Preschool
Our Philosophy
Our preschool is the happiest place on campus, with our little ones ranging in age from 3 years to Grade R.
Smiles are our end-game because we believe that happy children learn best.
Our focus is to nurture emotional intelligence and to provide them with the ‘soft-skills’ that encourage curiosity, independence and values-based thinking and decision making.
OUR APPROACH
Preschool
Our Approach
At our Preschool we honour the belief of Loris Malaguzzi, founder of the philosophy of education of the Reggio Emelia approach, which urges us to recognise children as social from birth, full of curiosity and imagination, and having the potential and desire to find connections and meaning in all they experience. This is what ultimately fuels their life-long love of learning. Each child is able to reflect upon and contribute to their own learning through their unique ‘languages’ of expression and communication.
Integral to the Reggio approach is relationship-building. In a Reggio-focused classroom, the teacher takes on the role of the listener and researcher, while the child is able to express and grow their intelligence in ways that actually interests them. Ultimately, this enables an environment of co-creation and open dialogue, which we believe is the cornerstone of relevant, effective education.
Our curriculum in the preschool honours and reflects diversity, as well as each child’s individual interests and expressions. All of our preschoolers are exposed to music lessons as part of their academic programme, as well as more formal physical education classes, including a Body Sense programme, from Grade R, as part of preparation for their Grade 1 year.
PREPARATORY
Penryn Prep consists of the Foundation Phase (Grades 1 to 3) and Senior Primary (Grades 4 to 7).
Foundation Phase – Our Philosphy
The core focus of the Foundation Phase is to create an environment in which scholars are exposed to different experiences. This promotes a learning agility-focused culture that enables our children to be more adaptable and confident individuals – setting the tone for future-fit thinking and a collaborative-learning style – a pivotal skillset for the 21st century child.
Our teacher-scholar ratio ensures that every child is nurtured as an individual and their unique qualities can shine through.
Relationship-building is the cornerstone of developing self-esteem and trust for scholars to blossom and explore the many facets of what we offer at Penryn.
Ultimately, our no-one-size-fits-all approach allows for each child to transition comfortably and confidently to the next phase at the Senior Prep.
Senior Prep
Our Philosophy
At the Senior Prep, we develop life-long scholars who are able to problem solve.
Our teachers live for those ‘light bulb moments’ when scholars are able to connect the dots and grow in their academic, emotional and physical development.
OUR APPROACH
Senior Prep
Our Approach
True to the ethos of our brothers and sisters at the College, we find ways to centre learning on a global approach, without abandoning what is relevant and dear within the African context.
We are all about creating a positive, energetic learning experience, but within the natural and unpretentious environment of the Lowveld. Our serene setting is the perfect playground for fostering an inquiry-based ethos, with a focus on teamwork, problem-solving and self-awareness.
Our focus is on character-building and a compassion for others, building a solid foundation for their College and teen years.

COLLEGE
Our Philosophy
Penryn College is the oldest Independent high school in Mpumalanga and is a proud member of ISASA (Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa). We are deeply proud that our history is rooted in social development and transformation of education in our Province and Nation.
Our internationally experienced staff prepare our scholars for their academic journey, by equipping each child with the necessary skillset to acquire knowledge. These efforts are then bolstered by a strong emphasis on character-building, our Honour Code and Christian ethos. This combination of access to outstanding resources and self-development, is ultimately Penryn’s recipe for success.
We create a stable, and stimulating learning environment, which brings out the best in every scholar. Our small class sizes and balanced teacher-student ratios, ensures that each child gets the necessary attention and guidance to reach their full potential. Furthermore, offering the IEB (Independent Education Board) curriculum also cognitively boosts our scholars beyond the realms of a traditional education – providing an incredible advantage for their tertiary years.
OUR APPROACH
College
Our Approach
Developing scholars with high moral standards and character is core to our approach at Penryn.
Exposure to and acceptance of diversity makes it easy for Penryn scholars to make the transition to tertiary education and gives them a real voice when it comes to job interviews.
Penryn encourages our scholars to achieve at their highest potential, so that doors open for them when they leave school.
Balanced emotional intelligence, a diverse background and the ability to achieve at their highest potential ensures that Penryn scholars will be set up in world where so many jobs will be taken over by machines. They will have a skill that so many people will lack – to be able to engage on a human level.
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Penryn College
Video Overview
Boarding
When you send your child to a Penryn boarding house, you are providing them with the ultimate opportunity to ‘spread their wings’ and set the foundational skills for an enriched and successful future.
Penryn offers boarding from Grades 6-12. Our juniors are welcomed into a nurturing and safe environment that prepares them to embrace their senior leadership opportunities in future years.
In a structured and caring setting, our boarders thrive and invariably mature into capable young people, who integrate well into the boarding house and the wider school community.
FACILITIES & BENEFITS
Boarding
Facilities & Benefits
Facilities
Our 5 boarding houses are nestled within our tranquil and picturesque Lowveld campus, and are aptly named after the indigenous trees found on our campus: Kiaat, Marula, Mahogany, Waterberry and Acacia.
Diversity is the cornerstone of the Penryn boarding experience. This melting pot environment is what we believe gives our boarders the best advantage to mature and embrace all of life’s challenges and opportunities.


Our Vision:
To provide a safe, nurturing and homely environment for all of our boarders – equipping them with the skills to adapt in an ever-changing world for a successful future beyond their Penryn years.
Benefits of Boarding:
- Never miss out on campus events.
- Easy access to teachers after school.
- Supervised prep times.
- A headstart on learning independence & other invaluable lifeskills for their tertiary years.
- An integrated, family experience, with 3 healthy meals and snacks, daily.
BOARDING INFORMATIONAL BOOKLET
Need more proof?
Hear what our past boarders have to say:
Matthew Tapson
BOARDING HEAD BOY
I grew up in Mozambique doing home schooling and my parents wanted me to have more exposure to the ‘outside world’. Boarding can seem daunting to some, but Penryn’s boarding houses feel more like home than other conventional boarding schools. One forms strong bonds and friendships with one’s peers – brotherhoods that will last a lifetime. Boarding takes you on a road of self-discovery and independence which I feel are vital stepping stones to facing life after school. It teaches you comradery, tolerance, responsibility and love for your fellow man. What is not to like! Come and join our Penryn family.

Melinda van Zuydum
BOARDING HEAD GIRL
My boarding experience at Penryn has been one to remember. I’ve been in boarding since grade 8. I have made many unforgettable memories, met and learnt to live with different people and learnt a lot of valuable life lessons. Boarding has given me the opportunity to better my social skills through the diverse group of scholars I have encountered throughout the years. You learn about different cultures and embrace each difference and similarity all the cultures have. You build long lasting relationships with the fellow scholars in boarding.

Penreach
When Penryn was conceived some 30 years ago, the core focus was first-and-foremost to create a beacon school, or a model of best practice for how education should and can be. As such, establishing an independent school in the Lowveld was part of the vision, but the other critical component was to create an educational outreach programme that could make an event bigger impact in the region.
Penryn, the school, would be the centre of excellence and Penreach, the outreach programme, would be the catalyst and change-maker of education in Mpumalanga. Over the years, Penreach’s impact has far exceeded any vision dreamed up our Founders.
Touching the lives of over half a million children yearly, Penreach is a registered NPO and is considered one of South Africa’s most innovative and successful educational outreach programmes.
Penreach’s core programmes include:
Early Childhood Development, Books in Homes, Maths and Science, School Leadership Development, Scholarships and bursaries and Artreach & Sportreach.
Penryn is proud to play a part in Penreach’s amazing journey. Our legacy truly tells one of compassion, living the Christian ethos and being rooted in community. Together, we continue to strive to bridge the gaps in education by connecting our scholars, parents and teachers to Penreach programmes. We believe that it is through serving others that we build a future of invested, compassionate young people who can create a better nation and world.
Please visit the Penreach website for more details

SPORT
SPORTING OPTIONS
We are proud to host Mpumalanga’s only international soccer academy - Sporting Portugal. Sporting Portugal offers weekly training for our young soccer enthusiasts, as well as various national and international touring opportunities. The end goal is to groom future soccer stars, who can be drafted for local and international soccer leagues.
SPORTING PORTUGAL

SPORT
SPORTING OPTIONS
Penryn is proud to be the only school in South Africa that offers falconry, as well as an array of sports that are well-suited to the adventure-based lifestyle of the Lowveld.
FALCONRY

SPORT
SPORTING OPTIONS
Penryn’s focus is not about creating a competitive, perfectionist-driven culture. Rather, our aim is to expose our scholars to an array of sporting options and to foster a curiosity for trying out new activities and instilling the desire to participate when and where ever possible. We believe that real excellence is a by-product of finding one’s passion and a feeling of inclusiveness. By virtue of this ethos, our scholars enjoy sport and naturally excel - within and beyond their sporting life.
SPORT CHOICES
scholars from Prep through College have the choice of the following sports:
RUGBY
SOCCER
CRICKET
HOCKEY
MOUNTAIN BIKING
SWIMMING
ATHLETICS
CROSS COUNTRY
NETBALL
TENNIS
FALCONRY
ROCK CLIMBING
CHESS
DANCE
At Penryn our dance programme is offered as an extra mural through our Culture programme at College level from Grade 8 through 12. We view dance as more than just an opportunity to get bodies moving. Dance is the ultimate way to get scholars to engage with one another in a relevant and energetic space and a chance for even the least confident dancer to learn new skills and boost their self-esteem.
We offer the following dance classes:
Contemporary / Freestyle, Hiphop, Nomvula, Kwaito and Mozambique traditional dance
Ballet
Ballet is offered through a private academy with Danielle Beer, from Tots through to College years, for both boys and girls.
For more information, contact Danielle: 076 084 5916.
Music
Music at Penryn has always been a key focus. We believe that music is an integral part of learning – developing better memory and language skills, increasing confidence and improving emotional and social skills. With the global focus on STEAM education, the Penryn Music Department is central to our holistic offering.
Beyond the proven cognitive benefits of music education, we also see music as a pivotal way to unite our scholars in a way that celebrates their individual diversity and backgrounds. Our dynamic music team infuse energy and unique style of teaching that brings out the best in every scholar.
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Music
Continued
As part of our extramural offering, our scholars have the option of joining the Junior or Senior phase choirs in the Prep or a vocal ensemble group in the College – focusing on acapella and contemporary style performances.
Often our scholars will be afforded the opportunity to collaborate with our Artreach scholars from surrounding schools. These encounters benefit all of your young musicians and together they create what can only be described as magic.
From the Foundation Phase through College, we also offer marimba, djembe, as well as Christian or Rock band.
Music Lab | Grades 1-3
Our music lab is one of the only of its kind in the country. All of our Foundation phase scholars have the opportunity to learn basic keyboard and music literacy as part of their curriculum and at no extra expense to parents. This is the Penryn way of cultivating a love of music from a very young age.
We also have a comprehensive extramural offering and individual music lessons from Preschool years through to the College, where scholars can choose from a variety of instrumental and vocal training lessons – offered through the Penryn Music Academy.

VISUAL ARTS
Penryn is proud to have produced some of the nations most gifted creative artists, such as the likes of Simon Attwood, who was awarded the Presidential Scholarship for his achievements in visual art, allowing him to study abroad at the School of Art Institute in Chicago.
Our experienced art teachers instruct with a difference. Art at Penryn is viewed as freedom to delve into more than just creativity. We create a space where scholars are free to create through an array of mediums and style – empowering them to express their beliefs about certain social and cultural topics, which is all part of critical thinking.
Our Prep scholars are taught basic techniques, in a warm, vibrant and energetic space that cultivates their creativity through to College years.
At College level, we hone in on technique and theory – giving scholars the opportunity to ‘flex their creative muscle’ in photography, sculpture, print making and various painting styles. Scholars are also given ample opportunity to exhibit at eisteddfods and even travel abroad to learn more about the world of visual art.
Many of our scholars are frequently published in major art publications, including Art Times and The South African Art Magazine. We place a strong emphasis on teaching our scholars the importance of showcasing and selling their work, such as platforming and selling their work on social media, which is a future-fit skill for any aspiring creative.
Speech and Drama
Imagine a school that produces a first team rugby player and the same scholar also has as the confidence and passion to pursue drama and excel at eisteddfods and school productions. This is the caliber of all-rounded scholar that we produce at Penryn.
Speech & Drama encompasses a variety of disciplines, including the performing arts, public speaking and debating. Our highly seasoned drama team taps into the creative essence of each scholar.
Drama is offered from Grade 4 through Grade 12 – as a weekly activity for our Prep scholars and then as a subject for our College Scholars.
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Speech and Drama
Our major drama productions from Junior through to Senior Phase, are always an eagerly anticipated event in our school calendar. In the College, our scholars also participate in cultural derbies and eisteddfods.
Debating is more than just an extramural offering at Penryn, it is part of our culture. Each year, we host political debates and invite topical guest speakers to address our scholars. Our scholars, time-and-time-again, show us that they are confident, attune with current affairs and are critical thinkers.
PASTORAL CARE
Our Christian Ethos
Penryn’s values-based education allows for each child to explore and grow in their spirituality. As a Methodist affiliated and proudly Christian school, Christian values underpins our school ethos and shapes our philosophy of creating a warm and inclusive environment for all of our scholars to mature in their spiritual, moral and emotional journey.
Scholars from all faiths are welcome at Penryn and are not obliged to practice the Christian faith at school.
Our full-time chaplain, Rev. Terry Booysen, offers counselling in spiritual, moral and ethical issues of our time. Religious instruction in the Methodist faith is also provided and scholars are expected to attend weekly chapel, but are not required to participate in aspects of the service that conflicts with their own values or beliefs. All of our scholars, however, are required at all times to exemplify what we stand for as a school – to be an example of good behaviour, proactive citizenship and excellent moral standards.
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Pastoral Care
SCHOLAR EXEC
The development of leadership skills is an important part of the school’s non-academic programme and several opportunities are presented to the scholars, throughout the year. During August each year, all scholars and staff participate in a democratic election to determine the twenty members of the Scholar Executive Committee for the following year.
All Exec members are in matric and the group consists of a head boy and head girl, the chairperson of the Scholar Representative Council (or SRC), eight heads of houses and nine heads of committees. The head boy and girl are full voting members of the Council and manage the different activities and programmes organised by the heads of houses and committees.
2021 College Scholar Leadership Team:

Rocques Janse van Rensburg
SRC

Ntsako Silinda
HEAD BOY

Matete Mabaso
HEAD GIRL