On 4 September 2026, Angelique Timms, Curriculum Lead at Curro, was a guest speaker at the annual Oxford Digital Africa: Future Learning Labs event held in Cape Town. She spoke on why digital learning is becoming increasingly embedded in education and that schools face a critical question: How can technology be used to meaningfully improve literacy outcomes rather than simply digitize traditional learning. For Curro, one answer has been Oxford Reading Buddy, a digital reading platform that is helping their learners become more confident, capable and enthusiastic.

Furthermore, Angelique spoke on how Curro’s decision to adopt Oxford Reading Buddy was driven by a need to better understand and support learner reading development. Before implementing the platform, teachers spent considerable time assessing reading levels and tracking progress manually. While they could identify general trends, gaining immediate insight into specific learner challenges was often difficult.

She mentioned how Oxford Reading Buddy changed that by bringing reading, assessment and progress tracking together in one intuitive platform. Their learners can read level-appropriate books and immediately complete accompanying quizzes, while teachers receive valuable data that helps inform classroom instruction and targeted support.

The impact shown has been significant.

At Curro, Oxford Reading Buddy is fully embedded into their literacy programme and forms part of weekly classroom planning. Teachers use the platform for independent reading, guided reading activities and classroom discussions, often aligning reading material with curriculum themes. Across their 62 schools, they celebrate reading achievements through certificates, challenges and rewards, helping to create a culture where reading is both valued and enjoyed.

One of the greatest advantages has been increased accessibility. Their learners now have instant access to a wide variety of appropriately levelled books, removing many of the barriers that previously limited reading opportunities. Parents no longer need to wonder whether a book is suitable for their child’s reading ability. Instead, learners can confidently access texts matched to their level and interests with just a few clicks.

This accessibility has led to a noticeable increase in their learner’s reading confidence. When learners experience success with books that are appropriately challenging, they are more likely to read independently, take on more complex texts and develop a positive identity as readers, said Angelique Timms.

She further added how their learners’ favourite features are the quizzes and achievement badges. The immediate feedback creates excitement and motivation, while the ability to track personal progress encourages continued engagement. These seemingly small moments of achievement have become powerful drivers of their reading behaviour.

The results are reflected in individual learner success stories across Curro schools.

One particularly inspiring example is Grade 5 learner Lethu Makgalemela from Curro Serengeti. At the beginning of 2025, Lethu faced challenges with foundational spelling skills. Through a combination of teacher support, family involvement and consistent daily reading using Oxford Reading Buddy, she made remarkable progress. Improvements became evident in her spelling, sentence construction and overall language confidence. Even more importantly, as her reading ability grew, so did her self-belief and classroom participation.

What makes stories like Lethu’s so powerful is that they are not isolated cases. Across Curro schools, teachers have seen reluctant readers become regular readers after discovering books that match both their interests and reading abilities. Parents have also reported feeling more empowered to support literacy development at home, creating a stronger partnership between school and family.

Literacy is the foundation for success across all subjects. By connecting their learners, teachers and parents through meaningful reading experiences, Oxford Reading Buddy is helping build that foundation while cultivating curiosity, confidence and a genuine enjoyment of books.

The words of Gugulethu Warona Myeza, an avid reader at Curro Parkdene, captures this impact perfectly:

“I love reading because it is calming and relaxing. It allows me to expand my imagination, develop my creativity as a writer, and create vivid mental images of the stories I read. ORB has enhanced this experience by making reading more engaging, interactive, and relevant to the 21st century. It has inspired me to enjoy reading even more while encouraging creativity and a lifelong love of learning.”

When the right platform is thoughtfully integrated into teaching and learning, it does more than improve reading levels. It empowers learners to see themselves as readers, opening doors to lifelong learning and future success.