Strathmore School
Encyclopedia
Strathmore School is Kenya's first multi-racial school established in 1961 in the Lavington
area of Nairobi
district
. It began as a residential Sixth Form College
offering British-styled A-level courses and in 1963 switched from the Cambridge School Certificate Examination to the London GCE. In 1977 it became a full-fledged Secondary school
. In 1988, the school began offering education under the KCSE - Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education
- curricula which it follows to date. The first batch of Primary school students (6-7 year olds) entered in 1987. It no longer has any boarders.
In 1986 a book titled 'Strathmore Remembered', with the 25 year history of the school was published.
Since 1961 only one person has been awarded both Honours, James McFie in 1963.
Every year the top three students(academics) in each class are awarded the school pennant. The school does not award any colours to students.
All Hail the Power of Strathmore School,
Let all teams fall before it,
Let all teams fear, Strathmore.
And Strathmore School, the best of All,
And Straa aaaaaa aaaaaa aaaaaa aaaaa,
Strathmore, Strathmore, Strathmore,
And Strathmore best of All
The school does not have houses. Students elect class leaders (captains and vice captains) who chose their classmates into their teams (Ndovu, Nyati, Chui and Simba). This is done in each class and there is no relation with teams in other classes (thus there is no house system) as every team works for itself.
There are two streams in the secondary, A and ALPHA. Both streams are rivals with members of each stream remembering their attachment even several years after finishing school. Many of the alumni remain attached to their stream, calling each other 'A' or 'Alpha' guys.
Their biggest sporting rivals are St. Mary’s School
, next door neighbors and a sporting powerhouse in Kenya.
team is known as The Bandits. In 2008 they were the winners of the St. Mary's Blackrock Festival
, the biggest schools rugby festival in Kenya. However, they were beaten by their rivals Saints
, the eventual winners in the semi-finals of the 2010 edition of the festival. They wear striped shirts of black, blue and white.
Other teams are the Pirates (basketball) and Stallions (volleyball), who won the Nairobi provincial league several times in the 1970s. The cricket team are known as the Stalwarts.
The doctrinal and religious formation in Strathmore is entrusted to Opus Dei
, a prelature of the Catholic Church.
Strathmore School was ranked the second best high school in Kenya based on 2006 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education
.
Lavington, Nairobi
Lavington is a suburb of Nairobi, Kenya. It is a high income residential estate located northwest of the city centre. Lavington belongs to the Westlands administrative division of Nairobi...
area of Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
district
District
Districts are a type of administrative division, in some countries managed by a local government. They vary greatly in size, spanning entire regions or counties, several municipalities, or subdivisions of municipalities.-Austria:...
. It began as a residential Sixth Form College
Sixth form college
A sixth form college is an educational institution in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Belize, Hong Kong or Malta where students aged 16 to 18 typically study for advanced school-level qualifications, such as A-levels, or school-level qualifications such as GCSEs. In Singapore and India, this is...
offering British-styled A-level courses and in 1963 switched from the Cambridge School Certificate Examination to the London GCE. In 1977 it became a full-fledged Secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
. In 1988, the school began offering education under the KCSE - Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education
KCSE stands for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, which is taken at the completion of Secondary Education.The first KCSE exam was held in 1989 at the same time as the last Kenya Advanced Certificate of Education , which it replaced as the entrance requirement for Kenyan Universities.The...
- curricula which it follows to date. The first batch of Primary school students (6-7 year olds) entered in 1987. It no longer has any boarders.
School uniform
The school uniform consists of a cream shirt, mid-grey trousers, grey socks and black shoes. The tie has black, white and blue stripes. The blazer is navy blue, normally won by students on Mondays. The sweater is sky blue and does not have the school badge on it.School magazine
'The Scroll' was first published in 1963. The last edition was published in 2006 in order to make way for an interactive DVD called The Scroll Digital (nicknamed 'digital').In 1986 a book titled 'Strathmore Remembered', with the 25 year history of the school was published.
School honours
Every year the school honours two outstanding students graduating. One being the Sportsman of the Year, and the other the Scholar of the Year. Those who are honoured have their names engraved on an 'Honours Board' at the school. There is also an Honours Board for the Primary School Scholar of the Year.Since 1961 only one person has been awarded both Honours, James McFie in 1963.
Every year the top three students(academics) in each class are awarded the school pennant. The school does not award any colours to students.
School Anthem
The school Anthem, composed in 1990 goes:All Hail the Power of Strathmore School,
Let all teams fall before it,
Let all teams fear, Strathmore.
And Strathmore School, the best of All,
And Straa aaaaaa aaaaaa aaaaaa aaaaa,
Strathmore, Strathmore, Strathmore,
And Strathmore best of All
Difference with other Kenyan schools
Strathmore School prides itself as one of the few schools, if not the only school, in Kenya, that does not have prefects.The school does not have houses. Students elect class leaders (captains and vice captains) who chose their classmates into their teams (Ndovu, Nyati, Chui and Simba). This is done in each class and there is no relation with teams in other classes (thus there is no house system) as every team works for itself.
There are two streams in the secondary, A and ALPHA. Both streams are rivals with members of each stream remembering their attachment even several years after finishing school. Many of the alumni remain attached to their stream, calling each other 'A' or 'Alpha' guys.
Their biggest sporting rivals are St. Mary’s School
St. Mary's School, Nairobi
St. Mary's School, popularly known to many Nairobians as Saints, is a day school owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi. It was founded in the Parklands area of Nairobi in 1939 and was long run by Holy Ghost Fathers from Blackrock College in Dublin in Ireland.-History:In 1946, the...
, next door neighbors and a sporting powerhouse in Kenya.
Sports teams
The rugbyRugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team is known as The Bandits. In 2008 they were the winners of the St. Mary's Blackrock Festival
St. Mary's School, Nairobi
St. Mary's School, popularly known to many Nairobians as Saints, is a day school owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi. It was founded in the Parklands area of Nairobi in 1939 and was long run by Holy Ghost Fathers from Blackrock College in Dublin in Ireland.-History:In 1946, the...
, the biggest schools rugby festival in Kenya. However, they were beaten by their rivals Saints
St. Mary's School, Nairobi
St. Mary's School, popularly known to many Nairobians as Saints, is a day school owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi. It was founded in the Parklands area of Nairobi in 1939 and was long run by Holy Ghost Fathers from Blackrock College in Dublin in Ireland.-History:In 1946, the...
, the eventual winners in the semi-finals of the 2010 edition of the festival. They wear striped shirts of black, blue and white.
Other teams are the Pirates (basketball) and Stallions (volleyball), who won the Nairobi provincial league several times in the 1970s. The cricket team are known as the Stalwarts.
The doctrinal and religious formation in Strathmore is entrusted to Opus Dei
Opus Dei
Opus Dei, formally known as The Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei , is an organization of the Catholic Church that teaches that everyone is called to holiness and that ordinary life is a path to sanctity. The majority of its membership are lay people, with secular priests under the...
, a prelature of the Catholic Church.
Strathmore School was ranked the second best high school in Kenya based on 2006 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education
KCSE stands for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, which is taken at the completion of Secondary Education.The first KCSE exam was held in 1989 at the same time as the last Kenya Advanced Certificate of Education , which it replaced as the entrance requirement for Kenyan Universities.The...
.
Notable alumni
- Michael Kijana Wamalwa, former Vice President
- Bishop Anthony Muheria, Catholic Bishop Kitui Diocese
- David MathengeDavid MathengeDavid Mathenge , better known by his stage name Nameless, is a Kenyan pop artist.- Biography :Mathenge was educated at Strathmore School, He rose to fame in 1999 through a star-search contest on Kenya's urban music station 98.4 Capital FM, which he won with his original song "Megarider." The song...
aka Nameless (musician) - Gideon MoiGideon MoiGideon Moi is a Kenyan politician. He is the youngest son of Kenya's second president, Daniel arap Moi, and Lena Moi.Gideon's primary school education was at the elite Kenton College Preparatory School. He was one of 24 students enrolled to attend Strathmore College when it opened its doors to...