A Different Kind of High School for Neurodivergent Students
Small, calm and academically ambitious —
supporting students towards Matric through the Cambridge Curriculum,
A one-of-a-kind learning space for autistic teens in the Helderberg region.
At Growth & Grit Educentre, we’re not just supervising students - we’re teaching them. We are qualified UK (and SA) high school teachers with post-graduate Autism training from Birmingham University, bringing over two decades of experience to our small, focused learning centre. We offer a calm, nurturing, and structured environment where autistic students can thrive - academically and emotionally. Combining the internationally recognised British curriculum with our individualised and flexible approach, we provide direct, personalised teaching that plays to each student’s strengths while supporting areas of challenge. Our teens work hard, achieve excellent results, and grow into confident, independent learners - giving students the space to learn at the pace that is right for them, while still being part of a calm, connected and supportive school community
Here is what we do well:
Our environment is
Calm and Structured
At Growth & Grit, we have set up the environment to be ideal for autistic teens, enabling them to achieve their academic goals. The environment is calm, open and organised. Students have individual work desks which they are able to set up in a way that works for them.
We Include all the
Resources, Stationery, Textbooks and iPads
Our fees include all the basic stationery a student might need, e.g. notebooks, pens, glue, erasers, rulers, etc. We also include all the workbooks and textbooks prescribed by Cambridge. Our school iPads are set up with all the resources and apps students use as they work through the subject syllabus.
We offer a
Variety of subject choices and individualised pathways
Students work towards their academic goals at their own pace, using structured learning plans designed by our teachers, where we provide the subject content in clear, scaffolded steps, allowing students to progress according to their strengths and readiness rather than a fixed class timeline. Students always know what they are working on and what comes next.
We offer a great deal of
Flexibility
Students are encouraged to do their work in a way that suits them best, whether that’s wearing headphones, sitting on an exercise ball, typing work or completing work on the couch. Each student has their own timeline and subjects can be written when students are ready, allowing stronger subjects to be completed earlier while more challenging subjects receive additional time and support.
Our environment is
Comfortable with Break-out Spaces
The environment is comfortable and includes spaces where students can work quietly. Work desks are personalised to suit the students and their interests. Comfortable couches are our biggest currency here! Our two Schnauzers add to the homey feeling and bring a calming influence.
Our students
Reach their Goals
A different learning environment does not mean lower academic expectations. Our students have graduated with full university exemption, and across all Cambridge examinations written to date, we hold a 79% average, with the majority of results achieving a B grade or higher.
We are incredibly proud of the progress our students make when they are given the time, structure and support to learn in a way that works for them.
Meet the Growth & Grit Team
Neels
Eloise
Amelia
Siwoneni
Chewie & Leia
More about Neels & Eloise
The centre is run by Neels and Eloise Grobbelaar, a husband and wife team. We are qualified teachers (both in SA and the UK), each with over 25 years of teaching behind us and we have two children. We recently returned from the UK after teaching and supporting autistic teens in Bristol, England for 18 years.
During our time in the UK, we received extensive training in various autism approaches, along with Post Graduate Certificates in Autism, which we obtained from Birmingham University. We are confident in using the British syllabus and have supported many teens to achieve academically. We are however most proud of how our students gained confidence in their own abilities. The mental health of our students is very important to us.
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We are a one-of-a-kind setting here in South Africa and love showing visitors around! If you have any questions or would like to come and see our centre in person, just let us know!
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Comfortable with Break-out Spaces
