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
Children of South Africa
15 Jun – 19 Jun 2026
Week 22
Youth Day week - children's rights and responsibilities at child level, and pride in being a South African child.
Well-being
'Children can say no' revisited: bodies belong to us, secrets that feel bad must be told to a trusted adult - name your two adults again.
Identity & Belonging
'Children just like me': look at pictures of South African children in different places - same needs, different homes, all precious.
Communication
Rights circle: every child finishes the sentence 'Every child needs...' while the teacher scribes a class charter with little drawings.
Exploring Mathematics
Count our class exactly, then estimate the whole school and check against the register total - big-number wonder.
Creativity
Class mural 'Hands of the Children' - every child's painted handprint and name arranged around the class charter.
Physical & the World
Traditional games sessions: diketo (stone toss-and-grab for fine motor) and kgati rope skipping.
⏰ Morning ring
- Youth Day: we remember brave school children from long ago
- Every child's rights: a name, a home, school, safety, play
- My responsibilities: kind hands, listening ears, trying my best
- Children everywhere need the same things
📖 Story
Original: 'The Children Who Planted a School' - village children with no school carry stones and sing until the grown-ups join them and build it. Brave children can start big things.
🎵 Song
'Siyahamba' (traditional South African hymn, public domain) - first line: 'Siyahamba ekukhanyeni kwenkhos''.
🏃 Outdoor
Traditional games tournament: diketo and rope-skipping stations, mixed-age teams, everyone plays.
💬 Words this week
child children right school learn play safe brave
ingane (isiZulu - child)
n'wana (Xitsonga - child)
vana (Xitsonga - children)
bantwana (siSwati - children)
👁 Watch and record
Which children find their voice in the circle and which stay silent - plan speaking turns for the quiet ones; skipping progress as a gross-motor marker.
🎓 Grade R stretch
Talk about why Youth Day is on 16 June; count out and write the number 16; copy the sentence 'I am special'.
📱 Message home to parents
Theme: Children of South Africa. Tuesday is Youth Day. Tell your child one story from your own school days, and play one game you played as a child - skipping, diketo, anything.
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.
