History
1997
Cannons Creek Independent School was founded in January 1997 by Mrs Carol Booth (formerly Mrs Barhouch) together with four teachers: Mrs Hazelmay Duncan, Mr Kevin Wroth, Mrs Nicola du Plooy and Ms Lesley Jacobson as a Primary, Co-educational, English-speaking Christian School. It was initially housed in the Pinelands Club Hall, with 37 founding pupils. The initial concept was to provide a Primary school.
1998
There was a request from the parents for Cannons Creek to establish a High School.
1999
With the continued demand for places in the expanding school, it was soon realised that the School would need a building of its own. In January 1999 Cannons Creek took occupation of the land where it is currently situated, and a building was built specifically for the School.
1999
A High School was opened with Mr Mike van Haght as the Principal.
2003
With the increasing number of pupils, and due to the growing high school, the High School building was built and opened in February 2003.
2006
A Grade R Class was started.
2011
The Primary School introduced a Grade RR class, and started double streaming all its classes.
2012
On the 15th Anniversary of Cannons Creek, the new Primary School building was officially opened. Up until the end of 2011, Cannons Creek Primary and High School were housed in two buildings located alongside each other with an adjacent sports field in Nursery Way, Pinelands. The High School then took over the old Primary School.
2014
The Cannons Creek Academy of Music was started in 2014 and currently has almost 30% of all pupils taught by eight music teachers.
2015
Grade 7s became part of the High School's Middle School.
2016
On the school's 19th birthday, the Cultural Centre was inaugurated. It is a hall with a gallery and has three sound-proofed music teaching rooms; and is used for assemblies, gatherings, and cultural events. Further developments have seen an extension to the Primary School building where the Art Classroom, Computer Classroom, Primary School Library and two offices are housed. This centre is known as The Carol Booth Centre.
2017
Founding Principal, Mrs Carol Booth, retires as Principal in December 2017.
2018
Mrs Tracy Wahl took office as Primary School Principal in January 2018.
2018
The Grade 7s, in the High School, became double-streamed.
2019
A second Grade RR class was started.
2019
Cannons Creek became the first school in South Africa with its own radio station. Subsequently the Radio Station has morphed into a Podcast Society.
2022
Cannons Creek Independent School celebrated its 25th birthday!
2023
Mr Angus Morton was appointed High School Principal, taking over from Mr Mike van Haght.
The School installed its Solar Power System, to combat the stresses of Loadshedding. Due to our efficient energy requirements, we are feeding electricity back into the grid as well.
Now
There are approximately 430 pupils and 62 staff members.
Cannons Creek first building
Founding Staff at Cannons Creek
Fun Facts
Did you know?
Each of the school's buildings has been named after one of the School Houses – Peak, Lonsdale, and Riverside.
Did you know?
The School celebrates its Founders Day on 11th February.
Did you know?
The Primary School building is a “Green building”. This means it has some special features that are friendly for the environment, for example, a sloped roof to funnel water, water tanks to store water, and large windows and see-through roof panels so we don’t have to use electric lights too much.
Did you know?
When the school was still new, some forward-thinking teachers put a number of items that were popular and used at that time into a time capsule which has been hidden in a safe in the High School building. The time capsule will be opened in 2050 – fifty years after the opening of Cannons Creek school building.
Did you know?
In the beginning, the school almost bought a house that they could convert into a school building. This house was called Cannons Creek. Unfortunately, the sale fell through, but the owners allowed the school to take the name of the house. That is how Cannons Creek School got its name.
Did you know?
Mrs Sue Alston, our HOD: Intermediate Phase, wrote our school song lyrics. (Click here for a live recording).
Did you know?
Our Grade 7s form part of the High School. This is owing to our education system dividing the school years into phases, with three years per phase. Grades 7, 8 and 9 are grouped together as the GET phase (General Education and Training). Following this model, it makes academic sense for Grade 7s to be part of the High School. By Grade 7 the majority of pupils have outgrown the Primary School and are ready to thrive again as the "little fish in the big pond". The Grade 6 pupils are mature enough to take on, and enjoy the responsibility of being the pupil leaders at the Primary School.
Where did the name ‘Cannons Creek’ come from?
In 1996, when we decided to start a school in Pinelands, we had to find suitable premises.
We looked at many different venues/properties and found a very big, old house which we felt was eminently suitable. The property, called ‘Cannons Creek’, was in the road called Riverside.
We started negotiations to purchase the property and were given permission, by the owner, to use the name for our new school. We went ahead with registration applications and started using the name immediately, as it gave us an identity. Unfortunately, the local neighbours objected to our proposed purchase and use of the house to establish a school and the deal fell through, leaving us with a name, but no home.
The origin of the name, as we were told by Ms Ellie Brookes, the owner, is as follows: Her grandfather was the owner of Brookes Oros Factory. He built the house in Pinelands and named it after the place that he came from, in Australia. We are told that there was a country settlement, south of Melbourne, with cannons on top of the two hills leading into the valley, hence called Cannons Creek. The Brookes family lived in the house for many years, until Ellie put it on the market in 1996.
Click here to hear more about the History of the school, and the design of the school badge (as narrated by Shcool Foudner Mrs Carol Booth).