In September 1884 the Kerkraad of the Dutch Reformed Church, situated on the top of Carr Hill, decided to found a school for girls in Wynberg.

It was situated near the military camp and surrounded by Little Chelsea with its cottages and narrow winding streets.

The minister of the Dutch Reformed Church at that time lived in the old Pastorie where the boarding house is situated today.

The school was officially opened in 1885 with two teachers - Misses Annie and Nellie Brink - and twenty-seven young boys and girls.

Wynberg was the first girls' school in South Africa to have a fully qualified Physical Education teacher, Mrs Dolly Rees (who had studied in London).

The school is built on part of the Waterloo Estate, originally owned by Captain William Underwood.

In 1938, a new hostel was built and Miss Hawkins named it Waterloo House, and asked the 5th Duke of Wellington if she could use an adapted version of his coat of arms as the new school badge.