St Josephs Marist College
Education in Cape Town

Learners at St Joseph's Marist College work and play in a setting that reflects the real world.

SJMC is also one of a few schools offering Montessori education within the structure of a conventional school. Chapel worship and a vibrant religious education programme are key components of school life. The school was a pioneer of open schooling in the apartheid era in Once a white, boys-only senior school, SJMC has evolved over the years into an exciting multi-cultural, fully co-educational institution extending from Pre-school to Grade Belonging to the Marist family ensures that the school is kept in touch nationally with the four other Marist schools. At St Joseph's Marist College we are are proud of our rich and colourful history, for the journey we have taken to the present, has defined us, and given us character. As the wheat supply at the Cape proved to be inadequate to satisfy the need of passing Company ships, it was proposed that some of the Company’s employees be released to establish farms for the growing of wheat. The mansion that he built is the main administrative building of the College today. St Joseph’s moved from Phoenix House (where it had been opened) to occupy Grimley Hall on the first floor above the St Aloysius school. The journey of the Marist Brothers to South Africa and Cape Town was a pioneering journey in which each Brother boldly faced the unknown without trepidation. This sale was made possible with the assistance of Mossop and Co. who occupied the adjacent tannery (now Tannery Park). The large rooms of Belmont House were used as classrooms and construction of the new classroom block and boarding dormitory commenced immediately. The increased numbers meant that additional classrooms and other facilities were required. The chapel and new wing were built in Romanesque style. The 1970s was a decade of change in many respects, and the College showed its ability to adapt and adjust to change, whilst always remaining true to its values and ethos. Owing to a dire financial position brought about by a drop in vocations to the religious life and dwindling pupil numbers (as low as 270 at one stage!) This did not sit well with many of those who were a part of the St Joseph’s family, both past and present, and in 1982 the Venture of Faith campaign was launched to prevent the closing of St Joseph’s. It was also in Ron Taylor’s era that Montessori was introduced, as well as the first Computer Literacy programme. The history of St Joseph's Marist College is a proud one. Like the first Marist Brothers, we are undertaking our own pioneering journey into the unknown. This was a culture that did not tolerate mediocrity, but expected the best from every pupil, regardless of their strengths or weaknesses. Today, we share the same spirit of boldness and community that characterised the College at that time in its history. This same innovation characterises the work that continues to be done in all Marist schools, both nationally and internationally. At St Joseph's Marist College we are indebted to our founder and to all other Marist schools to continue this tradition of innovation in education.