The Lynedoch Community School - Sustainability Institute Schools Programme (SISP) in Lynedoch Valley, near Stellenbosch, has been named one of the top 50 contenders for the inaugural Global Schools Prize. Lynedoch Community School - SISP is the only South African school to make this year's shortlist, and is one of five schools competing in the Health and Wellbeing category.
Serving 142 children from four months to 18 in a Montessori-inspired setting registered as an independent special school, Lynedoch Community School - SISP weaves emotional literacy, nutrition, movement, creativity, and nature into every school day.
Youth improved academic results by an average of 9.6% across Grades 8-12 this year. All six 2024 matriculants passed. Ten young women advanced in the Oribi Entrepreneurship bootcamp. The drama team progressed in a provincial competition with a play they wrote themselves. Over 24,000 nutritious meals are served annually. Community keepers delivered 152 emotional support sessions to 34 learners in a single term.
Children garden four days a week, cycle, vault on horses, practise aerial silks, journal, and exhibit art at the Rupert Museum. The NextGen Men programme addresses gender-based violence; emotional support circles give teens a safe space to be heard.
Prize funds would bring occupational and speech therapy on-site, removing barriers for vulnerable children and proving that care, not crisis, builds futures.
More about the Global Schools Prize
The 2026 Global Schools Prize is a new initiative of the Varkey Foundation, celebrating the world’s most innovative and impactful schools that are reimagining education for the future. The $1m Global Schools Prize is said to be the largest prize of its kind.
This year's shortlist was selected from almost 3,000 nominations and applications from 113 countries around the world. The shortlist is divided into 10 categories with five schools nominated per category. The winner in each category will receive $50,000; of those, one extraordinary school will receive the Global Schools Prize and $500,000 to scale its impact.
The categories are:
- AI Transformation
- Arts, Culture and Creativity
- Character and Values Driven Education
- Global Citizenship and Peacebuilding
- Health and Wellbeing
- Overcoming Adversity
- Send/Inclusive Education
- Stem Education
- Sustainability
- Teacher Development
The top 50 shortlisted schools are awarded a Global Schools Prize Badge, symbolising world-class impact and achievement in areas ranging from AI transformation to teacher development. These schools are also welcomed into the Global Schools Network, gaining access to partnerships, professional development, and global collaboration opportunities with other leading institutions.
See the full list of Global Schools Prize 2026 finalists here.
