
Setting 4-5 year olds on the right path
Every year, the Blocks for Growth team screen nearly 500 children to determine who is on track and who is falling behind in their development. For the children falling behind, the team intervene with bi-weeky therapy groups. Led by occupational therapists, they focus on a variety of milestones, tailoring their support to the challenges that the children face. From teaching pencil grip, to helping children overcome language barriers and come out of their shell, the team’s overarching aim is to ensure that these children are on track and ready for Grade R by the end of the year.
In 2024, 279 children were identified as falling far behind and were placed in therapy groups. Early Learning Outcomes Measurement (ELOM) results for these children showed that 62% are now on track. Each child has their own unique story of growth, here are just three of them:
Alex from Happy Faces Educare could not hold his pencil properly. In therapy, he was taught how to master the three-finger grip by drawing eyes on his pencil where his thumb and pointing finger should sit. Now he holds his pencil like a champion!
Alice, from Malawi, attends a different preschool. At the beginning of the year, she only understood her mother tongue, which made it difficult for her to participate in class. At first she was shy, but including her in therapy groups helped her come out of her shell. Now, she loves to participate, and she has overcome the language barrier that prevented her from learning.

Lunichia from Isiseko Educare Centre was very shy and would barely participate in therapy groups at the beginning of the year. She also experienced problems in a few learning areas, like visual perception and numeracy. Now she has the confidence and skills necessary to thrive in Grade R. Her progress can be seen the improvement she has made with drawing a person and writing her name.


As 4-5 year old children enter Grade R next year, they will benefit from KET’s Grade R programme. This will ensure that even those who are still falling behind have the opportunity to get ready for Grade 1.