Partnership with Lotus High School, SA

Reigate Grammar School have partnered with Lotus High, a struggling state school in Cape Town SA, to be a source of support and guidance where needed. Lotus High are in desperate need of laptops, computers and books. 

Reigate Grammar School has managed to secure the donation of over 30 laptops and hundreds of books which will be taken to Lotus High this October.

Aims

By offering educational support and training, donations of unwanted books, laptops and clothing, and interaction between our community and theirs, we feel that we can help the children of Lotus High to see a brighter future and help our children to learn the importance of giving back; to learn that they are part of a global village and that they can have a huge impact upon the world.   

Background

This exciting new initiative aims to support Lotus High, a struggling state school in the Western Cape, as part of our ongoing Outreach and Partnerships programme and is our first non-commercial partner within the RGS Global Village. 
In 2023, Lotus High School was the lowest performing School in the Western Cape, having fallen into a spiral of decline. Lotus High found itself caught in a financial paradox; historically seen as a school for middle-income families owing to its location, the current demographic told a different story. The state annual school fee of R720, or £30 per pupil, was a steep mountain for many families at Lotus High School. Only 10% of the pupils’ families could afford to pay fees, as parents faced challenges of high unemployment rates and an impoverished community. 
In 2023, Stephen Price, a retired Head from one of Cape Town's premier independent school's, decided to come out of retirement to lead Lotus High forward. By end of 2023, Lotus High School grades had gone up by 60%. Stephen had instituted a new school uniform, school song and had created a sustainable strategy and affordability plan to enable all children to thrive.  
But more than ever they need our support, guidance and partnership. Most children who attend Lotus High have never left their neighbourhood, never seen the beautiful sites on their doorstep such as Table Bay Mountain, instead living their lives in the ghettos they were born into. Their walk to school is fraught with the danger of being attacked and robbed, beaten or even shot. Many have no access to technology such as laptops, phones or even whiteboards in school. Teachers have to buy their own projectors to facilitate their teaching, using old fashioned blackboards and chalk. Many pupils are dejected and despondent, having seen their older siblings leave school only to be faced with unemployment and a bleak future.  

Frequency

Ongoing