It is a strange quirk of human nature that there is an instant suspicion and therefore dislike of anything that is independent. Since the beginning of Independent schools in this country there has always been some concern, suspicion and dislike of them. It is interesting to note that the drama surrounding the history of the Independent schools in Zimbabwe, under the umbrella of ATS, has unfolded either side of the country fighting for and gaining its own national independence. Throughout it all, the ATS schools have fought for the right to offer multi-racial, value-based, holistic education. ATS led the way for multi-racial education, providing considerable Bursaries to enable pupils from less-advantaged areas to attend.

Before ATS was founded, there had been independent schools in this country for many years, for the most part instituted by religious foundations, predominantly Christian ones. ATS has only been functioning as an organisation for over sixty years but its existence arose in response to the very threat to independent education as a whole. The cause of that threat was clauses in the draft of the Education Bill in 1955 which appeared to be “making independent schools subservient to the policies of the political party in power”.  ATS simply yet humbly wanted to remain independent of politics and it remains committed to this cause. It has always stood up for developing the children of this land, enabling them to live well in society, caring for those less fortunate.

In the mid-1950s CHISZ was formed with nine member Heads: those of Arundel, Bishopslea, Chisipite, Eagle, Falcon, Peterhouse, St Peter’s, Springvale, Whitestone. Their purpose was mutual support and encouragement, especially in non-racial enrolment in a Christian environment. By 1983 the demand for Independent education had gained pace again – many more new schools were founded, nearly all Co-Educational schools (while nearly all the founding members of CHISZ had been single-sex schools). Now, sixty-five schools are members of the ATS, with twenty-four at Secondary level and forty-one at Primary, with over 23,000 students enrolled and over 800 teachers employed.

The ATS schools offered, and continue to offer, something different and something more. In the early days, it was the multi-racial component and the Christian education that appealed to many people; latterly it has been the holistic education on offer. At all times, the ATS schools have proclaimed the significance of every pupil – they believe in teaching and upholding values that are fundamental to the survival of civil society (honesty, integrity, fairness, tolerance) and seek to encourage pupils to serve the interests of their fellows and their country.