Admission Policy
Ethiopian Community International School (EICS) IMPLEMENTS THE FOLLOWING ADMISSION POLICY AND PROCEDURES.
1. Admission and eligibility
1.1. No learner will be refused admission on the grounds of race, gender, culture, or religious belief.
1.2. All learners admitted to the school will take part in the total school program -academic, sporting, social and cultural.
1.3. Selection will be based on the following criteria:
Learners must demonstrate a definite school-readiness before acceptance to the ECIS can be contemplated.
In respect of a learner admitted to Grade 1, preference will be given to a learner turning seven in the year of acceptance. The minimum eligibility criterion is that a learner must turn 6 by June unless exceptional circumstances exist which necessitate the admission of the learner in his/her best interest.
The available number of places in a particular class (given the maximum class size determined from time to time in accordance with the school’s commitment to providing a quality education).
Whether the amount of support or special needs that a learner might require (based on the school’s assessment results) can be met.
Whether the parent/guardian is able to pay the fees (with or without financial assistance) as determined by the Board from time to time.
Whether the learner can cope with the medium of instruction (i.e. the English language).
2. Applicants with specific needs
– ECIS adopts Learning Support program, although the number of students to whom it can be offered is limited by the resources it has available at any given time. Parents or guardians of any applicant having a specific need must submit complete reports with the application. These might include individualized education programs (IEPs), psychological reports or speech and language reports.
– Any student with significant specific academic or physical needs for which the school does not have adequate resources will not be admitted. Students needing Learning Support may be admitted if it is believed that the school can offer appropriate support and that the children can be placed in the regular classroom. When reviewing the application of a student with specific needs, the Admissions Committee will take into consideration all students receiving learning support in that grade, with additional consultation from the Learning Support specialists.
3. Procedure
The “Application for Enrollment” form must be completed and returned to the school together with the required fee, preferably by the end of the 2nd term. All existing examination and assessment results, school reports, transfer certificates and such like must be submitted with the application.
Should scholastic assessments be necessary, an appointment will be arranged by the relevant member of staff, alternatively an assessment can be required by the EICS from an external Counselling Psychologist, at the parents’ expense.
The application is screened for eligibility in terms of the criteria (above) by the Admittance Committee.
If necessary the learner and the parent(s)/guardian(s) are interviewed.
Where an application is successful, the parent(s)/guardian(s) will be asked to sign the Code of Conduct Agreement.
Where an application is unsuccessful the Admittance Committee will inform the parent(s)/guardian(s). Verbal reasons for such refusal will be given on request. The selection process is confidential, and parents undertake to accept the decision reached by the School.
4. Post-review procedure
When a decision has been taken on a candidate’s application, parents will be notified of the decision by email or telephone within 48 hours. Subsequently, the action taken varies depending on the decision taken regarding the student:
Acceptance:
If an applicant is accepted, this will be followed by a formal email of acceptance accompanied by the Registration Contract and the Parent Permission and Authorization Sheet. The Registration Contract must be completed and returned to the Admissions Office, within 10 days of receipt, along with a Registration Deposit for each child, in order to officially reserve the space(s). The Parent Permission and Authorization Sheet must be completed and returned before the applicant begins school. There may also be additional subject choice forms to complete, depending on the grade level. If the offer of a place has not been accepted by the 10-day deadline, it can be offered to another family.
4.2. Denial: If an applicant is denied a place, a formal letter or email is sent to confirm this.
4.3. Waiting lists: If an applicant is accepted but no space is available in the appropriate class, he/she will be placed on a waiting list, and the parents will be sent a letter or email to confirm this. When a place becomes available in the appropriate class, it will be offered to a student on the waiting list. Criteria used to decide which student on the waiting list is offered the place include:
– Siblings already attending, accepted in or applying to the school
– The existing language balance of the class