The only private school in South Africa ranked among the top 100 in the world in 2026 in two international indexes

There is only one private school listed among the best in the world in both the Schools Index by Carfax Education and the Spear’s Schools Index, Michaelhouse.

The Schools Index by Carfax Education is the leading international guide for parents seeking the best learning environment for their children.

The index selects 150 of the world’s top schools, curated by independent international education experts.

These are two private schools from South Africa listed in the Schools Index by Carfax Education in 2026, Michaelhouse and Bishops Diocesan College.

Another respectable ranking is the Spear’s Schools Index, which provides a guide to the world’s 100 leading private schools.

Since its launch in 2020, the Index has become a trusted point of reference for people seeking top schools worldwide.

For this index, leading educational consultants and industry specialists assess the quality of the top private schools.

What sets the Spear’s Schools Index apart from many other rankings is that it is not solely concerned with academic performance.

Instead, it weighs academic results alongside other factors, including reputation, school culture, networks, and pastoral care.

Five South African schools were included in the 2026 Spear’s Index, including Michaelhouse and Hilton College.

The others which made the cut are Cordwalles Preparatory School, St Anne’s Diocesan College, and Western Province Preparatory School.

This means that Michaelhouse is the only private school in South Africa to be included in both the Schools Index by Carfax Education and the Spear’s Schools Index.

Michaelhouse School’s history and achievements

Michaelhouse was founded in 1896 by Anglican Canon James Cameron Todd as a small private venture in Pietermaritzburg with just 15 boys.

By 1901, the school relocated to its permanent, sprawling home in the Balgowan valley of the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.

The school was built on Todd’s philosophy and strong Christian ethos, which he expressed during his 1897 Speech Day address at Michaelhouse.

“Our aim is to make, not accountants, not clerks, not clergymen, but men; men of understanding, thought and culture,” he said.

Since its humble beginnings, when it operated without electricity or running water, it has grown into one of South Africa’s premier private schools.

Michaelhouse is recognised for its distinctive red-brick, neo-Gothic architecture. The campus is built around a series of interlinked, ivy-clad quadrangles.

Unlike many other private schools, which accommodate day scholars, Michaelhouse is a 100% full boarding school. All pupils and a majority of the academic staff live on-site.

To support this close-knit community, the school features ten boarding houses, a chapel, the Schlesinger Theatre, an indoor centre, and a library.

It also boasts world-class sporting facilities, including rugby fields, six turf cricket pitches, two artificial astroturf hockey surfaces, and a heated swimming pool.

There are also eight tennis courts, a weight training facility, a six-court squash complex, a golf driving range and putting green, and an indoor sports centre.

The school has a proud academic history, with strong results in the annual Independent Examinations Board (IEB) National Senior Certificate. 

It maintains a supportive learning environment with a 1:10 teacher-to-pupil ratio and an average class size of 21 boys.

Michaelhouse has produced a strong global alumni network, which includes many Rhodes Scholars and numerous international sportsmen.

They include Springboks Ruan Combrinck, Pat Cilliers, and Patrick Lambie, and cricketers Alan Melville and Tufty Mann.

The bestselling novelist Wilbur Smith also attended Michaelhouse, along with high court judge Chris Nicholson and former De Beers managing director Gary Ralfe.

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Michaelhouse photos

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