Clifton School

What Clifton School does

Clifton School is an independent private boys' school headquartered in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, founded in 1924 and operating across a single campus at 102 Lambert Road, Morningside. It serves boys from Grade R through Grade 12, delivered through three sequential phases: Foundation Phase (Grades R-3), Senior Preparatory (Grades 4-7), and Clifton College (Grades 8-12). The school operates under the motto 'Prodesse Quam Conspici' and is governed by Executive Headmaster Mr Adam Rogers, with a listed workforce of 178 employees.

The school generates revenue primarily through recurring annual tuition fees across the three phases, supplemented by boarding fees at Centenary House (currently Monday-Friday weekly, expanding to termly boarding from January 2027). Distribution is direct and on-campus: admissions are managed by dedicated admissions staff, supported by campus tours, open days, a virtual tour, and a bus-route service for day students. The go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven, with content marketing through the school website, social channels (Facebook, Instagram), and an active alumni referral channel via the COBWEB (Clifton Old Boys) network.

The product surface is a holistic educational offering combining academics, sports, arts, music, drama, and community service, with ancillary products including International Programmes, boarding at Centenary House, the Clifton Foundation (bursaries and outreach), and the Old Boys' Association. The underlying technology footprint is limited to a generic school management and communication platform; no proprietary AI/ML, API, or differentiated technology IP is disclosed.

Name

Clifton School

Legal name

Clifton School

Website

https://cliftonschool.co.za

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Clifton School is a private boys' school in Durban, South Africa, founded in 1924, delivering Foundation Phase through Grade 12 education across a single Morningside campus, with weekly and termly boarding, sports, arts, and an active alumni network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Boys' School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Nonsectarian Independent Boarding Schools (EDAJABAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Preschool Programs within Private K–12 Schools (EDACABAM)

Keywords

• Boys private school
• Independent education
• Primary school education
• Boarding school services
• School sports programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Durban

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and School Fees: Revenue generated primarily through tuition fees charged to students. The school offers weekly boarding (Monday to Friday) and from January 2027 will offer termly boarding options, providing additional revenue streams.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Clifton School is a private boys' preparatory and college school that delivers day and boarding education from Foundation Phase through Grade 12. The school sells tuition-based educational programs across three phases (Foundation Phase, Senior Preparatory, Clifton College), supplemented by boarding services at Centenary House, International Programmes, a comprehensive sports offering, and arts/music programs.

Product overview

Clifton School is a boys' school in Durban, South Africa offering a unified educational program spanning Foundation Phase (Grades R-3), Senior Preparatory School (Grades 4-7), and Clifton College (Grades 8-12). The school provides a holistic education combining academic excellence with sports, arts, music, drama, and community service. Additional offerings include International Programmes, weekly and termly boarding facilities (Centenary House), and the Clifton Foundation for bursaries and outreach. The institution also maintains a strong alumni network through its Old Boys' Association (COBWEB).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Foundation Phase

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple Old Boys achieving national and international success in sports, arts, business, and technology
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• World Bicycle ReliefminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023Charitable partnership through Old Boy Chad Laybourne's cycling challenge. Laybourne cycled 5,400km across 14 European countries to raise funds (£1,215/R28,784) for World Bicycle Relief, which provides bicycles to communities in Africa and Colombia to improve access to healthcare, education, and economic opportunity.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• St John's College, Johannesburg: Independent Anglican boys' school in Johannesburg offering pre-primary through Grade 12 with boarding. Comparable private South African boys' school with multi-phase structure, heritage brand, and boarding offering, although Johannesburg-based rather than Durban.
• Hilton College: Independent boys' boarding school in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, offering Grades 8-12 with strong sport and academic traditions. Directly comparable as a private, nonsectarian KZN boys' institution competing for the same boarding and tuition-paying families.
• Kearsney College: Independent boys' boarding school in KwaZulu-Natal offering senior school Grades 8-12 plus junior school. Directly comparable private KZN boys' school with similar sport-anchored brand and boarding model to Clifton.
• Michaelhouse: Prestigious independent boys' boarding school in KZN Midlands offering Grades 8-12. Comparable as a private, nonsectarian, full-boarding South African boys' school competing with Clifton for the same feeder market and boarding pool.
• Westville Boys' High School: Independent boys' high school in Westville, Durban (KZN), offering Grades 8-12. Directly comparable local competitor within the Durban private boys' school market, often considered alongside Clifton by Durban families.
• Bishops (Diocesan College): Independent Anglican boys' school in Cape Town offering pre-primary through Grade 12 with boarding. Comparable private South African boys' school with full K-12 multi-phase structure, boarding, and a heritage brand competing for the same premium South African family segment.
• St Stithians College: Independent Methodist boys' school in Johannesburg offering Foundation Phase through Grade 12 plus boarding. Comparable as a private South African boys' school with a similar multi-phase structure, sport-led culture, and centenary-era brand positioning, though Johannesburg-based rather than KZN.
• Maritzburg College: Independent boys' school in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, covering Grades 8-12 with boarding. Closely comparable as another private, nonsectarian KZN boys' institution with a long heritage, competing head-to-head with Clifton for senior school admissions.
• St Andrew's College (Makhanda/Grahamstown): Independent boys' boarding school in Makhanda, Eastern Cape, covering Grades 8-12 plus preparatory. Comparable as a private, full-boarding South African boys' school with a centenarian brand and academic-boarding tradition similar to Clifton.

Regional players

• Jeppe High School for Boys: Independent boys' school in Johannesburg covering Grades 8-12 with strong sport and academic traditions. Comparable as another private South African boys' school with a similar tradition-anchored brand, though Gauteng-based and not directly competing in the KZN market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CliftonDurban
• Instagraminstagram.com/clifton_durban
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/clifton-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Clifton School