Elsen Academy

Elsen Academy opened its doors at the beginning of 2006. The founders had a vision of an independent school that catered for the needs of children who had barriers to learning. The local state school had limited capacity and strict enrollment criteria. Elsen initially started with just 13 learners from grades 1-3 and operated out of a small church building in Walmer. Such was the need for a school like Elsen that just three months later, the school moved into a larger property in Heugh Road. The school was now growing rapidly, and in the middle of 2009, the school moved once again into its current premises in Bird Street, Gqeberha. Registered with the Education Department as an independent special needs school (EMIS 101021), Elsen Academy caters for students from grades 1-12. We have been granted full accreditation from Umalusi and are a proud member of the Independent Schools Association of South Africa (ISASA). As a registered NPO (056 – 340), Elsen receives no government subsidy. Our pupil-teacher ratio is 6:1, which enables individual attention to take place. Added to that: 2 registered counsellors, and a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator) who heads up the support unit. We also offer occupational and speech therapy. We follow the same curriculum as the state schools, and our matric class writes the same matric, and our past matric classes achieved a 100% pass rate. Some of them had been told that they would never be able to get a matric. Elsen Academy is a place filled with happy children who want to learn, caring and passionate teachers who love to facilitate learning using a curriculum that we make interesting and relevant so that every child, regardless of their ability or challenges, can reach their full potential. We don’t set the bar; the child does.