Our 5 Steps to 5-Star ECD Programme
We understand that growing your early learning business is a step-by-step process. It’s hard work, but it’s worth it!
We’ve developed a 5-step programme to help ECD centres on their journey towards high quality education and business sustainability at their own pace. Our recipe for success includes education and business components. Now you can access these components one step at a time. Plus, you are in control of how far you want to go.
Attend an info day in
your city or online
Apply for Step 1
on WhatsApp
How does the 5 Steps to 5 Star ECD Programme work?
Step 1:
Access to technology tools & online training
This step is free. Any ECD centre in South Africa may apply for this step.
ECD Centres get access to the custom-built Apps for Principals (Giraffe app), Teachers (Meerkat app) and Parents (Lion app).
These apps help you manage your entire preschool from the palm of your hand! App features include enrolment, staff management, attendance trackers, learner and teacher assessments, income and expense trackers, access to tools such as policies, procedures and forms, and parent communications.
You will also receive access to our data-free online training for professional teacher and principal development. If you get stuck we’ll help you through our WhatsApp support system and helpdesk along the way.
Step 2: Quality Education Programme
Step 3:
Registration Support
Many ECD owners cannot legally register because their infrastructure does not meet the minimum requirements. Registration issues relate to compliant structures, zoning, approved buildings plans, sufficient space, health and safety, and sanitation requirements. Centres must also offer an approved daily programme to get registered (which is why step 2 is essential). An investment in meeting these minimum infrastructure requirements could potentially unlock a government subsidy, which in turn can make the low-fee centre financially self-sustainable.
In Step3 ECD Centres get everything from the previous steps, plus qualifying ECD centres apply to receive a micro-loan for infrastructure upgrades to help achieve registration requirements and improve the early learning environment.
We’ll provide virtual business mentoring through WhatsApp and online training to help take your small business to the next level.
Step 4:
Quality Assurance
Centres are assessed against the predefined quality standards to see their gaps. Feedback is provided to centres owners after a site visit to deliver practical action plans. We also provide assistance with registration and subsidy applications.
Step 5: GROW Branding
We will invite the cream of the crop from Step 4 to apply to become a GROW franchisee.
In step 5 ECD Centres get everything from the previous steps, plus they are invited to join the exclusive GROW Educare Centres franchise network of top quality ECD centres.
Benefits such as marketing support, paid-for teacher interns, fundraising and incentives, and the support network become available.
Attend an info day in
your city or online
for step 1
on What’s app
Our mobile app and learning technology
Our easy-to-use App and online training makes recipe for ECD success more scaleable and accessible for ECD owners across South Africa. The mobile technology is designed for Android devices, works in offline mode and uses very little data
There are three mobile apps:
- Giraffe App for ECD Owner
- Meerkat App for Teachers
- Lion App for Parents
How do the GROW Apps and Online Training Work?
The ECD Owner’s Giraffe app helps them becoming a more professional ECD centre
- manage the school (create classes, calendars and profiles, staff attendance)
- support the learners (enrolment, attendance, assessment results and reports)
- empower the teachers (professional evaluation, resources, training)
- grow her professional skills (data-free online training)
- engage parents (learner progress reports, fee-payment tracker and notification)
- track her progress towards 5 Star
- track her progress towards registration
- manage her finances (record income and expenses, a statement and progress)
- Access professional resources: policies, procedures and templates, educational tips, training and registration checklist.
The Teacher's Meerkat App helps her:
- Track learner’s attendance
- Assess learners and identify development areas
- See and respond to development areas per learner
- See messages from the principal
- Access ECD resources
The Parent’s Lion App helps them:
- View their child’s assessment results
- View their child’s attendance
- View their payments and outstanding balance
- Access educational resources
- Receive notifications from the principal
- View the school calendar
Attend an info day in
your city or online
for step 1
on What’s app