Schools in Cape Town: Cambridge, international and state options for British families

You won't find a long list of "British schools" in Cape Town, but you will find Cambridge IGCSEs and A levels, and fees that make UK private schools look eye-watering.

The short version

• The South African school year runs from January to December, not September to July, so plan your move and your child's year group around that.
• A few independent schools teach the Cambridge (British-style) curriculum right through to A levels, including the International School of Cape Town and the IES schools in Parklands and Somerset West [1].
• Many local private schools follow the IEB, and the state schools the National Senior Certificate; some offer Cambridge alongside [2].
• State school applications for Grades R, 1 and 8 open months ahead: for 2027 the window ran from 10 March to 14 April 2026 [3].
• For UK university, your child will usually be charged international fees unless they've lived in the UK for the 3 years before the course starts [4].

Pound conversions use the Bank of England spot rate of 5 November 2026 (£1 = ZAR 22.20).

How the school system works

All children aged 7 to 15 must go to school or be home-schooled in South Africa [5]. In practice most start earlier:

• Grade R (Reception) at 5 to 6
• Grades 1 to 7, primary school
• Grades 8 to 12, high school, ending with the matric exams

The school year starts in January, and there are four terms with a long break over Christmas, which is the height of the summer. A child who'd be in Year 7 in September back home in Blighty will often slot into Grade 6 or 7 here, depending on their birthday and the school. Cambridge schools use UK-style year groups, which makes things simpler.

There are three main qualifications at the end:

UK universities know all three, but A levels make UK applications straightforward. If your child might go back to the UK for sixth form or university, a Cambridge school keeps things familiar.

Cambridge and international schools

These schools teach the Cambridge curriculum to A level. All were checked on their own websites in November 2026.

• International School of Cape Town (ISCT), Claremont. Cambridge from Nursery to A levels on two campuses: Struben House for Nursery to Year 2 and Woodland Heights for the older years [1].
• IES Blouberg International School, Parklands. Nursery to Year 13 on the Cambridge International curriculum, handy for the northern suburbs and Table View.
• IES Helderberg International School, Somerset West. Nursery to Year 13, Cambridge International, for families out towards the winelands.
• Reddam House Durbanville. Ages 18 months to 19, offering both Cambridge IGCSE, AS and A levels and the IEB [6].
• The French School of Cape Town (Lycée Français du Cap), Gardens. Ages 2 to 18, a French programme with a British International Section and Cambridge exams. Worth a look for bilingual families.
• Generation Schools. Campuses at Sunningdale, Sandown, Somerset West and Imhoff, with Cambridge as one senior pathway alongside the IEB.
• El Shaddai Christian School, Durbanville. Independent Christian school offering Cambridge International exams.

A few state schools also offer Cambridge subjects. SACS High School, a boys' school in Newlands, offers Cambridge GCSE and A-level options in selected subjects alongside the NSC [2].

What it costs

Independent school fees in Cape Town are a fraction of UK boarding or London day school fees, though they're still a big chunk of a local salary.

International School of Cape Town, 2027 fees (standard annual fee) [1]:

ISCT gives a 5% rebate for paying the year up front and 10% off for second and later children. There's a technology levy of R1,800 to R3,700 a year (about £80 to £170) for younger year groups, and a one-off textbook levy for new students [1].

Reddam House Durbanville, 2026 fees: the school's 2026 schedule runs from about R69,100 a year (about £3,110) for a school-day place in the youngest groups up to about R167,180 (about £7,530) for senior years, with 3% off for siblings [6].

Other schools publish their fees to parents on request or as downloads. Budget on top for uniforms, extra-murals (after-school activities), school trips and, for some, building levies.

State schools and admissions

Cape Town's good state schools, especially in the southern suburbs, are popular with British families. They're not free: South African public schools can charge fees, set by the parents' body, and the well-regarded ones charge real money, though far less than private schools.

The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) runs admissions online [3][7].

1. Know the deadlines. Applications for Grades R, 1 and 8 open about a year ahead. For the 2027 school year the window ran from 10 March to 14 April 2026 [3].
2. Apply on time. On-time applications go into the first round; late ones wait [3].
3. Gather documents. You'll need certified proof of identity (for foreign children, a passport), the latest school report, proof of residence such as a lease, and an immunisation record for primary school [3][7].
4. Add the study permit for transfers. For Grades 2 to 7 and 9 to 12, the WCED lists a study permit, or proof that you've applied for one, among the accepted documents [7].
5. Ask about catchment. Popular schools give priority to families living nearby, so where you rent matters. Our guide to renting in Cape Town covers the suburbs.

Make sure your child's immigration status is sorted too. Because the WCED asks older transfer pupils for a study permit or proof of an application, check which visa your child needs as part of the family's application, covered in our guide to moving to Cape Town as a Brit.

UK universities from Cape Town

Plenty of Cape Town teenagers go to UK universities, and there's nothing stopping a British teenager applying through UCAS from abroad. The money is where it gets tricky.

For student finance in England, UK nationals need to have been living in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for 3 years before the first day of the first academic year, apart from temporary absences such as holidays [4]. Universities use similar rules to decide whether a student pays home or international fees. A teenager who has spent their high school years in Cape Town will usually fail that test and pay international fees, which are many times higher. If your stay in South Africa is temporary, for example a work posting, talk to the universities early about how they'll assess your child.

Our guide to UK student loans while living abroad covers what happens to existing student loans once you've moved.

Other things to plan for:

• A levels vs matric. UK universities accept the NSC and IEB, but entry requirements are set course by course. Check each university's international entry pages.
• English language tests. British citizens educated in English rarely need one, but the British Council runs IELTS in Cape Town if a university asks.
• Registering children born abroad. If you have a child in Cape Town, our guide to registering a child born abroad explains British citizenship by descent.

For first-hand reviews of schools, ask other parents in our community group for Brits in South Africa.

Sources

1. International School of Cape Town: Cambridge school fees and 2027 fee schedule (checked 7 November 2026)
2. SACS High School: Curriculum
3. Western Cape Government: Don't wait! School admissions applications for 2027 open tomorrow (9 March 2026)
4. GOV.UK: Student finance – who qualifies
5. GOV.UK (FCDO): Living in South Africa (last updated 11 December 2025)
6. Reddam House Durbanville: Fees (2026 fee schedule)
7. Western Cape Government: Learner admissions

Keep reading

• Renting in Cape Town
• Cost of living in Cape Town vs London and the UK average
• UK student loans while living abroad
• Registering a child born abroad and British citizenship by descent