To ensure all children can fulfil their potential, it is essential to explore factors contributing to poverty related achievement gaps. Executive function (EF) skills, foundational to learning, have been shown to mediate the link between socioeconomic status (SES) and academic performance. However, few studies explore this in the South African context. The current study investigates the extent to which EF skills explain gaps in academic outcomes between socioeconomically advantaged and disadvantaged South
African preschool children. The national Thrive by Five Index 2021 dataset was used, including 5,222 children enrolled in preschools categorised by quintile as an indication of SES. Children were assessed on the ELOM 4&5, standardised for South Africa, and measures development in five domains including Numeracy and Mathematics (ENM) and Cognition and Executive Functioning (CEF) skills. Bivariate correlations showed that SES was significantly associated with CEF and ENM, and CEF and ENM
were highly correlated. Hierarchical regression showed that while SES predicted ENM scores, including CEF improved model at 32% of the variance. Multilevel mediation analysis showed a significant indirect effect of SES on ENM via CEF, with a non-significant direct effect. These findings suggest that the benefits of attending a more resourced preschool on numeracy are explained by improved EF skills, supporting EF-targeted interventions to reduce educational inequality.