, denomination =

Interdenominational Interdenominationalism is an evangelical Protestant movement of cooperation among various Christian denominations. History The movement has its origins in the founding of the London Missionary Society, a missionary society, in 1795 by variou ...

, established = , headmaster = D. van Wyk , grades_label =

Forms Form is the shape, visual appearance, or configuration of an object. In a wider sense, the form is the way something happens. Form also refers to: *Form (document), a document (printed or electronic) with spaces in which to write or enter data * ...

, grades = 1—6 , gender =

Co-educational Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to ...

, lower_age = 12 , upper_age = 18 , pupils = 384 (2016) , campus_type = Rural , houses = 6 , publication = The Falcon , tuition =

US$ The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...

4000.00 , affiliations = , alumni = Falcon Old Boys , website = , footnotes = Falcon College (or simply Falcon) is an

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independe ...

boarding school for boys and girls aged 12–18 in the southern

Matabeleland Matabeleland is a region located in southwestern Zimbabwe that is divided into three provinces: Matabeleland North, Bulawayo, and Matabeleland South. These provinces are in the west and south-west of Zimbabwe, between the Limpopo and Zam ...

region of

Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and Mozam ...

. It was founded in 1954 near

Essexvale Esigodini, previously known as Essexvale, is a town in the Matabeleland South Province of Zimbabwe. It is the administrative centre for Umzingwane District, one of the seven administrative districts in Matabeleland South. It was originally an ...

Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, also known as the Central African Federation or CAF, was a colonial federation that consisted of three southern African territories: the self-governing British colony of Southern Rhodesia and the B ...

(now Esigodini, Zimbabwe), 55 km southeast of

Bulawayo Bulawayo (, ; Ndebele: ''Bulawayo'') is the second largest city in Zimbabwe, and the largest city in the country's Matabeleland region. The city's population is disputed; the 2022 census listed it at 665,940, while the Bulawayo City Council ...

on the remains of the Bushtick Mine. The college's graduates include a British member of parliament, surgeons and doctors, leaders of industry and commerce, soldiers and educators. The college has 40 km² of Matabeleland bush, 10 km² approximately is game fenced and houses

Quiet Waters Quiet Waters is a conservation project run by Falcon College in Zimbabwe. The founding committee of Quiet Waters met for the first time on 24 October 1985. It was at this meeting that the initial ideas of the development of Quiet Waters were born. ...

game park. The park contains examples of most of Zimbabwe’s plains game species, including zebra, giraffe, kudu, impala, tsessebe, bushbuck and warthog. The campus is surrounded by an electric fence (a reminder of the bush war of pre-1980). An air strip is nearby. The school's motto is ''Sic itur ad astra'' and the school badge is a representation of a

Lanner Falcon The lanner falcon (''Falco biarmicus'') is a medium-sized bird of prey that breeds in Africa, southeast Europe and just into Asia. It prefers open habitat and is mainly resident, but some birds disperse more widely after the breeding season. A ...

designed by the wife of a former Headmaster. Falcon College was ranked as one of the Top 10 High Schools in Zimbabwe in 2014. Falcon College is a member of the

Association of Trust Schools The Association of Trust Schools (ATS) is an organisation of independent primary and secondary schools in Zimbabwe that was founded in 1962. Each of these schools are run by their own Board of Governors and are not for profit entities. The Heads ...

(ATS) and the Headmaster is a member of the Conference of Heads of Independent Schools in Zimbabwe (CHISZ). In December 2015 Falcon became a coeducational school accepting girls in January 2016.

Historical background

Originally Bushtick Mine, and with 36 boys and a handful of staff, the college was founded on Wednesday 3 February 1954. It was opened by the

Governor General Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy ...

of the

, Lord Llewellin, on Saturday 10 April 1954. Much has changed since then but the college has some remains of its founding days. The original motto was ''Arduus ad Solem''. The newer Motto is: Sic Itur Ad Astra The school motto comes from the words of

Virgil Publius Vergilius Maro (; traditional dates 15 October 7021 September 19 BC), usually called Virgil or Vergil ( ) in English, was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He composed three of the most famous poems in Latin literature: t ...

(70-19BC) a classical Roman poet who wrote: “nova virtute, puer; sic itur ad astra” which translates: Look to your new-found courage, young man, for that is the way to the stars. In the beginning, the boys were divided into three colour groups for sport, Whites, Blues, and Khakis. Later, the houses were named A,B,C, and D, and in April 1956, Sir Robert Clarkson Tredgold, Chairman of the Board of Governors, announced that the houses were to be renamed Hervey, Oates, Tredgold, and Founders. Founders was so named to commemorate the Founders of the School; Tredgold after Sir Robert Clarkson Tredgold, who was also Chief Justice of Southern Rhodesia; Oates after Frank Oates, explorer and naturalist who travelled extensively in southern central Africa in the 19th century; and Hervey after Hubert Hervey, adventurer, gentleman and soldier, who was killed in the

Second Matabele War The Second Matabele War, also known as the Matabeleland Rebellion or part of what is now known in Zimbabwe as the First '' Chimurenga'', was fought between 1896 and 1897 in the region later known as Southern Rhodesia, now modern-day Zimbabwe ...

and buried in the

Matopos The Matobo National Park forms the core of the Matobo or Matopos Hills, an area of granite kopjes and wooded valleys commencing some south of Bulawayo, southern Zimbabwe. The hills were formed over 2 billion years ago with granite being forced ...

Student body

The college admittance is based on strength of prior education and character of the applicant. Although the vast majority of students are Zimbabwean, others attend from neighbouring countries (

Zambia Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most central point. Its neighbours are ...

Botswana Botswana (, ), officially the Republic of Botswana ( tn, Lefatshe la Botswana, label= Setswana, ), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory being the Kal ...

). Some

scholarships A scholarship is a form of financial aid awarded to students for further education. Generally, scholarships are awarded based on a set of criteria such as academic merit, diversity and inclusion, athletic skill, and financial need. Scholar ...

are available to deserving students whose particular financial circumstances do not allow for the payment of school fees.

The house system

The school is based on a

house system The house system is a traditional feature of schools in the United Kingdom. The practice has since spread to Commonwealth countries and the United States. The school is divided into subunits called "houses" and each student is allocated to on ...

that is divided into six

Houses A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air cond ...

; Founders, Hervey, Oates, Tredgold, George Grey and Chubb, each comprising the full range of year groups. Each house has a

housemaster {{refimprove, date=September 2018 In British education, a housemaster is a schoolmaster in charge of a boarding house, normally at a boarding school and especially at a public school. The housemaster is responsible for the supervision and car ...

in charge who lives nearby. Each housemaster has a house Tutor and two assistant tutors, as well as other members of staff, who assist in duties. Boys can either go home, or (with parental permission) to friends or relatives on two Fixture Frees which last from break time on a Friday to dinner time on the following Monday. There is a Mid term

Exeat The Latin word ''exeat'' ("he/she may leave") is most commonly used to describe a period of absence from a centre of learning.Quiet Waters Quiet Waters is a conservation project run by Falcon College in Zimbabwe. The founding committee of Quiet Waters met for the first time on 24 October 1985. It was at this meeting that the initial ideas of the development of Quiet Waters were born. ...

conserves indigenous fauna and flora, furthers the educational pursuits of the college and serves as a base for conservation education in other schools. It is also used for scientific research and provides recreational facilities for the College community and visitors. Picnic sites are available for the use of day visitors within the Nature Reserve area, with four chalets which can be rented for overnight stays in the Wilderness area. Animals which can be seen are

kudu The kudus are two species of antelope of the genus ''Tragelaphus'': * Lesser kudu, ''Tragelaphus imberbis'', of eastern Africa * Greater kudu, ''Tragelaphus strepsiceros'', of eastern and southern Africa The two species look similar, thoug ...

zebra Zebras (, ) (subgenus ''Hippotigris'') are African equines with distinctive black-and-white striped coats. There are three living species: the Grévy's zebra (''Equus grevyi''), plains zebra (''E. quagga''), and the mountain zebra (''E. ...

giraffe The giraffe is a large African hoofed mammal belonging to the genus ''Giraffa''. It is the tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant on Earth. Traditionally, giraffes were thought to be one species, '' Giraffa cameloparda ...

reedbuck Reedbuck is a common name for Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it ...

bushbuck The Cape bushbuck (''Tragelaphus sylvaticus'') is a common and a widespread species of antelope in sub-Saharan Africa.Wronski T, Moodley Y. (2009)Bushbuck, harnessed antelope or both? ''Gnusletter'', 28(1):18-19. Bushbuck are found in a wide rang ...

steenbok The steenbok (''Raphicerus campestris'') is a common small antelope of southern and eastern Africa. It is sometimes known as the steinbuck or steinbok. Description Steenbok resemble small oribi, standing 45–60 cm (16"–24") at the ...

tsessebe The common tsessebe or sassaby (''Damaliscus lunatus lunatus'') is the southern, nominate subspecies of '' Damaliscus lunatus'', although some authorities have recognised it as an independent species. It is most closely related to the Bangweulu ...

impala The impala or rooibok (''Aepyceros melampus'') is a medium-sized antelope found in eastern and southern Africa. The only extant member of the genus ''Aepyceros'' and tribe Aepycerotini, it was first described to European audiences by Ger ...

klipspringer The klipspringer (; ''Oreotragus oreotragus'') is a small antelope found in eastern and southern Africa. The sole member of its genus and subfamily/tribe, the klipspringer was first described by German zoologist Eberhard August Wilhelm von Zim ...

bushpig :''"Bush pig" may also refer to the red river hog. The bushpig (''Potamochoerus larvatus'') is a member of the pig family that inhabits forests, woodland, riverine vegetation and cultivated areas in East and Southern Africa. Probably introdu ...

and

warthog ''Phacochoerus'' is a genus in the family Suidae, commonly known as warthogs (pronounced ''wart-hog''). They are pigs who live in open and semi-open habitats, even in quite arid regions, in sub-Saharan Africa. The two species were formerly con ...

and the two species of

jackal Jackals are medium-sized canids native to Africa and Eurasia. While the word "jackal" has historically been used for many canines of the subtribe canina, in modern use it most commonly refers to three species: the closely related black-backe ...

, while there are many smaller mammals which are not so easily seen, such as four species of

mongoose A mongoose is a small terrestrial carnivorous mammal belonging to the family Herpestidae. This family is currently split into two subfamilies, the Herpestinae and the Mungotinae. The Herpestinae comprises 23 living species that are native to ...

List of Headmasters at Falcon

* Frank Cary (1954–1955) * Ashley Gordon Brooker (1955–1959) * Hugh Cole (1959–1960) * Dougal Turner (1960–1984) * Neil Todd (1984–2000) * Gordon Macdonald (2000–2001) * Reginald W Querl (2001-2019) * Dave van Wyk (2020 - to date)

Notable alumni

Brendan Ashby Brendan Ashby (born June 30, 1980) is a Zimbabwean former swimmer, who specialized in backstroke events. Since 2004, Ashby currently holds two Zimbabwean records in the 100 and 200 m backstroke from the World championships and U.S. invitational ...

,. swimmer. *

David Beresford David Beresford (born 11 November 1976) is an English former footballer. A midfielder, he made 236 league appearances in a 12-year career in the Football League. He also won 14 caps for the England under-16s and under-18s. He began his car ...

, reporter. * Glen Bruk-Jackson,. cricketer. *

Christopher Cowdray Christopher Cowdray (born 1955) is a Zimbabwean-born British hotel manager. He is the chief executive officer of the Dorchester Collection, a hotel operator in Europe and the US. Early life Christopher Cowdray was born in 1955 in Zimbabwe.

,Christopher Charles Blanshard COWDRAY

Debrett's Debrett's () is a British professional coaching company, publisher and authority on etiquette and behaviour, founded in 1769 with the publication of the first edition of ''The New Peerage''. The company takes its name from its founder, John De ...

hotel executive. *

David Curtis David Curtis may refer to: * David Curtis (rugby union) (born 1965), Irish rugby union international *David L. Curtis (born 1947), American politician in the North Carolina Senate *David Roderick Curtis (1927–2017), Australian scientist * David Wh ...

,. rugby player. * Ethan Dube,. cricketer. * Dion Ebrahim, cricketer. * Craig Evans, cricketer and rugby player. * Gavin Ewing, cricketer. * Neil Ferreira, cricketer. * Keith A.A. Fox, Duke of Edinburgh Professor of Cardiology, University of Edinburgh * Frederick Goldstein, cricketer,

Rhodes Scholar The Rhodes Scholarship is an international postgraduate award for students to study at the University of Oxford, in the United Kingdom. Established in 1902, it is the oldest graduate scholarship in the world. It is considered among the world' ...

* Sunu Gonera,. film director and producer. * A. C. Grayling, CBE, philosopher. * Adam Huckle,. cricketer. * Robert V. Jackson,. politician, United Kingdom. *

Stuart W. Jamieson Stuart William Jamieson (born 1947) is a British cardiothoracic surgeon, specialising in pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE), a surgical procedure performed to remove organized clotted blood (thrombus) from pulmonary arteries in people with c ...

FRCS Fellowship of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons (FRCS) is a professional certification, professional qualification to practise as a senior surgeon in Republic of Ireland, Ireland or the United Kingdom. It is bestowed on an wikt:intercollegiate, in ...

, cardiothoracic surgeon. * Gail Kelly,. business person and banker (ex Staff). * Charlie Knaggs,.

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

, Colonel, British Army. * Graham Lord,. author, journalist and biographer. *

Tafadzwa Madondo Tafadzwa Bernard Madondo (17 February 1981 – 17 November 2008) was a Zimbabwean cricketer. He was a right-handed batsman and right-arm off-break bowler and wicketkeeper who played for Manicaland. Born in Bindura, he was the brother of Test pl ...

, cricketer. *

Trevor Madondo Trevor Nyasha Madondo (22 November 1976 – 11 June 2001) was a Zimbabwean cricketer who played in three Test matches and 13 One Day Internationals from 1998 to 2001. Growing up, Madondo attended Lilfordia School and Falcon College. At Falcon. h ...

, cricketer. *

TJ Maguranyanga Thabani Jehiel Tawana Maguranyanga, (born 22 December 2002) commonly known as TJ Maguranyanga is a Zimbabwe, Zimbabwean professional player for ASM Clermont Auvergne in the Top 14, French Top 14. He was a member of the Golden Lions Under-18 Cr ...

, rugby player. * Patrick Mavros, artist and founder of

PatrickMavros PatrickMavros is an eponymous African luxury brand founded by Patrick Mavros. History PatrickMavros was founded in 1980. Patrick, gifted his wife, Catja, with a pair of earrings that he had sculpted for her. The jewelry was noticed by her hair ...

luxury brand. *

Keegan Meth Keegan Orry Meth (born 8 February 1988) is a Zimbabwean cricketer. He plays domestically for the Matabeleland Tuskers and has represented Zimbabwe in One Day Internationals (ODIs). An all-rounder, he bowls right-arm medium-fast and generally bat ...

, cricketer *

Nhlanhlayamangwe Felix Ndiweni Chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Felix Ndiweni (born 1963) is a Ndebele traditional leader from Zimbabwe who is known as one of the few traditional leaders to speak out against the ZANU-PF government. He is a Chief in the Matabeleland region of Zimbabwe. ...

, Ndebele chief. * Jordane Nicolle,. cricketer. *

Mluleki Nkala Mluleki Luke Nkala (born 1 April 1981) is a Zimbabwean international cricketer. He took the wicket of Sachin Tendulkar with his second ball in senior international cricket in 1999. He also took five wickets against England in a test match in No ...

, cricketer. *

Stephen Peall Stephen Guy Peall (born 2 September 1969) is a former Zimbabwean cricketer who played in four Test matches and 21 One Day Internationals between 1992 and 1996.

, cricketer. *

Nigel Pegram Nigel Pegram (born 22 November 1940) is a South African-English actor and voice artist. He is best known for playing Eric in ''Robert's Robots'' (1973–1974), Group-Captain Ruark in ''Get Some In!'' (1977–1978), Sir Reginald in ''All Dogs Go ...

, actor. * Greg Rasmussen,Isdore Guvamombe
"I am walking on borrowed legs"
''The Herald:Features, Opinion and Analysis'', 1 June 2013 naturalist and survivor featured in

Jaws of Death Jaws or Jaw may refer to: Anatomy * Jaw, an opposable articulated structure at the entrance of the mouth ** Mandible, the lower jaw Arts, entertainment, and media * Jaws (James Bond), a character in ''The Spy Who Loved Me'' and ''Moonraker'' * ...

. * Bryan Strang, cricketer. * Paul Strang, cricketer. *

Heath Streak Heath Hilton Streak (born 16 March 1974) is a former Zimbabwean cricketer and cricket coach who played for and captained the Zimbabwe national cricket team. By his statistical record, he is the best bowler to have played for Zimbabwe. He is the a ...

, cricketer. * Andy Waller, cricketer. *

Brighton Watambwa Brighton Tonderai Watambwa (born 9 June 1977) is a Zimbabwean cricketer who in 2014 captained the Belgium national cricket team. A right-arm fast-medium bowler, Watambwa played six Tests for Zimbabwe between April 2001 and March 2002, taking 14 ...

, cricketer. * Andy Whittall, cricketer. *

Guy Whittall Guy James Whittall (born 5 September 1972) is a former Zimbabwean international cricketer who played 46 Test matches and 147 One Day Internationals (ODIs) and captained Zimbabwe in four ODIs. He played as an all-rounder and was known as an ag ...

, cricketer. * Sean Williams, cricketer. * Craig Wishart, cricketer.

References

External links

* Official website * website * on the ATS website {{Zimbabwe private schools Private schools in Zimbabwe Boarding schools in Zimbabwe Cambridge schools in Zimbabwe Educational institutions established in 1954 Co-educational schools in Zimbabwe High schools in Zimbabwe 1954 establishments in Southern Rhodesia Buildings and structures in Matabeleland South Province Education in Matabeleland South Province Member schools of the Association of Trust Schools

Historical background

Student body

The house system

List of Headmasters at Falcon

Notable alumni

See also

References

External links