It was founded in 1954 near Essexvale, Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (now Esigodini, Zimbabwe),[3] 55 km southeast of Bulawayo on the remains of the Bushtick Mine.

The college's graduates include a British member of parliament, surgeons and doctors, leaders of industry and commerce, soldiers and educators.

The park contains examples of most of Zimbabwe's plains game species, including zebra, giraffe, kudu, impala, tsessebe, bushbuck and warthog.

Originally Bushtick Mine, and with 36 boys and a handful of staff, the college was founded on Wednesday 3 February 1954.

It was opened by the Governor General of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Lord Llewellin, on Saturday 10 April 1954.

The newer Motto is: Sic Itur Ad Astra The school motto comes from the words of Virgil (70-19BC) a classical Roman poet who wrote: “nova virtute, puer; sic itur ad astra” which translates: Look to your new-found courage, young man, for that is the way to the stars.

Founders was so named to commemorate the Founders of the School; Tredgold after Sir Robert Clarkson Tredgold, who was also Chief Justice of Southern Rhodesia; Oates after Frank Oates, explorer and naturalist who travelled extensively in southern central Africa in the 19th century; and Hervey after Hubert Hervey, adventurer, gentleman and soldier, who was killed in the Second Matabele War and buried in the Matopos.