About

Empowering the future-fit child for a world of opportunities

"At Penryn we will always strive towards a true sense of belonging for One and All. Our world needs courageous and compassionate leaders, prepared to discover and embrace different cultures and beliefs in ways that promote meaningful understanding and respect. If you work hard and experience a true sense of belonging, you can achieve anything and be the one who bring people together towards a shared goal. "Mike Eisen - Head of Penryn

Our Mission & Vision

Guided by Purpose, Driven by Excellence

At Penryn, our mission is to nurture well-rounded individuals equipped to lead and innovate in a rapidly changing world. We foster curiosity, resilience, and a commitment to lifelong learning. Our vision is to empower students to become compassionate, confident leaders who make meaningful contributions to their communities and the world. By embracing diversity, sustainability, and excellence, Penryn prepares each learner for a future of boundless possibilities.

History

A Legacy Rooted in Excellence

The vision for Penryn has always been to be a model of best practice, the beacon school, to raise the bar and to allow for access to quality education for all children. This is how Penreach came to be.

Our staff and scholars are invested in Penreach through volunteer work, fundraising and development workshops. The campus was designed to be an educational institution, Monday through Friday and then a development centre on weekends for Penreach.

Penreach, which is entirely donor funded and has no impact on the fee structure of Penryn, has become one of the largest educational outreach programmes in South Africa.

Service, Leadership & Environmental Awereness

Our aim is to prepare each scholar for a life in the global environment.

Part of being a global citizen, is embracing diversity and having servant leadership skills to unify people. Scholars are strongly encouraged through their club commitments to become involved in service-based and enviromental activities within the immediate and global community.

The 6 Ideals of LearningRound Square

Penryn is the only Round Square affiliated school in Mpumalanga. The Round Square approach is built around six IDEALS of learning:

  • Internationalism
  • Democracy
  • Environmentalism
  • Adventure
  • Leadership
  • Service

Membership to the Round Square network offers schools a framework for excellence and continuous improvement, along with a vast array of local and global opportunities.

Through our service and environmental programmes
our scholars learn how to develop a passion for
giving back and to become custodians of our environment.

HONOUR CODE

Every Penryn scholar, from preschool to matric, signs and lives by our Honour Code.

Even our alumni still live by it today – it has become part of their DNA and thus part of Penryn’s legacy.

HONOUR GOD by taking every opportunity to develop our spiritual life through service and worship

HONOUR OTHERS By discovering with respect, tolerance and humility the thoughts and ideas of others, irrespective of culture, race, creed or gender.

HONOUR SELF by taking pride in our actions and thoughts and striving at all times to act with honesty and integrity and to improve ourselves through moral courage and self-discipline.

HONOUR THE SCHOOL by maintaining at all times, a high level of dignity, sportsmanship and behaviour. Remember the school motto ‘one and all’, that through our individual actions we bring honour and respect to the whole community.

HONOUR SOCIETY AND THE ENVIRONMENT by respecting other people’s property and the environment in which they live and by serving the community with humility and compassion.

Our Sister SchoolSt Stithians

Penryn would not be here today if were not for our ‘twinning relationship’ with St Stithians College.

David Wylde, the then head of St Stithians College in Johannesburg, along with a group of like-minded South Africans, including Enos Mabuza, Bill Carter and Dr Simeon Selby Ripinga, had a vision in the late 1980s to form ‘a beacon school’ – now known as Penryn.

It was at Pretoria Boys High, as housemaster of Solomon House in 1988, that David first discussed the concept of Penryn with Peter Anderson. It was preordained that two old Andreans were talking about what St Stithians could do for the disadvantaged youth of South Africans.

Fast Forward some 30 years

One can see the incredible journey Penryn and St. Stithians has taken to form this centre of excellence we call Penryn.

As the only school in Mpumalanga affiliated to St Stithians, Penryn’s scholars benefit from the link with this top-tier school and are provided with unique opportunities to attend its elite Johannesburg-based festivals and other events.

Penreach was initially modelled on St Stithians’ community service project, but has since grown to be one of the largest educational outreach programmes in South Africa. As a result, Penryn now offers its learnings to St Stithians, and the significant reciprocal relationship between the two schools continues.

Future-Proof your childFuture-Fit

“Empowering the future-fit child for a world of opportunities.”

In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing world, is your child in an appropriate, future-fit learning environment?

Does your child have the skillset and grit to thrive as a citizen in the African and Global context?

And, why should you act now to ensure that they are future-proof for this dynamic world of work?

In today’s interconnected and rapidly evolving world, children need future-fit education to develop the skills and resilience required to thrive both locally and globally. They must adapt to diverse environments, excel in communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking, and contribute to creating an equitable and sustainable future. Penryn offers more than conventional education, fostering a sense of purpose, belonging, and community through its Honour Code. With a focus on legacy-building and preparing students for the wonders of tomorrow, Penryn embodies a commitment to shaping a better world.

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