Crawford Schools are focused on building extremely confident individuals who go on to become active citizens of the global community, workforce and country. This goal is achieved through hard work, a strong academic platform and a complete focus on the individual.
“What makes us unique as a brand is that we see every child as a masterpiece,” says Jaco Lotz, managing director, Crawford Schools. “A masterpiece is something unique and special, it is one of a kind, and this is how we perceive each and every one of our children and [it] underpins the philosophy of our schools.”
It is a culture that places an emphasis on the whole child and how every part of their personality and individuality plays a role in their education and personal development. The school treats each child on its own terms and finds specific ways of addressing their needs.
“It is not a group mentality, it is one that focuses on the individual and is extremely important to us as a school,” adds Lotz. “One of our most prominent symbols of this commitment is the crest on the back pocket of the boy’s trousers — the child is always in front of the badge. This philosophy is imbued into the goals of every Crawford school and allows us to develop well-rounded individuals who can handle the world outside and fit into society as a whole.”
For Lotz, this last point is one that cannot be emphasised enough; he believes it is incredibly important to prepare children for life and whatever it can throw at them, giving them the confidence they need to thrive no matter where they are and what they are doing. From the school, to their homes, to their communities, each child is encouraged to get involved and be engaged.
“As our children develop we need to move away from the silos enforced by society and allow individuals to build their own identities and self-confidence,” says Lotz. “If you establish this relationship with students and fully understand their needs, then you can support them far more effectively in their development and growth.”
The three primary pillars of the Crawford Schools are to understand and develop the individual child, a strong academic platform that allows each child to develop to the best of their ability, and to create extremely confident individuals. On the academic front, Crawford Schools takes an encompassing view, not just focusing on the knowledge of textbooks, but engaging with students and getting them excited about the magic of learning.
“We have created an environment where a child wants to learn and understand the world, and the result is that we have a strong work ethic and superb grades,” says Lotz. “We also ensure that there is always this sense of excitement and enjoyment so as to support children and prevent blocks against specific subjects. We take the time to understand each individual and how they learn and then work with them to achieve their goals.” Crawford Schools follows the CAPS (Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements) curriculum and this forms the base upon which they build specific academic processes that teachers need to adapt and adjust to fulfil the needs of every child. Academic performance is assessed against international benchmarks so as to guide teachers and give them the opportunity to see areas that need extra guidance or coaching.
“We have a blended approach that takes leading international thinking and child development and merges this with a system that requires exams,” concludes Lotz. “Our school is balanced with sport and cultural activities attuned to the students, and extra-murals that support their development. Everything we do is driven by the children and our commitment to their futures.”