Innovative methods of learning and continually adapting to meet
the demands of the disruptive world of work.
contact UsAbout EdgeWise
Providing a nurturing and structured learning environment for students to do their curriculum and acquire essential competencies and behaviours required in the changing world.
Imagine your child:
- feeling confident about who they are
- feeling safe and secure in their learning environment
- being inspired to learn and achieve success in their subjects
- being happy
- having a clear purpose and dream worth working towards
Our Vision
To offer a supportive learning environment where young people can get the edge in our complex and changing world.
We commit:
- To respect each student as a individual
- To provide a supportive and caring workspace
- To inspire learning and the acquisition of essential competencies and behaviours for tomorrow’s world of work
- To strive for integrated learning with a high regard for our interdependence with Earth
- To support each student to achieve their vision, feel fulfilled and be able to play a meaningful role in society
Integrated Approach
We offer an integrated learning environment that combines a credible online curriculum with experiential learning beyond the four walls, ensuring the acquisition of the following essential transferable skills:
Cognitive | Intrapersonal | Interpersonal
Transferable skills are integrated into the curriculum, preparing students for the future and helping them to adapt to the changing world of work.
Our Environment
We are not a school! We operate from a home environment. It’s a safe, secure and supportive workspace that gives students the structure and motivation to achieve their goals.
Academic
We help each student select their curriculum according to their requirements. In addition to the ongoing curriculum support, students will receive extra tutorials in specific subjects when needed.
Nature
We believe that nature plays a vital role in the health of human beings, and we therefore organise regular trips to amazing places.
'No one will protect what they don't care about; and no one will care about what they have never experienced.' - David Attenborough
Giving Back
We acknowledge that we are privileged and embrace helping vulnerable lives. Giving back through understanding, knowledge and empathy is achieved through practical and hands-on activities.
Fees and term dates
- A safe, supportive and structured learning environment with a fibre-optic internet connection, printer/scanner and use of a small kitchen
- Individual and small group teaching support of the online curriculum (2nd language and specialist subjects to be discussed)
- Four outdoor activities per term
- Coaching and emotional intelligence sessions
- All fees pertaining to the online curriculum: administration, subjects, examinations
- Laptop
- Extra lessons over and above what is offered in the learning centre
- Specialist lessons that may take place, such as Art, Welding and Robotics
- Transport to outdoor activities
- Entrance fees to places of interest such as museums, art galleries, expos and so on
- Camping trips
(Specialist lessons, outdoor activities and camping trips are optional. However, due to EdgeWise’s ethos of wanting to offer a meaningful education, students are encouraged to participate in these.)
Term Dates
EdgeWise follows the South African Department of Basic Education term dates.
Recommendations from past students and parents
We highly recommend Andrew Hepburn-Brown, as a teacher, mentor, educator, coach. We first met him in 1996 when he came to Maun Botswana, to teach at Matshwane Primary School.
Andrew educated our eldest two children in primary school and because of his passion for and dedication to education we asked him to work together and start an education centre where our children and other families’ children could do their long-distance high-school education.
The academic aspect gave our children an excellent foundation and helped them study further and become successful professionals, while the integrated approach that Andrew brought to the group enriched their lives tremendously. He undertook to offer them a holistic education far beyond the centre. Among other things they went on environmental trips, enjoyed cultural experiences and art camps, and took part in scientific research in and around the Okavango Delta, Kalahari and Makgadikgadi Pans.
He mentored them and motivated them to achieve their goals. His approach was professional, but he also had a wonderful touch of personal warmth and interacted with all the students with respect and treated them like team members.
We have kept contact with Andrew over the years and fully recommend him in his new project of setting up EdgeWise. We know that he will continue to add value to young lives, ensuring that they achieve their goals and become valued members of the community.
Future students can count themselves lucky to have such a motivated, disciplined, hardworking, light-hearted, kind, caring and enthusiastic teacher
My parents decided to give us an alternative education in Maun, Botswana rather than sending us off to boarding school. They reached out to Andrew Hepburn-Brown to assist in co-founding PACE for Life (Practical, Academic, Creative Education). We followed the Cambridge IGCSE curriculum. To achieve the goals of PACE Andrew used a variety of teaching methods and involved us in the everyday running of the learning centre. We went on many environmental and cultural field trips, including to the Okavango Delta and surrounding game reserves, the Kalahari Desert and Gaborone. On several occasions we also went to the lion research camp where Kate Nicholls home-taught her children. Another highlight was doing an art workshop with well-known Botswana artist Ann Gollifer. We achieved our academic goals, but also other important lessons such as teamwork, leadership, creativity, planning and problem-solving. We enjoyed these trips immensely and they remain some of my favourite memories.
Teaching happened in a non-traditional but very effective way. We read Shakespeare and the Brontë sisters, among others. We were inspired and involved, and Andrew’s enthusiasm was contagious. We ran the learning centre together, where we shared all weekly tasks. We had regular meetings and a forum to voice our thoughts and opinions with Andrew. This period of my life is one I look back on with great fondness. The friends I made there are life-long connections. It helped shape me into the person I am today. The type of learning Andrew is enthusiastic about is very flexible and he is able to adjust to each student’s individual needs. Andrew’s patience, kindness, flexibility, genuine interest in education and ability to discover each student’s individual strengths make him an ideal educator for equipping students for life.