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Mary Waters Secondary School

Public secondary school · Hlalani Villa, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape · Sarah Baartman district (Unknown circuit)

In Hlalani Villa, Grahamstown, Mary Waters Secondary School operates as a public secondary school. Its most recent matric class posted a 86.4% pass rate.

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On this page, you will find the key facts about Mary Waters Secondary School: where it is, how to apply, what it costs and how its matric results have performed.

Mary Waters Secondary School is a public secondary school serving families in and around Hlalani Villa, Grahamstown. The school falls under quintile Q3 and charges no school fees.

854
Learners
27
Educators
QQ3 · No fee
Funding status
Public
Sector
Fees and funding

No tuition fees

Mary Waters Secondary School is a no-fee school, classified quintile Q3 under the national funding norms. No-fee schools receive their operating funding directly from the state and do not charge parents school fees.

Matric results

Three year NSC pass rate

2023 2024 2025

Mary Waters Secondary School entered 110 candidates for the 2025 National Senior Certificate, achieving a 86.4% pass rate. The school's results have been trending upward.

YearCandidates wroteAchieved NSCPass rate
20231166858.6%
20241327657.6%
20251109586.4%

Source: DBE National Senior Certificate School Performance Reports.

Subjects and results

Subject pass rates

Mary Waters Secondary School reported results in 8 of these subjects. Physical Sciences had the strongest result, at 100%.

SubjectWroteAchievedPass rate
Mathematics17952.9%
Mathematical Literacy1167362.9%
Physical Sciences88100.0%
Life Sciences825364.6%
Business Studies352160.0%
Geography1055653.3%
History1188773.7%
English First Additional Language4141100.0%

Source: DBE 2024 NSC School Subject Report.

District comparison

Sarah Baartman district

5 other schools in Sarah Baartman district, for comparison against Mary Waters Secondary School.

  • Humansdorp Senior Secondary School teaches considerably more learners than Mary Waters Secondary School, 1,897 compared with 854; charges no school fees, quintile Q3; and posted a lower matric pass rate, 77% against Mary Waters Secondary School's 86.4%.
  • Jeffreys Bay Comprehensive Secondary School is noticeably bigger, teaching 1,751 learners against Mary Waters Secondary School's 854; charges no school fees, quintile Q3; and posted a lower matric pass rate, 78.6% against Mary Waters Secondary School's 86.4%.
  • Kuyasa Combined School teaches considerably more learners than Mary Waters Secondary School, 1,653 compared with 854; is a public combined school, a different phase than Mary Waters Secondary School; charges no school fees, quintile Q3; and posted a higher matric pass rate, 97.5% against Mary Waters Secondary School's 86.4%.
  • Graslaagte Full Service School teaches considerably more learners than Mary Waters Secondary School, 1,514 compared with 854; is a public primary school, a different phase than Mary Waters Secondary School; and charges no school fees, quintile Q3.
  • Spandau Public School is noticeably bigger, teaching 1,490 learners against Mary Waters Secondary School's 854; charges no school fees, quintile Q3; and posted a lower matric pass rate, 83.9% against Mary Waters Secondary School's 86.4%.

Grahamstown

Zooming into Grahamstown, here are 5 other schools to compare against Mary Waters Secondary School.

  • Nombulelo Secondary School sits in roughly the same size range as Mary Waters Secondary School, at 895 learners; charges no school fees, quintile Q3; and posted a lower matric pass rate, 80.8% against Mary Waters Secondary School's 86.4%.
  • T E M Mrwetyana Secondary School sits in roughly the same size range as Mary Waters Secondary School, at 858 learners; charges no school fees, quintile Q3; and posted a lower matric pass rate, 79.8% against Mary Waters Secondary School's 86.4%.
  • Ntsika Senior Secondary School is a similar size to Mary Waters Secondary School, with 827 learners against 854; charges no school fees, quintile Q3; and posted a very similar matric pass rate (87.4% against Mary Waters Secondary School's 86.4%).
  • George Dickerson Primary School is a similar size to Mary Waters Secondary School, with 757 learners against 854; is a public primary school, a different phase than Mary Waters Secondary School; and charges no school fees, quintile Q3.
  • C M Vellem Primary School is a similar size to Mary Waters Secondary School, with 757 learners against 854; is a public primary school, a different phase than Mary Waters Secondary School; and charges no school fees, quintile Q3.
Admissions

How to apply

  1. Reach out to the school using the contact details below to check 2027 application windows, since these can shift from year to year.
  2. Gather the required documents ahead of time, including the learner's birth certificate, immunisation records, latest report, and proof of address.
  3. Submit the application through the school's own process, in person or online if the school offers that option.
  4. Provincial placement processes govern Grade 8 intake for the 2027 academic year, so allow time between applying and receiving confirmation.
Provincial admissions

Applying to Mary Waters Secondary School for 2027

As a public school, Mary Waters Secondary School follows the Eastern Cape's admissions process: Grade R, Grade 1 and Grade 8 late applications go through the Eastern Cape Admissions Platform, and all other grades apply in person at the school. Read the full Eastern Cape School Application Process Guide for what's required.

Get in touch

Contact and location

Address
Lavender Valley, Grahamstown, Grahamstown, 6139
Postal
P O Box 2124, Grahamstown, 6140
Telephone
046 636 1690
EMIS number
200100493

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Frequently asked questions
Are applications open at Mary Waters 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 Mary Waters Secondary School directly, on 046 636 1690, what its current 2027 intake dates are.
How do you apply to Mary Waters Secondary School?
Reach out to the school using the contact details below to check 2027 application windows, since these can shift from year to year. Gather the required documents ahead of time, including the learner's birth certificate, immunisation records, latest report, and proof of address. Submit the application through the school's own process, in person or online if the school offers that option. Provincial placement processes govern Grade 8 intake for the 2027 academic year, so allow time between applying and receiving confirmation.
Is Mary Waters Secondary School the best school in Grahamstown?
On the numbers that are published, Mary Waters Secondary School's matric pass rate of 86.4% is lower than NTSIKA SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL's 87.4%, the highest among the nearby schools we have data for.
How many other schools are there in Grahamstown besides Mary Waters Secondary School?
Schoolhive lists at least 10 other schools in and around Grahamstown, including Nombulelo Secondary School.
How big are the classes at Mary Waters Secondary School?
Mary Waters Secondary School reported 854 learners and 27 educators, a school-wide ratio of roughly 32 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 Mary Waters Secondary School?
No. Mary Waters Secondary School is a no-fee school, classified quintile Q3 under the national funding norms, so parents are not charged school fees.
What are Mary Waters Secondary School's matric results like?
Mary Waters Secondary School's most recent National Senior Certificate pass rate was 86.4%, in 2025. That's up from 58.6% in 2023.
Is Mary Waters Secondary School a public or private school?
Mary Waters Secondary School is a public secondary school. It falls under the government schooling system and receives state funding.
How can I contact Mary Waters Secondary School?
You can call 046 636 1690. It is located at Lavender Valley, Grahamstown, Grahamstown, 6139.
Related

Related schools in Grahamstown

A few other schools in the Hlalani Villa, Grahamstown area: