The Afrikaans school with a 100% matric pass rate which produced two brilliant brothers building world-class sailplanes

Potchefstroom Gimnasium, affectionately known as Gimmies, is one of South Africa’s top academic schools, regularly topping charts in the North West province.

Potchefstroom Gimnasium’s history dates back to 1907, when it was founded as a preparatory school by the Theological Centre of the Reformed Church.

The founders included prominent historical figures, including poet and theologian Totius and professors Jan Kamp, A.P.C. Duvenhage, Ferdinand Postma, and Jan Lion Cachet.

It was initially known as the Voorbereidende Skool, and classes were initially held in the Theological Centre’s Library.

On 13 November 1914, the school was renamed the Potchefstroom Gimnasium and became a government school the following year.

In 1918, the primary and secondary sections split, and in 1947, the secondary school moved into its current school buildings along the Mooi River.

In 1938, the founding headmaster, J.J.A. Coetsee, retired after leading the school for 30 years. He was succeeded by W. de K. Kruger

The same year, the Potchefstroom Gimnasium Old Pupils Association was founded during the school’s first formal reunion.

Between 1938 and 1965, under Kruger’s leadership, the school developed into a modern secondary school.

During this period, modern new hostels were completed. They were Cachet for girls in 1950, and Brandwag for boys in 1954.

In 1977, Potchefstroom Gimnasium unveiled its modernised school hall and gymnasium complex.

In 1982, Potchefstroom Gimnasium celebrated its 75th anniversary through a grand 75th-anniversary dinner, attended by State President Marais Viljoen.

Potchefstroom Gimnasium today

Potchefstroom Gimnasium caters to 1,030 learners from Grades 8 to 12 at its campus, which features extensive sports grounds and specialised equipment.

These facilities include a 25-meter swimming pool, a dedicated physical fitness and biokinetics facility, and four floodlit tennis courts.

It also has an on-site target-shooting range, numerous rugby fields and netball courts, and a cricket pitch with training nets.

Potchefstroom Gimnasium has developed into the premier academic school in the North West Province.

In the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) matric exams, it achieved a 100.0% pass rate. 180 out of 199 candidates qualified for Bachelor’s degree studies.

100% of learners who wrote Mathematics passed. It also had a 100% pass rate in many other subjects.

Potchefstroom Gimnasium was named the best Quintile 4 school in South Africa at the Department of Education’s national excellence awards.

Frederik van der Westhuizen was crowned the top senior performer nationally in the South African Mathematics Foundation competition.

Despite its strong academic focus, it is also performing well in a variety of sports and cultural activities.

In 2025, the Gimmie Chamber Choir achieved a gold certificate and finished in the national top 3 in Allegretto IPE.

Other accolades won by its learners include the best national visual artist, the best junior photographer nationally, and the top design learners in South Africa.

In athletics, the Potchefstroom Gimnasium won the North West Interhigh title, and 23 athletes reached the SA Championships.

In cricket, the school’s boys’ team won the North West League for the first time in 10 years and defeated Paarl Gimnasium for the first time.

It also achieved notable performances in tennis, rugby, chess, hockey, swimming, and air rifle shooting.

Former Potchefstroom Gimnasium learners

Potchefstroom Gimnasium has produced many world-class academics, sporting professionals, and businesspeople.

They include Theuns Eloff, the former vice-chancellor of Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education and executive director of the FW de Klerk Foundation.

Others include Springboks Theo Jansen van Rensburg, Piet Malan, and Johan van der Schyff, writer Henriette Grové, and singer Anna Davel.

Two other notable alumni are brothers Attie and Uys Jonker, who design and build world-class aircraft from their base in Potchefstroom.

Attie and Uys Jonker matriculated from Potchefstroom Gimnasium a year apart, with straight As and excelling in Mathematics and Science.

They both completed engineering degrees at North-West University in Potchefstroom, South Africa.

After their studies, Attie Jonker worked as a university lecturer, and Uys Jonker worked as an engineer at Denel Aviation.

They later joined forces to start Jonker Sailplanes, which is now one of the world’s leading sailplane manufacturers.

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Potchefstroom Gimnasium photos

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