Best Autistic Children Schools Johannesburg Near Me

4worldlovers: Offer educational and therapeutic intervention to children with autism and special needs between the ages of 2 and 12.


The school is situated in the leafy suburb of Parktown and has been in existence since 1975.

4worldlovers: Glenoaks is a private remedial and special needs school in Johannesburg that unleashes potential! We nurture academic, functional, social and emotional growth for learners and personalize support according to the needs and strengths of each learner. We create a nurturing and inclusive environment for our learners which is supported by our dedicated, passionate and professional team. We achieve this through innovative adaptation, accommodation, differentiation and individualization for each learner.

A remedial program is for learners with average or higher intellectual abilities but who are not performing well in school. The focus is on narrowing or closing academic gaps to the extent that a learner can be re-introduced to mainstream schooling.

Special education differs from remedial education in that learners lack the intellectual ability, social and emotional maturity, physical ability or the analytical skills that are needed to perform in a remedial or mainstream classroom environment. The focus of special needs programs is to assist learners to be functional, independent and employable adults.

The school’s journey began over fifty years ago in 1969 with Dr Lorna Swartz. She started a small school in Melrose for her daughter, who was regarded as ‘learning disabled’. As word spread, other parents brought their children to Dr Schwartz, and Glenoaks School was born. Glenoaks School was one of the few schools who included learners of differing racial groups. In 1976 the school moved to Orange Grove. In 1981 Glenoaks expanded and moved to our current premises in Kensington. Dr Swartz’s vision has lived on through the leadership of Ms Peacock, Ms Patt, Mr Barnes and currently Mrs Caldeira.

Many who visit the school remark on our homely, friendly and nurturing atmosphere, while still offering the structure of a school environment. The small class settings, individual and group therapies and the unwritten curriculum of care and concern help us to grow our learners socially, emotionally and academically. We strive to ensure that our learners are intrinsically motivated and happily engaged in their own learning. We also strive to develop a sensitivity to and an understanding of academic, cultural and religious differences.

Glenoaks has a multi-disciplinary team consisting of psychologists, occupational, speech & language, remedial and learning support therapists, as well as facilitators, classroom assistants and job coaches. These supportive services which are included in the school fees help our learners to identify their strengths and work on their areas of difficulty.

Placement decisions are based on various formal and informal assessment processes and are made by a collaborative team. We assess learners holistically and don’t only rely on IQ as a deciding factor. Similar processes follow when it comes to mainstreaming learners, transitioning to high school, referring to our special needs stream or deciding on future prospects beyond primary schooling.

Glenoaks has turned my daughter’s life around. She did not like mixing with anyone but now she loves being with people and she is a lot more independent. Thank you Glenoaks for all the love and care you put into our children

Glenoaks has provided my son with a safe learning space to allow him to develop at a pace that meets him where he is in his academic journey. More importantly it has given him and us a sense of belonging with a peer group that is his tribe. Glenoaks is the most special of the special needs schools, we are very happy here

The news of our son's special education needs left us shocked and clueless. After considering various schools, we confidently chose Glenoaks, and our decision never faltered. The exceptional staff's compassion and support, not only for our child but also for parents in support groups and the community, made an immense impact. Our son's growth was evident from day one—academically, socially, and most importantly, in his self-esteem. The challenges that plagued his previous school diminished as his confidence flourished. When the psychologist highlighted his interpersonal skills, suggesting a career as a therapist, it epitomized Glenoaks' commitment to nurturing children to unleash their true potential, irrespective of their challenges

A special word of thanks to the incredible staff at Glenoaks who are loving and very much in touch with the children’s needs. Thank you for helping our children to be the best that they can

I’m so happy with Glenoaks and the progress my son has made. I love the school!

Glenoaks is a G-D send. Thanks so much for all the hard work and dedication from the principal to the lovely staff. Always willing to help me no matter what

4worldlovers: Ilana and Martin Gerschlowitz were an ordinary South African couple – young, newly married with bright, promising futures – that is, before autism came knocking on their door. Saving My Sons tells of a journey few parents would ever want to encounter. Unwilling to accept the hopelessness of an autism prognosis, the couple set out to rescue their son from the fortress that kept him from them. Never giving up, Ilana spent every waking moment researching the illness until she found answers. Subsequently, drawing from international experts, she has gone on to help countless children facing learning challenges. When autism struck again, threatening another son’s future, their mission became clear. This was not a fight they were prepared to lose. You can’t read this book and remain untouched by the tenacity of a mother fighting to give her children their best lives, achieving the impossible and beyond.

The Star Academy is an NPO, our mission is to reach and help as many families as we can.

4worldlovers:
The Centre for Autism Research and Education (CARE), where we believe that every child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) deserves the best possible start in life.

Our independent school, registered with the Department of Education, is dedicated to providing a safe and nurturing environment for learners aged 18 months to 12 years who are affected by ASD. At CARE, we understand that raising a child with autism can be challenging, and we are here to provide a strong support system to both the child and parent.

We offer a comprehensive range of facilities, therapies, information and guidance all under one roof, making it easier for parents and caregivers to access the resources they need to support their child’s development. Our team of experienced professionals are passionate about providing the highest quality care and education, tailored to meet the individual needs of each learner.

We believe in creating a sense of belonging for every child with autism. We emphasise the ethos of “different, not less” and strive to create a safe haven for our learners where they can feel comfortable, cared for, accepted, and empowered. We are committed to promoting a positive and inclusive learning environment, where learners can reach their full potential and thrive.

We invite you to join us on this journey of hope and growth, where together we can make a real difference in the lives of children with autism and their families.

As a registered school, CARE follows an adapted version of the national CAPS curriculum to ensure that our educational offering is aligned to national policies. This helps our learners to integrate more easily into formal schooling systems after leaving CARE.

The CARE team specialises in transdisciplinary assessments and diagnostic evaluations. We assess learners’ academic, developmental, behavioural and socio-emotional functioning to formulate an integrated programme that addresses the individual needs of each learner. By providing an accurate evaluation and diagnosis of the learner’s difficulties, we are able to deliver a superior educational and therapeutic intervention.

At CARE, every child is regarded as unique. With us, the happiness and wellbeing of each learner is of the utmost importance. We aim to attend to different aspects of each learner’s development by nourishing and developing them fully. We also provide a safe haven and stability for families; our care extends beyond the learner to ensuring that the whole family feels supported.

4worldlovers: Autism South Africa (A;SA) aspires to achieving a society in which persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) enjoy all the rights and opportunities to meet their needs and fulfill their potentials, throughout their lives, as loved and valued members of their families and communities.

Partner with and be relevant to persons with autism and their families and communities;

Identify and address the differing and changing needs of babies, children, adolescents and adults with autism;

Promote the rights and advance the interests of all those within the autism community;

Draw on and contribute to national and international experience and expertise in the field of autism, while retaining a regional and local focus on challenges and opportunities.

4worldlovers: At Baobab Learner Centre, we strive towards developing well-rounded individuals who display optimum growth and progress on a physical, intellectual, scholastic, emotional and social-interpersonal level.

We hope to achieve success through the collaboration of educators trained in learning support. Speech and hearing therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and psychologists may be brought in at an extra cost to the parent. A holistic approach coupled with a nurturing environment, will enable and encourage all our learners to achieve to the best of their ability.

We place much emphasis on the basics and remediation of the fundamental building blocks of learning. Our classes will be small, thus we will be able to attend to the individual needs of the learners and apply a dynamic approach to encourage confidence in their own abilities. In an atmosphere of calm understanding and fair discipline, children will be encouraged to reason and problem-solve using a variety of teaching methods and learning strategies.

Art will be utilized to encourage the development of learners’ imagination, creativity, lateral, out-of-the-box thinking, as well as enhance personal strengths and artistic talents.

Any learners between the ages of 10-20 years of age who display a low average to low I.Q

Develop goals to make child functionally best he/she can be

Embodies all the criteria in the IEP, but does not view learner in isolation, but rather as someone who forms part of a family, in a community within South Africa, who looks outwards when considering goals.

Support family with child and establish what their hopes, dreams and desires are, and the outcome thereof.

Develop goals with families of older children, to help empower and guide them.

Children need to fit the following criteria to be considered for placement at Baobab Learner Centre:

Cognitive skills to be in accordance with the centre’s policy.

Specific learning/emotional difficulties need to be the child’s core problem.Parental involvement and support is essential.

A scrutiny of psycho-educational assessment and other relevant reports. Child to be assessed by an educational psychologist.

If child is assessed as a potential pupil of Baobab Learner Centre, they will be asked to attend school for a trial period of 1 week, where the teacher can assess the child informally.