School Type: Girls

Founded in 1899 by the Holy Family Sisters and visible from most of Durban, Maris Stella School stands as a landmark overlooking the sea and truly lives up to its name “Star of the Sea”.

Maris Stella caters for girls from Pre-school to Matriculation. It is a unique, multi-faceted school, comprising five schools in one. The range of age groups easily promotes a family feeling, and all races and denominations are catered for.

At Maris Stella we educate the whole child academically, morally, spiritually and physically. We care for our children as individuals, facilitated by our small classes and family atmosphere. Discipline is firmly yet lovingly enforced and pupils are treated as individuals at all times. Our aim at Maris Stella is to equip the child for adulthood, enabling her to approach life with the necessary skills of knowledge, confidence, self-respect, loyalty and tolerance.

Maris Stella is a Catholic School which admits pupils of all denominations. The Religious Education syllabus is life-related and teaches morals, tolerance and life skills. All pupils are obliged to attend Religious Education lessons and associated functions. No attempt is made to convert the pupils. Interested pupils and parents may attend Tuesday morning communion which is held in our beautiful Chapel.

The pupils follow the National Core Syllabus and our Matrics write the Independent Education Board examinations. Classes are kept as small as possible so that children can receive individual attention. In the Senior School, most groups are even smaller because of the wide range of subject choices the girls have.

Maris Stella has an excellent recognised academic standard. Emphasis has been placed on pupil skill-based learning where each individual is encouraged to take responsibility for her own progress. Thus the adoption of Outcomes Based Education (OBE) has been an easy process.

Schools are usually measured by their matriculation results and our pupils have always excelled, with a 100% pass rate including many "A" aggregates and subject distinctions. Maris Stella achieved a 100% matriculation exemption (university entrance) rate for 2005.

Although it is desirable to achieve excellent matriculation results, it is stressed that, at Maris Stella, we cater for each individual child, so that she can develop to be the best that she can be, academically, physically and spiritually.

While recognizing the need for the continued growth of Scientific and Technological education, the school also emphasizes the Arts. In order to accommodate this growing department the school has recently purchased and taken occupation of a beautiful house on the  adjacent property.  This delightful Arts and Cultural Centre has spacious accommodation for Art and Speech and Drama.

An involved pupil is a happy pupil – a pupil who identifies with school will mirror this identification in her school work. Girls are therefore encouraged to take part in at least one of the extramurals available. Maris Stella has extensive facilities, which include 4 multi-purpose Netball/Tennis courts, 2 Netball courts, 2 midi hockey fields and a 12-lane swimming pool.

The school endeavours to live out Gospel values and has a long history of outreach within the community.  In addition to major community outreach programmes run by the school, such as the Adult Literacy School, each class in the school has adopted a specific community project, meaning that there are over 35 projects in the school.  By this means, each pupil is given the opportunity to reach out to others.

‘Love cannot exist without giving some signs of its presence’
Pierre Bienvenu Noailles, Founder of the Holy Family Sisters

As is obvious from this page, Maris Stella is a School that strives to educate body, mind and spirit. It has excelled in providing education which is high in academic quality and spiritual content. While the School has been robust in its sports programme, it has been constrained by space to pursue certain sports. In responding to this need, the School is in the process of building a Multi-Purpose Sports Centre which will cater for all indoor sports, and in addition provide space for other activities, like dance and gymnastics.

School Phase:

• Pre-Primary
• Primary
• Secondary

Lowest Grade: Grade 000
Highest Grade: Grade 12
Boarding: No
Number of Pupils: 811
Founding Year: 1899
Religious Affiliation: Catholic
Lowest Tuition Fees Per Annum (2008): R16000
Highest Tuition Fees Per Annum (2008): R31000
Examinations or Curricula:

• General Education and Training (GETC)
• National Senior Certificate (IEB)

Postal Address: PO Box 37596, Overport
Postal Code: 4067
Telephone: 031 209 9426
Fax: 031 209 8162
Website: http://www.marisstella.co.za
Suburb: Berea
City/Town: Durban
South African Province: KwaZulu-Natal
Country: South Africa