Our School | Reddam House Bedfordview

HISTORY

A BRIEF OVERVIEW

START OF A DREAM

The History of Reddam House Bedfordview, a private school started in July 1993, armed with little more than enthusiasm, (some trepidation) and a dream for a credible Christian school, Bedfordview Christian College was born and the task of appointing teachers, advertising, registering the school with the Education Department and equipping the school began in earnest.

By December 1993 Christian Family Church had agreed to rent their Sunday school facilities for this purpose and there were 42 registered names (from 3 year-olds to Grade 7s). January 1994 saw Bedfordview Christian College private school open its doors to 42 students and 4 teachers.

Ever expanding numbers saw the purchase and construction of a school on its own property in 1997.

Following persistent requests from parents for a High School ultimately resulted in the formation of Reddam House Bedfordview. We opened for business with almost 500 ELS and Preparatory students and 201 College students being housed in temporary log cabins on the Bedfordview Christian College property on Wednesday 29 January 2003.

FOUNDATIONS & GROWTH

Following negotiations with Mr. Graeme Crawford, the founder of the Reddam House group, Bedfordview Christian College was incorporated under the banner of Reddam House and all Grades 4 to 9 BC High students – the forerunner to Reddam House, Bedfordview – were incorporated into the new school.

Now, twenty four years later, Reddam BCC and Reddam Main Campuses combined have grown into a private school in excess of 1300 students across the Early Learning Stage, Junior and Senior Preparatory and College phases.

Reddam House is part of the Inspired Group which prides itself on providing excellence in global private education. Inspired is a co-educational, independent school group designed to inspire students to achieve their maximum potential in a nurturing, progressive academic environment from ages 1 to 18.

Inspired offers a fresh and contemporary approach to education by re-evaluating traditional teaching methods and curriculums, and creating a more dynamic, relevant and powerful model reflecting current attitudes. We nurture the unique individuality, talent and self-assurance of each student, equipping them to take on the world with the skills and confidence to ensure success.

OUR STORY

A GLOBAL FOOTPRINT

Graeme Crawford, a renowned educator, opened his first school in 1993 in South Africa. In the following five years, the Crawford Schools grew to 21 in total. In 2000, working closely with his sister Sheena Crawford-Kempster, Graeme founded Reddam House Constantia in Cape Town. In January 2001, Graeme opened the first school outside of South Africa: Reddam House Sydney in Australia. Thereafter, both Reddam House Atlantic Seaboard in Cape Town and Reddam House Bedfordview in Johannesburg started in 2003. A newly constructed state of the art Reddam House Waterfall school then opened its doors in 2012 in a residential property development on the outskirts of Johannesburg. Reddam House joined the international school group Inspired, which escalated the growth of the Reddam House brand further. A second brand, Reddford House, was then launched in 2014 with Reddford House The Hills and Reddford House Blue Hills offering students a wide selection of choices. Reddam House has since branched out to the United Kingdom, acquiring Fulham Preparatory School and Bearwood College, rebranded as Reddam House Berkshire under the Inspired umbrella. The Reddam House group, currently boasts 9 schools and 3 Early Learning Schools.

FIND YOUR REDDAM

THE ORIGINS OF OUR NAME

TUTUM TE REBORE REDDAM

The REDDAM motto has its origins in Scottish history with the first Monarch of Crawford who saved King David the First of Scotland from certain death by a stag during a hunting expedition. The Monarch of Crawford adopted the motto “TUTUM TE REBORE REDDAM” which means “I will keep you safe by my strength”, and his Coat-of-Arms included the stag’s head as a symbol of the Monarch’s bravery. On marrying his wife, the monarch included the fleur-de-lis in his Coat-of-Arms. Since then, the Coat of Arms of the Crawford clan has always incorporated the stag and fleur-de-lis.

In 1999, Mrs Crawford-Kempster, Director of Reddam House, worked with Mr Burnell, the State Herald at the Bureau of Heraldry in Pretoria and using the elements of the stag and the fleur-de-lis, created a Coat-of-Arms for Reddam House. Our school’s name is taken from the Latin for “give back”, and our school motto “We shall give back” is a fitting sentiment and one which serves as a reminder to our students of the importance of contributing to the community.

Tutum means protect Roboris means strength Reddam means give back

PHILOSOPHY

OUR EDUCATIONAL APPROACH

Reddam House offers an internationally respected curriculum, including a broad range of academic, cultural and sporting activities. We nurture individuality, talent and self-assurance in a secure, relaxed, self-disciplined environment. Reddam House understands the importance of education; we therefore equip our students to face an increasingly challenging global future with pride and confidence by inspiring true excellence in international education.

You are serious about

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

Reddam House sets a new standard in private education with a dedication to excellence permeating every aspect of the school. Integrating innovative, challenging and enriching academic, performing arts and sports programs, students leave with outstanding academic results, a love of learning, confidence and a firm value system that arms them to embrace the challenges and opportunities of life. An extensive range of subjects beyond the mandatory school curriculum are on offer. Through sound teaching methods the students are exposed to a wide variety of subjects, including information technology and research skills. At Reddam House we strive towards academic excellence in every grade, with the ultimate focus on achieving outstanding examination results.

You place a high priority on

INDIVIDUALITY AND SELF-CONFIDENCE

At Reddam House we recognize that each student is special and unique and our aim is to nurture and develop this uniqueness while simultaneously locating any latent talent and building on it. Students are encouraged to express their individuality, to be comfortable with who they are and to respect each other for their differences. Our core objective is to provide each child the opportunity to develop his or her full potential.

Your child has

ABUNDANT POTENTIAL

We believe in raising the standard – In an average school environment, placed together with averagely achieving children, the above-average child will under-achieve, becoming complacent and bored. In the Reddam House environment each child is motivated, stimulated and supported to meet our highest academic expectations. Even the average child will rise to the challenge when presented with work that will extend and stimulate. We teach children to think and to question – Our aim is to promote independent thought and encourage young people to use the knowledge they have acquired to develop their own thoughts, ideas and opinions. We support children in their educational endeavours by teaching them how to think, not what to think. Skills development – Students are taught to hone their thinking, understanding, application and analytical skills in each subject. Reddam House students also receive tuition in life and communication skills, study methods and time management, and are introduced to entrepreneurship, stock-exchange and banking know-how, drug awareness and eating disorder programs, guidance in choosing subjects and career counselling.

You want

A SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT LIKE NO OTHER

Class sizes – Reddam House is committed to maintaining small class sizes based on research, which has demonstrated that smaller numbers in each class is one of the most effective ways to maximize the learning capacity of each individual student.

Multiform – At Reddam House we believe that feeling comfortable is conducive to working at your optimum level. Reddam House prides itself on its uniform, which we prefer to refer to as a multiform. We have designed the multiform to be practical and eye-catching, whilst at the same time enjoyable to wear. Any items from the multiform can be co-ordinated with each other throughout the seasons and year to suit the individual. There is however a formal uniform which is to be worn at formal functions and when representing the school.

Educators – Each classroom employs the services of an expert educator trained to implement our principles. Our teacher selection policy is one of the most vital aspects of our schools because we appreciate the importance of their contribution to shaping enquiring minds and developing young talent

Your child is

PASSIONATE ABOUT SPORTS

Sport and creative and performing arts feature strongly in a Reddam House education. Students are encouraged to participate in these activities on both competitive and non-competitive levels, resulting in students that are well rounded and not solely focused on academia. Reddam House believes that sport plays a major role in building the personal and social values necessary to achieve success.

You simply want your child to

LOVE SCHOOL

Being non-denominational in nature, the Reddam House environment allows for total religious freedom whilst fostering mutual respect and tolerance. Through its curriculum and teaching methodology, Reddam House instils a sense of right and wrong and promotes ethical values and behaviour (common to most religions) in all aspects of school and personal life. Reddam House is a co-educational school group that educates students to identify and understand the differences between individuals that make up a school and therefore a community. We provide a secure and natural environment, reflecting the society in which students learn to relate to each other, and an opportunity for students to interact whilst comfortably encouraging gender equality.

A Reddam House education extends beyond the confines of traditional academia to tuition in life and communication skills, study methods and time management. We firmly believe it is vital that our students are adequately equipped to meet life’s challenges in a globally competitive world.

At Reddam House we integrate innovative, challenging and enriching academic, performing arts and sports programmes into our daily curriculum.

PERFORMING AND CREATIVE ARTS

A Reddam House education endows each individual student with the self-confidence that derives from performance, the appreciation of the arts as fundamental to the human experience and a creative approach to all they do. Whether through learning to speak in public, drama, dance and instrumental music lessons for all, or by developing a love of the visual arts, Inspired believes that artists are not special kinds of people but every person is a special kind of artist – and by setting free the creative individuality of each child, academic studies also flourish further.

ACADEMICS

This is the central pillar of a child’s education. Academic results are vitally important, leading to the qualifications that open up the world beyond school at university and the world of work. Reddam House schools do not teach to the test. Students reach their academic potential when they are engaged in the learning process, when their self-confidence is strengthened, when they are empowered by learning to think critically, and when their approach to study is ignited by outstanding teaching.

SPORT

Reddam House’s sporting pillar stands for health and well-being, fun, motivation, self-discipline and self-esteem. Whether involving students in team sports or introducing them to individual pursuits, Inspired aims to provide an athletics programme to suit every girl and boy. While some our students go on to achieve national and international honours, all benefit from the fitness, enjoyment and life-long interest that sport can provide. And here again, the physical exercise involved contributes to mental alertness necessary for successful study and love of learning.

GETTING AROUND

SCHOOL BUSES

Children are shuttled to extra-mural activities in our school buses by our highly proficient bus driving team.

Morning buses – one from the northern suburbs and one from the south of Johannesburg – are available to bring students to school (one way) at a reasonable cost. Please contact our admin office on tel. (011) 615-6710 for more details as this service is in great demand and places on the bus must be reserved.