Education at its best nurtures the mind, stirs the imagination, and inspires a deep connection to the world and one another. At The Honeybush Collective, we guide children to grow in knowledge, creativity, and compassion, preparing them for a life of purpose and joy.
The Honeybush Collective is a small, independent, cottage-style primary school based in Somerset West, that is registered with the Western Cape Education Department. Honeybush was founded through the collaboration of Lindy Laros and Fran Denton, both qualified teachers with a deep passion for education and a love for children.
Teacher Lindy has three grown-up children of her own. With three teaching qualifications, and 40 years of teaching experience, she brings with her a passion for education, a love for children, and a wealth of knowledge.
Fran is mother to Phoebe, who is in Grade 2 at The Honeybush Collective, and Samuel, who is almost two years old. With a BA, a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education, and experience in school management, Fran founded The Honeybush Collective in 2024 for her daughter to receive our unique education that she believes is not available anywhere else in the Helderberg basin.
The idea for The Honeybush Collective was born out of Fran’s search for a school for her daughter. She explains:
“We were looking for a school for our daughter last year, and we couldn’t find anything suitable. We didn’t want to send her to a big school with large classes, and we didn’t feel comfortable enrolling her in a smaller school that wasn’t registered, didn’t have qualified teachers, or that didn’t offer a warm, nurturing environment. So, I decided to start my own school.”
With this vision in mind, Fran navigated the requirements to establish a compliant and WCED-registered school, securing the hall of the 2nd Somerset West Scouts – a location with the correct zoning, and ideal for creating a beautiful and nurturing small-scale learning environment.
Fran believes The Honeybush Collective fills a unique niche in the Helderberg basin. She says:
“There is nothing quite like The Honeybush Collective in our area. Large schools have full classes, and many smaller cottage schools are unregistered. The Honeybush Collective is a beautiful, warm space that bridges that gap – offering a personalised, high-quality, and registered educational experience, surrounded by beauty.”
