Summerhill School · Campus & Nature · Midrand
An Oasis in the
Heart of Midrand
8.2 hectares of mature trees, pristine grounds and protected wetland - one of the last truly green spaces in a rapidly urbanising Midrand.
Our Facilities
Prized Facilities, Built to Last
Since its inception, the Preparatory and Nursery Schools have grown both in numbers of students and staff, as well as by the extension of classrooms and sporting facilities.
Soccer fields
25m swimming pool
Tennis & netball courts
Cricket nets
1.2km cross-country track
Living Classroom
Our Campus
Pristine Grounds, Beautiful Old Trees
Summerhill's 8.2-hectare campus is something rare in modern Midrand - a wide-open, green, living space where children can breathe, run, explore and simply be. Towering indigenous trees, some decades old, shade the brick pathways and create a canopy that defines the character of this place.
As Midrand continues to grow and develop around us, Summerhill stands as one of the last genuinely green sanctuaries in the area. Our grounds are maintained with care and pride by a dedicated team who understand that a beautiful environment is not incidental to a great school - it is essential to it.
Outdoor Learning
Nature as a Classroom
For our youngest learners especially, the outdoors is not a break from the classroom - it is the classroom. Summerhill's Nursery grounds feature natural play spaces under the tree canopy, where children develop balance, curiosity, confidence and a deep, early connection with the living world.
We believe that children who grow up with access to nature are more creative, more resilient, and more attentive. Our campus makes this possible every single day - not as a special programme, but as a natural consequence of where and how we choose to learn.
Nursery Nature Play
Tree-shaded outdoor play spaces with natural materials, logs, balance paths and sensory gardens for Foundation Phase children.
Environmental Studies
The wetland, gardens and wildlife of our campus are living classrooms for science, geography and life skills across all phases.
Outdoor Education
From nature walks to gardening projects, students learn environmental stewardship through direct participation in the life of the campus.
Sustainability
Caring for Our Environment
Sustainability at Summerhill is not a marketing message - it is a practical commitment embedded in how we manage and care for our campus every day. From the solar installation that powers our facilities to the composting programme that returns nutrients to our gardens, we aim to operate in a way that respects and protects the natural environment we are privileged to occupy.
This commitment also serves a deeper educational purpose. When students see recycling bins in every corridor, watch solar panels powering their classrooms, and participate in composting initiatives, they absorb the values of environmental responsibility naturally - not as a lesson, but as a way of life.
"We want students to leave Summerhill not only academically prepared, but environmentally conscious - people who understand that caring for the earth is not optional."
Solar Energy
Our on-site solar installation generates clean energy for campus facilities, reducing reliance on the national grid and our carbon footprint simultaneously.
Recycling Programme
Dedicated recycling stations across the campus encourage students and staff to separate waste - paper, plastic, glass and cans - as a daily habit.
Composting
Organic waste from the school kitchen and gardens is composted on-site, returning nutrients to our soil and reducing landfill contributions.
Water Consciousness
Responsible water use across the campus - from irrigation scheduling to leak monitoring - reflects our awareness of South Africa's water challenges.
Indigenous Planting
Ongoing investment in indigenous trees and plants supports local biodiversity, requires less water, and strengthens the natural beauty of our grounds.
Wetland Preservation
Our protected wetland is maintained as a natural ecosystem - a habitat for wildlife and a living laboratory for environmental education.
Hands-On Learning
Learning by Doing in the Natural World
At Summerhill, students are not passive observers of the natural environment around them - they are active participants in it. From planting seedlings to studying insects in the wetland, our campus invites children to engage with the living world as a genuine place of discovery.
Gardening, composting, bird identification, soil science and weather observation are woven into our programme across phases - giving abstract curriculum concepts a tangible, memorable form that no textbook alone can provide.
A Rare & Precious Space
The Last of Midrand's Green
Midrand has transformed dramatically over the past two decades - from open farmland to one of Gauteng's most densely developed corridors. In the middle of this ongoing urbanisation, Summerhill's campus stands as something genuinely irreplaceable: a wide, green, tree-shaded sanctuary that has been loved and protected for decades.
Space to Breathe
In a world of screens and concrete, Summerhill gives children something increasingly rare - unstructured outdoor time in a genuinely beautiful, natural environment.
Space to Grow
Our grounds are large enough for every phase of the school to have its own outdoor areas - sports fields, nature zones, gardens and play spaces that evolve with the child.
Space to Learn
The campus itself is a teaching resource. Wildlife, plants, seasons and ecosystems make every walk across the grounds a potential learning experience.
Come and See
Experience the Summerhill Campus
No photograph does justice to what it feels like to walk through our grounds. Come and see the trees, the open fields, the wetland - and understand why parents and students fall in love with this place.