A History of Ambleside School of Hout Bay

The school was founded in 1987 as the Hout Bay Christian School.  An initiative of Hout Bay Church International (now Shoreline Church), the school began in a home with just 9 students, and moved to its current premises in 1993.  As the idea of Christian Education spread, more and more parents turned away from the spiritual and intellectual dryness in mainstream schools, and found 'streams of living waters' at HBCS.

Seeking to become a centre of excellence, the school began searching for a suitable curriculum and organisational model.  Several options were tried, but it was the holistic, 'living' approach of British educator Charlotte Mason that was most inspiring.  In 2005 the school established an informal relationship with Bill and Maryellen St. Cyr (co-founders of Ambleside Schools International).   Several staff members traveled to Texas for training at the Ambleside School of Fredericksburg, and the St. Cyrs visited Hout Bay to conduct a week of intensive training with all our teachers in 2006.  Following this, the decision was taken to formally join the Ambleside community, and the school re-opened in January 2007 as Ambleside School of Hout Bay.

Initially staffed by parents, volunteers and a small number of qualified teachers, the school is now an established educational institution, staffed by a dedicated team of professional educators.  Graduates of the school have gone on to become lawyers, pastors, engineers, teachers, social workers, sports trainers, carpenters, and computer and business scientists.