SmartStart Programme Assessment

This outcome evaluation was commissioned to examine the effect of the SmartStart programme on the developmental outcomes of participating children. The independent evaluation team also sought to understand how programme, child and practitioner variables might contribute to child outcomes.

SmartStart is a national early learning social franchise which seeks to provide a systems solution to the challenge of delivering quality and affordable early learning opportunities at scale. Implementing partners (‘Franchisors’) license and support a network of early learning practitioners to deliver the same daily programme targeted at 3 and 4 year-olds.

Children in all SmartStart programmes improved their performance on the ELOM, over and above the expected age progress. There was a consistent increase in the percentage of children Achieving the ELOM Standard across all ELOM domains, and a similarly consistent decrease in the percentage of children who were Falling Far Behind in all domains.

For the entire sample, the proportion of children who were Achieving the Standard for ELOM Total score, increased from 32% of children at baseline to 62% of children at endline. Children from two Franchisors realised the greatest degree of improvement in ELOM scores. Older children performed better than younger children, as well as those with better growth status and with higher levels of social maturity and emotional functioning. Boys did not perform as well as girls.

The SmartStart Programme Outcome Evaluation report is available here.