A CHRISTIAN FOUNDATION
For 150 years, St Charles College has remained steadfast in its Christian character, nurturing spiritual formation as the foundation of our community. Rooted in the values of grace, forgiveness, and compassion, faith permeates every aspect of College life, inspiring students to grow in wisdom and service.
St Charles College has been a non-denominational Christian School since 1979, but the purpose of Bishop Charles Jolivet (who founded this College in 1875) remains the same – to provide an education for boys that surpasses knowledge and skills and gives glory to God. Acknowledging God in all that we do and the grace that has been given us in his son, Jesus Christ, we are committed to the growth of the boys of the College through thought and deed.
At St Charles College, we aspire to build a flourishing community—one where every individual is supported and cared for, regardless of their background or circumstances. Through a Christ-centred education, we hope to empower our students to defend what is right, uphold justice, and honour the dignity of others, so that their learning is not just for today, but for life.
Our staff and students partner to nurture genuine, lasting relationships with Jesus. Through Bible studies, student Christian groups, peer leadership, outreach initiatives, morning devotions, chapel services, and worship teams, our students’ thoughts, attitudes and actions, are shaped by faith – equipping them to live authentically for Christ both inside and beyond the classroom
STATEMENT OF FAITH
There is one God, eternally co-existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
God is the Creator of the world and everything in it.
The Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God, entirely trustworthy and the supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.
In our Lord Jesus Christ, God incarnate, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His substitutionary and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father and His personal return in power and glory.
God created humankind in His image. He made them male and female, with consequent dignity, and creation stewardship. As a result of the Fall, all people are lost and sinful, in need of salvation.
In salvation by grace through faith, that salvation is received only by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, apart from any works of the law or human merit.
In the continuing ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling, the Christian is enabled to live a Godly life.
All believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are spiritually united with each other.
They comprise the Church, the Body of Christ, of which He is the Head.
In the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they who are saved, into eternal life and they who are lost, into eternal separation from God.
St Charles College supports the local church, encouraging each student to remain, or become, affiliated to a local church. We pray that each boy would make, by their free choice and under the conviction of the Holy Spirit, a personal, authentic, commitment to follow Jesus.
FAITH IN ACTION
CHAPEL
Each week, Junior Primary, Senior Primary and High School students gather for Chapel services. These services are purposefully carved out spaces for our whole College community to join in corporate worship. Led by staff, students and visiting speakers from local churches, these services explore, fresh, relevant and biblical termly themes that overflow into daily life, bringing our motto – “to the faithful a certain reward” – into every corner of campus.
Boarders attend a combined Sunday evening service along with other schools from across Pietermaritzburg.
DIVINITY
From Grades 1 to 10, every boy attends one Divinity lesson per week with our Chaplaincy team. Bible-based lessons follow a curriculum developed at the College which address Christian foundations, contemporary issues and equip students to respond to the world through faith. Each year provides new layers as we explore faith, unpack biblical truths, understand our story, and marvel at Gods redemptive plan.
PASTORAL COUNCIL
The Pastoral Council is the student Christian leadership of the College, a crucial component of our spiritual programme. Through intentional peer ministry, Council members nurture one another’s faith and model servant-hearted leadership across the College. The Council meet weekly to pray and strategize in how to proactively serve and support the boys of the College.
SCG
Once a week, Student Christian Groups meet in both the Junior and High schools. SCG welcomes all boys for fellowship, worship and Biblical reflection. Mixed-grade gatherings foster mentorship, friendship and spiritual growth as disciples of Jesus.
BIBLE STUDY
Once a week, boarders are invited to deepen their understanding of Scripture in a relaxed, discussion-driven Bible study. This weekly gathering opens space for questions, reflection and prayer.
MORNING DEVOTIONS
For any boy who wishes to begin their day in prayer, can join our daily morning devotions in the Chapel. These gatherings centre students for the day ahead through prayer, devotion and thought.
WORSHIP
Our student Worship teams lead music in Chapel, special worship events and formal ceremonies. The bands work to enhance the holistic worship service, to nurture spirit led worship sessions, and saturating the whole College in worship.
OUTREACH
At St Charles, we encourage boys to serve beyond themselves. Students may join established outreach projects – or dream up new initiatives – to address needs in Pietermaritzburg and beyond. Our aim is that each young man will live out genuine compassion, not out of obligation, but from a heart transformed by Christ. To be the change we hope for in South Africa and the world beyond.
MOTHERS WHO CARE
(MWC) is a global movement that brings together Christian mothers to pray for their school-going children. The initiative is active in schools across South Africa, including here at St Charles College. At its heart, MWC is a group of Christian moms who meet weekly to pray for the needs of the school community. These needs vary from week to week – ranging from sickness and injury to academics, travel, and more. God has been faithful, with many prayers answered – always in His perfect timing and wisdom.
The MWC group at St Charles includes mothers from every phase of the College, from Scrummies to Matric. In addition to prayer, we enjoy meaningful fellowship, partner with staff, and offer practical support when specific needs arise.
To learn more about Mothers Who Care, please visit www.motherswhocare.co.za.
THE CROSS
Since its founding, St Charles College has built a rich tradition of blazers, badges, and architecture – each carrying deep symbolic meaning. Among these is the footed Cross, a distinctive emblem found throughout the College, woven into its buildings, furniture, and heritage.
In keeping with this legacy, the College recently instituted a subtle yet significant amendment to its school badge: replacing the star in the top left corner with the footed Cross. This thoughtful change introduces a powerful and versatile symbol of service, reflecting our commitment to holistic education and aligning with our 150-year-old constitutional mission to provide an essentially Christian education for boys.
More than just an emblem, the footed Cross reinforces the values we seek to instill in every student, shaping the identity of the College and the character of the young men who represent it.
TESTIMONIALS
“SCC is where I first encountered the love of Christ, not religion, but rather what it means to fully trust in God, and have a life shaped in accordance to Him. It was an amazing environment where I was able to learn and grow in my faith. Being a young person and a Christian is not easy, it’s certainly not popular. But the wisdom, mentorship and guidance from some of the staff were pivotal in helping me grow deeper in faith” (Matthew Dunbar, class of 2016).
“I am so grateful for the many opportunities I had to learn and grow in my faith at SCC. The spiritual guidance, leadership and support I received from both students and staff gave me an incredibly strong foundation to begin my adult life as a Christian. I feel extremely privileged to have gone to a school that not only made room for me to find my faith but also encouraged and challenged me to continue pursuing Jesus in my life” (Jeremy de Beer, class of 2018).
“The college provided a great platform for God to work within my life. I have grown in my spirituality immensely and learnt so much about the Trinity because my burning questions as an adolescent were answered. The Council aided to awaken a Godly purpose within me and strengthened my Christian ethos, which I use as a foundation to build my life. I have learnt to become an ambassador for Jesus which will last for a lifetime” (Jochemus Foord, class of 2019).
“My time at St Charles contributed to the foundations of my faith in Christ. It was at St Charles where I discovered my love for worship and learnt to express myself as a leader. Today I continue to use the skills and values I learnt at St Charles in ministry and other areas of my life” (Keketso Mokotjo, class of 2020).
“I found every spiritual activity at SCC purposeful and meaningful. A place where the Holy Spirit could move, influence and touch my life and the lives of others. I was able to grow in my walk with God and stretch myself through the gifts of the Holy Spirit” (Joshua Mckinley, class of 2021).
“The spiritual life at SCC is fundamentally gospel centred, emulating the authenticity and depth of Christ’s love. It was place where I could ask profound personal questions and find wise answers. It emphasised the importance of the permanent and eternal aspects of my life over temporary gains, specifically prioritising our relationships, both with others and with Christ” (Stephen Lock, class of 2022).
“Attending St Charles has been a major steppingstone in my journey of faith. Starting each day with a scripture at Morning Devotions, diving into the Word at SCG (Student Christian Group) and even just chatting with other believers, teachers or students, has really allowed my relationship with Christ to flourish. Thinking about how much God has grown me at St Charles, I can confidently say that the school has given me a firm foundation in Christ and a hunger to know Him more.” (Nathan Raubenheimer, class of 2024)
150 YEARS OF FAITHFULNESS
Our Principal, Mr Allen van Blerk, shared the following with our community following our Founder’s Weekend: There are no real rules about celebrating 150 anniversaries, but I am tremendously grateful that we could set aside Friday, 25 July 2025, for a Chapel service to acknowledge 150 years of God’s unwavering faithfulness. I commend our Chaplain, Mr Ross Ducasse, for the sensitive and respectful celebration we shared on Friday.
It is a real challenge to guard the spiritual core of the College as a non-denominational Christian School, and we tread prayerfully to make sure that the boys see faith in action. It is incredible to witness them encouraging their peers and speaking with personal faith in challenging times. I believe that the world is in too much trouble to pretend to follow God, so when we are tired of the impossible and the difficult, we should accept the invitation of scripture:
“Come to me all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
The chapel service was live streamed on our YouTube Channel, and a recording of this can be viewed alongside.
