prep school
A joyful, curious space where foundations are built gently, voices grow stronger, and learning feels like discovery.
Cedar House Prep School is a warm, creative, student-centred space where children feel safe, seen and supported. Learning here feels like discovery, filled with conversation, imagination and real engagement rather than pressure or performance. Students are encouraged to ask questions, explore ideas and build confidence in a community shaped by kindness, curiosity and genuine connection.
This is where big thinking begins and where students grow into themselves with delight and purpose.
As Principal of Prep School, I’m inspired every day by the energy our children bring into this space, their curiosity, their questions, their willingness to wonder out loud. There is something incredibly special about watching young people discover who they are, what they care about and how they learn best. It’s the reason I love this work.
I believe Prep School should be a joyful, grounding chapter in a child’s learning journey. A place where they grow academically, yes, but also as thinkers, friends and young people who feel connected to their community. Watching our students step forward with kindness, courage, and a growing sense of who they are is the part of this job that moves me most.
This is the story of Cedar House Prep for me: a vibrant, thoughtful place where children feel held, challenged and happy, and where their futures begin to take shape in the most beautiful ways.
Priscilla Rhoda
Cedar House High School
Small classes, big curiousity
A happy, grounded environment
Learning that builds understanding
A relational approach
Strong foundations for High School
Assessment without anxiety
A community that values individuality
A gentle, thoughtful transition into “Big School”
Grade 4 is a natural entry point at Cedar House. Students join a calm, caring environment where routines are introduced gradually and expectations are clear. There is space to settle, breathe and feel secure. Teachers work closely with families to ensure each child is ready for the journey ahead.
Small classes. Real connection. Deep learning.
With small classes, teachers develop a deep understanding of each student. They notice what sparks interest, where support is needed and how each student approaches new ideas. This connection shapes every lesson and every bit of feedback.
Learning is relational. Children speak, listen, debate and wonder. Their voices belong in the room.
grows thinkers
Prep learning is lively, hands-on and rooted in curiosity. Instead of racing through content, we slow down to build real understanding and confidence. Students explore ideas, experiment, question, and make meaningful links across subjects.
You’ll often find students:
discussing characters, histories, and themes
experimenting, building, and planning
reading widely and writing often
tackling problems in different ways
connecting lessons to real life
discussing characters, histories, and themes
experimenting, building, and planning
reading widely and writing often
tackling problems in different ways
connecting lessons to real life
Senior school
We follow the national CAPS curriculum as a base and enrich it significantly. Our focus is on growing capable, independent thinkers who step confidently into Grade 8 and, eventually, the Grade 12 IEB examinations.
- Key skills include:
- critical reading and comprehension
- reasoning and problem-solving
- clear communication
- confident speaking
- teamwork and collaboration
- independent thinking
- social justice awareness and civic engagement
Builds confidence
We do not use high-stakes examinations. Assessment is ongoing, gentle and designed to help children grow through:
Projects
Practical tasks
Written pieces
Small quizzes
Presentations
Reflections
Feedback is constructive and encouraging, helping students understand themselves as learners and build resilience.
Literacy and numeracy as living skills
Our literacy and numeracy programmes are rich, dynamic and grounded in deep understanding. We aim to grow confident readers, writers and mathematical thinkers who can express ideas clearly, reason effectively and enjoy problem-solving.
Learning through relationship and dialogue
Connection is at the centre of Cedar House Prep School. Teachers guide learning through conversation, curiosity and encouragement. When children feel safe and understood, they take intellectual risks, and that is where the best learning happens.
High school & beyond
Confident
in their abilities
Comfortable
asking questions
Skilled
at organising their work
Ready
for increased responsibility
familiar
with extended projects and research tasks
Fully prepared
for the demands of Grade 8
Rhythm
Each day begins with a twenty-minute mentor session that helps students settle, connect and begin the day with calm focus.
Children are welcome to stay on campus until 17:00, even though we do not offer formal aftercare. Staff are present during this time, but it is not a structured programme beyond the extra-mural activities on offer.
- Gr 8–9 08:10–14:40
- Gr 10–12 08:10–15:00
- Fridays 13:30 finish for all
- Campus open 07:00
- Campus close 17:00
Thrives Here?
Cedar House Prep is ideal for students who:
- ask questions
- think imaginatively
- feel deeply
- enjoy exploring ideas
- notice the small details
- learn differently
- thrive in warm, connected environments
- flourish when teachers truly understand them
If your child is curious, creative, thoughtful, sensitive or simply in need of a school that gets them, they will feel at home here.
Come see our Prep School
The best way to understand Cedar House is to visit. Meet our teachers, experience the rhythm of our classrooms and see how our students learn, think and grow.
