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Sophumelela Secondary School

Public secondary school · Philippi, Cape Town, Western Cape · Metro South district (2 circuit)

Sophumelela Secondary School is a public secondary school in Philippi, City Of Cape Town. The school's latest NSC pass rate stands at 89.4%.

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On this page, you will find a full profile of Sophumelela Secondary School, covering its location, admissions steps, fees and matric performance.

Located in Philippi, City Of Cape Town, Sophumelela Secondary School is a public secondary school. As a quintile Q3 school, it does not charge fees.

1,646
Learners
49
Educators
QQ3 · No fee
Funding status
Public
Sector
Fees and funding

No tuition fees

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

Matric results

Three year NSC pass rate

2023 2024 2025

Sophumelela Secondary School entered 273 candidates for the 2025 National Senior Certificate, achieving a 89.4% pass rate. That marks an improvement over the previous two years.

YearCandidates wroteAchieved NSCPass rate
202328920269.9%
202421018588.1%
202527324489.4%

Source: DBE National Senior Certificate School Performance Reports.

Subjects and results

Subject pass rates

That year, Sophumelela Secondary School offered results across 8 of the gateway subjects tracked nationally. English First Additional Language led the field at 100%.

SubjectWroteAchievedPass rate
Mathematics1038077.7%
Mathematical Literacy1079185.0%
Physical Sciences1038077.7%
Life Sciences13712289.1%
Business Studies1079790.7%
Economics171482.4%
Geography19317992.7%
English First Additional Language210210100.0%

Source: DBE 2024 NSC School Subject Report.

District comparison

Metro South district

A look at 5 other schools sharing Metro South district with Sophumelela Secondary School.

  • New Eisleben Secondary School is a similar size to Sophumelela Secondary School, with 1,847 learners against 1,646; charges no school fees, quintile Q3; and posted a lower matric pass rate, 81.6% against Sophumelela Secondary School's 89.4%.
  • Ukhanyo Primary School is a similar size to Sophumelela Secondary School, with 1,780 learners against 1,646; is a public primary school, a different phase than Sophumelela Secondary School; and charges no school fees, quintile Q2.
  • Imperial Primary School is a similar size to Sophumelela Secondary School, with 1,754 learners against 1,646; is a public primary school, a different phase than Sophumelela Secondary School; and charges no school fees, quintile Q4.
  • West End Primary School is a similar size to Sophumelela Secondary School, with 1,690 learners against 1,646; is a public primary school, a different phase than Sophumelela Secondary School; and charges no school fees, quintile Q4.
  • Sinethemba Secondary School sits in roughly the same size range as Sophumelela Secondary School, at 1,643 learners; charges no school fees, quintile Q2; and posted a lower matric pass rate, 83.7% against Sophumelela Secondary School's 89.4%.

Cape Town

And within Cape Town itself, 5 other schools for a closer comparison.

  • Meridian Pinehurst Private School is a similar size to Sophumelela Secondary School, with 2,089 learners against 1,646; is a combined school run on a private rather than public basis; and posted a higher matric pass rate, 98.7% against Sophumelela Secondary School's 89.4%.
  • Bloekombos Secondary School sits in roughly the same size range as Sophumelela Secondary School, at 2,037 learners; charges no school fees, quintile Q1; and posted a lower matric pass rate, 84.7% against Sophumelela Secondary School's 89.4%.
  • Table View Primary School is a similar size to Sophumelela Secondary School, with 1,977 learners against 1,646; is a public primary school, a different phase than Sophumelela Secondary School; and charges fees under quintile Q5.
  • Itsitsa Primary School sits in roughly the same size range as Sophumelela Secondary School, at 1,970 learners; is a public primary school, a different phase than Sophumelela Secondary School; and charges no school fees, quintile Q3.
  • False Bay Primary School sits in roughly the same size range as Sophumelela Secondary School, at 1,970 learners; is a public primary school, a different phase than Sophumelela Secondary School; and charges fees under quintile Q5.
Admissions

How to apply

  1. Contact the school directly, using the details below, to confirm 2027 application dates and requirements.
  2. Prepare the standard documents: the learner's birth certificate, immunisation record, most recent report card, and proof of the parent or guardian's address.
  3. Submit the completed application form to the school office, either in person or however the school currently accepts applications.
  4. 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 Sophumelela Secondary School for 2027

Because Sophumelela Secondary School is a public school in the Western Cape, its admissions go through the province's centralised Western Cape Admissions Portal rather than the school alone. The main 2027 intake window for Grade R, Grade 1 and Grade 8 ran from 10 March to 14 April 2026; transfers for other grades ran from 3 to 17 August 2026. Read the full Western Cape School Application Process Guide for what you'll need.

Get in touch

Contact and location

Address
C/O Oliver Tambo & Vanguard Dr Samora Machel Philippi 7786
Postal
Po Box 19512 Lentegeur Unknown 7786
Telephone
021 200 0994
EMIS number
106007098

Something wrong here? Correct the details

Frequently asked questions
Are applications open at Sophumelela 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 Sophumelela Secondary School directly, on 021 200 0994, what its current 2027 intake dates are.
How do you apply to Sophumelela 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 Sophumelela Secondary School the best school in Cape Town?
On the numbers that are published, Sophumelela Secondary School's matric pass rate of 89.4% is lower than MERIDIAN PINEHURST PRIVATE SCHOOL's 98.7%, the highest among the nearby schools we have data for.
How many other schools are there in Cape Town besides Sophumelela Secondary School?
Schoolhive lists at least 10 other schools in and around Cape Town, including Meridian Pinehurst Private School.
How big are the classes at Sophumelela Secondary School?
Sophumelela Secondary School reported 1,646 learners and 49 educators, a school-wide ratio of roughly 34 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 Sophumelela Secondary School?
No. Sophumelela Secondary School is a no-fee school, classified quintile Q3 under the national funding norms, so parents are not charged school fees.
What are Sophumelela Secondary School's matric results like?
Sophumelela Secondary School's most recent National Senior Certificate pass rate was 89.4%, in 2025. That's up from 69.9% in 2023.
Is Sophumelela Secondary School a public or private school?
Sophumelela Secondary School is a public secondary school. It falls under the government schooling system and receives state funding.
How can I contact Sophumelela Secondary School?
You can call 021 200 0994. It is located at C/O Oliver Tambo & Vanguard Dr Samora Machel Philippi 7786.
Related

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