St Charles College

We are a non-denominational Christian School for boys from three to eighteen years old. As you learn more about the five schools that make up our College, we hope you will be inspired by our commitment to independent education for boys. You are welcome to visit us.

The Pre-Primary School is a special place designed for boys from three years old to begin their learning adventure.This is the age at which learning should not be rushed as it is essential for boys’ well-being that they play out their imaginations every day. And on hot days, the Pre-Primary School boys have their own 1m deep pool where they can confidently learn to swim. Drama and music fuel unlimited imaginations and creativity, and solid Christian foundations keep character and values in priority.This is an extraordinary place where the boys love their teachers and their school, and parents often struggle to get them to go home at the end of the day.

We believe children learn best in context and through active discovery. We provide the opportunity for your son to do this by providing a safe, caring, family-orientated environment which enables him and his peers to grow into self-confident, accomplished young men. The Junior Primary School has highly motivated and qualified teachers who, through their experience and knowledge, understand the unique learning requirements of young boys.

An independent education is more than a good idea. From the start boys are taught to respectfully ask questions, to make choices, and to evaluate consequences. Skills like perseverance and intuition are encouraged and developed through tactile learning. This is no learning factory – rather, by equipping the boys to read and establishing solid numeracy through the Singapore mathematics approach, we expect our boys to be the problem solvers and articulate negotiators of the future.

The Junior Primary years are colourful, active years of learning by doing. Singing in Chapel, painting in art, playing the violin in music, moving from play to sport, going on excursions or jumping into the 1m deep pool when it’s hot – the boys live life to the full. Every learning experience fuels the imagination of the boys as they learn to operate in a more formal environment.

Learning and development support is offered through private specialists offering remedial lessons, speech therapy and occupational therapy. If required, boys attend these lessons on campus during the school day.

Sport is a wonderful part of belonging to this College and it is important to keep an educational perspective as boys are prepared to enjoy being part of teams and learning to trust and rely on team mates to achieve collective goals. We begin with a multi-skill programme of sports activities, fundamental movement skills and games for children.

A progressive pathway into team games allows boys to master skills and to understand space. While a lot of emotion goes into sport, we know what parents would really like is for their son to grow in confidence and skill level so that he can contribute to the team effort. What they really need is unconditional support and encouragement. It is remarkable to watch how much the boys progress at this age. A multisport programme means that every boy plays every sport and educationally, research indicates this is the best for boys.

Boys who complete their Primary School years at St Charles College receive an extraordinary preparation for their Senior School years. They receive a solid grounding in Christian values, and their confidence is developed by our careful attention to the core academic areas. The St Charles College Primary Schools boys participate fully in the sport and extramural activities of the College and they learn commitment and build capacity for life in the process.

During the Senior Primary School years parents are encouraged to continue to work closely with the College to build resilience and independence which are the key focus areas of the next phase of their development in the Middle School. Boys are able to accomplish extraordinary things if expectations are realistic and within a positive learning climate.

The Middle School caters for boys in the early years of adolescence with their lively needs: intellectual, spiritual, physical and cultural. These aspects are under the direction of the Head of Middle School and three Heads of Grade. In this phase boys are encouraged to develop learning patterns and explore their abilities in every aspect of College Life. Our boys need to learn to work in teams and as individuals.

With a directed academic programme leading to the IGCSE examinations in Grade 10, the Middle School boys are required to become increasingly focused on integrating their knowledge and to accept responsibility for their own progress. We recognise that not all learning happens inside the Classroom and an excellent sports and extramural programme designed for the positive physical development of the boys in the Middle School.

Boys in this phase of their education are directing their minds seriously towards tertiary studies and integrating leadership roles with busy schedules, including sporting, academic and extra-curricular responsibilities. The cognitive demands of the curriculum coincide with the emergence of reasoning capabilities, and there is a healthy expectation to apply critical thinking skills. The aim of the final two years at the College is to direct a growing independent ethic as our boys prepare to take their places successfully in a global village. The focus of the Upper School is responsibility - to the College, parents and ultimately to building a stronger South African society and economy. Grade 11 and 12 boys are expected to act as role models and mentors to those in junior grades and to set a positive example at all times.