ENROLING FOR 2027
Wired for wonderquestionsmudmaking each other
Where children learn through wonder, through doing, and through relationships that matter.
Welcome to Waterford College
A new independent, Christian school in Fourways, Johannesburg. Opening January 2027 with Montessori Preschool, Preparatory School and High School.
About
As part of the ThriveEd network of schools, we are creating a place where children are known, their questions are taken seriously, and the adults around them are genuinely invested in who they are becoming. We are a school built on purpose, not just on a timetable.
Everything here, from the way we teach to the spaces themselves, starts with a simple idea: children are wired for wonder, and the best education keeps that alive.
Quality private education, within reach, on a campus designed to inspire, with teachers who choose to be here.
Growing with your child
Waterford College opens in January 2027 with a Montessori Preschool, Grade R to Grade 3, and Grades 8 and 9. Senior Prep grades (4 to 7) and remaining High School grades phase in year by year, building to a full Preschool-to-matric school by 2031.
From first day to matric, in one place.
Our story
Our approach goes beyond a syllabus.
The goal is not just academic results.
It is young people who are brave enough to try, grounded enough to care, and purposeful enough to contribute.
Wired for
Courage grows in the unfamiliar
Courage grows in the unfamiliar
Wired for
Rootedness matters
Rootedness matters
Wired for
Invention comes from doing
Invention comes from doing
Wired for
Purpose lives in relationships
Purpose lives in relationships
Where children learn through wonder
Montessori Preschool
Our Montessori preschool follows each child’s natural curiosity in a prepared environment. Small hands doing big things, at their own pace, with teachers who know when to guide and when to step back.
Quality education, within reach
CAPS curriculum with IEB registration in process, at a fee that means more families can say yes. Fees from R6,160 per month (Grade 1).
Spaces designed to inspire
Working with award-winning architects Hubo Design to build a campus designed around nature, light, and movement. A full track and field, three multi-courts, a learn-to-swim facility, and playscapes that invite exploration.
School day and aftercare
Preschool from 07:00. Prep and High School from 07:30, with the school day ending between 13:30 and 14:30 depending on the phase. Aftercare is available until 17:30, and a holiday care programme runs during school breaks.
Preschool: 07:30 to 12:30 (half day) / aftercare until 17:30
Grade R: 07:30 to 13:00
Grade 1–3: 07:30 to 13:30
Grade 8–9: 07:30 to 13:30 / 14:00
Aftercare (up to Gr 7): until 17:30
Handpicked educators
We are obsessive about who stands in front of your child. Every teacher at Waterford College is handpicked: qualified, experienced, and here because they choose to be. Our recruitment process is rigorous and intentional, and the quality of teaching across our ThriveEd network of schools is the proof that it works. When you walk into a classroom at St Luke’s, Skye, or Broadacres, you can see it. The same standard starts here.
Part of the Waterford Education Precinct
Situated within the Waterford Education Precinct alongside Waterford International (Cambridge). Two curriculum pathways, one precinct. Part of the ThriveEd family of 11 schools.
Co-curriculars
Sports
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Swimming, Athletics, Cross-Country, Soccer, Netball, Cricket, Hockey, Tennis
Cultural Activities
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Music, Art, Drama, Dance, Choir
Specialist Activities
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Ballet, Judo, additional instrument tuition
What we believe
We believe the best education does not train children for a world that already exists. It prepares them to build the one that comes next.
That takes courage. It takes creativity.
And it takes a school willing to do things differently.
Book a walkabout
Walk the grounds with us, meet the team, and see the plans. Our walkabouts run weekly.
Matt Mare
Waterford Schools Interim CEO & ThriveEd CEO
Matt Mare is the founder and CEO of ThriveEd, the network behind 11 schools serving more than 9,000 children across South Africa. He is currently overseeing the Waterford schools as Interim CEO while the right permanent leadership is put in place. Matt’s approach to education is simple: build schools that families can afford, hire teachers who genuinely care, and never lose sight of the fact that every decision is about a child.
Garth Thompson continues as Executive Head of Waterford International, the Cambridge school within the Waterford Education Precinct, and the Waterford College Executive Head will be announced once the right person has been found. We are taking our time with this appointment because who leads this school matters as much as how we build it.