Leolan Academy - School for children with special needs

Leolan Academy is a non-profit, special school supporting children who have complex needs including autism. Leolan Academy is committed to the development of each individual child’s abilities so that he or she may come to experience life to its full potential.

The Leolan Academy was started by the Principal herself, because of her own son (now already 17) being diagnosed with autism and hence experiencing the challenges of raising and educating a child with special needs, first hand.

The Leolan Academy approach provides structure, routine and a learning environment in which students can truly flourish, with communication being a vital part of every student’s education.

Small classes, arranged by age-group and ability, are overseen by a teacher and assistant. Staff are qualified, experienced and expertly trained to meet the diverse needs of Leolan Academy's students through tailored programmes and 1:1 educational support. Staff work closely with children’s families and other professionals to achieve shared goals with a collective and consistent approach; maximising children’s potential for success.

The number of children diagnosed with autism continue to increase each year and to date, research into the causes of autism has not provided any cure. Those of us who specialise in educating children with autism and other special needs, must rely on research-based programs that are proven to be effective. We work to minimize the characteristics of autism that set the children apart from their typically developing peers as we also teach skills that will allow them to have quality lives and to be contributing members of their communities. Please join us in this mission of hope for our children.

During December 2012 two local organisations, The Louis 57 Foundation and Rauch Gertenbach Attorneys, decided to adopt the Leolan Academy as their charity of choice for 2013.

The well-known international golfing star, Louis Oosthuizen and his wife Nel-Mare, through their charitable foundation, the Louis 57 Foundation, decided to support the Leolan Academy. Nel-Mare also now serves as a Director of the Leolan Academy. Various projects have been completed to raise funds for the Leolan Academy. These include the annual Leolan Golf Day and the Blue Cupcakes for

Autism Project. The Louis 57 Foundation has also made available a home from where the school can function permanently, from July 2013.

Serving the Southern Cape since 1919, Rauch Gertenbach is well-known for their contributions to the local community and fundraising events for charity. Their highly successful annual fundraising ball will be held on 8 November this year to benefit the Leolan Academy.

Secretaries Day (4 September) lunch event with Alise and Pippie of the Pippie Foundation
An up-market Cheese and Wine event where Alise will also be the guest speaker
An Elvis Blue and Michael Lindt show

Contribute to this worthy cause by sponsoring the monthly schoolfees of one or more of our children of whom the parents do not have the financial means to afford this.

Our long term Vision is to become an alternative school for adolescent and adult mainstreaming; a venue for domestic independent living training and a provider of support employment services for adults with autism, communication handicaps and other related disorders.

Our Mission is to establish a transition program for adults with autism and related handicaps and train them with skills that will pave the way for their equal right to employment opportunities. We dedicate ourselves to advocate for their rights and educate the public in our attempts to help build a society that will allow these individuals to learn, to grow, to achieve, to dream, and be respected as members of the communities they live in.