Together with KILT, KET is building an education pipeline for Knysna’s children, from preschool through primary school and into high school. Along the way, we’ve learned that many parents aren’t fully prepared for their child’s move into Grade R. So we now reach out to parents a year earlier, while their children are in Grade RR, to help them get ready for the year ahead.
Our Grade RR Parent Meetings give parents practical information on what school readiness looks like, how to support their children at home, how enrolment works, and what Grade R will expect of their child.
This year, around 120 parents attended our five meetings, almost twice as many as last year.
Parents left knowing what their children will need in Grade R and how they can help at home. They also had clear answers on enrolment and the documents required, which helps avoid last-minute stress and delays. Just as valuable was the chance to ask questions and raise concerns directly.
It starts long before Grade R
Every year before school counts. Children who spend their early years in a good preschool arrive in Grade R ready to learn. But each year we also see children starting Grade R who have never been to preschool, and they often struggle to catch up. These are the families we most wish we could reach earlier.
If you know a family with a young child who isn’t in a preschool yet, please encourage them to find one near them. The earlier a child starts, the better prepared they will be.
