The short answer
A reading gap changes the decision entirely. Until a child can read at close to grade level, curriculum choice matters far less than closing that gap — and mainstream pacing will keep the gap open.
Reading is the subject underneath every other subject. A child who cannot read the maths question cannot do the maths, and by Grade 5 the marks will say “bad at maths” when the problem is nothing of the kind.
Work out the size of the gap first
Not “struggles with reading” — how far behind, and in what. These are different problems with different answers:
- Decoding — cannot reliably turn letters into sounds and sounds into words. Reading is slow, effortful, full of guesses. This is the foundation, and it is where a phonics-based programme works.
- Fluency — decodes accurately but so slowly that the sentence is gone by the time it is finished. Comprehension collapses because working memory is spent on the mechanics.
- Comprehension — reads accurately and fluently but does not extract meaning. A different problem again, often about vocabulary and background knowledge.
Have someone competent establish which one it is. A proper assessment is worth more than any forum advice, including this article — see homeschooling a child with learning difficulties.
What this means for the curriculum
Three things follow, and the order matters.
- Do not choose Cambridge to add rigour. A struggling reader in a more demanding programme reads more, not better. This is a genuinely common and genuinely expensive mistake.
- Consider a supported pace. Remedial CAPS teaches the same national curriculum with concepts repeated and broken into smaller steps. It is a bridge back to mainstream, not a lesser destination.
- Run a reading intervention alongside, not instead. Learning to Read covers Grades R to 3 with a Reading Booster for Grades 4 to 6. It is a separate product with its own subscription, and the first two lessons of each grade are free, so you can test the fit before paying anything.
If reading is not the only difficulty
Where a child can understand the work but cannot demonstrate it — because writing is slow, or reading is exhausting, or processing takes longer — the issue may be a barrier rather than a gap. Special Needs CAPS builds in text-to-speech, a scribe, extra time and untimed audio assessments. The distinction is set out in Remedial CAPS or Special Needs CAPS, and it is worth getting right before you enrol.
How long it takes
Longer than parents hope and shorter than they fear. A focused programme with consistent daily practice moves a decoding gap in months rather than years, but it needs the daily part. Progress is not linear and there is usually a flat patch that feels like failure and is not.
This article explains how curriculum choice for a struggling reader works in general. It was written in August 2026 and is reviewed every six months. For the current position — dates, fees, availability and anything specific to your child — see the curriculum options, or ask in the forums and a member of the team will confirm.