Mar 5, Cape Town Private Schools | Independent Schools | Education 2019/2020

28/08/2020
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Cape Town private schools cater well for the international community as do international schools and some excellent public schools in the Mother City. Private schools in Cape Town are called independent schools. Most of them offer specific ‘open days’ during the school terms to welcome prospective new students and their parents and show them around their facilities. Others will have arrange private tours for interested parents and their children. Remember that if your family is here on a temporary residency visa, your child must have a valid study visa from age 6 before being able to start schooling in South Africa – whether at a public school or a private school. Read more in our visa section.


Independent Schools in Cape Town






Most independent schools in South Africa offer a high standard in pre-school education for children from the age of three years onwards. At some schools, there are different campuses for Pre-Primary School, Primary School and High Schools in Cape Town catering for children from different age groups, so be prepared to travel to different school complexes for your children.


Many expats in Cape Town prefer to send their children to private schools in and around Cape Town due to the fact that international families are usually well catered for. Some private schools even offer boarding facilities while others might relate to foreign curricula. Make sure to check out the schools’ websites for more details and also see our special page about international schools in Cape Town here.




Cape Town Private Schools: Attending School in Cape Town/South Africa




School fees vary widely, expect to pay between R40,000 and R150,000 on average for tuition per school year – costs are very much depending on age and grade level.

Often extra annual fees, exam fees and levies apply. School transport is not regularly organised by the schools, so make sure you enquire about reliable lift clubs. Read our tips for finding the right school in Cape Town here.


Below find our listing of private schools, which come highly recommended to us by expat families living in CapeTown.



Cape Town Private Schools Listing






Independent Schools in the Southern Suburbs




American International School, Constantia: www.aisct.org

  • Co-ed
  • non-denominational
  • Grade 000 – Grade 12
  • USA High School Diploma

Bishops Diocesan College in Rondebosch: www.bishops.org.za

  • Only Boys
  • Anglican
  • Pre-Preparatory – Grade12/Matric

International School of Cape Town, Wynberg: www.isct.co.za

  • Co-ed
  • Christian
  • Grade 000 – Grade 13/A-levels
  • UK based Cambridge International curriculum

Herschel Girls School, Claremont: www.herschel.org.za

  • Only Girls
  • Anglican
  • Grade 000 – Grade 12/Matric
















Reddam House in Constantia: www.reddamhouse.co.za

  • Co-educational
  • non-denominational
  • from Age 3 – Grade 12/Matric
  • IEB exams

Springfield Convent School, Wynberg: www.springfieldconvent.co.za

  • Only Girls school
  • Catholic
  • Nursery School – Grade 12/Matric

Star College, Bridgetown: www.starcollegecpt.co.za

  • Co-ed Primary Grades R – 2
  • Boys only in High School – Grades 8 – 12
  • with hostel facilities for HS boys

Star College, Sybrand Park: www.starcollegecpt.co.za

  • Co-ed Pre-Primary and Primary
  • Girls only in High School
  • Grade 8 – 12

St Joseph’s Marist College in Rondebosch: www.maristsj.co.za

  • Co-educational
  • Catholic School
  • Grade Pre-Primary – Matric 
  • with special needs unit for 12-20 year old students.

Constantia Waldorf School: www.waldorfconstantia.org.za 

  • Rudolf Steiner School
  • co-educational
  • from Playschool – Grade 13 (National Senior Certificate/SA Matric)

Auburn House Montessori School: www.aburnhouse.co.za

  • Montessori School in Wynberg
  • Co-educational
  • Age 3 – Grade 7. 

Cedar House High School in Kenilworth: www.cedarhouse.co.za

  • Co-educational
  • non-denominational
  • IEB exams
  • Grade 8-12

Hout Bay International School in Hout Bay: www.houtbay.iesedu.com

  • Co-educational
  • non-denominational
  • from Age 3 – Grade 12/Matric
  • British National Curriculum (International Cambridge Curriculum with IGCSE and International Baccalaureat (IB), IB World school



Central Cape Town Independent Schools



Reddam House in Greenpoint: www.ReddamHouse.org.za

  • Co-educational
  • non-denominational
  • from Age 3 – Grade 12/Matric
  • IEB exams

St Cyprian’s School, Oranjezicht: www.stcyprians.co.za

  • Only Girls
  • Christian ethos
  • from Grade 000 – Grade 12/Matric
  • Member of Round Square
  • boarding available

Herzlia Schools in Cape Town: www.herzlia.com

  • Herzlia High School located in Highlands Estate
  • co-educational
  • Jewish
  • Grade 8-12
  • Please check their website, there are several other Herzlia Jewish Schools in Cape Town from Grade 0 to Matric.

St Georges Grammar School in Mowbray/Cape Town: www.sggs.co.za

  • Co-educational
  • Anglican
  • Grade PreR-Grade12/Matric

Abotts College: www.abbotts.co.za.

  • Schools in Claremont and Century Gate
  • co-educational
  • non-denominational
  • Grade 10-12

Cape Town German School in Tamboerskloof: www.dsk.co.za

  • Commonly Referee to as Deutsche Internationale Schule Kapstadt or DSK
  • Co-educational
  • non-denominational
  • bilingual German/English
  • from Grade 1 – Grade 12/Matric and German Abitur
  • German Realschulabschluss or Abitur as well as IEB NSC Matric exams.
  • With boarding school

Cape Town French School in Seapoint and Gardens: www.ecolefrancaiseducap.org

  • Ecole Francaise du Cap ‘Francois le Vaillant’
  • On two Campuses: Primary School in Seapoint, High School in Gardens
  • Co-educational
  • from Ecole Maternelle/Age 2 – Grade 12
  • Bilingual instruction
  • DNB offered at Grade 9 and French Baccalaureat at Grade 12.




Cape Town Private Schools: Northern Suburbs







Chesterhouse International School in Durbanville: www.chesterhouse.co.za

  • Co-educational
  • Christian ethos
  • from Grade 00– Matric
  • Cambridge Certificate (incl. A-Level)

Curro Private School Durbanville: durbanville.curro.co.za

  • Co-educational
  • Christian,
  • Parallel medium Afrikaans/English up to Grade 9
  • from Grade R– Matric
  • IEB exams

DSK German School in Parow: www.dsk.co.za

  • Co-educational
  • non-denominational
  • Language of instruction: German
  • Grades 1 – 4, Grundschule only

El Shaddai Christian School in Durbanville: www.escs.org.za

  • Co-educational
  • Christian
  • from Grade 00– Matric
  • Cambridge curriculum

Chameleons Montessori School, Durbanville Hills: www.chameleonsmontessori.co.za

  • Cape Town Montessori School at Nitida Wine Estate
  • co-educational
  • preschool to 12 years

More info on the Northern Suburbs of Cape Town



Cape Town Private Schools: Century City, Table View, Blouberg



Blouberg International School: www.blouberginternational.co.za

  • Co-educational
  • non-denominational
  • from pre-reception (Age 3) to Grade 12 (AS levels/Matric)/optional Grade 13
  • British National Curriculum (International Cambridge Curriculum with IGCSE, AS-level exams, A levels as home study)

Cape Town Studies in Table View: www.cstprivateschool.com

  • Co-educational
  • non-denominational
  • Grades 8 to 12

Christian Brother’s College in Parklands: www.cbcstjohns.co.za

  • Co-educational
  • Catholic
  • Grades 00 to 12

Curro Private School in Century City: www.curro.co.za

  • Co-educational
  • Christian
  • from Age 4 – Grade 10
  • IEB exams

Curro Private School in Sandown/Blouberg: www.curro.co.za

  • Co-educational
  • Christian
  • from Age 4 – Grade 5

Elkanah House in Sunningdale/Blouberg: www.elkanah.co.za

  • Co-educational
  • non-denominational
  • from Age 3 – Grade 12/Matric
  • IEB exams

Parklands College: www.parklands.co.za

  • Co-educational
  • non-denominational
  • from 18 months – Grade 12
  • three campuses in Parklands (Nursery, Pre-School and Junior School) and Sandown (Highschool)

More info on Blouberg/Blaauwberg



Private Schools in Somerset West



Curro Private School in Sitari Country Estate: www.curro.co.za

  • Co-educational
  • Christian
  • from Age 4 – Grade 12 
  • IEB exams

Helderberg International School: www.helderberg.iesedu.com

  • Co-educational
  • non-denominational
  • from Age 3 – Grade13/A-levels
  • British National Curriculum (International Cambridge Curriculum with IGCSE, AS-level, A-level)

Reddam House in Somerset West: www.ReddamHouse.org.za

  • Co-educational
  • non-denominational
  • from Age 3 – Grade 12/Matric
  • IEB exams

Somerset College: www.somersetcollege.co.za

  • Co-educational
  • Christian
  • from Grade 000 – Matric
  • IEB exams
  • with boarding school



Cape Town Private Schools in the Cape Winelands



Bridge House School near Franschhoek: www.bridgehouse.org.za

  • Co-educational
  • non-denominational
  • from Grade 00 – Matric
  • IEB exams
  • With boarding school

Stellenbosch Waldorf School: www.waldorfschool.org.za

  • Co-educational
  • non-denominational
  • from Age 2 – Matric



Disclaimer: The listing above is a list of Cape Town Private Schools which were recommended to ExpatCapeTown by locals and expats. If you contact any of the schools please tell them you heard about them from my site. It will help spread the word and the schools surely will be willingly adding more info here too. Thanks a lot. All information and school fees have been taken from the respective school’s websites, and are subject to annual rate increases. Please contact the Cape Town private schools directly with any questions or regarding costs for the next school year.



What’s in the book? Check out the Education Chapter with lots of info on:



  • Tips for selecting the right school
  • The school system in South Africa
  • Matric Subjects
  • School registration documents
  • Education for expat children
  • Dealing with difference
  • Tertiary education in South Africa
  • Third culture kids
  • …and many other topics regarding education in South Africa
  • Plus lots of useful resources and reading tips



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