Herald Reporter
SOLID Rock Group of Schools has stepped up investment in learner welfare and the quality of the school experience, with a new dining hall now complete, a water purification system fully operational and new enrichment programmes being introduced as the institution prepares to receive its 2027 intake.
The developments, highlighted in the school’s October 2026 newsletter, provide a fresh picture of life at the Domboshava-based institution, where management is seeking to complement academic learning with improved learner welfare, practical experiences and activities designed to broaden pupils’ interests.
The school has opened applications for its 2027 intake, with the admissions campaign highlighting modern classrooms with interactive boards, a science laboratory, computer laboratory, basketball court, sporting field and boarding facilities.
Located at Chirombo Village, about 42 kilometres from Harare, Solid Rock offers both ZIMSEC and Cambridge pathways at O-Level and A-Level.
However, the latest developments suggest that the school’s expansion is not being measured only in terms of classrooms and examination preparation, but also in the everyday conditions under which learners live, eat, study and develop.
New dining hall improves boarding experience
At the centre of the latest developments is the completion of a new dining hall, a facility expected to improve the boarding experience by providing learners with a more comfortable and suitable environment for meals.
The school newsletter says the facility is intended to provide learners with a clean and safe environment in which they can enjoy healthy and nutritious meals.
The development is particularly significant for a boarding institution, where the quality of accommodation, food and communal facilities forms an important part of the learner experience.
Solid Rock’s boarding programme already incorporates meals, supervised study, sport, devotion, recreation and personal responsibilities into a structured daily routine.
The completion of the dining hall therefore adds another component to an environment designed to function as a home away from home.
The school says boarding is structured to help learners concentrate on their studies while developing independence, responsibility, time management and positive personal habits.
Clean water takes centre stage
Alongside the new dining facility, Solid Rock has also introduced a water purification initiative which the school says is now fully operational.
The October newsletter describes the development as an important intervention aimed at ensuring learners have access to clean, safe and purified water.
The school says the initiative is intended to contribute to a healthier learning environment and improve the general welfare of pupils and staff.
“We are pleased to share that our new water purification initiative is now fully operational,” the newsletter says, adding that the system is intended to provide learners with clean, safe and purified water.
For parents considering boarding schools, such developments are increasingly important because learner welfare extends beyond academic performance to basic conditions that support health, concentration and effective learning.
The water initiative also gives Solid Rock an opportunity to demonstrate how investment in school infrastructure can directly affect learners’ day-to-day lives.
The Jotter brings organisation into learning
Another initiative highlighted in the newsletter is the school’s Jotter, a dedicated notebook used by learners to record classwork, homework and other important school information.
While seemingly simple, the initiative is aimed at cultivating habits of organisation, responsibility and accountability among learners.
The school says the Jotter helps learners keep track of academic requirements while giving them a practical tool for managing their school work.
It also provides parents with a clearer window into what learners are doing academically and the work they are expected to complete.
This approach dovetails with Solid Rock’s wider academic model, which includes supervised study, teacher guidance, remedial lessons, consultation periods and extra lessons.
In a school environment where learners are expected to manage increasing volumes of work as they progress through the grades, developing organisational habits early can become an important part of academic discipline.
Golf widens opportunities beyond traditional sport
Solid Rock has also broadened its sporting programme through a golf programme, giving learners an opportunity to acquire skills in a sport that is not traditionally available at many schools.
According to the school’s newsletter, the programme is intended to expose learners to the sport while helping them develop new skills, build confidence and interact with different people.
Golf also introduces learners to qualities such as concentration, patience, discipline and sportsmanship.
The programme adds another dimension to a school sporting offering that includes activities such as football, volleyball, netball, tennis, cricket, karate and athletics.
For Solid Rock, the development means learners can discover talents and interests outside conventional classroom subjects while developing social and personal skills through sport.
Education beyond examination papers
The school’s October newsletter also reports that learners have been undertaking examinations, with management commending them for their commitment, discipline and application.
The examinations remain an important measure of academic progress, but Solid Rock’s latest developments point to a broader understanding of education.
The school offers both ZIMSEC and Cambridge programmes, supported by practical science, computer studies and robotics.
Its extracurricular programme includes public speaking, debate, business activities, music, chess and sport.
This broader approach has already produced results on the competitive public-speaking and debating circuit.
In September, Solid Rock’s junior school team travelled to South Africa for the Primary Schools Debate Championship, winning the public-speaking category and finishing second in debate.
More than 100 of the school’s high school learners have also undergone public-speaking training, reinforcing the institution’s emphasis on communication and confidence.
A busy calendar ahead
The school is also preparing learners for a programme of activities before the end of the 2026 academic year.
According to the October newsletter, learners are scheduled for an exeat from October 28 to November 1, followed by a Victoria Falls educational trip from November 4.
The academic year will culminate in a Speech and Prize Giving Day on November 28, which will also be the closing day.
The activities provide opportunities for learners to experience education outside the conventional classroom setting while celebrating academic and extracurricular achievements.
The Victoria Falls trip, in particular, creates an opportunity for learners to connect classroom knowledge with real-world experiences, while the Speech and Prize Giving Day provides a platform for recognising achievement and encouraging learners to aspire to higher standards.
2027 intake
The developments come as Solid Rock opens applications for its 2027 intake, with the school inviting parents and guardians to consider both its academic programmes and the wider learning environment.
The institution’s latest admissions material places emphasis on modern classrooms with interactive boards, a science laboratory, basketball court, computer laboratory, sporting field and boarding houses.
The school’s website says prospective parents can also visit the campus before making an enrolment decision.
This gives parents an opportunity to assess first-hand the facilities, boarding environment, academic set-up and general atmosphere before enrolling their children.
The school says its boarding programme is designed around structured routines, supervised academic work, student welfare, sport, personal development and spiritual growth.
Building the complete school experience
The latest developments at Solid Rock point to an institution attempting to make the school experience more comprehensive — from the quality of meals and water available to learners, to academic organisation, sport, educational trips and recognition of achievement.
For prospective parents, the new dining hall and water purification system address everyday welfare, while the Jotter, golf programme and educational excursions broaden the learning experience.
The combination is being introduced at a time when the school is actively recruiting for its 2027 intake.
Solid Rock’s stated philosophy is to develop learners who are not only academically capable, but also disciplined, responsible and confident.
The latest developments give practical expression to that philosophy.
As the school prepares for a new intake, its message to parents is increasingly centred not simply on where children will attend classes, but on the environment in which they will learn, live, develop their talents and prepare for life beyond school.
