A new private school, shopping mall and interchange are set to boost further growth in an already booming Sheffield.

Seaton House, a private co-educational school which will eventually cater to children aged 3-18, was officially launched last week and will open for partial intake in January 2027. A new mixed-use development with 240 000m2 of retail, medical facilities and office space is planned for next door to the school and both will be serviced by the already under-construction N2 interchange, which is scheduled for April 2026 completion.

The developments have emerged in response to a growing residential community in the area, largely in relatively new estates. According to Collins Residential, who are behind much of the new development, 3 000 families are forecast to move into estates within a 5km radius of Seaton House.

As for the school itself, between 400 and 500 pupils are expected in the first intake in 2027. They will initially fill out Grades 0000-4 in the junior primary and Grades 8-10 in the high school.

These pupils will be accommodated in the first phase of the not-for-profit school, which is expected to cost R105-million, while the full cost of the school is estimated at R250-million.

“As a registered non-profit, Seaton House operates differently from other corporate-owned private schools. We are not investor-owned, and all funding goes directly into building the school and sustaining its mission,” said project lead of the Seaton House project, Elwyn van den Aardweg – former headmaster of Kearsney College.

“About 70% of Phase 1 funding has already been secured through a combination of philanthropic support and soft loans from purpose-aligned partners who believe in what this school stands for – long-term, values-driven impact in a growing region.”

Van den Aardweg said the school is still open to potential funding, while tuition fees will cover the cost once open. On that front, the school is pitched at the lower-end of equivalent independent schools on the North Coast. Per a fee structure published on the school’s website, annual fees start at R42 000 for Grade 0000 and rise to R126 000 for matric, subject to annual increases.

• Note: This story has been updated from that which appeared in print and in the initial online version. In Elwyn van den Aardweg’s quote, the phrase “traditional private schools” was changed to “other corporate-owned private schools” following clarification from Seaton House.

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