Several large national studies and many smaller local studies suggest that high-quality child care experiences are related, albeit modestly, to child outcomes, even after adjusting for factors such as socio-economic status and parental child-rearing attitudes and practices (Howes, Phillips and Whitebook, 1992, Peisner-Feinberg and Burchinal, 1997, Zill, 1999). Programmes for children should be intensive, yearlong and conducted by appropriately trained professionals (leseman, 2002). The timely transition from learning-to-read to reading-to-learn, which for most children occurs al about age 8 or 9, is essential to academic success, school attainment and well-being (Snow, Burns and Griffin, 1998). During the primary school years, from kindergarten to Grade 3, considerable emphasis is placed on the development of reading skills.