Umvulo Combined School
Primary · Public · EMIS 500289377
Next Besters Saps, Uthukela, KwaZulu-Natal
At a glance
- Fees
- No-fee school
Source: DBE EMIS Q3 2025 · NSC School Performance Report 2025 · Processed 8 Aug 2026
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Grade 1 and 8 admissions for 2027 closed on 31 August 2026. Late applications: contact the school directly. · Provincial default, check the school · How admissions work
2027 school terms
- Term 1
- 13 January to 19 March
- Term 2
- 6 April to 25 June
- Term 3
- 20 July to 22 September
- Term 4
- 5 October to 8 December
The national calendar for public schools, for learners. Check with the school for its own events. Source: Government Gazette 52178
What kind of school is Umvulo Combined School?
Umvulo Combined School is a public primary school in Next Besters Saps, within the Uthukela education district of KwaZulu-Natal. EMIS records it as a small school with 112 enrolled learners and 5 educators, giving a learner-to-educator ratio of 22:1.
It is classified as Quintile 2 — a government classification based on the surrounding community's socioeconomic profile, not a measure of school quality. It is designated as a no-fee school, so families do not pay tuition fees.
The school falls within the Alfred Duma local municipality. Among 1113 Q2 Primary schools in KwaZulu-Natal, it has fewer learners per educator than 79% of similar schools. EMIS classifies the location as rural.
The school is at Besters, Ladysmith, 3371, and can be reached on 083 293 4008.
Note: The Urban/Rural classification is sourced directly from EMIS and may reflect historical registration data. See Data Limitations.
School fees at Umvulo Combined School
Umvulo Combined School is recorded as a no-fee school. Parents do not pay compulsory school fees. The school may ask for voluntary contributions. You do not have to pay them.
Fee status as recorded by the Department of Basic Education.
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- Exact fee amount
- Admissions process, open days or deadlines
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Learner numbers reported to the Department, by year
These counts are not a measure of quality. A number can change because a school adds or drops grades, because new schools open nearby or boundaries change, or because of an error in what was reported.
The Department’s lists record this school for 2007 to 2013 as a combined school, and for 2016 as an intermediate school. For 2007 to 2013 the list gives one school type, as it stood in 2013. A school listed as a different type usually offered a different range of grades, so those numbers and later ones may not be counting the same thing.
See the number for each year
| Year | Learners |
|---|---|
| 2007 | 104 |
| 2008 | 100 |
| 2009 | 121 |
| 2010 | 116 |
| 2011 | 122 |
| 2012 | 133 |
| 2013 | 143 |
| 2016 | 132 |
| 2018 | 139 |
| 2019 | 132 |
| 2020 | 124 |
| 2021 | 113 |
| 2022 | 117 |
| 2023 | 115 |
| 2025 | 112 |
These are counts of learners from the Department of Basic Education’s national school lists. A few figures that look like recording errors are left out. We found no list with figures for 2014, 2015, 2017, 2024. How we read these lists.
What is the learner-to-educator ratio at Umvulo Combined School?
How many learners there are per educator, compared to schools in the same quintile and phase. The educator count includes teachers, heads of department, and principals, so real class sizes are usually larger than this number suggests.
Fewer learners per educator than 79% of similar schools
(Q2 Primary schools in KwaZulu-Natal)
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<a href="https://schoolseek.co.za/school/umvulo-combined-school-500289377/">Umvulo Combined School on SchoolSeek</a>Location
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What other schools are near Umvulo Combined School?
Other schools within a few kilometres. Proximity does not imply similarity: these schools may serve different phases, quintiles, or communities.
Primary · Public · Quintile 2
Fewer learners per educator than 43% of similar schools
Combined · Public · Quintile 1
Fewer learners per educator than 97% of similar schools
Primary · Public · Quintile 2
Fewer learners per educator than 59% of similar schools
Primary · Public · Quintile 3
Fewer learners per educator than 72% of similar schools
Secondary · Public · Quintile 3
Fewer learners per educator than 96% of similar schools
Schools serving similar communities
Other public primary schools in KwaZulu-Natal with Quintile 2.
Grouped by quintile, phase and province. These schools face similar resource constraints to Umvulo Combined School. This grouping is for browsing and is broader than the peer group used for the matric percentile above.
Primary · Public · Quintile 2
Fewer learners per educator than 43% of similar schools
Primary · Public · Quintile 2
Fewer learners per educator than 59% of similar schools
Primary · Public · Quintile 2
Fewer learners per educator than 33% of similar schools
Frequently Asked Questions
School data: DBE EMIS Q3 2025. Matric results: NSC School Performance Report 2025. Subject results: NSC School Subject Reports 2024 & 2025. Infrastructure: NEIMS/EFMS 2021 (historical). Learner-educator comparisons group schools by quintile, phase and province; matric comparisons group by sector and province, plus quintile for public schools. The learner-educator ratio includes all staff classified as educators, so actual class sizes may differ. Learn about our methodology
Some data fields may not be available for all schools. Missing data is shown as '—' or 'Not available'. Source: DBE EMIS Q3 2025.
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