Never stop trying Never stop believing Never give up Success will come
In 1999 Vivienne Mitchley, who was a remedial teacher at a Montessori school, was approached by 4 parents to set up a school – offering non mainstream education for children with severe learning abilities.
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Northcliff House College began in Vivienne’s double garage with 5 pupils which rapidly grew to 8 pupils, so in 2002 the school found new larger premises in the town centre. This turned out to be a real problem – the school was threatened by gangs, drugs, undesirable individuals – with no security the children were at risk and eventually in 2012 the school moved with 80 pupils, to it’s current premises in Berghof Hermanus.
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Today NHC has over 170 pupils aged between 4 - 18 years old, with a range of medical and behavioural difficulties.
In accepting these young people who otherwise would receive minimal education and support, NHC has already produced successes and has dramatically impacted on the local community in a way, that other schools in the area are unable to do. If NHC did not exist, these children would be left to their own resources, inevitably drop out and lead a non-wholesome existence – open to abuse, destitution, poverty and most likely, crime.
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The school strives to develop a strong sense of self-worth, accountability and encourages creative and critical thinking in all areas. Firm positive discipline creates an ethical foundation enabling students to deal with the pressures of an increasingly demanding and complex world.
Teaching is based on South Africa’s National Curriculum and the inherent principles of the Western Cape Education Department. NHC has to be a privately funded school due to the specialist teaching methods it finds to be the most beneficial for the children under its care and because of that, sadly they only receive minimal financial support from South Africa’s local or national educational bodies.