The Top Notch of Special Schools for Kids with Special Needs in Cape Town, South Africa

“No country can really develop unless its citizens are educated” Nelson Mandela.

Every child has the right to an education. This is almost universally acknowledged. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948, stated more than just the right to an education, but it also stated unequivocally that the education provided to children must be of high quality regardless of  physical stature, class, race, gender, and so forth.  In this StarInsights report, we narrow our scope to Mother City and examine the most commendable special schools for children with special needs in Cape Town.

An Overview of Special Schooling

Special needs children are those who have disabilities that prevent them from growing normally. These children have either physical or mental disabilities. Special needs children, on the other hand, attend special schools where they learn, receive therapy, and participate in extracurricular activities. 

There are many special schools in SA, but most special children are not receiving the education they require. In fact, special needs students face even greater challenges. Education for people with special needs has always lagged behind, mostly in Africa, however, SA has a long history of attempting to address learners’ special needs to some extent. 

While this is correct, the government has however not been able to work to its full capacity to give access to all special children in different areas of the country. (Human Rights Watch Report, 2019). As such, private special schools have emerged, and their main focus has been on providing more special children with appropriate schooling. 

Parents of special children find it difficult to cope with these children. However, it is critical that they understand that disability does not imply inability and allow their children to attend a school where they can learn to rely on themselves. Enrolling special children in school also allows parents to interact with other mothers who are raising special children.

As a result, credibility and reputation are what make the difference in special institutions, therefore, it is important to understand the correlation between quality services and positive reviews. This analysis researched data using Google Maps, as seen in the tables below.

Top-rated special schools in Cape Town

School	Rating	Number of Reviews
Vera School for Autistic Learners	4.8	12
Cheré Botha School	4.8	6
Vista Nova School (Primary School Campus)	4.7	16
Paarl School Brackenfell	4.6	14
Batavia Special Needs School	4.6	8
GlenBridge Special School	4.6	5
S.N.A.P Durbanville	4.5	30
Molenbeek School	4.4	12
Alpha School Woodstock	4.4	10
Tafelberg School	4.3	21

Most reviewed special schools in Cape Town

School	Number of Reviews	Rating
S.N.A.P Durbanville	30	4.5
Jan Kriel Skool	29	4.2
Tafelberg School	21	4.3
Vista Nova School (Primary School Campus)	16	4.7
Paarl School Brackenfell	14	4.6
Alta Du Toit School	14	3.9
Vera School for Autistic Learners	12	4.8
Molenbeek School	12	4.4
Alpha School Woodstock	10	4.4
Batavia Special Needs School	8	4.6

With 4.8 stars each, Vera School for Autistic Learners and Cheré Botha School are our highest rated special schools in Cape Town. Their reviews describe them as having great staff, excellent trained teachers, and a wonderful experience for their students with various needs. 

With 4.7 stars, Vista Nova School follows the top two on our list, with most of their reviews highlighting them as the best school for learners with special educational needs from grades RR to grade 12. They are praised for offering a multidisciplinary team approach to the holistic education of the children attending the school.

In terms of reviews, at the top of our list with 30 reviews, S.N.A.P Durbanville is hailed for its excellent staff and teachers. Next on the list, following closely with 29 reviews, is Jan Kriel Skool and Tafelberg School in third place with 21 reviews: these schools are known for their top learning facilities for special children and knowledgeable teachers, although the reviews count is relatively low.

We thank the top ten special schools for kids with special needs in both categories for their excellent services and encourage them to contact an organization like eKomi, which can improve their digital presence with efficient teams that generate organic reviews. The eKomi team provides numerous businesses with customer satisfaction assessments, along with free consultations, to help improve brand reputation and online presence.

Check out eKomi’s blog in three months to follow up on our assessment of which Special Schools in Cape Town will be the best and most rated.