Late enrolments and prioritising of learners

Parents who are late in registering their children for the school year and whose children can not be placed should contact the district office.

The district office liaises with schools in terms of individual placement of learners, based on the placement lists of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED).

In response to a query from George Herald, director of communications Bronagh Hammond says although late enrolments make it difficult to plan, the department will "leave no stone unturned" in its endeavour to place all learners as soon as possible. "These parents must please be patient as their late application has not allowed us to plan ahead for their child."

10th day

She says the system needs "to settle" to determine where there are places available that can be filled. "The 10th school day is essential to us. Learners can only be legally deregistered from a school after being absent for 10 school days in cases where no valid reason is given. Some learners who have confirmed placement at schools do not arrive and can be deregistered after the 10th school day, allowing for the placement of learners that have applied late. While there may be empty seats for learners in some of our schools - seats that fit the profiles of some of our late applications - we cannot use these seats until the 10th day survey results are accurately assessed and approved."

Preferential treatment for new George residents

The newspaper has heard that there are long waiting lists at schools, but that children who are newly arrived in town apparently enjoy preference in placement. One parent complains that if you want to move your child (who is already in a local school) to another (local) school, you are placed at the bottom of the list. But when children from another province arrive, the school makes a plan to accommodate them. "Surely locals should enjoy preference?"

Hammond explains that the department prioritises the placement of unplaced learners who applied last year over those who are applying "very late" this year. However, some schools may, for instance, accept learners if they are entering the school hostel as well, if learner numbers are low in the hostel this year.

Admissions policies

"Schools may also be admitting learners based on their admissions policies, which could see some learners prioritised over others as well, for example, a learner with siblings in the school, or living opposite the school gate, as opposed to someone living 10km away. The admission policies of each school differ from school to school, but it could be a factor."

She says in general, the WCED firstly prioritises the placement of learners on its placement lists who applied on time, then those who applied late last year and lastly, the extremely late applications.

Transfers between local schools

"As for transfers, ie, when a learner is already enrolled in a school, and not unplaced, and wants to make a transfer to another nearby school because of preference, the acceptance of any learner depends on the school's admission policy,” Hammond says.

“There may be instances whereby a learner from another province, whose parents have been suddenly transferred for work purposes, may require placement. They may be prioritised above the learner that is already placed. However, ultimately, the decision lies with the school governing board of the school."

Children are placed taking into account, among others, their grade, the area in which they live, their language of learning and, in some cases, their subjects.