What Roedean School (SA) does

Roedean School (SA) is a private, independent all-girls' boarding and day school in Johannesburg (Parktown, Gauteng), founded in 1903 by Theresa Lawrence and Katherine Margaret Earle as the South African sister school of Roedean Brighton, England. The school delivers a complete educational journey from Grade 0 through Matric (Grade 12) across a Junior School (St Margaret's Foundation Phase and Upper Junior School) and a Senior School, with the Mary Williams Boarding House accommodating 78 senior pupils. It is governed by a Board of Directors and a Roedean Trust, with Lindi Dlamini appointed Executive Director in January 2023.

The core product is a holistic girls' education built on an IEB-aligned national curriculum enhanced by an Afro-centric, 21st-century skills programme. The technology stack couples vendor-supplied literacy, mathematics, mental-health, and digital-citizenship tools (Jolly Phonics/Jolly Grammar, Pearson Abacus, Reading Eggspress, Steerglobal AS Tracking, CyberSharp Digital Citizenship) with a proprietary-pedagogy layer called the Cognitive Education Programme. This programme earned Level 1 Thinking School accreditation from the University of Exeter in 2017 and Advanced Accreditation in February 2020, both firsts for South Africa, and is operationalised through a modular Grade 8-9 curriculum introduced in 2022 and a Middle V (Grade 9) Ethical Thinking course drawing on the Harvard Graduate School of Education's Making Caring Common Project. Co-curricular delivery is anchored in the Round Square IDEALS framework (Internationalism, Democracy, Environmentalism, Adventure, Leadership, Service) and the school's SAORA alumni network.

Roedean's business model is tuition-funded and consumer-facing. Annual fees in 2026 range from R121,638 (Grade 0) to R233,104 (Upper V/Matric), plus a building levy, pupil insurance, and optional extras such as boarding (R179,991 annual termly or R143,994 weekly), music tuition (R387/week), support tuition (R325/35 min), and lunches. Sibling discounts (5% third, 10% fourth) and an annual settlement discount incentivise retention. The sales-led go-to-market relies on school tours, an online application portal, and dedicated Junior and Senior admissions staff. Customer segments are (a) primary: families from Johannesburg and surrounding Gauteng — historically and currently drawn from 47+ nationalities — seeking premium all-girls' education, and (b) secondary: scholars from under-resourced schools served through the Roedean Academy community outreach programme (established 2010), which is supported by bursary partnerships with the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation, the Aumund Fund, and the Student Scholarship Programme, plus post-school pathways via Maharishi Invincibility Institute and Realema.

Name

Roedean School (SA)

Legal name

Roedean School (SA)

Website

https://roedeanschool.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

1903

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Roedean School (SA) is a private, independent all-girls' boarding and day school in Johannesburg, South Africa, serving ~750 pupils from Grade 0 to Matric through an IEB-aligned curriculum, a University of Exeter-accredited Cognitive Education Programme, and Round Square IDEALS activities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools (EDAJABAA)

Keywords

• Independent girls schooling
• Boarding school education
• Secondary education services
• IEB matriculation programme
• Primary education foundation

Headquarters

HQ city

Johannesburg

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Primary revenue stream from tuition fees paid by families for their daughters' education. Fees vary by grade level and are settled annually with a discount, or termly. Additional compulsory fees include building levy and pupil insurance.
2. Boarding Fees: Optional boarding accommodation available as termly or weekly options. A refundable deposit of one term's fees is required before entry. Boarding represents a significant ancillary revenue stream.
3. Additional Services: Optional extras including school lunches, support tuition, music lessons, and art levy generate additional revenue. Sibling discounts are offered to families with multiple daughters at the school.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Roedean School (SA) is a private independent all-girls' boarding and day school delivering a complete educational journey from Grade 0 through Matric (Grade 12), culminating in the IEB National Senior Certificate. The school integrates the Cognitive Education Programme (Thinking Schools), Round Square IDEALS framework, and a comprehensive co-curricular programme alongside the national curriculum. It also offers day and boarding options, scholarships and bursaries, and a community outreach initiative (Roedean Academy) supporting under-resourced schools.

Product overview

Roedean School (SA) is an independent all-girls' boarding and day school offering a complete educational journey from Grade 0 through Matric (Grade 12). The core educational products consist of the Junior School (Foundation Phase and Upper Junior School) and Senior School (five-year programme culminating in IEB Matriculation). The school provides a holistic, progressive education integrating the Cognitive Education Programme (Thinking School accredited), Round Square IDEALS framework, and extensive co-curricular offerings. Supporting modules include the Roedean Academy community outreach programme offering academic support to under-resourced students, boarding facilities at Mary Williams Boarding House, and scholarship/bursary programmes. The school follows the national curriculum enhanced with 21st-century skills focus, Afro-centric content, and comprehensive pastoral care.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Roedean Academy: An initiative that provides additional academic support to scholars from under-resourced schools, offering tutoring in Accounting, English, IT, Mathematics, and Physical Sciences for Grades 10-12.

Products and services

• Junior School Foundation and upper primary education for girls from Grade 0 to Grade 7, encompassing the Foundation Phase at St Margaret's (Grade 0 to Grade 3) and Upper Junior School (Grade 4 to Grade 7). The programme emphasizes holistic development, pastoral care, and a nurturing learning environment with access to facilities including the library, IT resources, and co-curricular activities.
• Senior School Five-year secondary education programme from Lower V (Grade 8) to Matric (Grade 12), culminating in the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) National Senior Certificate. The comprehensive academic curriculum is supplemented by extensive co-curricular activities and boarding options, preparing students for tertiary education and leadership roles.
• Mary Williams Boarding House On-campus boarding accommodation for up to 78 senior students from Grades 8-12, offering single and double rooms with resident matrons providing structured care in a homely environment that balances independence with supervision.
• Roedean Academy A community outreach initiative providing academic support to scholars from under-resourced schools. The programme offers instruction in Accounting, English, Information Technology (Grade 10), Mathematics, and Physical Sciences, along with soft skills development, life skills including swimming lessons, and a Next Step programme supporting tertiary access and employability for Grades 10-12.
• Scholarships and Bursaries Programme Financial support offerings including five annual scholarships (Anne Cleaver Academic, Joan Raikes Academic, Ella Le Maitre Academic, Sport, and Culture) decided on merit, plus bursaries in partnership with Allan Gray Orbis Foundation, Aumund Fund, and Student Scholarship Programme (SSP) for academic excellence.

Quantifiable outcome

• Superb Matric results through IEB examinations annually, opening doors to local universities and international placement opportunities
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Round SquarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal network of over 200 schools in 50 countries focused on character development through six IDEALS: Internationalism, Democracy, Environmentalism, Adventure, Leadership, Service. Provides pupil exchanges, collaborative projects, and global learning opportunities.
• Independent Examinations Board (IEB)coreOthersRoedean pupils write the National Senior Certificate examinations through IEB, enabling university placement both nationally and internationally.
• Independent Schools Association of South Africa (ISASA)minorOthersMembership in professional association of independent schools ensuring compliance with educational standards and regulatory requirements.
• Maharishi Invincibility InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlternative tertiary pathway partnership offering placement rates above 90%, demonstrating Roedean Academy's commitment to expanding educational pathways beyond traditional university routes.
• RealemaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeacher training pathway supporting Roedean Academy graduates aspiring to teach in Foundation and Intermediate Phases, with Mercy Kena being the latest graduate supported through this programme.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• St Mary's School, Johannesburg: Elite independent girls' school in Johannesburg, offering IEB Matric and full co-curricular programmes. Most direct competitor for premium all-girls' day and boarding enrolment in the same Johannesburg market.
• Kingsmead College: Independent girls' school in Johannesburg offering Grade 0 to Matric with IEB examinations. Comparable positioning, location, and target market to Roedean's Junior and Senior School offerings.
• St Andrew's School for Girls: Independent girls' school in Johannesburg providing Foundation Phase through Matric with IEB. Closely comparable in fee tier, curriculum approach, and Gauteng catchment area.
• St Stithians College: Top-tier independent co-educational school in Johannesburg with IEB Matric and Round Square membership. Comparable premium positioning, location, and extracurricular breadth in the same catchment.
• Roedean School (Brighton, UK): The original Roedean sister school founded in Brighton, England. Same brand heritage, all-girls' boarding ethos, and curriculum philosophy, providing direct operational and reputational linkage to Roedean (SA).
• Herschel Girls' School: Premier independent girls' school in Cape Town with IEB curriculum and boarding. Directly comparable as a top-tier South African all-girls' school competing for the same affluent family demographic nationally.

Others

• Round Square: Global network of 200+ schools in 50 countries focused on character education. Network partner rather than competitor; provides Roedean with international exchange reach and IDEALS framework differentiation.
• IEB (Independent Examinations Board): Examination authority that sets the IEB Matric standard Roedean pupils write. Not a competitor but a key ecosystem partner whose standards and university recognition underpin Roedean's value proposition.

Broad incumbents

• Curro Holdings: Largest private school operator in Southern Africa with a wide range of independent campuses. Comparable in serving fee-paying families but at broader and more accessible price points than Roedean's premium tier.
• Reddam House (Inspired Education): Network of premium independent schools across South Africa owned by global operator Inspired Education. Competes for premium families through multiple campuses and co-ed/day offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCigEZ1l6xeu0G6F04Miagpg
• Facebookfacebook.com/RoedeanSchoolSA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/roedeanschool-sa
• Instagraminstagram.com/RoedeanSchoolSA

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Roedean School (SA)