New Spark School in Stellenbosch

The school will enrol Grades R, 1, 2, 3 and 4 in 2016, and will grow a grade until it is a complete Grade R - 7 private primary school. English will be the medium language, with Xhosa being offered as a second language.

It will share the property with the Sustainability Institute (SI) - creating opportunities for a more equitable community to be established, while encouraging sustainability in the area. There is a fully-fledged and sustainable EcoVillage, which will provide students with access to, and educational experiences in, the vegetable garden found on the property.

Create the change

Spark Schools renovate existing buildings and structure a school around them - which means they do not incur additional or high costs associated with building a school from scratch. This clever use of existing space means that less money is needed to outlay on building, and more value can be added to ensuring that school fees remain affordable for scholars.

Spark Schools was born out of a dire need to provide access to high quality education for all South Africans through the accessibility of affordable education and to produce internationally competitive scholars. While pursuing an MBA at Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), Spark Schools co-founders Stacey Brewer and Ryan Harrison decided that, instead of waiting for others to create the change in education, it was up to them to do so. Ryan and Stacey wanted to create schools where they would be proud and confident enough to send their own children. Although Ryan and Stacey did not have experience in the education sector, they believed that their fresh approach to education combined with their business acumen would offer a sustainable, high quality solution to the education crisis in South Africa.

Three pillar model

What makes Spark a unique educational institute in South Africa are the three pillars upon which it bases its model.

1. Blended learning: Spark Schools individualise learning through its blended learning model, which combines teacher-led instruction and computer-based instruction in its Learning Lab. The model is the first of its kind for primary school students in Africa.
   
2. Expert Educators: from the foundation phase, students rotate from classroom to classroom for subject-specific lessons, as in a traditional high school. This model allows students to learn from teachers that specialise in a single subject and are extremely effective at customising lessons within that subject for students of all abilities.
   
3. Family Engagement: family participation at Spark Schools is important. All families are asked to complete 30 volunteer hours over the course of the school year. Service hours can be completed in a variety of ways, including: assisting with classroom tasks, taking part in a parent committee or attending school events.
   

The Spark Schools education model ensures that every child develops a love of learning and makes great academic progress. Spark Schools offer a uniquely individualised educational opportunity for students through the focus on each student's needs in the classroom, combined with the use of online learning.

The Spark Schools team realises that excellent education is as much about character development as academic achievement. To that end, it emphasises the core values of Service, Persistence, Achievement, Responsibility and Kindness in the classroom, in the Learning Lab, during sport, on the playground, and in the community. Spark teachers and tutors discuss these core values with students throughout the school day and work with families to implement them at home.

A typical Spark school day runs from 8am to 4pm, starting with Sparks Fly, an exciting and fun morning assembly. A rigorous academic programme follows, encouraging Spark students to develop a genuine love of learning in joyful and engaging classrooms. Aftercare and further enrichment and sport are available from 4-5.30pm for those families that desire it.

For more information, go to www.sparkschools.co.za/school/spark-lynedoch/.