If your child is bright but finding school harder than they should, you have probably started looking at independent remedial schools in Johannesburg. There are good options, and they are not all the same. This guide sets out what we believe matters most when you compare them, and how Japari School in Parkview approaches each point.
Start early
The sooner a child gets the right kind of support, the less ground they have to make up later. Many families come to us after a year or two of extra lessons and worried report cards. If your child’s teacher, therapist or psychologist has raised a concern, it is worth visiting schools now rather than waiting to see if things improve on their own. Japari welcomes children from Grade R, so support can begin before formal schooling does.
Look for therapy inside the school day
Ask every school where therapy happens. When occupational therapy, speech therapy, physiotherapy and play therapy take place on campus during school hours, your child is not rushing to appointments in the afternoon, and therapists and teachers can work together on the same goals. At Japari, therapy is part of how we teach, not an add-on.
Small classes and a plan for each child
Children who learn differently need teachers who have the time to notice them. Ask about class sizes, how each child’s progress is tracked, and how often plans are reviewed with parents. At Japari, classes are small and each child has an individual learning plan that teachers and therapists revisit throughout the year.
Strong reading and language teaching
Reading unlocks every other subject. A good remedial school gives English and reading far more time than a mainstream timetable can, with specialist teachers who know how to build phonological awareness, fluency and comprehension step by step. Ask how many periods of English your child would have each week, and what happens when a child is stuck.
A clear view of what comes next
Remedial schooling should be a bridge, not a destination. Ask schools what their goal is for your child after primary school, and how they prepare learners for it. At Japari, therapy is the method and mainstream high school is the goal. Our senior learners build study skills, sit formal assessments and take on leadership roles so that they arrive at high school ready to cope.
Confidence matters as much as marks
Many children arrive at a remedial school having spent years feeling behind. The right school helps them discover what they are good at, ask for help without embarrassment, and keep going when work is hard. Watch how children behave on your visit: are they relaxed, engaged and proud of their work?
Experience you can see
Japari has been teaching children with learning differences in Parkview since 1966, and 2026 marks our 60th year. You can read more about who we are and how the school has grown, from the Foundation Phase through to Grade 7.
Understand the full cost
When you compare fees, compare like with like. Some schools charge separately for therapy, assessments or extra lessons, and some quote fees over ten months while others quote twelve. Ask each school for its full fee schedule and what it includes. Japari is a non-profit school and works hard to keep its fees reasonable. Our admissions team will gladly take you through the 2027 fees.
Visit before you decide
No website can tell you how a school feels. Visit, meet the people who would teach your child, and ask the questions above. We would love to show you around Japari. Book a private visit and we will take the time to understand your child and answer every question you have.
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