One of our core aims is to partner with local nursery schools, supporting the teachers to use our creative and systematic teaching and learning programmes. These programmes fully comply with the Ugandan Early Years Framework. The five learning areas detailed in the Early Years Framework are divided into the following core teaching-learning subjects: Language and Phonics, Mathematics, and Personal Social and Spiritual Education. We operate on a basis of continual curriculum development, using our interactions with teachers and children to inform the programmes that we use.

Our mode of working with schools is via two main approaches. We offer staff training through workshops that explain and explore the background and content of our programmes for nursery schools. Throughout the year we also support teachers in the classrooms, working together to provide the best possible systems for classroom management and curriculum/programme delivery.

We have recently revised our programmes and the following are currently in use: a programme for using in big classroom settings, a programme specifically designed and tailored to the needs of special needs learners, a programme for very young learners, and a programme for use in community education outreach.

As well as clearly structured lessons and learning activities, we have also developed our own assessment booklets for termly use in nursery schools.

We are currently working with three schools:

• Musoto Christian School, Musoto, Mbale, run by an NGO called Spotlight on Africa Uganda Foundation

• Nabuyonga Primary School, a Government run Church of Uganda (Anglican) School in the centre of Mbale

• Loved Children’s Centre, Namatala, Mbale, run under the auspices of an NGO called Jenga

We are also providing education outreach in the village of Namabasa. Our aim is to provide foundational literacy skills in reading, writing and numeracy to children who would otherwise be unable to access pre-primary education.

We continually evaluate our approach and welcome feedback from education authorities, schools, organisations and other relevant bodies.