the school is built on part of the waterloo estate, originally owned by captain william underwood. he had fought under the duke of wellington at the battle of waterloo before coming to live in wynberg. 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. a new gymnasium was built, and opened in 1944, after the old building had suffered storm damage.