Founded in 1932, its completion was funded by the estate of Cecil John Rhodes, after whom it is named and whose summer home is located on the main site.
Originally, the school only admitted white pupils but following the dissolution of Zimbabwe Rhodesia and Zimbabwean independence in 1980, its student body soon diversified.
Unlike the other two terms, all boys must take part in compulsory cross country running every morning and sometimes in the afternoon too.
Most boys participate in track and field athletics and long-distance running, with few taking part in racquet sports such as tennis.
This is worn to lessons, the dining hall, and during social time but is substituted for full colours for Sunday chapel service.
Rugby is a very popular sport at REPS, with over half the boys taking part to form the First, Second and Colts teams.
Those boys not taking part in rugby are encouraged to do other sports such as gymnastics which, although less popular, attract a fraction of the school's population.
REPS boys often take part in swimming gala events in central Bulawayo against other schools where they often come in the top three.
There are two Grade 5 dorms, Rodney and Vanguard, which house different types of boy based on performance and behaviour in Nelson and are traditional rivals.