Chrysalis Academy

Fully registered remedial school for kids with a wide spectrum of learning difficulties

Chrysalis Academy is a country school situated on a small holding directly opposite the Equestrian Centre of Steyn City. Advantageously situated parallel to Steyn City as our immediate neighbours and the hustle and bustle of Cedar Road in the distance, one is impressed by the peaceful, pastoral surroundings.

Although Broadacres is but a few minutes away and HeronBridge is a stone's throw from us, the tranquillity makes for a unique learning environment.

We cater for children who have learning support needs or need a different environment in which to flourish. We accept children who are on the autistic spectrum but are able to communicate and follow our CAPS-aligned syllabus. We are not averse to challenges but require parents to be involved in their child's learning process and support a team approach where we work holistically together. This allows us to be truly inclusive.

We are unique in our neuro-scientific approach to learning. As a result, we offer world class neuroscientific programs to children who may benefit from this. These programs are not limited to our school's learners only, but can be enjoyed by any learners from any other schools for remediation and learning support due to the nature of the programs, the application and quick results in comparison to other, more traditional interventions.

As our classes are small, we offer individualised, bespoke teaching. Remedial therapy is available and remedial techniques are used to instruct children who need this. We accommodate home schoolers and learners with auditory processing needs as well as a range of therapies tailored to the individual child's challenges. Our aim is to support learners to find their own solutions and grow in their own way and at their own pace.

Although we have found that our methods often negate the need for medication, we do have the skills and assistance of therapists, educational psychologists, neurologists and other medical and educational specialists available. Our teachers contribute various skills and expertise. Where we face unusual or unique challenges, we are not averse to asking for advice from other experts in these fields or even in other countries.

We believe that millennial children need a different approach to schooling than the traditional lecturing method. With this in mind, we use play-based, blended and co-operative learning and strongly encourage participation in Art, Drama, Music and other subjects. We use zoo therapy to help children with a range of emotional support needs. We are fortunate to have access to Equine therapy and counselling as well. This therapy has been found to be most therapeutic to both children and adults alike.

We currently offer grades R to matric. We operate an independent school, registered with the Gauteng Department of Education up to matric.

School curriculum

* we follow a prescribed CAPS-aligned curriculum as stipulated by the Education Department but enrich the curriculum as much as possible. As an independent school, we liaise with ISASA.
* individual education programs or IEPs are designed for children who need a special learning program to catch up or close gaps in their existing learning or are advanced in certain areas.
* therapy is built into our daily program so that we can give as little homework as possible.
* daily Homework sessions are provided at school for the Foundation Phase.

Our weeks are jam-packed with activities, outings, cooking, baking, gardening and tending to the animals. We build models of volcanoes and lungs and demonstrate our computer skills and physical prowess. We do experiments and create works of art. We sing, dance and act. Our computers are used to find information, but we love to read real books with our reading buddies. We swim and ride our bikes. We explore and build with Lego or make bridges or miniature towns in Technology. We have a Market Day each year where all are welcome and can join in fun activities. Each of us design our own business plan and decide on a product and game to promote our stalls. We go on camps when we are big enough and enjoy Friendship Day, Character Day, our gala and sports events and our Outreach projects. Movies under the Stars, is one of our choice events and everyone joins in this activity. We love Braai Day and Heritage Day and celebrate our beliefs and cultures together. We follow a Christian ethos and try to treat everyone kindly and with respect.

Therapy services offered:

* counselling is free during school hours or by appointment.
* assessments can be arranged at school, comprehensive brain training & integrated movement therapy can also be offered upon request.
* intensive AIT, ILT and other well-researched programs may be made available on request or by recommendation.
* Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy and neuro-developmental physiotherapy remain on offer.

Remedial focus

We currently offer remediation for children with learning support needs such as ADD/ADHD, Dyslexia, CAPD, Autism and other barriers to learning. The current teacher-child ratio is 1:6 or 1:8 depending on the needs of the learners. We make use of assessments in order to meet the needs of our children and devise Individual Education Plans for children who require this. We address strengths and weaknesses daily. We work closely with Speech and Language therapists, OT's and other professionals and prefer a team approach. Facilitation can be arranged, where specifically indicated or requested. We prefer to use neuroscientific programs which are highly effective in treating learning difficulties within a few months. We use a learning-through-play approach with the younger children as working outdoors and learning whilst doing, is a successful means to successful learning. Therapy in the outdoors is very effective and work well for our children. We like trying different methods to address rowdiness or conflict, such as meditation, Pilates, yoga or alternative methods based on research. We welcome visitors to our school throughout the term but request an email or telephonic contact to ensure someone is available to assist our visitors.

School fees are charged as follows:
Please call us for a breakdown of the school fees which range between R3500 and R7000 per month in 2022.