Kenya High began in 1910 as the co-educational Nairobi European School, housed in buildings meant as police barracks, according to the school’s official history page. Boys and girls were separated in 1931, the girls’ school became the European Girls’ Secondary School in 1935 and took the name The Kenya High School in 1939. Its present site of about 100 acres on Kileleshwa Hill was approved in 1944, and the first 100 boarders moved there in 1950. The first African student, Ann Mithamo, was admitted in 1961, Pamela Ogot became the first African teacher in 1965 and Rose Kariuki the first African principal in 1977. The motto is “Servire est regnare”, to serve is to reign.
Results, Campus and Alumni
Kenya High’s financial statements for the year to 30 June 2025, tabled in Parliament, give a clear picture of its size. It had 1,906 students in the second half of 2024 and 1,555 at 30 June 2025, against a capacity of 1,800. It runs 28 streams with 85 teachers, 74 of them posted by TSC. In KCSE 2024, 373 of its 382 candidates reached university entry and the mean was 10.128 (B+), up from 9.956 in 2023. In KCSE 2025, Capital FM reported that Ashley Kerubo Momanyi of Kenya High scored a straight A, four years after topping KCPE 2021.
The school stands on Mandera Road in Kileleshwa, about six kilometres from the city centre. Alumnae include Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu, Supreme Court judge Njoki Ndung’u, the late Bomet governor Joyce Laboso, Machakos governor Wavinya Ndeti, Defence CS Soipan Tuiya, Auma Obama and conservationist Daphne Sheldrick.
The same report says classrooms are congested, with each one holding 11 to 15 more students than intended.
Kenya High School on the Ministry of Education List
The Ministry’s senior schools list (June 2025) places Kenya High School in cluster C1 (national), as a girls’ boarding school in Westlands sub-county, Nairobi County, KNEC code 20400003. Nairobi has 13 C1 schools in total; in Westlands the others are Nairobi School, St Georges Girls, State House Girls. Other C1 girls’ schools in Nairobi: Precious Blood Riruta, Starehe Girls, Moi Girls Secondary, Buruburu Girls Secondary, Pangani Girls.
Kenya High School Fees 2026
Tuko reported in 2026 that Kenya High’s parent contribution is KSh 53,554 a year, the higher boarding ceiling, paid 50:30:20 across the three terms (Tuko, 2026). The cap set by Gazette Notice 1449 (February 2026) is KSh 53,554 or KSh 40,535 a year, depending on the school’s earlier approval. More on senior school fees.
Choosing Kenya High School for Grade 10
It can take one of your 12 slots; balance it with C2 to C4 schools and confirm the pathway it runs. Useful: pathways, the KJSEA grade calculator, and all Nairobi schools.
Preparing for KJSEA? See our KJSEA revision guide.
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