As South Africa continues to face significant inequalities in access to quality education, Christel House South Africa has marked a major milestone in our mission to support learners from underserved communities.
Our organisation officially opened our second High School on our Ottery campus on 22 May 2026 during a commemorative ribbon-cutting event.
The expansion will create space for up to 300 additional High School learners, helping to address the growing demand for high-quality, no-fee secondary education in the Western Cape. Since 2025, our school has already enrolled an additional 120 Grade 8 and Grade 9 learners as part of the phased expansion.
The official opening event was attended by friends, donors and key partners, including the Western Cape Minister of Education, City of Cape Town leadership, Wesgro and our school’s leadership.
Speaking at the event, Minister David Maynier highlighted our organisation’s contribution to education in the province: “Christel House is a valued education partner and is helping to reshape how we view independent, non-profit education in South Africa. They are delivering excellent learning outcomes, along with a package of support for learners. We value their continued commitment to expanding quality educational opportunities in the Western Cape through the launch of this new High School and future expansion plans that will benefit learners from some of our most under-resourced communities.”
The newly opened building includes modern classrooms, an Innovation Hub and Media centre, a Computer Applications Technology (CAT) Lab, and dedicated support spaces for learners. The additional infrastructure strengthens Christel House South Africa’s holistic education model, which goes beyond academics to support the long-term well-being and success of learners.
According to Adri Marais, Chief Executive Officer at Christel House South Africa, the new High School represents more than just a building project. “This new high school reflects what is possible when government, education and investment partners, together with our broader community align around a shared commitment to measurable impact in education.”
She added that the expansion represents “a scalable investment in long-term opportunity and social mobility” for children from underserved communities.
Christel House South Africa currently serves 1000 learners from Grade RR to Grade 12, offering free education alongside a comprehensive support programme. This includes daily meals, transport, healthcare, psychosocial services, and career guidance, with continued support for up to five years after matric.
The model is delivering results, with 95% of alumni transitioning into further education, employment, or other meaningful opportunities.
While this event celebrates the launch of the high school, it also forms part of a broader and longer term vision. As part of its 2030 plan, Christel House South Africa is expanding its Junior School to accommodate 90 learners per grade, from Grade RR to Grade 7. The 50% expansion of the Junior School and a doubling of High School capacity means that by 2030, the school will accommodate 1410 learners on its Ottery campus.
In addition, Christel House South Africa announced plans in 2025 to establish a second Grade RR–12 school in Cape Town. The proposed development is currently in the site acquisition and approval phase, pending the outcome of the City’s public participation process relating to the identified land.
The future development presents opportunities for corporate partners, philanthropists, suppliers, and impact investors to support the scaling of a proven education model focused on breaking the cycle of poverty through education.
Members of the public and private sector interested in supporting the organisation’s work can contact Development and Partnerships Director, Lara Black at lblack@sa.christelhouse.org / 083 326 1168.
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