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2021

Thrive by Five Index

The Thrive by Five Index points us to where children need us most. Together, we can turn these insights into impact.

Download the 2021 Report
National Findings
Provincial Findings
Methodology

Inside the Thrive by Five Index 2021

The Index included two study components consisting of a Main Study of
Enrolled Children and a further Exploratory Study of Non-Enrolled Children

ELP clusters reached across nine provinces, representative across income quintiles nationally
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Enolled children assessed. A nationally representative snapshot of developmental status at age four
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ELPs observed and assessed. Evaluating programme quality, daily practices, and staffing realities on the ground
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Households visited to identify 4-year-old children not enrolled in an ELP.
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Non-enrolled children assessed. Including children outside formal early learning programmes
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Primary caregivers interviewed. Gaining insight into children’s home environments, caregiving practices, and daily routines
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 Map of ELPs included in the 2021 Index

The sample of enrolled children

A multistage cluster sampling strategy was used to recruit a nationally representative sample of 5184 children aged 50-59 months enrolled in various types of ELPs

The study used standardised, validated tools to ensure consistency and comparability across diverse settings and languages. 7 forms were used:

  • Early learning:
    • Gross Motor Development (GMD)
    • Fine Motor Coordination and Visual Motor Integration (FMC-VMI)
    • Emergent Numeracy and Mathematics (ENM)
    • Cognition and Executive Functioning (CEF)
    • Emergent Literacy and Language (ELL)
  • Physical growth:
    • Height for age
  • Social and emotional functioning:
    • Social Relations with Peers and Adults
    • Emotional Readiness for School

 

By the age of 50–59 months, a child’s abilities in language, emergent mathematics, executive functioning, fine motor coordination, and visual motor integration are reliable predictors of how well they will perform during the Foundation Phase of schooling. These domains form the core building blocks for reading, writing, problem-solving, and classroom participation, making them essential targets for early support and intervention.

The Thrive by Five Index is the product of the collective efforts of a multidisciplinary team, including experts in early childhood development, psychology, economics, data science,   fieldwork management, research, communications, and child assessment. It would not have been possible without the thousands of children and hundreds of early learning practitioners who gave of their time to participate.

 

 

Index leads:

 

  • Sonja Giese was founding Executive Director of Innovation Edge and led the organisation and its data work for eight years. She now heads up DataDrive2030.
  • Janeli Kotze is a Deputy Director in the Research Coordination, Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate at the Department of Basic Education.
 

Data analysis and technical reports:

 

  • Colin Tredoux is Professor in the Department of Psychology at the Universityof Cape Town and a Research Associate at Université de Tolouse, Jean Jaurés.
  • Andrew Dawes is Associate Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychology at the University of Cape Town and a Research Associate with the Young Lives study at Oxford University.
  • Frances Mattes is a Masters in Psychological Research candidate in the Department of Psychology at the University of Cape Town.
  • Grace Bridgman is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Economics at Stellenbosch University, focusing on the spatial inequality in child health and development, and is also a researcher with ReSEP in the same department.
  • Servaas van der Berg is Professor of Economics at Stellenbosch University and the South African Research Chair in the Economics of Social Policy.
 

Training and fieldwork teams:

 

  • Jan Schenk is the Director of ikapadata and has a PhD in Sociology from the University of Cape Town.
  • Lameez Alexander is a research analyst and has a PhD in Organisational Behaviour from the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University.
  • Elizabeth Girdwood is an economist specialising in the economics of education and ECD in South Africa.
  • Linda Biersteker is a developmental psychologist and educator and isconsidered one of South Africa’s leading early childhood development specialists.
  • Trainers included occupational therapists, senior researchers and experienced ELOM assessors.
  • Data collection was undertaken by 72 accredited ELOM assessors and auditors assigned to 18 teams, two teams per province. Assessments were conducted in all 11 official South African languages.
 

Additional project management and communications support was provided by the Innovation Edge team and associates:

 

  • Temitope A. Ogunyoku is a researcher and has a PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of California, Davis.
  • Nicole Biondi is the strategic head of marketing and communications activities for Innovation Edge.
  • Svetlana Doneva is a communication specialist focusing on sustainable development.
 

The Index steering committee was led by the Department of Basic Education and included representatives from Innovation Edge, the Department of Planning, Monitoring and  Evaluation in the Presidency, Department of Social Development, Department of Health, Statistics South Africa and Treasury.

The project management team was led by Innovation Edge and included representatives from the Department of Basic Education, First National Bank, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and ECDMeasure.

Download Technical Report

Index 2021 Reports & Recommendations

Explore our research and insights on early childhood development.

Download the Thrive by Five Index Report Revised August 2022
Thrive by Five Index Report Addendum (March 2023)
Download the Thrive by Five Index Technical Report Revised July 2022

About the 2021 Dataset

The information presented here and in the reports is representative of the population of 4-5-year-old children attending Early Learning Programmes (ELP) in South Africa. There are 1.2 million children in South Africa aged 4-5 years; 45%-55% of them are reported to attend some kind of ELP.

The 2021 Thrive by Five Index involved a random sample of over 5,000 children aged 50-59 months enrolled in 1,247 ELPs across the country. For every child, we assessed key areas of development that are important for success in school: Early Learning, Physical Growth and Social-Emotional Functioning. For each of these areas of development, the Thrive by FIve Index reports the proportion of children who meet the expected standard for their age.

The 2021 Index also includes one combined composite indicator on the proportion of children who are on track for both physical and cognitive development by age 4-5 years.

2021 Dataset Download

The full anonymised 2021 Thrive by Five Index dataset is available
on the University of Cape Town Data First open data portal.

Visit the data first data portal

Suggested Citation

Giese S2, Dawes A3, Tredoux C4, Mattes F5, Bridgman G6, van der Berg S7, Schenk J8 and Kotzé J9 (2022) Thrive by Five Index Report Revised August 2022, Innovation Edge, Cape Town. www.thrivebyfive.co.za

Our Partners

The Thrive by Five Index is a multi-sectoral partnership, led by the Department of Basic Education and coordinated by DataDrive2030.

A steering committee provides strategic oversight and includes representatives from the Departments of Basic Education, Health, Social Development, Treasury, Statistics South Africa, and the Presidency.