School opens for children with learning barriers
Noble Kids Academy, a school specialising in teaching children with development delays and learning barriers, is aiming to increase its numbers.
A SCHOOL which caters for children with learning barriers and development delays has opened in Berea, and is looking for more pupils.
Noble Kids Academy, a NPO in JB Marks Road, officially opened on 11 January this year, and caters for children from two to six years old.
According to Nokuzda Dlangalala, one of the co-founders, the school is all about inclusive learning and she and co-founder Thobeka Shabangu, believe in teaching children who have learning barriers and development delays, according to their ability, and focus less on competition and more on personal development.
“We have small classes with two teachers per class, teach at the pace of each learner and give each child personal attention. We use professional therapists from UKZN's Westville Campus who do full assessments on the children and have an in-house occupational therapist and speech therapist as well. We work out a full programme for each child, aligned to the recommendation from therapists,” said Nokuzda.
The school works with an advanced potential enhancing programme (APEP).
“Children with ADD/ADHD are normal, but get bored easier. This advanced programme, aligned to CAPS, helps us to work with children in small groups, and it works perfectly. It's easy then to see problems and to help improve these, with children being given full attention in all areas of their development, socially and in the classroom,” she said.
The idea to start the school was as a result of the women experiencing these problems in their own children.
Nokuzda's son was diagnosed ADHD at an early age and Thobeka's two daughters have both experienced development delays, with one being ADD.
“We realised how privileged we are that the children are at schools where their barriers can be controlled, however children in disadvantaged areas where there are no ECDs, have no access to schools. There are only two schools available in the area, and these are not cheap, so we felt the need to form a facility and provide a service,” she said.
She said the school was a public place where children could go to learn and experience being enhanced in terms of their potential.
“We do however, need to increase our numbers. We have six children at the moment, and aim to have 12 per class. We offer two meals a day and aftercare up to 5pm. We also have a holiday programme open throughout the year,” she said.
If anyone is interested in enrolling their children in the school, they should contact 031 220 2055 or 031 837 2722.
