Education South Africa Project #67918

Support Teaching & Learning in South Africa

by The SACTWU Edufundi Project

Support Teaching & Learning in South Africa

Project Report | Jul 28, 2025
Term 2 Report

By Tia Loubser | Operations Manager

Eastern Cape Teach like a Champion Workshop 2

Impact Snapshot

Schools Reached: 39
Teachers Mentored: 241
SMT Coached: 231
Learners Benefiting: ±46,000
Mentoring Sessions Conducted: 2,558 (cumulative to Term 2)
Coaching Sessions Conducted: 1,097 (cumulative to Term 2)

Transforming Classrooms & Leadership in Term 2

The second term of the year has been one of energy and focus, with teachers finding their rhythm, school leaders planning with purpose, and Edufundi sharpening how we work to better support our schools.

By the end of Term 2, we have completed 2,558 mentoring sessions with teachers, helping them plan and teach with greater confidence, creating calmer, more focused classrooms where learners are engaged and ready to learn, and 1,097 coaching sessions with school leaders, supporting them to plan with purpose, run focused meetings and work together as one to strengthen their schools.

Teach Like a Champion: Curriculum-Based Planning

This term, TLAC Workshop 2 focused on curriculum-based lesson planning to maximise opportunities for meaningful learning. Educators left the workshop with practical strategies and tools to improve lesson structure and learner engagement, and feedback from schools shows these approaches are already being applied.

Lead Like a Champion: Reflective Practice for Leaders

We also delivered a Peer Support Group Workshop with school management teams, showing leaders how reflection can be a powerful tool for planning, action and ongoing learning. Leadership teams are increasingly using structured reflection to make informed decisions and strengthen how they lead teaching and learning across their schools.

From the Field

In the Classroom:

“My class feels different. I feel more in control, and the learners know what is expected of them – they are ready to learn when I teach.” – Teacher, Winnie Mandela Primary

In Leadership:

“We no longer leave meetings unsure of who does what. We leave knowing exactly what our next steps are and who is responsible. It has made us more of a team.” – SMT member, Castlehill Primary

Special Highlights

AGM: We reflected on progress and future plans with partners and supporters, proudly sharing our 2024 Annual Report.
Mandela Day: Our team gave back by supporting the Animal Welfare Society in Philippi, cleaning intake areas to help stop the spread of disease.
Slave Route Challenge: Edufundi was honoured to be the beneficiary of this heritage event, combining fitness, community and a commitment to education.

Looking Ahead

Term 3 will bring a deeper focus on teacher and leader development, including:

LLAC Workshop 2: Helping leaders strengthen planning and accountability and introducing support for implementing the BELA Bill using practical TLAC techniques to promote safe, respectful and structured learning environments.
TLAC Workshop 3: Focused on “Are they learning, and how do we know?” – giving teachers practical ways to check learner understanding and adapt teaching to learner needs.
Grade R Workshop: Intentionally applying Edufundi techniques to early childhood settings to build joyful, structured learning spaces.
Assessment Support Workshop: Helping teachers support learners during assessments, building confidence and focus while capturing meaningful information about learning progress.

Tableau Activity at Teach like a Champion Workshop

Eastern Cape Teacher in Action

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Mar 28, 2025
Term 1 Report

By Tia Loubser | Operations Manager

Impact Snapshot

Schools Reached: 39
Teachers Mentored: 232

SMT Coached: 183

Learners Benefiting: ± 46 000

Mentoring Sessions Conducted: 5
Coaching Sessions Conducted: 2

Transforming Classrooms & Leadership in Term 1

As the first term of the year draws to a close, Edufundi has already made significant strides in our mission to strengthen teaching and leadership in schools. With our focused mentoring and coaching approach, we have worked closely with educators and school leaders to embed effective teaching strategies and foster instructional leadership that will have a lasting impact.

Teach Like a Champion: Routines for Success

Edufundi introduced a baseline assessment (TLAC Term Report) for mentors to establish a starting point for Teach Like a Champion mentees. The results of the baseline feed into a dashboard, helping identify gaps in teaching and learning processes. Based on these findings, mentors and mentees collaborated to develop a Term 1 Professional Development Plan, focusing on techniques to address identified areas for growth. The TLAC Term Report will be repeated at the end of each term to track the mentee’s progress throughout the year of mentoring.

A key highlight of Term 1 was the successful rollout of Teach Like a Champion Workshop 1, which took place on a Saturday in each province. This combined workshop brought together representatives from 10 schools in each region to explore the power of whole-school routines—a foundational step in establishing structured and effective learning environments.

The immediate adoption of these routines was evident—by Monday morning, schools were already implementing the strategies with enthusiasm. Using these techniques will show improvements in classroom structure, smoother transitions, and greater learner engagement over time, as educators consistently apply and refine their practice.

Lead Like a Champion: Empowering Instructional Leaders

For Lead Like a Champion, a baseline assessment (LLAC Semester Report) was introduced, with coaches observing processes during an SMT meeting to identify areas requiring refinement in leadership practices. This assessment provides valuable insights into what support is needed in specific aspects of school leadership. The LLAC Semester Report is conducted at the end of each semester, in June and December, to measure progress over time.

This term also marked the launch of Lead Like a Champion Workshop 1, setting the foundation for SMT members to step into their roles as instructional leaders. With the guidance of our expert coaches, school leadership teams are beginning their journey towards sustainable, school-wide transformation. By supporting SMT members in developing the skills and confidence to mentor and supervise educators, we aim to support ongoing improvements in teaching quality that can extend beyond the duration of our programme.

A Team That Drives Change

At the heart of our success is the Edufundi team—our mentors, coaches, and programme leads, who serve as agents of transition within schools. Their dedication, expertise, and unwavering commitment to building capacity within educators and school leaders are what truly drive meaningful change.

As we move forward, we remain committed to deepening our impact, refining our approach, and ensuring that every school we work with experiences lasting transformation. Term 1 has set a powerful precedent for the rest of the year—and we can't wait to see what’s next!

Looking Ahead

Term 2 promises even greater strides as we continue our mentoring and coaching efforts, with upcoming workshops and deeper engagement with schools. Stay tuned for more updates as we build stronger schools, one teacher and one leader at a time!

#Edufundi #TeachLikeAChampionSA #LeadLikeAChampion

Eastern Cape Lead Like a Champion Workshop 1

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