By Charmaine Ndlela
Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile has officially launched Clapham High School as the province’s 40th School of Specialisation, positioning the Pretoria school as a hub for sporting excellence while building on its strong academic record.
The launch, held in Queenswood, Pretoria, on Thursday, also marked Clapham’s designation as Gauteng’s fourth School of Specialisation focused on sport.
The event was attended by learners, educators, community stakeholders and sporting personalities, including Mamelodi Sundowns chairman Tlhopane Motsepe and former Sundowns players.
The designation builds on Clapham’s longstanding partnership with the Mamelodi Sundowns Academy, which dates back to 2012 and has helped create a pathway for young footballers to develop their talent and pursue professional careers.
Maile said the launch was about strengthening an institution with an established record of academic and sporting achievement.
“Today, we are not simply launching another School of Specialisation. We are strengthening an institution that already has a proud history of academic and sporting excellence and giving it an even stronger platform to develop the talent of our young people,” Maile said.
Established in 1948 and operating from its current Queenswood campus since 1955, Clapham has recorded a National Senior Certificate pass rate of more than 90% in recent years.
The school achieved a 94% pass rate in 2023, 97% in 2024 and 91.3% in 2025.
Its sporting achievements have also been significant, particularly in football, with the school producing several professional players.
Former learners include Samukele Kabini, Keletso Makgalwa, Thato Matli, Thabo Moloisane, Malebogo Modise, Bennet Mokoena, Malibongwe Khoza, Motjeka Madisha, Khayalihle Shozi, Percy Tau and Cassius Mailula.
Kabini was included in the South African squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while several other former learners have gone on to play professionally in South Africa and abroad.
Several Clapham graduates have also progressed through the Mamelodi Sundowns system, strengthening the relationship between the school and the club.
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The school has won the CAF African Schools Championship boys’ title in Malawi, the Gauteng Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Championship and the inaugural Gauteng Schools Football Champions League.
Clapham was also nominated for School Team of the Year at the South African Sport Awards.
However, its specialised sporting programme extends beyond football.
Learners showcased their abilities in netball, basketball, volleyball, tennis, chess and e-sports during the launch. The school also demonstrated its vocational education and training offerings, Consumer Studies and its “Voices On The Rise” podcast initiative.
The programmes form part of the broader Schools of Specialisation model, which combines academic learning with specialised skills and talent development.
Motsepe said the partnership between Sundowns and Clapham had demonstrated what could be achieved when sporting institutions work closely with schools.
“When Mamelodi Sundowns looks at Clapham, we don’t just see a school for our footballers. We see a place of possibility, a place of potential,” Motsepe said.
He said the partnership had helped young players pursue their ambitions, but stressed that the School of Specialisation should not be viewed solely through the lens of football.
Motsepe encouraged learners to explore their individual talents and take advantage of opportunities created through the specialised programme.
“The Clapham School of Sport and Specialisation is an incredible opportunity for young men and women to achieve their greatness,” he said.
Maile said partnerships such as the one between Clapham and Mamelodi Sundowns were critical to developing specialised education in the province.
“Government cannot develop sporting excellence alone. The partnership between Clapham and Mamelodi Sundowns is an example of how schools, professional sporting institutions and other stakeholders can work together to identify talent, provide mentorship and create high performance opportunities for young people,” Maile said.
He said the expansion of Schools of Specialisation formed part of Gauteng’s broader efforts to identify and nurture learner talent while keeping academic achievement central.
The inclusion of e-sports and the “Voices On The Rise” podcast also exposes learners to emerging fields such as digital skills, communication and media alongside established sporting disciplines.
Maile said Clapham’s new designation represented both a recognition of its achievements and an investment in future talent.
“As Gauteng’s 40th School of Specialisation and fourth specialising in Sports, Clapham represents both a celebration of what has already been achieved and an investment in what is still possible,” he said.
“We want young people to know that their talent has a place in our public education system and that their journey towards excellence can begin here,” he said.
