Home > Parents > Admissions Policy

  Enrolment Information
  PTA

  Home School Links

  Uniform

  Downloads

  Contact Us


Admission Policy

 

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 


FEES STRUCTURE FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR September 2010 - July 2011

The School Fees for Reception to Year 6 are QR26,010 per annum (QR8,670 per term).

The Nursery Fees are QR19,080 per annum (QR6,360 per term).

There is a QR1,500 Registration Fee per child.
Download our application and health form

Return the completed form to: Fax: (974) 44592761 or e-mail: registrar@dess.org

Telephone Contact : (974) 44592750

Learning Together ? High Expectations ? Celebrating Success
copyright©DESS, 2007. All Rights Reserved.