SPARK Schools

SPARK Schools is an independent school network in South Africa.^[1][9] SPARK Schools was founded by Stacey Brewer and Ryan Harrison in 2012. Their schools use a blended learning model with adaptive software and individualised learning to accelerate learning and increase student achievement.^[10][11] SPARK Schools uses a hybrid funding model, having attracted funding from both non-profit foundations focused on high impact philanthropy and from for-profit^[12] impact investors.

There are 11 SPARK Schools in the Network.

History

SPARK Schools was started to provide internationally competitive high quality academic achievement to South African communities.^[13] The original motivation and concept for SPARK Schools was developed at the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) where Stacey Brewer, Bailey Thomson and Ryan Harrison are alumni.^[13] South Africa is consistently ranked among the worst performing education systems in the world.^[14] SPARK Schools was built on the belief that quality and affordability are not mutually exclusive when it comes to excellent education. SPARK Schools emerged as a pioneer of blended learning in Africa and implemented the first blended primary school model in Africa.^[1][15]

SPARK Ferndale was launched as the first SPARK school in 2012.^[11] SPARK Schools became an ISASA full member and accredited network in 2013.^[16]

SPARK Core Values

SPARK is an acronym for the Schools core values: Service, Persistence, Achievement, Responsibility and Kindness.^[17] The name of the network also took inspiration from the quotation often misattributed to William B. Yeats quote; "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire". While this quotation is often attributed to the Irish poet W.B. Yeats there is no evidence that he ever wrote or said those words.

Founding Team

The founding team consisted of Stacey Brewer^[3] (Executive Director & Founding Principal), Ryan Harrison (Non-executive director), Bailey Thomson (Director of Leadership and Development)^[7] and Caitlin Burkholder-Travis (Director of Student Achievement).

Education Model

Foundation Phase

SPARK Schools uses a lab rotation blended learning model that combines classroom instruction with adaptive software intended to accelerate learning and increase student achievement.^[18][19] SPARK Schools uses a lab rotation blended learning model,^[1] that was pioneered by Rocketship Education.

The blended education model allows for a high level of individualised learning as student receive instruction in the classroom as well as through adaptive education technology.^[14][20]

Intermediate Phase

SPARK Schools uses a blended flex model for students in Grade 4-7 (Intermediate Phase).

Academic Performance

Ambitious claims are made for SPARK Schools as a high performing school network,^[21] with internationally relevant rigour and benchmark assessment.^[22]

Media coverage

SPARK Schools has been featured in various media outlets including, the Economist,^[12][23] the Mail & Guardian,^[14] Forbes,^[10] the Sunday Times,^[24] the Sowetan,^[25] The Sunday Independent, and Finweek^[26] SPARK Schools has also been covered on various Radio and Television shows including, Talk Radio 702,^[11] Classic FM,^[27] iGIBS,^[19] and CNBC Africa.

SPARK Schools has also been featured in various academic publications such as Focus (Helen Suzman Foundation)^[6] and Acumen^[13] as well as various international blogs, such as Getting Smart,^[28] LeadSA,^[29] Daily Maverick^[30] The New Game^[22] and EdSurge.^[31]

SPARK Schools has been profiled in various forums and reports by ISASA, the Centre for Development and Enterprise^[32] and the Clayton Christensen Institute.^[33]

The earliest record of SPARK Schools can be found in the Sowetan Newspaper in an article titled: Low Cost Private Education Initiative.^[25]

List of SPARK Schools

There are 11 SPARK Schools in the SPARK Schools Network.

Gauteng, South Africa

• SPARK Ferndale
• SPARK Cresta
• SPARK Maboneng
• SPARK Bramley
• SPARK Midrand
• SPARK Rynfield
• SPARK Centurion
• SPARK Randpark Ridge
• SPARK Carlswald
• SPARK Silver Lakes

Western Cape, South Africa

• SPARK Lynedoch

Funding

SPARK Schools has received funding both from foundations focused on high impact philanthropy^[14] and from for-profit impact investors.^[34][35] Funders/investors including Omidyar Network, Pearson Education (Pearson Affordable Learning Fund),^[36][37][38] the Good Schools Fund^[14] and various high-net-worth individuals.

Notable Achievements

SPARK Schools was invited to the 2013 Skoll World Forum to present alongside Salman Khan (Khan Academy), Sandy Speicher (IDEO) and Debra Dunn (Stanford University) on the panel, Blended Learning: The Proof and the Promise.^[21][39]

SPARK Schools was recognised by the Accenture Innovation Index Awards as "an innovation that changes the way the world works"^[40] and placed as a finalist in the 2013 innovation index.^[40]

Awards

• 2014 Accenture Innovation Index Awards Finalist
• 2015 South African Employer of Choice (<1000 employees)^[41]
• 2015 FNB Innovation Awards Finalist^[42]
• 2015 Elle Boss Awards^[43]
• 2015 Standard Bank Top Women Awards
• 2016 EOY Innovator of the Year Award^[44]

Relationship with eAdvance Group

eAdvance Group provides centralised business functions such as procurement, IT services, media and financial management to the SPARK Schools network.^[6] It also provides specialised education services such as education model innovation, curriculum development and educator development; such as training and leadership development.^[13][24][45]

See also

• Rocketship Education (USA)
• Bridge International Academies (Kenya)
• Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa (ISASA)
• KIPP (USA)
• Uncommon Schools (USA)

References

External links

• Omega Schools (Ghana)
• Official Website