A letter from The Head – 30 January 2026
Certain families protect their children from ugliness in the world for as long as possible. This “ugliness” is naturally subjectively defined depending on various personal
George Harris’s experience in education is rich and varied. He has taught in townships, at private schools, and as the founding principal of Lebone II College. Before joining Hilton in 2017, George served as CEO of the Royal Bafokeng Institute, helping schools apply innovative teaching approaches. His own education is equally diverse: he attended the Drakensberg Boys Choir and Pretoria Boys High and holds qualifications from Wits, and has attended short courses at Harvard and the Klingenstein Fellowship at Columbia University.
Hilton College is unique.
It has a very particular rhythm and flavour as all schools do. Hilton offers the intrigue of having stood the test of time by South African standards. Our 150-year history has resulted in several quirks which may seem a little odd to many, but are part and parcel of the place.
Our school aims to be deeply traditional and refreshingly contemporary.
How we achieve and celebrate this necessitates many conversations among our stakeholders. The world is changing fast; to embrace and conquer the future’s challenges, young men need to be grounded in firmly established, enduring values.
At the heart of this is the journey that every Hilton boy must take.
We endeavour to know every boy; to challenge him individually and as part a team; to stretch him as he formulates his own opinions and worldview; to ensure he consistently gives of his best. We have high expectations for each boy. When he leaves Hilton College, he should be a determined, persistent and humble young man, ready to tackle the next phase of his life and equipped to make his mark in whatever he chooses to pursue.
Hilton College inspires boys to be significant, so they inspire significance in others.
You’ll find the inscription at the gates to Hilton captures the essence of this place:
“Enter these gates with humility, determined to contribute to, and to take advantage of, all that this institution offers, and depart knowing that you are well equipped to forge your future in the world.”
We often say that our people (boys, staff and Old Hiltonians) represent the real character of Hilton, so please visit us to meet some of them. We would love to host you on our beautiful campus.
Yours sincerely,
George Harris
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