Over the past 5 years, the South African Journal of Childhood Education (SAJCE) has experienced remarkable growth, solidifying its role as a leading scholarly platform for research on childhood education in South Africa and the broader region. As of 2025, SAJCE holds a Web of Science Emerging Sources Citation Index impact factor of 1.0, with a 5-year impact factor of 1.1 – an achievement that reflects the sustained commitment to academic excellence under the outgoing editorial leadership of Professor Elizabeth Henning.
Volume 15 (2025) began with a Special Collection on Advancing Neurodiversity in Education, marking a significant contribution to the evolving discourse on inclusive education. This collection brings together interdisciplinary, locally grounded research that explores the educational inclusion and support of neurodivergent learners within South Africa’s primary schooling system, from Grades R to 7. The featured studies challenge deficit-based paradigms, instead positioning neurodiversity as a valuable and intrinsic dimension of learner variability.
A central theme emerging from this body of work is the need for contextually relevant pedagogical frameworks. Articles examining the intersection of bilingualism and neurodiversity underscore the importance of embracing linguistic diversity alongside neurodevelopmental differences. These insights carry important implications for language policy and instructional design, advocating for teaching methodologies that honour learners’ identities and expressive modalities. Equally compelling is the focus on trauma-informed education, which calls for culturally responsive and inclusive classroom practices that support neurodivergent learners affected by adverse experiences.
The collection moves beyond the notion of inclusion to advocate for substantive educational equity. It offers inclusive frameworks tailored to the South African context, providing actionable guidance for curriculum development, policy formulation, and school-based support systems. Contributions from early childhood educators reveal critical gaps in professional development, highlighting the urgent need to build capacity in neurodiversity pedagogy through targeted training and reflective practice.
Innovative approaches that integrate cultural play and digital technologies into early childhood mathematics education also feature prominently. These pedagogies demonstrate the potential of creative, culturally anchored, and technologically enriched learning experiences to enhance engagement and cognitive development among neurodiverse learners.
Collectively, the scholarship in this volume deepens our understanding of neurodiversity in education and offers practical pathways for advancing inclusive practice. It serves as a valuable resource for educators, policymakers, and communities committed to fostering equitable learning environments for all children.
Looking ahead, future research must critically engage with emerging technologies – including artificial intelligence, digital platforms, and simulation-based learning – to explore their potential in personalising education, enhancing assessment, and supporting learner engagement. Such inquiry must be grounded in ethical, pedagogical, and accessibility considerations to ensure these innovations promote equity rather than reinforce existing disparities.
In closing, we extend our sincere appreciation to the authors whose contributions enrich this volume, and to the reviewers and section editors whose scholarly discernment continues to uphold the journal’s standards of quality and relevance.
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