Schools
Inside our
High School
We believe girls learn through experience and identify their passions through opportunity. It is our responsibility to help grow leaders for today and tomorrow, and we do so by focusing on both individual and collective leadership development.
Head’s welcome
St Cyprian’s High School is a busy, vibrant and dynamic place.
There are many opportunities for young girls to explore interests, uncover hidden talents, establish life-long friendships and taste the sweet taste of success through personal and social development.
The academic journey at this phase is defined by a values-driven relational culture, and extraordinary teachers work collaboratively towards the shared vision: to nurture curiosity, build creativity, encourage independence and a strong sense of self in relation to others and the world.
We acknowledge the complexity and uncertainty of accelerating change and focus on preparing our students for what is now known as the Conceptual Age. In addition to a technologically integrated academic programme, we consciously strive to develop a design thinking methodology to real-world problems, and an entrepreneurial mindset that shapes creators of opportunities rather than consumers of resources.
A stated goal of our student-centred approach is to grow life-long learners and leaders, each with a strong moral and social conscience such that they can contribute to making a positive difference in the world.
We view education as a continuous process: mindfulness, reflection, consolidation and continuous improvement resonate with our understanding of how to establish mindsets.
Interconnecting levels of care, including peer-to-peer mentoring, the tutor system and two qualified psychologists are some of the structures in place to support our girls in navigating their individual journeys through this phase of their lives.
Shelley Frayne
High School Principal
Academic approach
St Cyprian’s School’s High School offering comprises two rigorous academic streams for senior students.
The Independent Examination Board (IEB) and Cambridge A Levels are positioned synergistically, carrying equal importance and value in how teaching is structured, timetabled and delivered.
Individual, student-centric academic counselling and nurturing is ongoing to support students in their personal choice of which stream to pursue in the senior phase. By offering two distinct streams, our offering considers students’ circumstances and intentions around post-school academic selection, in South Africa or internationally, at foreign universities.
The IEB
programmeThe GET phase (Grades 7-9) is generalist and broad in its scope. Our offering at this level includes an integrated, project-based, real-world approach that encourages and facilitates experiential, independent and collaborative learning. Our approach incorporates and solidifies the proven foundational knowledge and skills students have developed and attained in their learning journey.
The FET (Grades 10-12) academic offering is in line with current national requirements for matriculation. Four compulsory subjects – Home Language, First Additional Language, Mathematics/Mathematical Literacy and Life Orientation – comprise the mandatory aspect.
Cambridge AS and
A Levels programmeAt the end of Grade 10, students can choose to move from IEB to the Cambridge International curriculum, culminating in the final A Level exit examinations in Grade 12.
Boarding at Katherine House
Many girls cherish boarding life at St Cyprian’s as one of the greatest gifts of their school years. The welcoming walls of Katherine House offers weekly boarding for 55 students from Grade 8 through to Grade 12. Guided by caring staff and the Grade 12 student leaders, the girls bond and form deep friendships that last a lifetime.
St Cyp’s is made up of so many different voices, stories and talents. And yet, somehow, they all come together. Here, you learn to show up – not just for yourself, but for the girls standing beside you. You learn that your success is not just your own, and neither are your struggles.”
