Green Curtains - Our Mission

Our mission is to provide a stimulating and nurturing environment that provides children with the opportunity to develop and grow in a developmentally appropriate environment.

The Green Curtains Preschool was established in 1994. While administered and supported by Valley Development Project, the preschool grew and now has a total of 105 children attending daily. The children aged 3 years to 6 years are cared for by 4 teaching staff, a cook, a cleaner and a gardener.

The beautiful school, which was donated by the Rotary Club Cape of Goodhope, has 2 classrooms for the younger learners and 1 large open-plan classroom which accommodates two grade R classes. The classrooms are divided into 6 activity areas where children are allowed to play freely as they follow the daily programme.

The educators are all very conscientious and provide the best care and education by planning exciting activities for the young learners.

Green Curtains has become a school of best practise and with ongoing staff training and development they plan to continue giving their very best.

Green Curtains - Our Story

Green Curtains had humble beginnings in 1994 - a centre to care for the children of working mothers run by a group of ladies in a deprived area of Ocean View. The day care was run from a donated shipping container and got the name Green Curtains from the green bush that was visible from the windows. The centre was severely under-resourced and the carers had little formal training or support.

Green Curtains approached the Valley Development Project (VDP) who are actively involved with addressing poverty in the Cape Town South Peninsula. They run a number of projects aimed at improving the lives of the disadvantaged people living in the Ocean View and Masiphumelelo communities. VDP's Lynne Lamb became involved with the centre. Lynne has an education background and she helped the centre establish an Early Childhood Development (ECD) structure and forged connections with the Department of Education and Social Development.

Since then Green Curtains has gone from strength to strength. It has access to government subsidies, teaching resources, support structures and a sense of purpose. The carers have become fully fledged teachers, assisted by the VDP in gaining registered qualifications. The community has rallied around the school and sponsors have provided a much needed boost.

Green Curtains now operates from a beautiful building provided by the Rotary Club Cape of Goodhope, the windows framed with real green curtains! With the support of E-T-E (Empowerment through Education) and particularly Herbert Eichel of the Fish Hoek Galley Restaurant, the school boasts world class resources and teaching programmes.

The children who graduate from Green Curtains are assured that they enter primary school equipped with the skills and education that their peers in more priviledged communities take for granted.