Thrive by Five
Thrive by Five | National Findings
Key Findings for ECD
- Only 42% of enrolled 4-year-olds are developmentally On Track for early learning (using the ELOM tool).
o Strongest domain: Emergent Literacy & Language (53%).
o Weakest domains: Fine Motor & Visual-Motor (29%) and Fine Motor & Visual-Motor (29%) and Numeracy/Maths (33%)
- Stunting remains a concern:
o 7% of enrolled children are moderately or severely stunted.
o Among non-enrolled children (the most vulnerable), stunting is 18%.
o Stunting directly undermines learning and emotional readiness
- Social-Emotional Development:
o 56% meet the standard for Emotional Readiness.
o 63% meet the standard for Social Relations.
o Girls outperform boys across both dimensions
- Task orientation (focus, persistence, interest) is the single strongest predictor of success — even more than socio-economic factors.
• Non-enrolled children are severely disadvantaged:
o 82% are Falling Behind or Far Behind.
o Highlights the danger of not accessing an ELP
Implications for Independent Schools
- Early disparities carry through:
Children who enter Grade R/1 behind (especially from low-fee or no-fee ELPs) will struggle to catch up. Independent schools need to be prepared for incoming learners with uneven readiness.
- Grade R quality is critical:
o The report stresses the need for Grade R to act as a bridging year, especially for children starting behind.
o Independent schools should ensure Grade R teachers are equipped with strong literacy, numeracy, and self-regulation strategies, not just play-based exposure.
- Language of learning:
o Over half of children speak English at home, but most are bilingual/multilingual.
o Schools need to recognise that many children’s strongest early learning experiences happen in another language first.
- Household disparities spill over into classrooms:
o Children from lower-income homes are less likely to have books, internet, or engaged fathers.
o Independent schools serving mixed-income families will need stronger parent engagement programmes, especially around home literacy and numeracy practices.
- Wellbeing of caregivers matters:
o PCG stress and unemployment correlate strongly with child outcomes.
o Schools should consider parent workshops, support groups, or partnerships with wellness initiatives.
Six Priority Actions from the Report
1. Fix financing – subsidies must flow more reliably and equitably; ELPs can’t run on parent fees alone.
2. Strengthen workforce – better practitioner training, focus on self-regulation, emotional skills, and responsive teaching.
3. Integrate health – schools/ELPs should link with health/nutrition services to combat stunting.
4. Support positive parenting – promote reading at home, involve fathers, expand access to books.
5. Strengthen Grade R–3 teaching – improve instructional quality to stop early gains from fading.
6. Invest in data/research – track non-enrolled children, expand longitudinal studies
In both ECD and independent school spaces, the big takeaways are:
• The majority of children are still behind by age 4, especially in maths and fine motor skills.
• Non-enrolment is devastating — advocacy for access is essential.
• Independent schools need to focus on bridging gaps in Grade R–3, address inequalities in readiness, and support parents as partners.
