On Thursday last week, the 2oceansvibe team was lucky enough to take a private tour of Valenture Institute’s Newlands Boutique Campus, situated inside the historic Jospehine’s Mill.

Valenture, for those of you out of the loop, is a global private online high school offering a British curriculum (Pearson Edexcel) recognised by the world’s leading universities.

It enables students to study from anywhere, be it the comfort of their own homes or a coffee shop, and now, on a boutique campus, which is a safe place to spend their days, completing their classes and hanging out with their peers.

The building is stunning and retains much of the original architecture. Inside you’ll find a variety of spaces in which students can work or interact with each other, with each expertly designed to facilitate engagement.

There’s a communal quiet work area perfect for setting up a laptop and getting to the tasks of the day. If group projects need to be done, the collaboration space is equipped with comfortable couches and chairs. The canteen looks like something out of a design catalogue.

Grade 8 to 13 students receive daily support from Valenture’s staff of highly qualified learning coaches, who will assist students with personalising their timetables, and balancing both social and academic priorities.

They will also review the progress of each student against their personal goals, every week.

The overall vibe is great, and something I wish I’d had access to when I was in high school.

Perhaps the most impressive element of the campus is that it doesn’t look or work like your average school. Valenture students are encouraged to approach their work and their time in a manner that prepares them for the world outside of secondary education.

The curriculum, as I mentioned earlier, is world-class. The way that students learn teaches them self-discipline and helps to develop an invaluable work ethic.

At the same time, the campus encourages imaginative thinking and collaboration.

In addition, both parents and students have access to exclusive features and facilities like farm-fresh produce delivery, the café and delicatessen, and sports facilities at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa (SSISA) right next door.

There’s so much more to say, but perhaps it’s time for a real snoop around.

You can book a private tour with an admissions counsellor here, and in the interim, take a video tour:

To find out more about the curriculum, visit Valenture Institute, and for more on the Newlands campus, head here.