Meet the Mentors

Gillian Boltman grew up and was educated in the Eastern Cape. After matriculating from Clarendon High School for Girls in 1983, she attended Rhodes University where she graduated with Bachelor of Primary Education.

Gillian took a gap year and travelled in Europe before being offered a position at Sydenham High School, which is an independent day school for girls aged 4 to 18 and is a member of the highly regarded Girls’ Day School Trust in the UK. During her time with the GDST, Gillian was part of the pilot project for the National Curriculum which involved panel meetings at the House of Commons on recommendations for the implementation of the curriculum.

Following eleven successful years with the GDST, Gillian was approached to transition an independent nursery school into a school. She was the Head of the Villa Pre-Prep School and Nursery from 2001 until 2012. It was a very happy and successful school which prepared children for entrance into many top schools across England.

At the end of 2012 she decided it was time to return home after twenty-four years in London. After a sabbatical, Gillian joined Roedean School (SA), Junior School as a Deputy Head in May 2013, and became the Junior School Head from 2014 until 2023. She was pivotal in introducing the Think Equal Programme to pre-prep schools in South Africa.

Gillian is passionate about education and believes in a holistic approach to teaching and learning. Her particular interest is upskilling literacy and critical thinking in the Foundation Phase, as well as prioritising the emotional well-being of pupils of all ages. Gillian lives in Johannesburg, and she enjoys travelling, reading, gardening, cooking, walking, and boxing in her spare time.