The Roedean Academy – Changing Lives through Education
Summary
The Roedean Academy is an initiative spearheaded by Roedean School (SA) that aims to provide additional tuition for Scholars from under-resourced schools. Roedean has established a world-class training environment which is sustainable, and which is having a significant influence on South Africa’s English, Mathematics, and Physical Science/Accounting education for girls from under-resourced communities. We have partnered with the neighbouring Barnato Park High School to provide tuition in Mathematics, English, Accounting and Physical Science to up to 100 girls from Grade 8-12.
During the school year, the girls arrive at Roedean School at 3:00. Once the register has been taken, the girls have a hot lunch in the dining-room. Once the girls have finished lunch, they have the opportunity to go to the Roedean library and choose books to take home with them. At 3:30, classes start and the girls go off to their relevant classroom. They attend the programme on various afternoons per week. With the class sizes kept at a maximum of 20, the girls are tutored in Mathematics, Accounting, Physical Science and English by Roedean staff and using Roedean facilities. In addition to classroom teaching, time is also set aside to use the computer room for research and to complete school assignments. Grade 8 and Grade 9 pupils attend the Academy on three afternoons per week. Here the focus is on Mathematics and English.
We aim to:
- Sustain an after-school academy for girls from Barnato Park High School.
- Share facilities and expertise to develop students within our local community.
- Develop essential job skills amongst our learners.
- To prepare our young women to be ready for both university study at the workplace.
- To build strong, supportive and enduring relationships with Barnato Park High School.
- To assist the Academy girls with tertiary opportunities.
In addition to the tuition:
- Enrichment afternoons are arranged once per term.
- Grade 11 pupils undergo psychometric testing for career choices.
- Our Grade 10s and 11s attend a 3-day leadership camp.
- We provide a careers afternoons for the Grade 11 pupils.
- Our Grade 12 pupils attend a 5-day study camp.
- Use of computer tablets is provided for the girls.
- Assistance with University and Bursary applications is provided.
- Transport is provided for the girls.
- All girls are given a hot lunch.
- An all-weather jacket is provided for all pupils from Grade 10 upwards.
- Stationery and study guides are provided.
- Access to IT including Internet and the library, is provided.
- A prize-giving ceremony takes place and a certificate of participation is given at the end of the year.
- A subject-choice and career-exposure afternoon is arranged for Grade 8 and 9 girls.
- An HIV seminar for all the girls is offered.
- 6 life-skills training sessions for Grade 10 and 11, are offered
- A councillor is available to assist the girls.
- A Saturday-morning Science practical in Roedean’s state-of-the-art laboratories, are offered
The Next Step Programme
In addition, we have a Next Step programme in which we assist the girls in to find tertiary opportunities, as well as to secure funding for these opportunities. Our Academy changes lives, and we want to ensure that all the girls who have been part of the Academy are secure about the next step of their careers and can start making a difference to their families and to the community.
The Roedean Academy is sponsored by donations from companies wishing to invest in the future of education. We extend thanks to Bidvest Bank, The Fraay Institute, Anglo American, Chairmans Fund, SAORA, and the Roedean community for all their very generous donations. Without our sponsors support, the Academy would not exist.

