Teaching Resources
The Year Programme
43 themed weeks across the four school terms. Today falls in Week 25 — Small Creatures - Insects and Bugs. Every week gives you the ring time, the words, one activity per learning area, a story, a song, an outdoor game, what to watch for, and a message to send parents.
SELECTED WEEK
People and Places Around Us
13 Apr – 17 Apr 2026
Week 13
Extends each child's map of the world from home to community - shops, clinic, church, taxi rank - and grows positional language.
Well-being
'Safe places, safe people': if you are ever lost, stand still and ask a shopkeeper, a police officer or a mama with children for help.
Identity & Belonging
Draw the place your family visits most and tell the class why you go there.
Communication
Build 'our village' in the block corner with labelled boxes (shop, clinic, school); children walk a doll through it, narrating the route.
Exploring Mathematics
Positional play on the village map: put the taxi next to the shop, behind the church, between the houses; count the buildings.
Creativity
Box-construction town: small boxes painted as buildings, arranged on a big shared floor map with chalk roads.
Physical & the World
'Walk to town' obstacle journey - cross the river (plank bridge), climb the hill (tyres), arrive at the shop (table) with your basket.
⏰ Morning ring
- What is near our school? Let us name the places
- Where does your family buy food?
- Places we go in Hazyview: shops, clinic, church, market
- Who are our neighbours and how do we greet them?
📖 Story
Original: 'Sipho Gets Lost at the Market' - Sipho lets go of Mama's hand to look at sweets; he remembers the rule: stand still, find a mama with children, say your name. Children call out the rule at each pause.
🎵 Song
Adapted traditional (Mulberry Bush tune): 'This is the way we walk to the shop...' - first line: 'This is the way we walk to the shop'.
🏃 Outdoor
Short neighbourhood walk around the block naming what you see (with helpers and permission); otherwise a yard 'town trail' with labelled stations.
💬 Words this week
shop clinic church road taxi market neighbour town
isitolo (isiZulu - shop)
xitolo (Xitsonga - shop)
umgwaqo (isiZulu - road)
gondzo (Xitsonga - road)
👁 Watch and record
Knowledge of own surroundings; accuracy with positional words: next to, behind, in front of, between.
🎓 Grade R stretch
Draw a simple map of home-to-school with three landmarks and 'read' the route with a finger, using position words.
📱 Message home to parents
Theme: Our Community. When you walk or drive this week, name the places you pass - the shop, the clinic, the church - and talk about who works there.
The whole year
14 January - 27 March 2026 (11 weeks, 53 school days; unified national calendar - no separate inland/coastal clusters in 2026)
Myself and My World: settling in, separation security, my body, senses, family and home. Colours red/blue/yellow/green, shapes circle/square/triangle, numbers 1-5.
8 April - 26 June 2026 (12 weeks, 54 school days; public holidays: Freedom Day Mon 27 Apr, Workers' Day Fri 1 May, special holiday Mon 15 Jun, Youth Day Tue 16 Jun)
My Community and the Working World: the people, places, helpers and transport around us, farm life, and winter. Numbers to 10, shape consolidation, positional language.
21 July - 23 September 2026 (10 weeks, 46 school days; National Women's Day observed Mon 10 Aug; Heritage Day 24 Sep falls in the holiday)
The Natural World and Our Heritage: wild animals, small creatures, water, plants, spring, birds, and Heritage Month. Numbers to 10 and beyond, patterns, measurement.
6 October - 9 December 2026 (10 weeks, 47 school days; learners close 9 Dec, educators 11 Dec)
The Wider World, Big Dreams and Celebration: life cycles, storms, sky, sea, money, aspirations, summer safety and the year-end concert. School readiness consolidation for Grade R.
