Every reader is welcome in the Starbound universe, including neurodivergent readers. Readers learn, communicate and engage in different ways, so our educators get to know each reader and work with their family to shape support around that reader’s strengths and needs.
Grade RR–R
Curious explorers discovering letters, sounds and the joy of learning through play.
Launchpad gives children a joyful, carefully structured beginning. Through stories, movement, games, sensory discovery and direct educator guidance, they build the sound and symbol knowledge that prepares them for successful early reading.
Launchpad is one weekly lesson, ideally 45–60 minutes long.
Focus areasSound awarenessLetter soundsEarly phonicsVocabularyPre-writing
Any age
Targeted, personalised support for readers who need to strengthen, rebuild or extend important reading skills.
Every reader begins with an individual assessment so that we can understand their current abilities, identify the gaps holding them back and recommend the most appropriate way forward. Support may be offered individually or in a carefully matched small group and is shaped around the reader’s needs, pace and goals.
Focus areasSound recognitionPhonicsDecodingFluencyVocabularyComprehensionSpellingReading strategiesConfidence
Grade 1
Ready to learn; building confidence, independence and new reading skills.
Liftoff helps the pieces begin to come together. Children strengthen their phonics, blend and segment sounds with growing confidence, recognise familiar words, read simple texts and begin to understand what they read.
Focus areasPhonics skillsBlending and segmentingSight wordsSimple readingComprehension basics
Grades 2–5
Exploring deeper ideas and making connections across new worlds.
Orbit helps readers move beyond saying the words towards understanding the ideas beneath them. They learn to infer, make connections, grow their word knowledge, think more deeply and use reading as a tool for learning.
Focus areasDeeper comprehensionInferencingCritical thinkingWord knowledgeReading to learn
Grades 3–6
Using strategies to understand and find a way through real-world texts.
Navigate equips readers to find their way through longer, richer and more demanding texts. They learn to locate information, recognise main ideas, interpret meaning, compare sources and explain what they have discovered.
Focus areasComplex textsResearch skillsAnalysisSpeaking and listeningApplying knowledge
Grades 5–7
Confident, capable and visionary; reading for growth, purpose and impact.
Beyond develops readers who can question, interpret and respond with growing independence. Reading becomes a way to evaluate ideas, build arguments, communicate clearly and continue learning far beyond the classroom.
Focus areasAdvanced comprehensionCritical analysisPersuasive writingIndependent studyLifelong learning
Curriculum and languages
Each Starbound programme’s learning sequence, skills and text demands are mapped against the literacy outcomes of CAPS, South Africa’s national curriculum. Launchpad is mapped against the Foundation Phase outcomes and presented in Afrikaans Home Language and English Home Language only. Boost, Liftoff, Orbit, Navigate and Beyond are mapped against the outcomes for each grade and offered in both English and Afrikaans Home Language, as well as English and Afrikaans First Additional Language.
Where a learner follows another recognised curriculum, Starbound can consider that curriculum and the learner’s current school requirements when recommending support.
Grade RR–R
Launchpad is one weekly lesson, ideally 45–60 minutes long. It can be taken in a small group in Noordheuwel, privately, or at a participating school or aftercare centre.
A small group of 2–7 children at the Starbound Reading Centre in Noordheuwel, Krugersdorp. Learners may join during the year, subject to placement and availability.
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One learner with one educator: a 45–60 minute private session per week during the programme weeks.
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Group Launchpad is also presented at participating schools and aftercare centres, in groups of 8–12 children. We make agreements with each school or aftercare centre based on its number of participating learners.
Any age
Boost can be taken in a small group or one-to-one.
The fees shown here are based on one session per week, 45–60 minutes per session, and are for illustrative purposes only.
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Grade 1
Liftoff can be taken in a small group or one-to-one.
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Grades 2–5
Orbit can be taken in a small group or one-to-one.
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Grades 3–6
Navigate can be taken in a small group or one-to-one.
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Grades 5–7
Beyond can be taken in a small group or one-to-one.
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Boost, Liftoff, Orbit, Navigate and Beyond are presented only at the Starbound Reading Centre in Noordheuwel, Krugersdorp, and are not yet available at schools. Sessions are 45–60 minutes.
Every child is encouraged to complete the full programme for the year. If a child can no longer attend, one calendar month’s written notice is required.