Address
c/o St Francis Children’s Home
122 Thornton Rd (cnr Thornton & Tennant St) Crawford - Cape Town, 7760
Contact Info
Email: info@leapschool.org.za
Tel: +27 (0) 21 531-9715
The LEAP Story
More than a third of South Africans live below the breadline. Poverty breeds hopelessness – and, unfortunately, leads to crime.
At LEAP Science and Maths Schools, we refuse to dismiss these communities as lost causes simply because they are poor. We believe that we cannot remain authentically human while others are prevented, through circumstance, from enjoying the rights and opportunities that we enjoy.
In fact, we feel morally obligated to work for change.
We have chosen to do this through a unique, self-liberating high school education programme for children who live in our most marginalised communities. We know that most schooling currently available to our children is inadequate, trapping them in self-limiting beliefs and a cycle of ongoing failure and victimhood. These schools perpetuate academic deficits and, more crucially, ignore the development of emotional intelligence, self-awareness and other life skills.
Our LEAP learning programme is unique and self-liberating because we purposefully lead our children on a learning journey through which they discover the capacity to take charge of their own lives. LEAP has worked with marginalised children for more than ten years through the only network of independent, low-fee schools in South Africa. Our results show that 95% of our students have passed matric, and 79% of LEAP students have degrees or diplomas or are continuing their pursuit of higher education.
We are proving the impossible; no matter how deprived, any child in South Africa can graduate from high school, obtain a tertiary qualification and look forward to a fulfilling future.
We know that we are not the only people who believe in equal opportunity for all. We invite others to join us in our efforts to make this goal a reality.
John Gilmour's Inclusive Outreach
An Educator, John Gilmour created an educational outreach programme to service under-resourced communities along with Pinelands High School Educators. The focus was that every child, irrespective of their background, would succeed if given access to a quality education.
LEAP Model Conceived
The LEAP model is conceived by John Gilmour, with the financial support of Mark Shuttleworth.
LEAP's Community-Centric Growth
The first LEAP Science and Maths School was opened in Mowbray, Cape Town with just 73 students from Grade 9 to 11. The building soon became too small for the school to accommodate more students and transportation from Langa to Mowbray was not practical. A partnership with Old Mutual, Pinelands allowed for LEAP to move closer to the Langa community and rent a building that had sufficient space for students at the Mupine Complex in Pinelands. At the same time and in the same space, LEAP 2 was started, to accommodate students from neighboring marginalized communities. LEAP schools specifically select educators and students from the communities in which they serve.
LEAP 2 Expands
LEAP 2 school leaves the shared space at Langa to set up a school in Philippi Cape Town.
LEAP 3 Founded
LEAP 3 school was started and set up in the Alexandra community in Johannesburg.
LEAP 4 Founded
LEAP 4 school was started and set up in the Diepsloot community in Johannesburg.
LEAP 5 Founded
LEAP 5 school was started and set up in the Jane Furse community in Limpopo.
LEAP 6 Founded
LEAP 6 school was started set up in Ga-Rankuwa in Pretoria.
LEAP's Strategic Relocations
LEAP 1 moves to a new building based in Langa – we are now based in the community that we serve, allowing us to have greater impact. LEAP 2 also moves to a new site in Philippi and creates their own identity completely separate from LEAP 1. The LEAP Central office moves away from shared space with LEAP 1 and LEAP 2, and moves to the St Francis Children’s Home (now called the REALISTIC CYCC) in Crawford.
LEAP's Digital Pivot
LEAP becomes innovative and agile during COVID-19 utilising online digital platforms for teaching and learning – we are breaking the mold! LEAP 4 school was built on new land and was successfully relaunched. All 6 school leaders are officially made LEAP Executive Board Members.
LEAP Institute Expansion
LEAP Institute was conceptualized by John Gilmour within the framework of LEAP Science and Maths Schools. Each LEAP school operates as an individual entity with 3 LEAP schools being led by past LEAP Students.
LEAP Institute Launch
There are 1650 LEAP Students in Grade 8 to 12 all of whom have both Mathematics and Science as part of their subjects for Matric. The LEAP Institute is officially launched. John Gilmour exits the LEAP Science and Maths Schools as the Executive Director and resumes a role as the Interim Executive Director for the LEAP Institute. LEAP Science and Maths Schools introduces a Distributed Leadership Model with an Exco team formed to lead the organisation after John’s exit as Executive Director. This Exco team comprises of the 6 school leaders and the 4 central managers
Stay updated with the latest news and exciting updates from our dynamic schools, where innovation meets excellence in education.
Position: GEORAPHY & HISTORY EDUCATOR (Gr 8–12) Start date: 03/02/2025 Location: LEAP 2, CROSSROADS Reference:…
Start date: 06 October 2024 Contract type: Permanent post Location: LEAP 2, CROSSROADS Reference: LP2/ACC/LO/24…
If you have any questions, interest in enrolling your child, or are interested in making a donation, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. We’d be delighted to assist you in any way we can.