ADMISSION POLICY

Introduction

In drafting this policy, the board of management of the school has consulted with school staff, the school principal and with parents of children attending the school.

The policy was approved by the school Board on 1st June 2023. It is published on the school’s website and will be made available in hardcopy on request to any person who requests it.

The relevant dates and timelines for SUNRISE VIRTUAL SCHOOL admission process are set out in the school’s annual admission notice which is published annually on the school’s website at least one week before the commencement of the admission process for the school year concerned.
This policy must be read in conjunction with the annual admission notice/Principal’s newsletters for the school year concerned.
The application form for admission is published on the school’s website and will be made available in hardcopy on request to any person who requests it.

Mission statement of the school

To unbundle schooling and cause it to go viral by offering quality and globally acceptable education, making it accessible, affordable, and convenient to learners from

Admission Statement

SUNRISE VIRTUAL SCHOOL will not discriminate in its admission of a student to the school on any of the following:

• the gender ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned
• the civil status ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned
• the family status ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned
• the sexual orientation ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned
• the religion ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned
• the disability ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned
• the ground of race of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned
• the Traveller community ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned, or
• the ground that the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned has special educational needs

SUNRISE VIRTUAL SCHOOL’s objectives is to provide inclusive, and comprehensive education in an environment which is safe for the learners, promotes children welfare, and does not discriminate in relation to the admission of a student who has applied for a place in the school in accordance with this admission policy.

Categories Of Special Educational Needs Catered For In The School/Special Class

We offer education to all students with or without physical disabilities, with except to students with mental health issues and those unable to write/type.

Admission of Students

We shall admit each student seeking admission except where –

• The school is oversubscribed, and in which case we shall endeavor to engage the parent and offer guidance as to the next most appropriate admission date.
• The parent/guardian/student fails to accept the terms and conditions as stipulated on our website and the portal.
• A parent of a student, disputes/protests against the school policies and when required by the principal, fails to confirm in writing that the policies are acceptable to him or her and that he or she shall make all reasonable efforts to ensure compliance with such code by the student.
• Student has a criminal track record.
• Student is a convicted sex offender.
• Parent withholds critical information regarding the student.

Oversubscription

In the event that the school is oversubscribed, the school will, when deciding on applications for admission, apply the following selection criteria in the order listed below to those applications that are received within the timeline for receipt of applications as set out in the school’s annual admission notice:

• We shall maintain a record of students registered with us, and admit on the basis of, which student registered earlier.
• For a class to be launched, a minimum number of students required for a class to be launched is 65%.
• Student population demographics such as gender, race, etc shall not be a factor to consider when allocating students classes.

What will not be considered or taken into account

We will not consider or take into account any of the following in deciding on applications for admission or when placing a student on a waiting list for admission to the school:

• Gender, race, religious beliefs etc.
• Political views and convictions
• Relationship with our staff

That said, there are limited exceptions to some of these:

• a student’s prior learning. We seek to understand if the student fits well and is able to comprehend the educational materials of the grade he/she is being registered for. Should we find that they don’t, we shall communicate to the parent and place them in the grade we find suitable for them.
• the payment of fees to the school. Student’s whose parents will not pay fees, such will be admitted in class.
• a student’s academic ability, skills or aptitude;
• the occupation, financial status, or aptitude of a student’s parents;
• a requirement that a student, or his or her parents, attend a virtual interview, open day or other meeting as a condition of admission;
• a student’s connection to the school by virtue of a member of his or her family attending or having previously attended the school;

Decisions on applications

All decisions on applications for admission to SUNRISE VIRTUAL SCHOOL will be based on the following:

• Our school’s admission policy and terms and conditions.
• The school’s academic calendar
• The information provided by the applicant in the school’s official application form received during the period specified in our annual admission notice for receiving applications.

Selection criteria that are not included in our school admission policy will not be used to make a decision on an application for a place in our school.

Notifying applicants of decisions

On signing up on our website, and successful registration and payment, the applicants will be informed in writing via email, on their admission status.

A student who has previously registered with us successfully, remains registered with us, whether or not they are attending classes until and unless they unsubscribe or opt-out, on our portal.

Acceptance of an offer of a place by an applicant

Students will not be required to accept admission from SUNRISE VIRTUAL SCHOOL in writing. Subscription and creating an account on our portal shall be interpreted to mean acceptance of admission.

Circumstances in which offers may not be made or may be withdrawn

An offer of admission may not be made or may be withdrawn by SUNRISE VIRTUAL SCHOOL where—

• it is established that information contained in the application is false or misleading.
• In special circumstances where parents may protest our policies, the parent of a student, when required by the principal, fails to confirm in writing that the code of behavior/policies of the school is acceptable to him or her and that he or she shall make all reasonable efforts to ensure compliance with such code by the student; or

Data Privacy

Applicants should familiarize themselves with our data protection policies found on our websites.

Waiting list in the event of oversubscription

In the event of there being more applications to the school year concerned than places available, a waiting list of students whose applications for admission to SUNRISE VIRTUAL SCHOOL were unsuccessful due to the school being oversubscribed will be compiled and will remain valid for the school year in which admission is being sought.

Placement on the waiting list shall be in the order of priority assigned to the students’ applications after the school has applied the selection criteria in accordance with this admission policy and terms and conditions.

Registration and subscription on the website, does not automatically mean that the student can attend class the following day. Class shall be launched whenever it attains 65% of expected student population. The students/parents will be notified of the indicative date of start of classes. This would mean, there could be situations where students may have been registered with us and still have to wait for a period of time as the class population grows to attain the threshold of 65% student population to be launched. Class launching means, the class of a minimum of 65% students’ population has been assigned been assigned teachers and students are starting to learn.

Late Applications

All applications for admission translate to applications to the final academic year when students sit for the final primary/high school exams. We do not admit students in the final academic year. We believe that for better performance in the final exams, out teachers should be able to couch students for a minimum of one year prior to them sitting for final exams. Late applications shall not be accepted.

Procedures for admission of students

• Parents intending to enroll their children/students with us shall obtain all information necessary from our website and by calling our offices. This shall include understanding of the product and pricing and policies.
• Upon the parent coming to satisfactory conclusion that they need to enroll their students with us, they shall read and understand our terms and conditions and proceed to create account on our website/portal.
• Parents shall log in to their account and fill in student and parent information.
• Parents shall proceed to make payments.
• Sunrise reserves the right of admission.

Declaration in relation to the non-charging of admission fees

The board of SUNRISE VIRTUAL SCHOOL or any persons acting on its behalf will not charge fees for or seek payment or contributions (howsoever described) as a condition of-

• an application for admission of a student to the school, or
• the admission or continued enrollment of a student in the school.

Exceptions apply only in relation to fees of other services that we may offer the parent but not admission fees.

Reviews/appeals

Review of decisions by the board of Management

Incase a student admission has been rejected by the school. The parent may appeal the decision to the board demonstrating that the reasons of initial rejection have been addressed and the board shall consider the application afresh.

Compliance and alignment of the admission policy

This admission policy shall be considered alongside the terms and conditions and shall be treated as an annexure to the terms of conditions.