Pridwin Preparatory School

Pridwin Preparatory School is a well-regarded independent day school for boys in Melrose, Johannesburg, close to the Rosebank CBD. Founded in 1923 and on its present site since 1934, the school celebrated its centenary in 2023 and educates around 410 boys from Grade 0 to Grade 7. Owned by the non-profit Pridwin Foundation and a member of ISASA, it is non-denominational but rooted in Christian ethics and values.

Pridwin’s stated aim is to unlock the unique and multifaceted potential of each boy. Class sizes are kept small (around 22) for individual attention, and the curriculum is skills-based and forward-looking – strong on STEAM, inquiry-based learning and technology, with robotics and computer centres and iPads across the grades, plus a distinctive Grade 7 Leadership Development Programme. The school’s Integrated Day builds co-curricular activities into the timetable, and Pridwin boys regularly win scholarships to the country’s leading high schools.

Culturally, boys take part in art, chess, drama, music (including jazz and rock bands and junior and senior choirs) and an environmental club. On the sports field every boy is part of a team, fostering both enjoyment and healthy competition. Service and social responsibility are central: pupils support a chosen charity each term, and the school shares a remarkable, long-standing relationship with the neighbouring St Vincent’s School for the Deaf – including shared facilities, sign-language lessons and joint events – as well as running the Pridwin Academy community-outreach programme.

Facilities include modern, well-equipped classrooms, computer and robotics centres, a media centre, a swimming pool and sports fields, recently complemented by a Centenary Walkway linking the Junior and Senior Prep. School fees and the admissions process (assessments from Grade 1, interviews for Grade 0) are available from the school.