Led by a principal who has spent 15 years in Foundation Phase classrooms.
Growth Academy Private School and Little CJ's Pre School share one campus, one set of values, and one principal: Chantal Du Toit.
Fifteen years of watching what actually works for young children.
Chantal Du Toit has spent 15 years working directly in Foundation Phase education, and founded Growth Academy Private School to put that experience into one building: small classes, a strong reading programme, and a crèche — Little CJ's Pre School — that sits close enough to feed naturally into Grade R.
Her approach is practical rather than fashionable. She looks for what keeps a five-year-old's attention, what makes a nine-year-old want to finish a book, and what a classroom needs to run calmly without raised voices. Those questions shape every decision at Growth Academy, from class sizes to the daily timetable.
"A child doesn't need to be entertained all day. They need to know what happens next, and they need someone in the room who notices when they're stuck." — Chantal Du Toit, PrincipalWHAT SHE PRIORITISES
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Consistency over novelty
A predictable daily routine, so children spend their energy on learning rather than figuring out what's happening next.
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Reading as the foundation
Every subject gets easier once a child reads confidently — so reading gets protected time, every day, in every grade.
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Staff who stay
Low staff turnover means children are taught by people who already know how they learn best.
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One campus, one culture
Little CJ's and Growth Academy run on the same values, so moving from crèche to Grade R doesn't feel like starting over.