DOHA ENGLISH
SPEAKING SCHOOL
ADMISSIONS POLICY
VERSION 2 – MAY
2009
Mandate of the
School
·
To
provide education for British passport holders, such that they may
re-enter the education system seamlessly upon their return to the
UK.
Conditions
·
Parents will be informed that unless the Entrance Assessment
Criteria are met, a placement is not guaranteed for any child
(see below).
·
Children with British passports will be given priority for
placements at Doha English Speaking School (DESS), as will siblings
of holders of non-British passports who already have a place at
DESS.
·
Other nationals may be offered places in the school when there are
places available and the Entrance Assessment Criteria are met.
·
Irrespective of the number of pupils on roll, a prioritising
‘Wait-list’ will be established by the school’s Registrar whilst
assessments are processed.
·
Children, regardless of nationality, will not be admitted if they
are assessed by the school as having severe learning and/or
behavioural difficulties as the school is unable to offer an
appropriate curriculum or facilities.
·
Children will be allocated a year group according to age. The
academic year is from 1 September to 31 August.
·
These conditions may only be varied in exceptional
circumstances, and with the approval of the Board of Governors.
Entrance Criteria
1.
The
school requires that for entry, children should be able to
communicate in English at a level appropriate to their age and
development. This applies to all children, including full British
passport holders, or siblings of children already at the School.
2.
The
application will be assessed by a senior member of the academic
staff prior to the final confirmation of a placement at the school.
Some children will be invited in to school for testing where deemed
necessary. The style of assessment will vary according the child’s
age, educational history and the access by DESS to previous,
authenticated academic reports.
3.
For
those children who have been assessed and offered a placement for
the start of the academic year, parents must confirm in writing
their acceptance of the placement before the end of the preceding
academic term, i.e. before the start of the summer break. Fees
should be paid in accordance with the school’s fees policy. Failure
to adhere to these requirements will lead to the placement being
offered to other applicants in accordance with the Entrance
Assessment Criteria and ‘Wait-list’ situation.
4.
Where placements are not taken up by children at the start of the
academic year and there has been no satisfactory explanation
received by the Registrar, the placement will be withdrawn at the
end of the first Thursday of the new academic year and offered to
the next child on the ‘Wait-list’.
5.
Parents will be informed
by the school that a placement is not finalised, irrespective of
nationality, until the assessments are completed to the satisfaction
of the Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher.
Other Factors
·
Where children have significantly less educational experience than
their peers at DESS (e.g. later start to formal education) we may,
at the school’s discretion and in exceptional circumstances, offer a
place in another year group.
Confidential ‘Wait-list’
Parents can be informed that their application is
being processed in accordance with the School’s Admissions Policy.
The confidential ‘Wait-list’ may only be accessed by the Registrar,
Headteacher’s Secretary, Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher, Assistant
Headteacher and Chairman of the Board of Governors.
Weightings
Where potential pupils meet the DESS Entrance
Assessment Criteria, places will be allocated according to the
following weighting system. Those to whom places cannot currently
be offered will be ‘Wait-listed’. Their place on the list will
depend on their weighting and upon when they were first
‘Wait-listed’.
1.
Children of diplomatic staff at the British Embassy and children of
DESS full time teaching staff
2.
Children with British passports and non-British passport holders
with siblings in school already are ‘Wait-listed’ in chronological
order re: date of registration
3.
Non-British passport holders, transferring from compatible British
Curriculum School
4.
Non-British passport holders, transferring from non-British
Curriculum School
In respect of new admissions to Nursery or Reception
priority for non-British Passport holders would be on the basis of:
1.
Those transferring from compatible English speaking settings
2.
Those not transferring from such compatible settings, or with no
previous pre-school experience
All weightings on the ‘Wait-list’ are dealt with in a
strictly chronological order.
Application Process
The following steps provide a summary of the
admission process:
1.
Parent submits application form (available from the website)
including a copy of British passport and previous school report to
the Registrar (any cut-off dates for applications only refer to
non-British applicants)
2.
Registrar enters application onto the Admissions Database
specifically noting the date of the completed submission
3.
Registrar issues information to Headteacher or Deputy Headteacher
4.
Headteacher or Deputy
Headteacher reviews the submission and
decides whether
the child requires an assessment
5.
Registrar updates database with information relating to the
assessment requirement
6.
Registrar emails parents to inform them if the child will or will
not require an assessment
7.
If
the child is accepted without need for an assessment, he/she is
placed on the ‘Wait-list’
8.
If
the child requires assessment, this is carried out, at the
appropriate time, by the Deputy Headteacher, or other Senior Staff
Member, and the outcomes recorded in the database by the Registrar
who then communicates acceptance or rejection to the parents
9.
If
the child is not in Qatar, and requires assessment, a conditional
place may be offered at the discretion of the Headteacher, pending
assessment upon arrival at the school
10.
The
‘Wait-list’ is held in strict chronological order. When a child’s
name reaches the top of the list the Registrar informs the
Headteacher or Deputy Headteacher who confirms that an offer should
be made.
11.
Registrar contacts the parents in writing and offers a starting date
at the school. If the parent does not respond to this offer within
seven days the offer is withdrawn and the place will be offered to
the next child on the list.
12.
Siblings may rise to the top of the list if space in another year
group becomes available
13.
Assessment fees are payable on the day of assessment. Registration
fee is payable when the child is offered a place and is invoiced
with the first term’s fees. Both are non-refundable.
14.
A
paper-trail of the process and all communications with the parent is
kept on the child’s file
15.
Parents are encouraged to keep in reasonable touch with the school
with regard to progress of the waitlist and will be given factual
information
16.
Accrediting bodies such as CIS or DCSF will be given the right to
audit any aspect of the admissions policy and process
