Founder

Dr Herbie Staples reflects on Newton House’s History

I was one of the Founder Members of Trinityhouse School. I was privileged to work there for 14 years, at which point I retired. Prior to my retirement, I realized that I am not well suited to being retired and therefore started thinking about what my next adventure in life could be. My retirement occurred at the end of 2011 and I used the first few months of 2012 to expand on my dreams.

I had for many years prior to retirement realized that children who struggled with learning had very few places that could provide them with the help that they needed. I have for decades had a soft spot for students who battle in school: (who are highly anxious, who battle with Mathematics or Languages, who struggle to write tests or exams) and realized that there was a golden opportunity to open a school that would effectively deal with these needs. I immediately started the exploratory process and the process of acquiring a property so that the school could open its doors.

The school opened its doors in 2013 with 42 children enrolled. Our intake grades were all in the primary school and the staff complement comprised 5 teachers plus 1 administrative genius and me. The call made to open such a school was very well supported by the therapists in the area and by the community. Our school grew visibly from the word go. By the beginning of 2014 we had 134 students, in January 2015, 205 students and in January 2016, 262 students. Our present enrolments continues to attest. Our school is no longer only a Preparatory school, but since 2015, we have opened up a College division, which has grown to 218 students.

Newton House is a full-orbed holistic school that teaches according to the National CAPS Curriculum and provides all the other emphases that a good mainstream school would provide. No wonder then, that in the recent past the school has needed to buy four additional properties to cope with its rising numbers. Newton House School has an exciting future ahead.