Situated on the “golden mile of education” in Rondebosch, Cape Town, in close proximity to the University of Cape Town and several of the country’s top public and private schools, The Chapel Lane Academy team draws on a strong pool of exceptional and dedicated teachers.
Our Academy was started by Dr Tanya Goodman (PhD, Yale) and Dr Charl du Plessis (MBA, Yale; PhD, UVA). Having taught at different levels globally since 2003, including at the Yale Law School, the Yale School of Management, the University of Virginia, as well as at the Universities of Pretoria and the Western Cape, we turned our attention to needs within the South African schooling system as our own children entered and progressed through school.
Known as an academic family, we were approached with growing frequency to assist friends and parents in our community with their children’s academic needs. Our daughter’s unhappy experience at an elite private high school drew us to full-time home-schooling and the Cambridge curriculum, with all that it offers. We had to learn how to deal with her late-diagnosed neurodiversity, and enabled her to finish high school with several A level distinctions and to complete further online studies through the London School of Economics. She is currently pursuing a BSocSci degree at UCT.
Our son attended Rondebosch Boys High School and thrived in that environment. Being fully immersed in a school community kept us in touch with many of the issues learners and parents face. Consistent with our culture of excellence, he matriculated with 9 distinctions and was awarded a full scholarship to Princeton University.
We have progressively taken on more families and learners with high expectations, unusual lifestyles (including elite athletes), and neurodivergent diagnoses, continually refining our bespoke approach to teaching and the Cambridge curriculum.
Tanya personally teaches English, Geography and Environmental Management. Charl teaches Economics, Business Studies and Afrikaans. In the Sciences, Mathematics, and Languages, we draw on qualified teachers who work exclusively with us and are coached to work according to our highly personalised and supportive approach.