---

1. PREAMBLE

Fish Hoek High School’s (the “School”) medium of instruction is English. The School aims to realise the full academic potential and holistic development of all its learners (“Pupils”) in an orderly and structured environment where rights are balanced by responsibilities.

While this objective is not a criterion for admission, it does underpin how the School works and should be understood to outline the system for admission to which application is being made.

The purpose of the admission policy is not exclusion, but the rational and objective management of over subscription for the available places.

2. LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK

The admission of pupils to the School is subject to the following statutory provisions:

2.1. The Constitution, No. 108 of 1996 ( “the Constitution”);

2.2. The South African Schools Act, No. 84 of 1996 (“the SASA”);

2.3. The National Education Policy Act, No. 27 of 1996;

2.4. The Admission Policy for Ordinary Public Schools, GG 19377, Notice No. 2432 of 1998, dated 19 October 1998 (“the National Policy”);

2.5. The Western Cape Provincial School Education Act, No. 12 of 1997, as amended (“the WCPSEA”);

2.6. The WCED Policy for the Management of Admission and Registration of Pupils at Ordinary Public Schools (“the Western Cape Policy”);

2.7. The Promotion of Administrative Justice Act, No. 3 of 2000;

2.8. The Refugees Act, No.130 of 1998;

2.9. The Immigration Act, No. 13 of 2002;

2.10. The POPI Act of June 2021.

3. LEGAL PRINCIPLES

The admission policy of the School must be consistent with the Constitution, the National Policy, the SASA and the WCPSA.

3.1. Unfair discrimination: The School will not unfairly discriminate against a pupil who applies for admission to the School. Therefore, no pupil will be refused admission on grounds of race, gender, culture, language, religious belief or financial circumstance.

3.2. Testing of pupils: The School will not administer any test relating to the admission of a pupil to the School, or direct or authorise the Principal or any other person to administer such a test.

3.3. Feeder zones: The School takes cognisance of the fact that the WCED has not determined any feeder zones for public schools in the Western Cape.

3.4. School language policy: The SGB determines the language policy of the School, subject to the Constitution, the SASA and any other applicable law.

3.5. Over-age pupils:

3.5.1. An over-age pupil is a pupil who is more than two years older than the age group norm (the Grade plus six years).

3.5.2. The School will, subject to the provisions below, not refuse continued education at the School to pupils who are in the school system, but who have become over-age because of repeating grades:

3.5.2.1. When transferring from one school to another, such over-age pupil may be admitted only with the approval of the circuit team manager.

3.5.2.2. A pupil who has repeated one or more years at school is exempt from the age grade norm, except that, if a pupil is three years older than the norm age per grade, the HoD must determine whether the pupil will be admitted to that grade.

3.5.2.3. Multiple repetitions in one grade is not permissible.

3.5.3. Where insufficient vacancies exist at the School, pupils of compulsory school-going age shall have preference of admission over deregistered pupils who are not of compulsory school going-age and over-age and under-age pupils. Deregistered pupils who are above the compulsory school-going age will be referred to an ABET centre or an FET college.

3.6. Parental responsibility: Every parent must ensure that a child, for whom the parent is responsible, attends school from the first school day of the year in which such a pupil turns seven, until the last school day of the year in which the pupil reaches the age of 15 years or the ninth grade, whichever occurs first.

4. GENERAL PROVISIONS

4.1. The SGB acknowledges that:

4.1.1. it stands in a position of trust towards the School;

4.1.2. it has been entrusted with a public resource that must be managed in the interests of pupils, parents and the broader community in which the School is located; and

4.1.3. the admission policy has to adhere to and must be consistent with the relevant legal provisions and enactments to the extent that they are valid and binding upon them and take precedence over the right of the SGB to determine the admission policy to the School.

4.2. The SGB strives to:

4.2.1. ensure the lawful administration of pupil admission and registration in the School;

4.2.2. facilitate the admission of pupils to the School in a timely and efficient manner

5. THE CAPACITY OF THE SCHOOL

The School Governing Body intends, based, inter alia, on the post provisioning of the Western Cape Education Department, total number of teachers, classrooms and other facilities in the school, and the choice of subjects offered (and subject to the provisions of the SA Schools Act (84 of 1996) and the Western Cape Provincial Schools Act (12 of 1997), WCED Circular 40 of 2004) to admit up to 224 pupils in Grade 8.

The final number of pupils accepted into the School at any one time shall not exceed the capacity in any one grade without the motivation of the Principal and ratification by the SGB. In reaching a decision on this figure all relevant factors will be taken into account, including, but not limited to the following:

5.1. The education needs, safety and well-being of the pupils are of paramount importance in determining the capacity of the School;

5.2. The number of available educators at the School;

5.3. The maximum number of pupils permitted per class;

5.4. Recognised best practice with regard to class size in order to deliver effective and efficient quality education;

5.5. Space requirements, including areas for administration needs for educators and other staff;

5.6 The need to provide workspace to support the educational process by providing designated and exclusive space for the management and administration of the School, staff workrooms, a staff room including workshops for maintenance staff and storage rooms;

5.7. The number of appropriate, designated and suitably sized classrooms;

5.8. Space needs for sport, learning support, cultural– and recreational programmes and activities to take place at the School;

5.9. The provision of continued space for Library education, Dance, Drama, Art, Computer Education, Music rooms, Indoor- and School hall, Science laboratories;

5.10. The provision of sufficient sanitation and ablution facilities and playground space for the total number of pupils and staff;

5.11. In determining capacity, it will be considered that parents through the SGB have extended the buildings as well as hired additional staff in order to improve the education offered, to support the School administratively and to maintain the facilities.

6. SELECTION CRITERIA

6.1. The School will, where it is reasonably practicable and where the School has the relevant educational support, admit pupils with special educational needs.

6.2. Admission to Grades 9 – 11 will be considered only if there are vacancies in the relevant grade.

6.3. Only in exceptional circumstances will applications be considered for pupils entering Grade 12.

6.4. Where it becomes necessary to select pupils because the number of applicants exceeds the number of available places in the School, grade or class for which the application is made, admission shall be based on the criteria below. Parents must note that the absence or presence of one or more of these criteria does not mean that a pupil will necessarily be refused or guaranteed admission to the School.

6.5. The selection of a pupil shall be based on the following criteria, which are set out in no particular order:

6.5.1. The timely application of the online WCED application;

6.5.2. The successful completion of or promotion out of the grade immediately below the grade in which the admission is sought;

6.5.3. The pupil’s proficiency in English, which is the language of teaching, learning and communication at the School. It is in the best interests of the pupil that they be able to cope with an English medium environment. Pupils must have passed English as Home language or have a proven equivalent facility in English;

6.5.4. Academic excellence or potential;

6.5.5. The willingness of a pupil to participate in and add value to school life;

6.5.6. Achievement and/ participation in school sport;

6.5.7. Participation and achievements in cultural – and other extramural and community activities;

6.5.8. Leadership positions and/potential;

6.5.9. Disciplinary and behavioural record, diligence and social skills;

6.5.10. Preference may be given to pupils residing south of Atlantic Road, Muizenberg area;

6.5.11. The available number of places at the School, determined by the School’s capacity and the School’s commitment to providing quality education to all its pupils;

6.5.12. Applicants who are siblings who share a biological parent of current and immediate past pupils of the School;

6.6. The precise application of the admissions criteria, the evaluation of each application against the criteria and the weighting afforded to each criteria shall remain within the discretion of the SGB.

7. SCHOOL FEES

7.1. The School is a fee paying school. The SGB accepts the responsibility of raising the money needed to run the School through charging parents school fees. The SGB will take all reasonable measures within its means to supplement the resources supplied by the State in order to improve the quality of education provided by the School to all pupils at the School.

7.2. School fees payable in respect of each pupil admitted to the School shall be determined by the SGB with the approval of a majority of parents attending a general parent meeting, which meeting shall be arranged each year by the SGB.

7.3. A parent is liable to pay the school fees determined by the SGB unless or to the extent that the parent has been exempted by the SGB from payment in terms of the SASA.

7.4. A parent who wishes to be exempted from the payment of school fees for a pupil at the School must apply annually in writing to the chairperson of the SGB for exemption. The form to be completed for the application is available upon request from the School.

7.5. The School may by process of law enforce the payment of school fees by parents who are liable to pay school fees.

7.6. The School will not charge a registration fee, a deposit, re-admission or pre-admission testing fees, or any other fees at the time of application. School fees, and any other fees, will only be charged after the pupil has been informed in writing of his/her acceptance for admission to the School.

7.7. All foreign nationals on study visas are required to provide proof of sufficient financial means as per the Immigration Act. The requirement is therefore upfront payment of the annual school fees each year.

8. APPLICATION PROCESS

8.1. Phase 1: Application for admission. The first phase involves the following:

8.1.1. Parents must register AND apply via the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) online admissions website.

8.2. Phase 2: Registration for enrolment.

8.2.1. The second phase commences after acceptance of a pupil with the compulsory registration of the pupil on the Central Education Management Information System (hereinafter referred to as “CEMIS”) as part of the school enrolment and the successful completion of the required documents.

9. DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED FOR ADMISSION TO – AND ENROLMENT

9.1. Admission documents

The WCED CEMIS Pupil Registration Form is used by the School. In addition to the compulsory CEMIS information, the School will request other information required by the School for its own administrative and record purposes.

The following documents must accompany the duly completed Registration for Enrolment/ Application:

9.1.1. An original certified copy of the child’s birth certificate. An official unabridged birth certificate (or proof of application) will be required if the child’s surname is different to either one of the parents – except due to divorce, re-marriage, adoption/foster.

9.1.2. The academic school report issued by the school last attended by the pupil as indicated on the application form;

9.1.3. A certified copy of a utility account or lease agreement of the parents;

9.1.4. A certified copy of each parent’s identity document;

9.1.5. Such additional documents as may be requested by the School from time to time.

9.2. Admission of Foreign Nationals

The Western Cape Education Department’s Admission Policy applies equally to pupils who are not citizens of South Africa and whose parents are in possession of a temporary or permanent permit for residents issued by the Department of Home Affairs. In addition to the aforesaid compulsory documents, non-South African citizens also need to submit the following documents:

9.2.1. A certified copy of the official permit of residence must accompany the application form in order for the application to be considered; OR

9.2.1.1. Study permit: Pupil or a pupil’s parents who entered the country on a study permit, shall present the study permit or an original certified copy when making application for admission.

9.2.1.2 Refugee/Asylum permit: A certified copy of the official permit is required when making application for admission. Persons classified as illegal immigrants must, when they apply for admission to the School for their children or for themselves, show evidence that they have applied to the Department of Home Affairs to legalise their stay in the Country in terms of the Immigration Act, No. 13 of 2002, or the Refugees Act, No. 130 of 1998.

9.3. Registration documents

9.3.1. All pupils in the WCED school system must be registered in the WCED’s CEMIS system.

9.3.2. A pupil registration form is used to register pupils who entered the WCED school system for the first time and must accompany the application when the pupil registers at the School from another province or country.

9.3.3. The CEMIS transfer certificate is required when the pupil leaves the School for another WCED school. This certificate is used to remove the pupil from the one school and to register the pupil at the other school.

9.3.4. The CEMIS de-registration certificate is required when pupils who previously left the WCED school system, wish to return and enrol at a WCED public school again. The certificate therefore has to accompany the application form.

9.3.5. The WCED CEMIS replaces the manual admission register as required by National Policy. The School will ensure that a register or file is kept of all pupils’ admission details, parental addresses, medical information, etc, as this information is not on the CEMIS system. The School will also regularly update the information of pupils.

9.3.6. The School may request a pupil-profile of a pupil from the previous school that the pupil attended. The pupil-profile will contain the latest pupil information, assessment record and a record of the pupil’s grade progressions.

10. ANNUAL ADMISSION TIME FRAMES

10.1. Application for the admission of pupils who apply for the first time at the School for a following year starts on the first school day in February or on a date prescribed by the WCED and closes on a date as prescribed by the WCED. The onus is placed on parents to familiarise themselves with the closing date for each year.

10.2. The pupil’s parents will receive notice by no later than the date determined each year by the WCED, whether the pupil’s application was successful or not successful.

10.3. Only after the applications received by closing date have been dealt with, will the School consider late applications, and then only if there are still places available in the School.

10.4. All unsuccessful applicants are advised also to apply at other schools.

10.5. The School will keep a proper register of all applications for admission.

11. RIGHT OF APPEAL

Any pupil or parent of the pupil who at the end of the application period has been refused admission to the School, may appeal in writing to the Member of Executive Council (known in the Western Cape as the Minister of the Western Cape Education Department) against the decision of the School.

Ratified: 3 March 2022