Holy Cross Senior Secondary School 2027 Applications and Fees, Schoolhive

On this page, you will find everything you need to know about Holy Cross Senior Secondary School, including its location, admissions process, fees and matric results.

In Southridge, Mthatha, Holy Cross Senior Secondary School operates as a public secondary school. The school falls under quintile Q3 and charges no school fees.

1,571

Learners

Educators

QQ3 · No fee

Funding status

Public

Sector

Fees and funding

No tuition fees

As a quintile Q3 no-fee school, Holy Cross Senior Secondary School does not charge school fees. State funding covers its running costs.

Matric results

Three year NSC pass rate

Of the 233 learners from Holy Cross Senior Secondary School who wrote matric in 2025, 86.7% passed. Results have held steady year on year.

Year	Candidates wrote	Achieved NSC	Pass rate
2023	304	258	84.9%
2024	249	215	86.3%
2025	233	202	86.7%

Source: DBE National Senior Certificate School Performance Reports.

Subjects and results

Subject pass rates

That year, Holy Cross Senior Secondary School offered results across 9 of the gateway subjects tracked nationally. English First Additional Language had the strongest result, at 100%.

Subject	Wrote	Achieved	Pass rate
Mathematics	199	151	75.9%
Mathematical Literacy	50	41	82.0%
Physical Sciences	173	132	76.3%
Life Sciences	231	209	90.5%
Accounting	18	14	77.8%
Business Studies	18	17	94.4%
Geography	231	224	97.0%
History	76	75	98.7%
English First Additional Language	238	238	100.0%

Source: DBE 2024 NSC School Subject Report.

District comparison

Or Tambo Inland district

Zimele Senior Secondary School is a similar size to Holy Cross Senior Secondary School, with 2,172 learners against 1,571; charges no school fees, quintile Q3; and posted a higher matric pass rate, 95.7% against Holy Cross Senior Secondary School's 86.7%.
Sinolwazi Senior Secondary School sits in roughly the same size range as Holy Cross Senior Secondary School, at 2,116 learners; charges no school fees, quintile Q3; and posted a higher matric pass rate, 92.5% against Holy Cross Senior Secondary School's 86.7%.
St Johns College is a similar size to Holy Cross Senior Secondary School, with 1,950 learners against 1,571; charges fees under quintile Q3; and posted a lower matric pass rate, 78.8% against Holy Cross Senior Secondary School's 86.7%.
Good Shepherd English School is a similar size to Holy Cross Senior Secondary School, with 1,910 learners against 1,571, and is a primary school run on a private rather than public basis.
Attwell Madala High School is a similar size to Holy Cross Senior Secondary School, with 1,870 learners against 1,571; charges fees under quintile Q3; and posted a lower matric pass rate, 58.5% against Holy Cross Senior Secondary School's 86.7%.

Mthatha

Zimele Senior Secondary School is a similar size to Holy Cross Senior Secondary School, with 2,172 learners against 1,571; charges no school fees, quintile Q3; and posted a higher matric pass rate, 95.7% against Holy Cross Senior Secondary School's 86.7%.
St Johns College is a similar size to Holy Cross Senior Secondary School, with 1,950 learners against 1,571; charges fees under quintile Q3; and posted a lower matric pass rate, 78.8% against Holy Cross Senior Secondary School's 86.7%.
Good Shepherd English School is a similar size to Holy Cross Senior Secondary School, with 1,910 learners against 1,571, and is a primary school run on a private rather than public basis.
Attwell Madala High School is a similar size to Holy Cross Senior Secondary School, with 1,870 learners against 1,571; charges fees under quintile Q3; and posted a lower matric pass rate, 58.5% against Holy Cross Senior Secondary School's 86.7%.
Excelsior School sits in roughly the same size range as Holy Cross Senior Secondary School, at 1,817 learners; is a public combined school, a different phase than Holy Cross Senior Secondary School; charges fees under quintile Q4; and posted a lower matric pass rate, 76.1% against Holy Cross Senior Secondary School's 86.7%.

Admissions

How to apply

Contact the school directly, using the details below, to confirm 2027 application dates and requirements.
Prepare the standard documents: the learner's birth certificate, immunisation record, most recent report card, and proof of the parent or guardian's address.
Submit the completed application form to the school office, either in person or however the school currently accepts applications.
Wait for confirmation of a place. Provincial education departments coordinate Grade 8 placements for the 2027 school year, so timing can vary.

Provincial admissions

Applying to Holy Cross Senior Secondary School for 2027

Holy Cross Senior Secondary School is a public school, so admission for Grade R, Grade 1 and Grade 8 for 2027 is handled through the Eastern Cape Department of Education's process; late applications are submitted via the Eastern Cape Admissions Platform. For Grades 2 to 7 and 9 to 12, parents apply directly at the school. See the full Eastern Cape School Application Process Guide for the documents you'll need.

Get in touch

Contact and location

Address: 101 Chief Jojo Drive, South Ridge Park, Mthatha, 5099
Postal: P.o Box 396, Mthatha, Mthatha, 5099
Telephone: 047 531 0956
EMIS number: 200400272

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Frequently asked questions

Are applications open at Holy Cross Senior Secondary School?

Application windows are set by the school and the provincial education department rather than on one fixed national calendar, so the surest way to know is to ask Holy Cross Senior Secondary School directly, on 047 531 0956, what its current 2027 intake dates are.

How do you apply to Holy Cross Senior Secondary School?

Contact the school directly, using the details below, to confirm 2027 application dates and requirements. Prepare the standard documents: the learner's birth certificate, immunisation record, most recent report card, and proof of the parent or guardian's address. Submit the completed application form to the school office, either in person or however the school currently accepts applications. Wait for confirmation of a place. Provincial education departments coordinate Grade 8 placements for the 2027 school year, so timing can vary.

Is Holy Cross Senior Secondary School the best school in Mthatha?

On the numbers that are published, Holy Cross Senior Secondary School's matric pass rate of 86.7% is lower than ZIMELE SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL's 95.7%, the highest among the nearby schools we have data for.

How many other schools are there in Mthatha besides Holy Cross Senior Secondary School?

Schoolhive lists at least 10 other schools in and around Mthatha, including Zimele Senior Secondary School.

How big are the classes at Holy Cross Senior Secondary School?

Holy Cross Senior Secondary School reported 1,571 learners and 54 educators, a school-wide ratio of roughly 29 learners per educator. That's a whole-school average rather than a per-class figure, since actual class sizes vary by grade and subject.

Do you pay school fees at Holy Cross Senior Secondary School?

No. Holy Cross Senior Secondary School is a no-fee school, classified quintile Q3 under the national funding norms, so parents are not charged school fees.

What are Holy Cross Senior Secondary School's matric results like?

Holy Cross Senior Secondary School's most recent National Senior Certificate pass rate was 86.7%, in 2025. It has stayed close to 84.9% since 2023.

Is Holy Cross Senior Secondary School a public or private school?

Holy Cross Senior Secondary School is a public secondary school. It falls under the government schooling system and receives state funding.

How can I contact Holy Cross Senior Secondary School?

You can call 047 531 0956. It is located at 101 Chief Jojo Drive, South Ridge Park, Mthatha, 5099.