This week is the beginning of the school admission process for 2024.
“We understand that the admissions process can be a stressful time of year for parents,” the Western Cape Department of Education (WCED) said in a statement, “and we want to share some guidance on how they can prepare to apply for their children to be admitted to a school.”
Online application process opened yesterday (Monday 13 March) and will remain open until 23:59 on Friday 14 April.
The department appeals to all parents and caregivers, particularly those who have children entering Grade 1 and Grade 8 next year, please to start gathering together and certifying the necessary documentation required for the application so that they are ready to apply.
Applicants need the following certified documents for the process:. The last official school report card. Proof of identity. ID, birth certificate or passport of the learner. In the case of a foreign learner, a passport or a study permit or proof of application for a study permit, or a copy of the parent’s Asylum Seeker or Refugee Permit. a police affidavit if these documents are not available. Immunisation card (Road to Health Chart) [for Primary Schools only]
. Proof of residence (rates account, lease agreement, an affidavit confirming residence).
Documents can be certified at any police station or post office. Keep these copies together, as you will need to submit the hard copies later this year to the final school your child is accepted to.
Getting the necessary certified documentation together in advance will make the online application process a lot easier. It takes roughly 15 minutes to apply and load the documents once you have the documents ready.
The WCED’s admissions website is a free service, that is zero-rated so you do not need data to access it.
Parents can familiarise themselves with the online application platform in advance to ensure that they are ready to apply with their documents.
The department arranged pop-up admission sites at shopping malls, schools and other facilities, in all eight education districts to help parents and caregivers who do not have access to internet facilities or need assistance applying online.
Information relating to the 114 sites has been communicated through various channels, including the distribution of pamphlets to all Grade 7 learners, registered Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres, and in selected communities. The information about the sites can also be found on the website.
“We appeal to parents to ensure that they apply on time, so that the necessary planning can take place to further improve the placement process in our province.
“The admissions process in the Western Cape starts in the previous school year so that we can obtain the necessary data to plan for growth in the demand for placement in certain areas. But every year thousands of parents do not apply for their children during the application period. For the 2023 school year we received nearly 28 000 late Grade 1 and 8 applications, which affects our planning processes and ability to place learners in time for the new school year.”
Parents and guardians can visit Avondale Primary at 09:00-15:00 on Saturday, 25 March and Saturday, 8 April for assistance from the WCED team.
. Information on how to apply, with step-by-step registration and application guidelines and videos are available on the WCED website:
