Parents living in the North West can now apply for placement of their children at schools in the province. The North West School Admission Applications for 2025 are now open.
The admissions application period officially opened this week and parents can begin submitting admission applications for Grade 1 and Grade 8 placement in 2025.
Parents have just 50 days to submit admission applications as the application period is set to close on 22 June 2024.
During the application period, which began on 3 April 2024, schools were required to make admission application forms available to parents, guardians, and learners. Application forms must be returned by 22 June 2024.
Failure to return application forms by this date will result in non-consideration. Schools will then provide written responses of acceptance or non-acceptance by 30 October 2024.
Application Guidelines
The department strictly prohibits schools from administering admission tests before admitting learners, with the South African Schools Act not providing for pre-Grade R. Additionally, no under-aged learners are allowed in Grade R classes.
Schools may not charge fees for application forms for registration of learners.
Departmental officials will manage and monitor the admission process, with all registration enquiries and admission statistics collated by districts and reported monthly to the director.
Age Requirements
In compliance with Section 5(4)(a) of SASA, learners' admission age to public schools is outlined as follows:
- Grade R: 4 years turning 5 years by 30 June 2025
- Grade 1: 5 years turning 6 years by 30 June 2025
Required Documents
- Parent/Legal Guardian ID
- Proof of Home Address
- The child's Birth Certificate
- Clinic Card/Proof of Immunization (Grade R & 1)
- Most recent Grade 7 report card (Grade 8 only)
- Transfer letter or card from previous school (if applicable)
Late Applications and Appeals
To accommodate late applications and registrations, the department has established Admission Task Teams and Registration Hubs. Late admissions will be referred to circuit coordinators to direct applicants to identified schools with available spaces.
Parents or guardians experiencing difficulty in enrolling their children for 2025 may seek assistance from circuit managers, with appeals procedures available up to the Member of the Executive Council in cases of dissatisfaction.
Admission Refusal Reasons
While schools have control over their admission policies, learners may not be refused admission based on certain grounds.
These include inability to pay school fees, non-subscription to the school's mission statement, and discriminatory factors such as language, culture, disability, race, religion, economic background, HIV status, disability, pregnancy, or any other learner's status.
Learner Registration
Registration for learners across all grades commenced on 3 April 2024 and will conclude on 20 September 2024. It operates on a first-come-first-served basis for all who meet the admission requirements outlined in the South African Schools Act (SASA).
Parents or guardians are responsible for registering their children before the closing registration date. Late registrations, considered only for exceptional cases, will commence after the formal closing date in October 2024 and will be finalised before the reopening in January 2025.
