La Rochelle Girls' High School

What La Rochelle Girls' High School does

La Rochelle Girls' High School is a single-campus secondary school for girls located at 1 Faure Street, Paarl, Western Cape, South Africa, operating under the oversight of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED). Founded in 1860 by Mev. Louisa Hugo, it serves learners from Grade 8 through Grade 12 (Matric) and also operates an on-site hostel for boarding students. The current principal is Elsabé Conradie, who assumed the role in 2022. The school's motto — "HEAD, HEART, HAND" — reflects its stated emphasis on balanced education across academics, character, and practical development.

The school's core educational product comprises academic programs (subjects across languages, sciences, mathematics, business studies, and arts), sports (athletics, hockey, netball, tennis, squash, cross country, and swimming), music and culture, and visual arts. Its technology infrastructure is built around Microsoft Teams as the central learning platform, with a school-provided Chromebook program for Grades 8-10 rolled out in 2022. Supporting facilities include the En Avant multi-functional center (completed 2015), an Astro turf field (2020), the Martha Cillié Library, the Johanna Longland Learning Centre, and the Du Toit Street tennis courts. Academic outcomes are a key value driver: the school reports a 100% matric pass rate maintained for 26 consecutive years (2000-2020) and a 90%+ B-degree university admission rate.

The business model is primarily fee-based. Annual school fees for 2026 are R49,900 (R47,405 with an early-payment discount), payable annually, monthly over 10 months, or per term. Hostel fees are R54,600 annually (R51,870 with early-payment discount). Ancillary revenue comes from Boutique@Larries (on-campus school and sports uniform retail at below-retail prices), and Section 18A tax-deductible donations channeled through the LAR Alumnae Club. Go-to-market is event-driven: open days, school tours, Grade 8 applications through the WCED system (opening March, closing April annually), and an organic content and alumni-driven marketing mix via website, Facebook ("LarriesisTops"), Instagram ("@hmslarochelleghs"), a student blog, and an annual electronic alumni newsletter.

Name

La Rochelle Girls' High School

Legal name

La Rochelle Girls' High School

Website

https://larries.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

1860

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

La Rochelle Girls' High School is a girls' secondary school (Grades 8-12) in Paarl, Western Cape, South Africa, founded in 1860. It offers academic, sports, arts, and hostel programs under the Western Cape Education Department, with annual school fees of R49,900.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAJAAAD

Public High Schools

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/Public K–12 Schools & Districts

Keywords

• Secondary education
• Girls schooling
• Boarding school
• High school education
• School hostel

Headquarters

HQ city

Paarl

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. School Fees: Annual school fees of R49,900 (or R47,405 if paid before 28 February for R2,495 discount). Payable monthly over 10 months at R4,990/month, or per term at R12,475.
2. Hostel Fees: Annual hostel fees of R54,600 (or R51,870 if paid before 28 February for R2,730 discount). Boarding students pay monthly at R5,460/month or per term at R13,750.
3. Uniform Sales (Boutique@Larries): The school operates Boutique@Larries, selling school and sports clothing at lower prices than retail. Located behind the main hostel building in the 'Ou Washuis'. Contact: Liesie Barnard.
4. Donations and Sponsorships: The school accepts Section 18A tax-deductible donations. Alumni donations are welcome to the LAR Alumnae Club (FNB, Account: 63066200593).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

La Rochelle Girls' High School is a single-campus secondary school in Paarl, Western Cape, South Africa, providing comprehensive education for girls from Grade 8 to Matric (Grade 12). It offers an integrated curriculum across languages, sciences, mathematics, business studies and arts, alongside on-campus boarding facilities, sports, music and culture, and visual arts programs, supported by a Microsoft Teams-based digital learning platform and a school-provided Chromebook program.

Product overview

La Rochelle Girls' High School is a single-campus secondary school offering a unified educational service comprising academic programs (Grades 8-12), on-campus hostel facilities, sports programs, music and culture, visual arts, and a uniform boutique. The school also publishes annual yearbooks and features alumni stories through its 'Elke Larrie het 'n Storie' platform. The academic program includes various subject combinations across languages, sciences, mathematics, business studies, and creative arts, supported by technology integration including Microsoft Teams for learning management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Academic Programs Comprehensive secondary education curriculum offered to girls from Grade 8 through Matric (Grade 12), with subject choices spanning Languages, Sciences, Mathematics, Business Studies, and the Arts, delivered through Microsoft Teams and school-provided Chromebooks for Grades 8-10.
• Hostel / Boarding Facilities On-campus boarding accommodation for learners requiring residential placement, with supervision provided by a dedicated Superintendent and Hostel Manager and structured activities for boarders. Annual hostel fees of R54,600 (R51,870 if paid before 28 February).
• Sports Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% pass rate maintained for 26 consecutive years (2000-2020)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Western Cape Education Department (WCED)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe school operates under the Western Cape Education Department's oversight, following their admission policies and application systems. Academic standards and curriculum are aligned with WCED requirements. School fees are determined annually following WCED guidelines.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Paarl Boys' High School: Historic boys' high school in Paarl directly across from La Rochelle, sharing the same local catchment and WCED admission system. Comparable as a same-town heritage secondary school with similar fee structure.
• Eunice Girls' High School: Historic girls' high school in Bloemfontein (Free State) with boarding facilities and strong academic tradition. Comparable as a heritage girls' secondary school, though operating in a different regional market.

Broad incumbents

• Curro Holdings (Independent Schools): Large JSE-listed independent school group operating many private schools across South Africa. Comparable as a competitor in the independent secondary school market, though much larger and operating multiple campuses.

Direct peers

• St. Mary's School, Waverley: Independent Anglican girls' school in Johannesburg offering pre-primary through matric, with boarding and a similar balanced education philosophy. Comparable as a heritage girls' school with hostel and academic focus.
• St. Andrew's School for Girls: Independent Anglican girls' school in Johannesburg offering pre-primary through matric, with strong academics and extracurricular programs. Comparable heritage girls' school with similar fee model.
• Brescia House School: Independent Catholic girls' school in Johannesburg (pre-primary to matric) with strong academic outcomes and boarding. Comparable in mission, structure, and competitive positioning.
• Roedean School (SA): Independent girls' school in Johannesburg affiliated with Roedean UK, offering Grades 8-12 with boarding. Comparable as a fee-charging heritage girls' secondary school in South Africa.
• Bloemhof Girls' High School: Independent Afrikaans-medium girls' high school in Stellenbosch, Western Cape, serving Grades 8-12 with a comparable focus on academics, culture, sport, and hostel facilities. Directly comparable as a fee-charging girls' secondary school in the same regional market.
• Herschel Girls' High School: Independent English-medium girls' high school in Cape Town offering Grades 8-12, with boarding facilities and a strong academic record. Closest comparable peer given similar fee structure, governance model, and student demographic.
• Rustenburg Girls' High School: Public-but-fee-charging girls' high school in Cape Town with a long heritage, strong academic outcomes, and hostel facilities. Highly comparable in mission, structure, and competitive set.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/LarriesisTops
• Instagraminstagram.com/hmslarochelleghs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/la-rochelle-girls'-high-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 La Rochelle Girls' High School