About Windsor
Our history, vision, and identity
Our history, vision, and identity
Windsor subscribes to the ageless credo that the learner is the focal point of the learning and teaching process. The school shall commit itself to the:
Dear Parent / Guardian,
Warm Windsor Greetings. On behalf of the staff at Windsor Secondary, I am happy to welcome you and your child/ward to the 2026 academic year. We are looking forward to a productive partnership with you to ensure our children can achieve their highest potential.
We recognise that to be successful in school our children need support from both home and school. We know a strong partnership with you will make a significant difference in your child's education. As parents we share the responsibility for our children's success and want you to know that we will do our very best to carry out our responsibility.
Our theme for 2026 is "PROMOTING EXCELLENCE THROUGH DETERMINATION AND HARD WORK". We ask that you guide and support your child/ward's learning by ensuring that:
Please do not hesitate to contact or book an appointment to see the school principal if you wish to discuss any issues or challenges regarding your child/ward.
Dear Learner,
Warm Windsor greetings future patriots. While this is my second year as the Principal at Windsor Secondary School, the outstanding staff and community of Windsor Secondary is not new to me. I was a teacher at Windsor from 2013 till present.
Windsor is a pretty easy school to navigate... so do not worry Grade 8's — you won't get lost and even if you do, there are people here who will help you, i.e. Prefects.
During your time here you will meet so many tremendous teachers. Watching teachers go above and beyond to support students is something I am proud of. Of course teachers are there for students academically but they also run a wide range of extra-curricular programming.
To all future Patriots, I want to welcome you to the Windsor family — believe it or not, you will be Windsor Secondary's graduating class of 2031.
Starting a High school life may come with social and emotional changes, loss of seniority and a sense of belonging, confusion etc. Try to develop and master the following in order to cope with high school life:
Grade 8 Induction 2026: Tuesday, 13 January 2026 • Time: 08:00
Venue: Windsor Secondary School • Dress Code: Summer School Uniform
Windsor shall strive to be the site of education excellence through a sustained all-round development of the learner the acquisition of skill, values and attitude.
Grade 8 Induction: The induction took place on Tuesday, 13 January 2026 at 08:00 in the Windsor Secondary School hall. Learners were asked to arrive in Summer School Uniform and to prepare for the first day of high school with the stationery and documents required.
Preparing for High School: Parents and learners are encouraged to support a smooth transition by prioritising attendance, completing homework, and communicating with the school if extra help is needed.
View Full Uniform ScheduleMessage from the Principal: Warm Windsor greetings. Our theme for the year is “Promoting Excellence Through Determination and Hard Work.” Parents are asked to support learners by ensuring they attend daily, complete homework, and let the school know when extra help is needed.
To many, the name Windsor is synonymous with the Royal Family of Windsor. However, Windsor Secondary School drew its name from the first name given to the British colonial settlement on the banks of the Klip River in 1852. Lieutenant Governor King gave his blessing for the small settlement to be called Windsor.
In 1955, the principal of the school, the late Mr. N.G. Chetty, decided to rename the school.
It is significant that the names of the streets around the school are called BUCKINGHAM, PRINCESS, KING and QUEENS Streets. In 1994 The Buckingham Hall was erected, celebrating 90 years of sustained commitment to lifelong learning in KwaZulu-Natal. The Windsor Hall is one of the biggest halls in Ladysmith. Our school is now known as "The Windsor Secondary School".
Our school emblem is the outward expression of our aspirations and objectives, and together with the school colours, serves to distinguish and clarify all elements of the school into a meaningful coherent whole.
The school emblem was adapted in 1955 to mark the school's elevation to High School status. It is a maroon shield containing a design comprising:
The maroon shield with five gold triangles, golden orb, and the motto "Discipulus Tuus Sum" was adopted when the school was elevated to High School status.
The laurel was added as an achievement of its Golden Jubilee in 1964 to symbolize 50 years of education. It also symbolizes the success attained by the school over the years.
With the school celebrating its centenary in 2014, a crown was placed on top of the emblem to symbolize 100 years of excellence in education.
One of the most pleasant features of my life as a teacher, Head of Department and Principal at Windsor was the special chemistry between myself and the institution. Every time I left Windsor, for some reason or the other, there was a compelling reason to return. To occupy the Principal post was a humbling experience, and with the advent of democracy in 1994, it provided an opportunity to take the school in a different direction. Transformation became the norm, and it became the most exciting period in the history of Windsor.
The floods of 1994 provided the catalyst for major change — the demolition of the outdated toilets and prefab buildings, and the construction of the new R3.5 million science block. The Department of Education was given a choice — relocate the school to Klip River High School or build a new block. The construction of Qeduzisi Dam was a huge benefit to the school, and allowed management to focus on converting the prefab buildings into the Princess Hall and the bottom of the new hall into the fashionable Buckingham Hall. In addition, with the assistance of head of department, Mr Ismail Moosa, a new Industrial Arts Centre was constructed with limited funds and donations.
By the year 2000, the school had progressed into one of the lighthouse schools of the district, and both the results and the capital works project became a major talking point in Ladysmith. The school opened its doors to disadvantaged schools and the community outreach programmes reached into the rural areas. In the following year, the property next door to the school was purchased, and the first seeds of a school hall was planted.
The magnanimity of the community was boundless, and the Uthukela District Municipality provided a grant of R100 000 for outstanding leadership in education. To the surprise of the staff, a steel structure with chromodek roofing was put up and within six months the new hall became a reality. Fittingly called the Windsor Hall, it has a seating capacity of 1 200, making it the largest school hall in the region. This was followed up by building relationships with tertiary institutions including the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the University of the Free State to bring distance education to Ladysmith. Not only was Windsor the centre for post matric study, it created another source of revenue for the school.
I would have loved to end my teaching career at Windsor but I had to leave in 2006 to take the post of Deputy Mayor of the town. A special tribute to mentors Mr AC Naidoo, Mr CM Nair, Mr M Patel and the wonderful Percy Reddy for inspiring my rapid climb up the education ladder, and the many teachers who provided loyal and dedicated service during my tenure, and particularly, Dharam Domun and Gopie Reddy, for the friendship and comradeship. I was the sum total of the contribution of many people, and I will always remain indebted to them.
Windsor will always remain special to me, and I wish this venerable institution everything of the best in future years.
It is indeed a privilege and honour for me to submit this message on the occasion of the Centenary of this venerable institution. I consider myself truly blessed to have experienced life at Windsor as student, as a teacher and finally as the head of this revered institution.
My association with Windsor Secondary School has been a remarkable and memorable journey for me. The twelve years (1949–1961) I spent as a student were some of the most memorable.
School was such fun and we looked forward to each new day. The highlight on the school's sporting calendar was without doubt the Annual Athletics Meeting. When Mr N.G. Chetty (principal) introduced the Bugle Band and the Drum Majorettes, the Annual Athletics, with all the glitz and glamour of the occasion, became a major attraction and a talking point throughout the province.
My first appointment as a teacher at Windsor was a momentous day in January 1967 when I waded through knee-deep flood waters to report for duty.
My seven years (1967–1973) as a teacher were just as rewarding and life changing as my years as a pupil. I joined the staff of Windsor amidst many of my former teachers.
In January 1990 I returned as a Principal only to be welcomed by the late Mr. A.C. Naidoo (then Principal), in his farewell address wished me well in my new post, and expressed the hope that I may return in the future as principal of Windsor. Not in my wildest dreams, did I realize that this would turn out to be so prophetic. He shook my hand and with the words "Welcome sir", escorted me to the office. This speaks volumes about the humility of the man that I was so blessed to rub shoulders with.
During my all too brief sojourn as principal I had the honour and privilege of hosting Prof B. Pachai, my history teacher, renowned author and historian and one of the most distinguished sons of Windsor as a guest. At the time of his visit he was the Director of the Human Rights Commission of Canada. In his address he encouraged the students to aspire to be part of the changes that South Africa was witnessing.
In 1990 I had the unique honour of sharing in the glory of the first student to obtain a full house of six distinctions in the Matric examinations. Nilesh Nair was placed third in the Top Ten in the country, a first for the school in its long history.
Any tribute would be incomplete without mention being made of Mr. Makhaya, the humble and dedicated school caretaker. Makhaya was a caretaker at Windsor when I was a pupil in the primary classes and he was still at the school when I returned as principal. We salute Mr. Makhaya, you were a sterling example.
Windsor played a huge role in the matters of the heart for me. I met my lifelong partner at Windsor and we continue to share more than fifty years of friendship and love and respect for each other. In conclusion, let us all celebrate this milestone with love and gratitude. Let us cherish the friendship forged, the legacy and savour the memories of a glorious hundred years. May the glorious past be replicated for another hundred years. Viva Windsor Viva.