Little Stars in the Western Cape

Donor: Sanlam Foundation
Partners: Western Cape Education Department
Duration: 2023-2025
Location: Swartland Local Municipality

Project model:
The Little Stars Project in the Western Cape, funded by the Sanlam Foundation to implement the Foundation’s early learning intervention, provided Wordworks with the opportunity to work directly with practitioners from five ECD centres in the Swartland Municipality. Practitioners continue to implement the language programme in their classrooms since their training in 2023 and from 2024, were trained to conduct parent workshops aimed at supporting early learning at home. In 2025, these practitioners were trained as trainers and equipped an additional 13 ECD centres to run the Little Stars programme, reaching 450 children through the extension of the project.

Sustaining the intervention:
District education officials attend training, are provided with regular programme updates and will conduct site visits to support and sustain implementation. In order to sustain the gains of the intervention after the project period, trained ECD practitioners will become members of Wordworks online programme network,granting them access to resources, courses and programme support systems.

Research and results:
We do not have evaluation results from this particular project but you may find it useful to look at a randomised control trial funded by the British Academy in 2022. The intention of the study was to investigate the impact of the Little Stars early literacy classroom programme when implemented in challenging socio-economic conditions, with a minimal training and support model. The study found that the Little Stars programme enhanced early literacy outcomes, boosted teacher confidence, and improved classroom practices. In subsequent projects we have been able to develop models of teacher training and support to improve effectiveness and impact.

In the field: