Roedean School

In 1903, only two years after the end of the Boer War, Theresa Lawrence and Katherine Margaret Earle set sail for South Africa, inspired by a vision. Their mission was to create a world-class sister school to the esteemed Roedean Brighton. Founded by the Lawrence family in 1885, the core ethos of Roedean Brighton was to provide young girls with the kind of academic education that would enable them to meet the challenges they faced during this time in their struggle for gender equality.

One of Roedean’s greatest strengths is the standard of the academic programme at the school. Roedean is a school which is steeped in tradition and, while the curriculum that is offered reflects the traditional values of the school, it is dynamic, and continues to be both relevant and exciting.

A team of highly-qualified, experienced and deeply committed teachers work to assist Roedean girls to achieve to the best of their ability. The five-year journey through the national curriculum culminates in the writing of the National Senior Certificate Examinations of the Independent Examinations Board.There is a wide range of subjects on offer, including a number of foreign languages.

In 2017, Roedean School (SA) gained accreditation from Gr 0 to Gr 12 as a Thinking School with the University of Exeter (UK). It is the first school in South Africa to have achieved accreditation in both the Junior and Senior schools. Careful planning and a strong commitment from the staff has ensured the successful and meaningful integration of thinking skills into the academic curriculum. Professor Lena Green, in her report to the University of Exeter, stated that:

The active mediation of thinking throughout the school has given many girls a ‘confident voice’ and made it more likely that girls will understand their role in the world and the choices available to them. Being aware of their own thinking dispositions and processes and possessing a repertoire of ‘thinking tools’ was perceived as important in preparing girls to “lead a life of significance”, which is a key goal of education at Roedean.

Roedean has embraced Carol Dweck’s premise of a Growth Mindset. It states that when we believe that intelligence can grow because the brain is malleable, our behaviours change as well. Costa and Kallick’s Habits of Mind are 16 thinking dispositions that describe the characteristics of intelligent behaviour and are integral to developing a Growth Mindset. This overarching strategy permeates all areas of school life.

Each year, we are filled with pride when we receive the results of our Matric pupils as these are, without fail, quite superb. While we are always thrilled by a large number of distinctions, we often derive even greater joy from the achievements of those pupils who have required significant, sustained support to obtain their certificates.

While it is always gratifying that our pupils enjoy overwhelming success in their placement, in the courses of their choice, at local universities, we are also very proud of those girls who have gained places at international universities, as this illustrates the international competitiveness of the education offered at Roedean.

Although we follow the national curriculum, we do add extra value to it, striving to equip our pupils with the special skills that will be required in the 21st Century. With the present explosion in knowledge, pupils must be equipped to access, analyse and evaluate information; they require excellent cognitive and social skills. There is extensive use, throughout the curriculum, of Information Technology, and a special Cognitive Education Programme, which began in earnest in 2011, focuses on developing critical and creative thinking skills, and encourages self-directed learning. It also aims to develop responsible citizens who are aware of topical issues and are able to consider and evaluate possible solutions.

Together, these resourceful pioneers of the teaching profession built Roedean School (SA) and so began its great history of academic excellence, civic duty, and cultural diversity. Their vision within the framework of a nurturing and caring environment was brought to life with stunning gardens and Sir Herbert Baker architecture. 110 years later, the founding ethos of Theresa Lawrence and Katherine Margaret Earle remains the guiding principle of Roedean School (SA). Roedean is committed to providing opportunities for young women to make career choices which will enable them to be competitive in the global workplace and which, we know, for the young women of this country will be a vital asset for their generation and those to come.

Situated in the grounds of St John’s Bridge Nursery School, our daily after care centre accepts pupils between four and ten years of age. Highly experienced staff supervise homework after a light lunch and refreshments. Recreational activities include cricket, soccer, art, etc. Holiday programmes are available.The aftercare staff will collect your daughter from Roedean and walk her over the bridge to the aftercare facility.