Centennial Schools - article

Centennial Schools expands, now offering a complete schooling journey

This article has been provided by Zolani Qetsele from ByDesign

The expansion comes amid a crisis of overcrowding in Gauteng schools, where many public institutions are stretched beyond capacity. But for Centennial Schools Founder and CEO, Shaun Fuchs, this is about more than just space; it is about rethinking what school can and should be.

“Parents are not just looking for places to enrol their children,” says Fuchs. “They are looking for learning environments that see each child as an individual, that offer academic excellence without rigidity, and that prepares their students not just for exams, but for life.”

The school is known for its progressive approach to education, combining the national CAPS curriculum with real-world skills development, digital fluency, emotional intelligence, and project-based learning.

The expansion will unfold in two phases. In 2026, Grades 4 to 6 will be housed in the newly launched Centennial Preparatory School, situated on the campus adjacent to the existing High School. This purpose-built learning space will serve as the bridge between early learning and middle school, with an emphasis on inquiry, collaboration, and digital competence.

In response to growing demand for innovative, future-focused education, Centennial Schools is expanding its Sunninghill campus and introducing new Grades.

Starting January 2026, Centennial Schools will expand its offering to include Grades 4 and 5, becoming a fully integrated intermediate and high school serving students from Grade 4 to Grade 12. In 2027, when its Foundation Phase officially opens, the school will complete its vision of offering a full Grade R to 12 journey.

This will establish Centennial Schools as one of the few private schools in South Africa to offer a complete educational pathway, from the earliest years of learning through to Matric, on one integrated and future-fit campus.

The model prioritises qualities that are becoming non-negotiable in a fast-changing world but that are not generally taught in schools: agency, adaptability, and creativity, among others.

Fuchs believes the earlier this model is introduced, the more powerful its impact: “When students stay in one environment from the Foundation Phase through to Grade 12, they are not just academically consistent, they are emotionally supported.

They build relationships with educators who know them deeply. They grow into communities where they feel seen, heard, and safe. And, they move through a curriculum that scaffolds life-readiness year-by-year.”

In 2027, the school will open its Foundation Phase (Grades R to 3), designed to celebrate curiosity, play, and the fundamentals of literacy, numeracy and social development, delivered through a dual-teacher model and enriched by both physical and digital learning tools.

Leading this new phase is Caroline Miller, a highly respected educator and leader with over 35 years of experience in independent schooling. Her appointment as Founding Principal of Centennial Preparatory School brings deep expertise, visionary leadership, and a passion for inclusive, forward-thinking education.

“This is not just an expansion of grades, it is an expansion of possibility,” says Fuchs. “Our goal is not to create a traditional school with modern tools. It is to reimagine what education looks like at every stage, and to give young people the confidence and capacity to thrive.”

With this move, the school is taking a definitive step toward becoming one of South Africa’s most complete and contemporary education models; one that sees every child not just as a student, but as a future-ready human being in the making.