On 8 January 1970, the parallel-medium Arbor Park Primary began its journey with Mr D.H. Howell as the school’s first principal. In his school diary, Mr Howell recorded his first visit to the building site on the day of his appointment to assess construction progress, followed by a second visit on 16 January 1970 with Mr P.H. Grobé, the school inspector at the time. The first staff meeting was held on 19 January 1970, attended by ten pioneering staff members: Ms Kemp, Ms Fourie, Ms Cronjé, Ms Pretorius, Ms Theunissen, Ms Hamilton, Mr Joubert, Mr Lourens, Ms Drennan, and Mr Howell himself.  The following day our school officially opened its doors with 185 learners, marking the beginning of what would become a proud and vibrant school community.

A defining feature of our school is the determination to create opportunities for every learner across a wide range of academic and extra-curricular activities.  From the earliest records, the school showed notable strength in academics, culture, and the arts, while also building a solid sporting tradition. An annual highlight was the Arbor Park Sports Day started in 1975 and attended by all schools in the area. It was not only about the winning, but judges also  scored the teams on various aspects, such as discipline and sportsmanship.  That year Arbor Park won the netball and rugby trophies, while Newcastle Senior Primary claimed the hockey trophy. This became a long standing tradition enjoyed by all involved.  

The brilliant Northern Transvaal (Blue Bulls today) wing, JJ van der Walt, was also a proud rugby  product coached and taught at our school during this era. He was also selected for the SA /20 Team.  His /10 coach, Mr G Fourie, stated that he was an outstanding player who scored many tries as in his No 10 jersey.

Various tennis players achieved success at national level during this era. The pride tradition of  athletics, had its foundation during this principalship and coaches continued to develop the young  talent.   

Mr Howell retired in December 1978, leaving behind a thriving school with 717 learners and 32 teaching staff members. Afrikaans was the predominant language and had many classes while   the English classes were generally combined.

Mr Johan Botha served as Acting Principal in 1979. One of the most memorable events of that year was the large school carnival, with the guest of honour Kallie Knoetze, the then South African heavyweight boxing champion. With an attendance of approximately 2,500 people, the event generated a profit of R4,600, equivalent to about R190,000 in 2026—a remarkable achievement for the school. Sport continued to flourish, with Arbor Park winning the rugby league unbeaten, and three learners selected for the Northern Natal provincial team.

In January 1980, Mr G.J. van der Merwe took over as principal and managed the school firmly during the 1980s. He had a particular passion for cricket, meticulously recording scores and sporting achievements in the school diary.

Records reflect Arbor Park’s continued success across a wide range of sporting disciplines. It was during this period that Rugby Springbok and World Cup champion Bakkies Botha started his schooling at Arbor Park Primary with his Grade One class teacher, Ms A Jacobs, with whom he and his family remained in contact after their relocation.  This is what makes our school special: the continued bond between the staff, parents, and learners.

In January 1984, Ms P de Jager, a young educator who would one day become principal, joined the school. With her love for sport, her leadership and coaching, the swimming, athletics, and first hockey team achieved great success. Provincial athletics records were broken.  Many learners obtained provincial colours in all three of these sporting codes.  Zona Boshoff was one of these high-achieving learners and an excellent hurdler, and sprinter, hockey player and swimmer. Ms De Jager continued to organise the annual Arbor Park Winter Sports Day, which remained a huge event on the calendar of local schools. She made a difference in the wider community and represented the school at national level in the managerial and coaching structures of swimming and athletics - and provincially for hockey.

It was also during this year that one of the legendary cultural leaders of our school joined the staff.  Ms M. van Staden contributed enormously and made an impact on the performing and visual arts,  both at the school and in the wider community. It was under her wing that the Newcastle Eisteddfod was reinstated and grew from strength to strength to its current excellence. Her many  operettas, concerts, art exhibitions, and public speaking events have left a legacy remembered by  many.

 Alongside positive growth and events, the school experienced various tragedies over the years.  On 19 September 1984 during an excursion to St Lucia, a freak wave swept away several learners  aged 11 and 12. Mr J van Rensburg, a teacher at Arbor Park, and Mr G van der Merwe (husband  of Ms Van der Merwe and also a teacher) bravely rescued seven of the eight children. Tragically,  while attempting to save 11-year-old Cecilia Davidson, all three were overcome by the waves and  lost their lives. Cecilia’s body was never found, adding trauma to the tragedy. Both the men were  honoured nationally for their bravery and a plaque was placed in the foyer of the school for all  three.  The event is commemorated annually and the staff also visited the site at Cape Vidal in  1997 during a team-building excursion to show their continued respect.

Mr Van der Merwe retired in March 1989, with the school then comprising 337 learners and 19  teaching staff members.

Mr J.H.F. Potgieter acted for a term and Mr C. Maakal was appointed as principal in July 1989. Academics, sport, and culture continued to remain the focus. It must be remembered that during both Mr Howell and Mr Van der Merwe’s terms of office, the sports fields, gardens and buildings were maintained by the Department of Public Works.  Both the educators and support staff were supplied and managed by the Department of Education.

This changed during Mr Maakal’s principalship.  The school became a Model-C school, which meant that the f inancial burden became heavier for the school as the funding from the Department of Education was reduced. The direct maintenance of the school was no longer done by the Department of Public Works.   An interesting fact that not many are aware of is that Mr Maakal, who had a fondness for Mathematics, Science, and Technology, subtly laid the foundation for our school’s continued endeavour to advance technologically. The old box Apple Macintosh computers were introduced to the learners when it was not common in schools yet.

Under his leadership, the school records reflect a noticeable shift in atmosphere and widespread confidence in the school’s future—there was a renewed energy, optimism, and unity among management, staff, and parents. At this time, the learner enrolment stood at 332 learners.

The privately operated Arbor Park Pre-Primary School moved to the school premises during his principalship and occupied the small school hall and adjacent row of classrooms. They rented the space from the school.

Early in Mr Maakal’s tenure, there was significant activity among various school committees. This level of involvement demonstrated a genuine commitment by educators to embrace and support the vision for the school. He led by example, ensuring that he personally attended regional, cultural, and sports meetings together with the

Head of Sport, Ms P. de Jager, and the Head of Culture, Ms Van Staden.

One notable achievement was Lizelle Schreuder, who was identified as a national-level gymnast. Lizelle, who already played for the school’s first hockey team at the age of ten and obtained provincial colours at school level, and ended up representing the South African women’s hockey team in 2002 while completing her studies at NWU.

The school also excelled in swimming, and it is noted that Ms de Jager and her husband coached the swimmers of the school throughout her time as swimming coach, and together they made a significant difference in the achievements of the swimmers and life-savers.

The school’s broadened vision also embraced the arts. On 6 February 1990, Arbor Park participated in an art gallery exhibition hosted by SANLAM, reflecting the growing emphasis on nurturing creative talent alongside sport. Mr Maakal also recorded that the school choir delivered what he described as its best-ever performance at the annual Director’s Trophy competition.

Parental involvement continued to strengthen due to strong involvement, and feedback from parents was overwhelmingly positive, further reinforcing the school’s upward momentum.

During 1990, a learner, Lezani Struwig (who later joined the school’s management team) won a second prize in a national art competition. In addition to personal recognition, she won a donation of books for the school library. She was the head girl and dux learner of the school, obtained provincial hockey colours, after having played for the first hockey team since the age of ten. She received ballet and dancing awards – a multi-talented learner in a school nurturing a holistic approach to a child’s development. Ms Struwig became a highly respected and much-loved athletics coach and art and science teacher at Arbor Park Primary, inspiring learners with her passion and dedication – an enduring example of how the Arrie family continues to shape lives across generations.

A significant milestone was recorded on 14 August 1991, when Mr Maakal noted that Arbor Park Primary officially opened its doors to learners of all races, marking a meaningful transition from the era of apartheid and embracing a more inclusive future.

Throughout Mr Maakal’s tenure, learner numbers steadily increased due to this change, with enrolments growing on a termly basis. The English Medium classes were no longer combined.  However, the Afrikaans Medium classes became smaller.  His leadership laid a strong foundation for sustainable growth until he accepted a promotion to Superintendent of Education for the Normandien District in March 1996

Ms P. de Jager acted as principal and was appointed permanently in 1998 to continue the leadership in the late nineties until 2020. Ms de Jager was a transformational leader who focused on teacher leadership, and Arbor Park continued its positive trajectory with a strong focus on quality education as well as sport and cultural excellence.

She focussed on staff development to ensure outstanding education and the holistic development of each learner. Several changes occurred in schools with the amalgamation of all the different Departments of Education after the new dispensation. Three curriculum changes took place during her principalship, so teacher leadership was vital, as change is always challenging. Governance of schools also changed and School Governing Bodies became a formal part of schools.  

Our school’s Governing Bodies were a pillar of moral support for the principal, staff, parents, and learners from the start and this continued during her term.  The impact of the Governing Bodies under chairmen and leaders such as Mr P de Kock, Dr H Theunissen, Mr T Moore, Mr J Swart, and Mr Gale was significant. The success and strength of Arbor Park Primary has always been rooted in our faith in God.  Also in its human resources – the staff, the governing body, the parents, the learners, businesses, and of course, the wider community. With limited financial resources, the confidence with which our governing body and management team embark on the most ambitious development projects is admirable. It is also evidence of the fact that their approach, being custodians of the parents’ money for the best interest of all our children, is firmly rooted in going the extra mile to obtain the best possible outcomes for the betterment of Arbor Park Primary. It was during her principalship that the Arbor Park Pre-Primary became part of the school structure, due to the compulsory Grade R incorporation expected by the Department of Education.

This became a new challenge for the management and governors of the school due to the financial and managerial impact. The parents were involved in the borehole project and managed to acquire the involvement of Gift of the Givers to fund it for the school. This was a proactive project to ensure present and future water supply at a reduced cost. Businesses became more important as we initially became a Model-C school – and later a Section 21 Quintile 4 school – which meant that we did not receive much funding from the Education Department and had to do fundraising to complement the school fees paid by the parents.

The involvement of Public Works changed as they no longer maintained the buildings and grounds, and this became the responsibility of the schools. School fees also increased due to the lack of funding from the Department. Towards the end of Ms de Jager’s principalship, there were specific businesses that proudly associated their name with Arbor Park Primary due to the school’s excellence in all spheres and the respected recognition within the community. They also contributed financially, along with smaller businesses. Here, NTT Nissan and Konica Minolta were especially involved and appreciated.

In 2001, Mrs de Jager received a National Award for excellence in leadership at primary school level. She was not the only educator honoured in this way, as Ms R de Kock, Ms H Allison, and Ms A Jacobs all received regional and provincial awards. Many of our educators were involved in training of other schools and districts due to their professional knowledge, experience, and expertise. Our library also received provincial recognition for excellence and received books as a reward. After the National Award, the school was visited by both provincial and national officials from the Quality Assurance Teams of the provincial and national Department of Education and received praise for the systems in place. Examples of our policies and procedures and other documents were taken to be used as examples in other schools. The Whole School Evaluation conducted, was extremely successful, with our educators receiving praise for their excellence.

 The principal and educators were used to train and develop colleagues from other schools in the  District and Province.

Ms M Swart, our financial officer, was also recognised for her excellence and was selected to be part of the pilot project of the SA-SAMS digital programme used nationally by all schools thereafter. Ms E Hapgood-Strickland was a passionate Land Service representative at national level and C de Jager obtained Springbok colours for this under her wing. 

During this era, we had Protea athletes - Mr W Appel and Ms E Oelofse - on the staff who contributed towards the excellence of athletics.  Ms T Van Niekerk was a national hockey umpire, who did not just umpire at national level, but conducted umpire training workshops for the district.  Ms de Jager and her team of educators were also responsible for the organisation of a very successful SA Primary Schools Swimming Gala, which received television coverage and praise.

Academic, cultural, and sport achievements continued during this era due to the teacher leadership approach. The team was highly competent, committed, and dedicated. Arbor Park Primary once again was proactive and at the forefront of technology in our area with computer lessons continuing. The Interactive Smartboard project in the classrooms to ensure that the educators could remain relevant with advanced teaching methods, was launched. An Apple iPad project further allowed forward-thinking educators to incorporate it into their teaching and learning. Learners participated in the annual Science Expo competitions, and the Science Quiz competitions. The educators excelled in the cultural field, and the learners had exposure to the Bi Annual Newcastle Eisteddfod, Newcastle Winter Festival, National Choir competitions, the South African Literacy Association Public Speaking, Reading, Writing, and Spelling competitions, as well as the ATKV Public Speaking Competitions, where our learners obtained national awards. South African Literacy Association Public Speaking: Olwethu Ntshakala 4th at National Finals;   Mbaliyamantungwa Khumalo 2nd at National Finals; Zethu Skosana 2nd at National Finals SALA Provincial Reading Competition:  Mandisi Dludla 1st;  Fanele Mabaso 2nd. SALA Provincial Spelling Competition: Mandisi Dludla 3rd. Rouxné van der Colff ATKV National Semi-Final.  

Ms L Hanekom took up the cultural leadership mantle from Ms van Staden and became well known for the her concerts, performances and the Newcastle Eisteddfod. The mass gymnastrade at the Annual Arbor Park Winter Sports Day was a phenomenal display. Ms L Boshoff managed to place the school on the map with her outstanding choirs. Both her senior and junior choirs participated in the KYKNET Sing in Harmony competitions, where she reached the national finals three years in a row. Her choir came third nationally, and she won several category awards, including best African song in 2022. During the   prestigious FAK Applous choir competition, she   brought further honour to the school as her junior choir was placed third in the Top 10 nationally. She also won gold for both her choirs at the Newcastle Eisteddfod.

The excellent sport achievements continued during this period. Passionate staff members contributed to the excellence. A contributing factor for the achievements was the fact that the general sports and cultural periods were incorporated within the school day, which ensured talent identification at an early age and mass participation. Ms V Kelly’s passion for chess ensured provincial colours for both her and the school’s individual players for several years. Mr M Swartz and Mr R van Niekerk brought about a new spark with the school’s rugby. Several boys were selected for the Sharks, and the two gentlemen were selected as coaches for the Sharks U12. Many boys were recruited by top high schools in the province due to this excellence. Ramutuku Sikhakhane was selected for the U/13 A Sharks Team and impressed with his outstanding play during the Craven Week.

At the age of eighteen, he also represented the UKZN senior team in 2025 in the Varsity Shield competition. Mnelisi Gamede was selected for the SA U/18 Sevens Training Camp, and the following year was selected for the Puma U/21 squad. True to our school’s tradition since the beginning, the ladies on the staff continued to develop the young rugby boys, and there are fond memories of them winning matches where the parents, coaches, and opponents did not expect it!

Ms de Jager’s duties as principal allowed her to mainly remain involved in the coaching of athletics. This legacy continues to this day, with international-level athletes having started their journeys under her guidance. One outstanding example is Njabulo Mbatha, ranked the number one U/20 400m hurdler in the world.  He has received a full scholarship to attend Auburn University in the USA to further his studies and fulfil his athletics dream from 2026. Here he will be guided by the Olympians Ken Hardnen and Leroy Burrell. Another highlight is the fact that for the last three years of her coaching at the school (2018–2020), Arbor Park had the best Primary School Athletics Team in KZN and won up to twenty-five medals per KZN School Championship with twenty athletes in the Top 10 of the province.  Furthermore, the school was the leading school for hurdles in the province. The athletes excelled at national level and were ranked in the Top Ten.  Several athletes received medals at the SA Championships.  Lethokuhle Msimango,   Siyamthanda Ndaba,  Russel Tembo,  Ndumiso Mtombeni and Anathi Ntshangase had APE (Athletics Performance Evaluation) scores of 1 000+.

Ms de Jager retired in February 2020, leaving behind a legacy fondly remembered – especially her fast-paced walks through the corridors, often out-pacing even competitive race walkers, heels and all. Staff recall hearing her quick feet long before seeing her. To build a professional team that is excellent, where individuals complement each other, was a challenging task, but she left an exceptional team, and as in any dynamic entity, it must continue to evolve. She left the school with her last message to all: to stay true to the school’s motto, *LABOR EX ANIMO* – we work with zest, enthusiasm, and inspiration. Also, our vision and mission: to be an educational institution recognised and admired for its distinguished academic, ethics, and life skills programmes, with the mission to develop the full potential of each learner by means of professional guidance, based on sound moral values.

Following her retirement, Ms R de Kock acted as principal, guiding the parallel-medium school through the challenging onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced school closures from 20 March to May 2020.

On 31 October 2020. Mr J.J. Luus officially took the reins as principal, ushering Arbor Park Primary School into its next chapter. At the time of his appointment, the school had a total learner enrolment of 570 learners, including Grade R, reflecting renewed growth and confidence in the future of the school, firmly rooted in a proud history of resilience, excellence, and community spirit. Over the years, entries in the visitors’ book reveal heartfelt reflections from former learners, many expressing admiration for the school’s growth and fond memories of staff.