How the Roedean Academy Is Creating Opportunity Beyond the School Gates
At Roedean School (SA), Inspiring a Life of Significance is about more than individual achievement. It is about what becomes possible when education, opportunity and influence are used to open doors for others.
The Roedean Academy brings this commitment to life.
The Academy supports academically promising young women from under-resourced schools through additional academic support, access to educational resources, mentorship and experiences that broaden horizons and strengthen pathways beyond school.
Working with learners from partner schools, including Barnato Park High School and Newgate College, the Academy extends Roedean’s resources and expertise beyond the School gates. The aim is not to define success for these young women, but to give them greater opportunity to define it for themselves.
And the impact is visible in the lives Academy alumnae are building.
From opportunity to lives of significance
For Caslida Paine, a former Barnato Park High School learner, it started with her first opportunity to use a computer at Roedean. That experience sparked an interest in digital literacy that would ultimately shape her career.
Caslida went on to earn a Bachelor of Education from North-West University, ranking in the top 15% of her class, before teaching at leading independent schools in South Africa. Today, she is based in Thailand, where she works as a Coding and Robotics Specialist supporting ICT teachers, alongside her work as an Educational Consultant in the EdTech sector.
Reflecting on the Academy’s role in her journey, Caslida says:
“The Academy gave me access to better resources. It was at Roedean where I first used a computer and discovered my passion for digital literacy. It improved my academic performance and opened doors to university and opportunities such as the Realema bursary, which supported me throughout my studies.”
For Nabintu Birindwa, the Academy opened her mind to what might be possible. After completing a BCom Accounting degree at the University of Johannesburg, she joined Integram as a trainee analyst in 2024. Within two years, she had progressed to Senior Analyst, researching JSE-listed companies with a particular focus on ESG and sustainability.
As Nabintu reflects:
“The Academy opened my mind to new possibilities, encouraging me to dream bigger.”
Their stories are part of a growing pipeline of Academy alumnae progressing into higher education and meaningful careers.
Sibongile Chiumi qualified as a Chartered Accountant (CA(SA)) in 2026 and is completing her articles at Deloitte, having gained valuable workplace experience while still a student. Thabisile Dhliwayo began her career in financial services in February 2026, joining Integram as a trainee analyst.
Different journeys. Different ambitions. A shared foundation of opportunity.
When opportunity comes full circle
The Academy’s impact does not end when a student leaves school. It grows through a wider community that continues to open doors as these young women move into tertiary education and the workplace.
The relationship between the Roedean Academy and Integram, a stockbroking company owned by Roedean alumna Dominique Laroque, is a powerful example.
Three Academy alumnae have gained professional experience through Integram. In opening her professional network to the next generation, Dominique is demonstrating what paying it forward looks like in practice. The Academy, in turn, helps connect young women with opportunities where they can learn, grow, and begin building meaningful careers.
This is where opportunity begins to multiply.
Access to resources creates possibility. Education opens a door. Professional experience opens another. And, in time, those who have benefited are themselves in a position to contribute, mentor, and create opportunities for others.
This is what paying it forward means at Roedean.
Impact beyond the School gates
The Roedean Academy reflects a belief that the impact of education should extend beyond those who sit in our classrooms.
By sharing resources, expertise and networks, Roedean is helping to build connections between school, further education and the world of work, creating pathways through which talented young women can realise their potential.
Academy alumnae are becoming educators, accountants, analysts and technology specialists. They are contributing to organisations and communities in South Africa and internationally, while building the foundations from which they can create opportunities for those who follow.
This is Inspiring a Life of Significance in action: not only in what a young woman achieves, but in what she goes on to make possible for others.
Be part of what comes next
Discover the impact. Help open the next door.
Learn more about the Roedean Academy and the young women turning opportunity into possibility. Discover the Roedean Academy.
Help create the next opportunity by supporting the Roedean Legacy Fund and investing in the next generation. Donate today.
