Forty-three years after its establishment, Symphony Secondary School in Belhar has celebrated the opening of its impressive hall — a facility considered essential to a well-rounded education, yet one that hundreds of Cape schools still lack.

R12 million

The hall is one of 138 built so far by the Archway Foundation, established in 2003 to help provide this essential facility at under-resourced schools in the Western Cape. The halls now cost between R10 million and R12 million. The Foundation partners with the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) on the project.

Symphony Secondary was established in 1983 and currently has 900 learners, with a 2026 Grade 12 cohort of 103. After joining the school in 2023, Principal Samantha Williams was appointed to her current role in February 2025 and leads a teaching staff of 30, with eight additional non-teaching staff members.

Williams says earnest efforts to obtain a school hall were started by the previous principal, Samuel Bogenhagen, and she continued the plea to the Archway Foundation and the WCED for Symphony Secondary to receive a hall when she became Principal. “I feel a deep sense of pride and tremendous gratitude at achieving this milestone. This asset builds on our vision for a safe and caring environment that creates excellence in quality teaching and learning. It is the start of many great events and achievements for our school community,” she says.

Dedicated path

Speaking of the long and dedicated path taken by the Archway Foundation, John Matthews, CEO of the founding company, 106-year-old Garden Cities, says: “From the start of our hall project, an improvement has been noticed in the academic performance and morale of the children attending schools where the halls have been built. Education is the key to stability and financial security for everyone in South Africa, and as corporate citizens it’s our responsibility to help redress the inequalities of the past and give all the children we possibly can the opportunity to reach their full potential. Our goal remains to help provide equal facilities for the schoolchildren of the Western Cape and to level the academic playing fields for every learner in every classroom at school.”

Now, at Symphony Secondary, the challenge remains to complete the hall’s equipment, such as a sound system and projector. Among the major advantages already being enjoyed by the school are indoor assemblies, the prospect of exams being written in the same venue, and not having to hire external venues for special occasions such as the Matric ball and valedictory ceremonies.

Events

The drama group is planning to host its first big event in the school hall, where the Grade 8s will also stage their talent show. Removing the costs of hiring venues will be yet another significant advantage, and the school will be able to host fundraisers.

Corporates or benefactors who would like to support the Archway Foundation and the WCED in contributing to the initiative are warmly welcomed and can contact John Matthews on (021) 558 7181.

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