Thands says that 95% of Grade 00 children were rated "On Track" in key learning areas — exceeding the 2021 'Thrive by Five' averages of 31% provincially and 46% nationally. This achievement highlights the effectiveness of its storybook-based ECD curriculum, supported by detailed, minute-by-minute teaching plans that prepare children for Grade R and beyond. 

Thanda adds that its success reinforces the importance of quality educational support in ensuring school readiness, especially in under-resourced and remote communities.

The ELOM, a standardised assessment administered by trained moderators and enumerators, evaluates children's progress across five key developmental domains. Thanda says its results surpassed national and provincial Thrive by Five comparisons in four out of five domains, underscoring the strength of its robust, research-based curriculum.

Particularly noteworthy are Thanda's high scores in emergent language and literacy, an area of national concern given South Africa's literacy crisis (only 49% of children in the KwaZulu-Natal 'Thrive by Five' sample are on track for language and literacy development), the organisation adds.

This year's assessment also confirmed the success of Thanda's efforts to align outcomes in its Fun Foundations and Satellite ECD programmes with those of Imbewu, its flagship early childhood development model, showing strong results across the board, Thanda says.

Many Fun Foundations sessions take place in informal settings — outdoor spaces or community-donated huts — yet these children, even in less conventional learning environments, outperformed those at Imbewu in the assessment. In addition to strong cognitive and language development, the assessment measured children's concentration and social-emotional skills. While most learners demonstrated good focus, variations across programmes suggest that deeper teacher-child relationships could further strengthen social-emotional growth, the organisation adds.

A spokesperson for the assessment commented on Thanda's results. The spokesperson says, "The DataDrive2030 team celebrates Thanda's latest ELOM 4 and 5 assessment results, which indicate highly positive early learning outcomes among their sample of children. Thanda's commitment to using data for reflection and continuous improvement aligns with best practices in early learning, and we commend their data-driven approach to enhancing early learning in their community."

Despite surpassing expectations in most areas, the assessment unexpectedly revealed lower scores in gross motor development. Internal assessments previously indicated that children were meeting those milestones, leading to a review of Thanda's curriculum to ensure that physical development activities are sufficiently aligned with best practices. This proactive approach reflects the organisation's ongoing commitment to responsiveness in meeting the needs of children enrolled in its ECD centres, Thanda adds.

Angela Larkan, Executive Director at Thanda, emphasised the significance of these results. Larkan says, "These findings affirm what we have always believed — when children have access to quality early learning, they thrive, regardless of their circumstances."

"We see it daily in the confidence and curiosity of our young learners, and it is incredibly rewarding to have an independent assessment validate the impact of our storybook-based approach. Looking ahead, we remain committed to refining our curriculum, ensuring every child is prepared not just for school, but for life," Larkan adds.

Thanda concludes that its success in this year's ELOM assessment reaffirms that positive outcomes are not only possible in rural communities but are essential for breaking the cycle of disadvantage. The results highlight the need for increased investment in early education and the power of innovative, community-driven solutions in transforming the future for children.

For more information, visit www.thanda.org. You can also follow Thanda on Facebook, LinkedIn, or on Instagram. 

*Image courtesy of contributor