Family (parent) Information

Welcome to South Africa

So you and your family have just arrived…here is some useful advice from us at the International English School….

ENGLISH – TO HAVE OR NOT TO HAVE? We see many high school and primary school children coming to South Africa and going straight into school.

The dilemma is that Parents want their child to start school immediately, but is this right for the child?

  • Cold fact: In order to make friends this is a good idea
  • Cold fact: Children who are not fluent in English often fail their first and sometimes their second year at school
  • Cold fact: Teachers do not have time to help students who need extra English support
  • Cold fact: Some of the best schools will not even accept your child until their English is good enough
  • Cold fact: Some schools will accept your child because they want the money
  • Cold fact: If your child repeats a year this may de-motivate them as their friends will move up a grade and they will not
  • Cold fact: Many schools will ask the child to start at a lower grade so that the first year doesn’t matter
We recommend that for high school students, you allow your child to learn English first. Once they can communicate well, enroll them into a school and they can have private English lessons with us in the afternoons and over weekends. We can offer high school subject support and continued learning in English. They can also attend our school during the school holidays.

We recommend that for primary school children, you enroll them into a school and they can learn English as they attend class and that you supplement school with private English lessons with us in the afternoons. Young children learn quickly through play and there is less pressure to speak perfect English at primary school level.

Schools in the Helderberg:
Private Schools Description Address Telephone Web site
Somerset College Primary and High school – boarding facilities Bredell Road, Somerset West 021 842 0050 www.somersetcollege.co.za
Helderberg High School Seventh-day Adventist open to all – boarding facilities Annandale Road, Helderberg College, Somerset West 021 855 4949 www.hbc.co.za
Somerset West private school Small classes, primary and high school Andries Pretorius St, Somerset West 021 852 8451 www.swps.co.za
International School of Cape Town in Helderberg UK school system – primary and small high school Hazelden Drive, Heritage Park, Somerset West 021 851 6290/1 www.sekhelderberg.org.za
Somerset House Primary School – boarding facilities Somerset House, Drama Street, Somerset West 021 851 7164/5 www.somhouse.co.za

Government Schools Description Address Telephone Web site
Hottentots Holland High School Co-ed High school Eiland Rd Somerset West 021 852 1405  
Parel Vallei High School Co-ed High school 95 Parel Vallei Road Somerset West 021 852 1228 www.pvallei.co.za
Rhenish Girls High School Girl’s High School Koch Street, Stellenbosch 021 887 6807 www.rhenish.co.za
Paul Roos Gymnasium Boy’s High School Paul Roos Gymnasium, Suidwal, Stellenbosch 021 887 0017 www.paulroos.org.za
De Hoop primary school Primary School Old Stellenbosch Rd, Somerset West 021 852 3576 www.wcape.school.za
Beaumont Primary School Primary School Van Der Merwe Rd, Land En Zeezicht, Somerset West 021 851 7124 www.beaumont4u.co.za
Rhenish primary school Primary School Doornbosch St, Stellenbosch 021 883 3152  

Children Day Care Description Address Telephone
Baby day care Baby care Oceanview Rd, Somerset West  021 851 4057
Little Rascals Day Care Center Pre Primary Irene Av, Somerset West 021 851 5656
Christian Academy of Excellence Pre Primary  Somerset West 021 851 8337

Universities/Colleges Web site
University of Cape Town www.uct.ac.za
Cape Penisula University Of Technology www.cput.ac.za
Stellenbosch University www.sun.ac.za
University of Western Cape www.uwc.ac.za
Northlink College www.northlink.co.za
College of Cape Town www.cct.edu.za
Boland College www.bolandcollege.com
Boston College www.boston.co.za