools with a confirmed high-school phase. | Test the school-run route, ask about transport and check which grades are offered at each campus. | Table View high schools |
| Athlone and surrounding suburbs | Use the precise suburb and campus location to build a local shortlist. | Ask about admission criteria, academic support, activities and a practical route home. | Athlone high schools |
| Mitchells Plain and nearby communities | Compare individual neighbourhoods as well as the broader area name. | Confirm subjects, teaching language, school-day times and transport; a broad suburb filter may miss local listings. | Mitchells Plain high schools |
| Fish Hoek and the South Peninsula | Start with the Peninsula campuses you can reach consistently throughout the week. | Check morning travel and late collection after sport, plus subjects and learner support. | Fish Hoek high schools |
| Somerset West and the Helderberg | Treat this as a separate search area if your family lives or works nearby. | Check the full journey before adding a school to a city-based shortlist. | Somerset West high schools |
Each browse link starts with one suburb. Change the suburb in the finder to compare the others in that row. Directory counts reflect published listings and classification, not all schools in an area or available places. Check combined-school listings too, and confirm the senior grades offered.
For a closer look at individual options, read our high schools in Durbanville guide.
Search by location
Browse high schools by suburb
Choose a suburb to open matching directory listings. If a search looks small, try neighbouring suburbs and combined schools: school addresses may use a more specific neighbourhood name.
School examples
Compare Cape Town High Schools
These four examples illustrate school types and gender options in the Rondebosch and Rosebank area. They are not a citywide shortlist or ranking. Use the suburb comparison above and the wider profiles below to explore other parts of Cape Town; confirm current details with each school.
| School | Area | Type | Gender | Grades | Curriculum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rondebosch Boys’ High School | Rondebosch | Public | Boys | 8–12 | CAPS / NSC |
| Rustenburg Girls’ High School | Rosebank | Public | Girls | 8–12 | CAPS / NSC |
| Abbotts High School – Rondebosch | Rondebosch | Independent | Co-ed | 8–12 | CAPS |
| Westerford High School | Rondebosch | Public | Co-ed | 8–12 | CAPS / NSC |
Explore profiles
High-school and secondary-school profiles to compare
Athlone High School
- Public
- Co-educational
- Grades 8–12
- CAPS
Athlone High School is a public, co-educational secondary school in Silvertown, Athlone, serving learners in Grades 8 to 12.
View school →Windsor High School
- Public
- Co-educational
- Grades 8–12
- CAPS / National Senior Certificate
Windsor High School is a public, co-educational high school in Rondebosch East, Cape Town, serving learners in Grades 8 to 12.
View school →A.Z. Berman High School
- Public
- Secondary school
- CAPS / National Senior Certificate
A.Z. Berman High School is a public secondary school serving Tafelsig and the surrounding Mitchells Plain community. The school falls within the WCED Metro…
View school →Cedar High School
- Public
- Grades 8–12
- CAPS / National Senior Certificate
Cedar Secondary School, commonly known and searched for as Cedar High School, is a public high school in Rocklands, Mitchells Plain, serving Grades 8–12.…
View school →Plumstead High School
- Public
- Grades 8–12
- CAPS / National Senior Certificate
Plumstead High School is a public secondary school in Plumstead, Cape Town, serving learners from Grade 8 to Grade 12.
View school →Westerford High School
- Public
- Co-ed
- Grades 8–12
- CAPS
Westerford High School is a co-educational, secular public high school serving Cape Town families from its campus in the Newlands and Rondebosch area. It…
View school →Forest Heights High School
- Public
- Co-ed
- Grades 8–12
- CAPS
Forest Heights High School is a public secondary school in Forest Heights, Eerste River, serving learners from Grade 8 to Grade 12.
View school →Grassy Park High School
- Public
- Grades 8–12
- CAPS / National Senior Certificate
Grassy Park High School is a public secondary school in Grassy Park, Cape Town, within the WCED Metro South education district.
View school →Trafalgar High School
- Public
- Co-educational
- Grades 8–12
- CAPS / National Senior Certificate
Trafalgar High School is a public, co-educational secondary school in District Six, Cape Town, serving learners from Grade 8 to Grade 12.
View school →Kasselsvlei Comprehensive High School
- Public
- Co-educational
- Grades 8–12
- CAPS / National Senior Certificate, with academic and technical streams
Kasselsvlei Comprehensive High School is a public secondary school in Bellville South, Cape Town. It falls within the WCED Metro North district and is…
View school →Rondebosch Boys’ High School
- Public
- Boys
- Grades 8–12
- CAPS
Rondebosch Boys’ High School is a public boys’ high school in Rondebosch serving Grades 8 to 12.
View school →Rustenburg Girls’ High School
- Public
- Girls
- Grades 8–12
- CAPS
Rustenburg Girls’ High School is a public girls’ high school serving Grades 8 to 12 in the Rondebosch and Rosebank area.
View school →For parents
How to Find the Best-Fit High School in Cape Town
The best school is the one that fits the learner’s academic needs, interests, support requirements and daily routine. CapeSchools does not rank schools; use these practical factors to build a shortlist and then visit the schools you are considering.
Curriculum and subjects
Confirm the curriculum, teaching language, subject choices and whether the school supports your child’s intended pathway after Grade 12.
Admissions and timing
Public-school applications follow WCED timelines. Independent schools set their own dates, assessments and supporting-document requirements.
Fees and additional costs
Compare tuition with registration charges, uniforms, devices, transport, tours, sport and other compulsory or optional costs.
Support and school culture
Ask about class sizes, academic support, counselling, extracurricular activities, discipline and how the school communicates with families.
Your next steps
Turn your search into a practical shortlist
- Set your essentials. Write down the entry grade, year, teaching language, subjects, support needs and maximum annual budget, including transport.
- Choose two or three reachable suburbs. Check the actual campus address and trial the journey at the times you would travel.
- Compare several schools on the same basis. Save each profile and record fees, extra costs, curriculum, subject options, school hours and admissions contact details. Include combined schools where appropriate.
- Contact admissions directly. Ask whether applications for your grade and year are being considered, which documents are required and how to arrange a visit. A directory listing does not confirm a vacancy.
- Visit and check the fit. Ask how learning support works in practice, how families receive progress updates and what happens if a learner struggles academically or socially.
- Apply through the correct route and keep records. Follow current WCED instructions for public schools and each independent school’s process. Save reference numbers, submitted documents and written outcomes, and follow up on outstanding steps.
Questions to take to an admissions call
“We need a place in Grade [grade] for [year]. What is the current application route? Can you send your admissions policy, fee schedule and extra costs? Which teaching languages and subjects are offered, what learner support is available, and when can we visit?”
For public-school applications, WCED advises applying to at least three schools, including those closest to home. Prepare learner identification, the latest official school report and proof of residence, and check the current requirements for your family’s circumstances on the WCED admissions page.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
When should I apply for a Cape Town high school?
Check the current WCED admissions timetable for your child’s entry year. As checked on 15 October 2026, the online late-application window for Grade 8 in 2027 has closed and parents can apply only at district offices. Independent schools set their own application dates; contact each school directly.
What should I compare besides school fees?
Consider curriculum, subjects, teaching language, location, transport, learner support, class size, extracurricular activities and the full cost of uniforms, devices, tours and additional programmes.
Does CapeSchools rank or recommend high schools?
No. CapeSchools provides directory information to help families research and compare options. Parents should visit shortlisted schools and verify admissions, fees and availability directly.
Are combined schools included?
This page focuses on listings classified as high schools. Schools offering both primary and high-school phases can be explored separately through the combined-schools filter.
Are secondary schools included?
Yes. In the CapeSchools directory, secondary schools are included within the high-school category. Some institutions use “High School” in their name, while others use “Secondary School”.
Ready to build your shortlist?
Use the CapeSchools finder to compare high schools by suburb, school type and gender.
Explore high schoolsGuide refreshed 15 October 2026. Admissions guidance checked against the WCED learner admissions page. School details, admissions requirements, fees and available places can change; confirm important information directly with the school.