For many families of children who learn differently, school fees are only part of the bill. Speech therapy, occupational therapy and the drive to get there can add up quickly, week after week.
From 2027, Japari is changing that for Grades 1 to 5. Group therapy, plus individual speech and occupational therapy on a rotating timetable, is included in the school fees. This post explains exactly what is included, how it is planned, and what it means for your child and your family.
What is included from 2027
Group therapy
Children in Grades 1 to 5 take part in group therapy as part of their school week. In speech and occupational therapy groups, therapists work on shared goals such as listening, language, pencil control, posture and coordination, while children learn alongside their classmates.
Group work has its own value. Children practise new skills with peers, take turns, follow instructions in a group, and see that everyone is working on something.
Individual speech and occupational therapy, on a rotating timetable
On top of group therapy, each child in Grades 1 to 5 receives individual speech and occupational therapy on a set timetable that rotates through the year. This is one-on-one time with a therapist, focused on your child’s own goals.
The rotation means every child receives individual attention through the year, rather than individual therapy depending on who can pay for it or who can get to an afternoon appointment.
Grades 6 and 7
In Grades 6 and 7, children continue to receive the support they need where it is required. By this stage many children need less regular therapy and more focus on independence, study skills and preparing for high school, including the Independent Schools’ shared assessment exams in Grade 7.
How each child’s therapy is planned
Therapy at Japari is not a separate service bolted on to school. It is planned around each child’s individual education plan.
Our multidisciplinary team, which brings together teachers and on-site therapists, decides the level of support each child needs. Occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, physiotherapy and educational psychology are all on site, so the people working with your child can talk to each other in the corridor, not only by email.
Parents meet the team every term. At each meeting you hear how your child is doing in class and in therapy, and the goals are reviewed together. If your child is working on letter formation in occupational therapy, the class teacher knows it. If speech therapy is building vocabulary for a new topic, the lesson can use the same words.
You can read more about each therapy on our therapies page.
Why therapy belongs in the school day
For your child
Therapy works best when a child is fresh and when the skill is used straight away. A session in the morning, followed by a lesson where the teacher expects that skill, is more effective than a session at 16:00 after a full day of school. Children also miss less of what they enjoy, because therapy fits into a timetable planned around it.
For your family
There is a practical side, too. No afternoon dash across Johannesburg in traffic. No juggling therapist waiting rooms with work and siblings. No acting as the messenger between the school, the occupational therapist and the speech therapist. The team is in one building, working from one plan, and you meet them together every term.
What is not included
We want families to know exactly where the line is.
- Extra individual therapy. If you would like your child to receive more individual therapy than the level set by the multidisciplinary team, this can be arranged privately with the relevant therapists.
- Physiotherapy and educational psychology. Both are available on site. The 2027 inclusion covers speech and occupational therapy, so ask us how physiotherapy and psychology are arranged for your child.
- Grade R. The inclusion covers Grades 1 to 5. If your child is starting in Grade R, ask us how therapy support works in that year.
What this means for the fees
From 2027, fees are payable over 11 months, January to November, and our fees page sets out the annual and monthly amounts for each grade. When you compare schools, compare what the fee includes, not only the number. A fee that already covers group and individual therapy during the school day is a different offer from one where therapy is added on top.
If you can settle the annual fee early, you can save up to 10% on the annual fee for Grades 1 to 7. The 10% rate applies to fees settled before 15 November 2026, with smaller savings after that. The early settlement discount does not apply to Grade R.
Questions to ask on your visit
When you visit Japari, or any school, these questions help you understand what a therapy offer really means:
- Which therapies are included in the fees, and for which grades?
- How often will my child see a therapist individually?
- Who decides how much therapy my child receives, and how is it reviewed?
- Do therapists and teachers plan together?
- What would I pay for any extra therapy, and who arranges it?
We are happy to answer every one of them in person.
Frequently asked questions
Is therapy included in Japari’s school fees?
Yes, from 2027 for Grades 1 to 5. Fees include group therapy plus individual speech and occupational therapy on a rotating timetable. Grades 6 and 7 receive support where required.
Does my child have to leave school for therapy?
No. Therapists are on site, and therapy takes place during the school day as part of your child’s timetable.
Who decides how much therapy my child receives?
Japari’s multidisciplinary team sets the level of support, based on your child’s individual education plan. Progress and goals are reviewed with parents at the termly team meetings.
Can my child receive more therapy than the included level?
Yes. Additional individual therapy can be arranged privately with the relevant therapists.
Is therapy included for Grade R?
The 2027 inclusion covers Grades 1 to 5. Our admissions team can talk you through how therapy support works in Grade R.
Come and see the sensory room and meet the team. Book a private visit or read how to apply for 2027.