Admission Policy

1Aims & Objectives

Providence English Private School (PEPS) is committed to a fair, transparent and consistent admissions process that reflects the school's values of equity, inclusion and academic excellence, and that complies fully with the regulatory requirements of the UAE Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA).

Our aims are:

• To ensure admissions decisions are made fairly, transparently, and on the basis of published, objective criteria;
• To ensure all applicants, regardless of nationality, gender, religion or additional learning needs, are considered on an equal footing, consistent with the school's non-discrimination commitments;
• To ensure the school's capacity, curriculum and support provision are matched appropriately to each student's needs before a place is offered;
• To ensure parents/guardians receive clear, accurate and timely information at every stage of the admissions process;
• To ensure the school meets its statutory obligations for the registration, verification and retention of student documentation;
• To provide an accessible, welcoming admissions pathway for students of determination, in line with the UAE's "School for All" inclusive education policy.

2Legal & Regulatory Framework

This policy is written to align with the following UAE federal, local and regulatory requirements, and with relevant international accreditation standards:

• Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA): licensing, registration and admissions guidelines for private schools in Sharjah, including annual verification of student documentation;
• Federal Law No. 4 of 2012 (Private Education Institutions Law): governs the licensing, establishment and operation of private schools in the UAE;
• UAE Ministry of Education (MOE) Student Registration & Transfer Rules: age-based year group placement, and requirements for transfer between schools within and outside the UAE;
• Federal Law No. 29 of 2006 Concerning the Rights of People of Determination (as amended by Federal Law No. 14 of 2009): guarantees that a special need is not, in itself, an obstacle to admission to any educational institution;
• MOE "School for All" / General Rules for the Provision of Special Education Programs and Services (Public & Private Schools): the Ministry's operational framework for inclusive admissions and support, which this policy reflects;
• Federal Law No. 3 of 2016 on Child Rights (Wadeema's Law): underpins the school's approach to safeguarding at the point of admission;
• Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data: governs the collection, processing, storage and retention of applicant and student personal data during the admissions process;
• Council of International Schools (CIS) Membership Standards: as a CIS member school, PEPS's admissions practice reflects CIS's commitment to inclusion, equity and non-discriminatory access to international education.

3Non-Discrimination & Equal Opportunity

PEPS admits students without discrimination on the grounds of race, nationality, ethnicity, religion, gender or additional learning needs, in line with the UAE National Education Charter's values of tolerance and coexistence and the school's commitment to CIS's Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Anti-Racism (I-DEA) principles. In line with Federal Law No. 29 of 2006, a student's special educational need or disability is never, in itself, a reason to decline an application, and admission for students of determination is never made conditional on the prior submission of a medical diagnosis.

4Academic Calendar & Admission Cycle

The school year begins in early September, or as announced by the Sharjah Private Education Authority, and is divided into three terms: the first ending in mid-December, the second in late March, and the third in late June. Applications for admission are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year, subject to space availability, though the majority of places are offered for entry at the start of the academic year in September. Parents are encouraged to apply as early as possible, particularly for year groups that fill quickly, such as FS2 and Year 7.

5Admission Procedure

5.1 Stages of Admission

The admissions process at PEPS follows the stages below:

1. Enquiry & Registration — parents/guardians submit an initial enquiry and complete the school's Registration Form, indicating the year group and start date requested.
2. Document Submission — the required documents (Section 7) are submitted alongside the Registration Form.
3. Document Verification — the Admissions Office verifies documents for completeness and compliance with SPEA/MOE requirements.
4. Entrance Assessment — the applicant sits the school's entrance assessment and/or interview, as set out in Section 6.2.
5. Decision & Offer — the Admissions Committee reviews the application, assessment outcome, and space availability, and communicates a decision to the family.
6. Enrolment — where a place is offered and accepted, parents/guardians complete the Admission Form, pay the registration and applicable fees, and the student is formally enrolled and registered with the Ministry of Education.

5.2 Priority Order for Places

Admission to all classes is governed by SPEA guidelines, and each student's documents are verified by the relevant officials at the start of every academic session to ensure ongoing compliance. Where basic eligibility requirements are met and demand exceeds available space, places are offered on a first-come, first-served basis within the following order of priority:

1. Emirati students;
2. Siblings of students of determination already attending the school, in support of family continuity;
3. Siblings of a student already attending the school;
4. Children of a member of staff at the school;
5. All other applicants.

This priority order does not affect the school's commitment, set out in Section 3 and Section 8, to consider every application for a student of determination on its individual merits and without discrimination.

6Entrance Eligibility

6.1 Age Requirements & Year Group Placement

Age is the first criterion considered for placement at any grade level. The Ministry of Education prescribes age limits for each class, and PEPS follows the Cambridge International (British) Curriculum's age-related expectations in matching year group to age, as set out below. For a child to be placed in a given year group, they must ordinarily have reached the minimum age shown by 31 August of the academic year of entry (exact cut-off date to be confirmed and published annually by the Admissions Office). Exceptions to standard age placement are possible only following careful evaluation by the school, considering academic readiness, prior schooling and, where relevant, professional assessment.

When enquiring about admission, parents/guardians should provide the child's date of birth so that the school can accurately advise on the appropriate year group and admissions procedure.

6.2 Entrance Assessment

All applicants are required to demonstrate readiness to access the curriculum at their intended year group, as follows:

• FS2: an informal interview with the parents/guardians and child; no written assessment is required at this stage;
• Year 1 to Year 10: all non-Arab applicants sit an entrance assessment in English and Mathematics; Arab applicants additionally sit an assessment in Arabic;
• Year 12: admission is based on having achieved at least 5 subjects at IGCSE/O Level with a minimum grade of C. Exceptions may be considered on a case-by-case basis for applicants achieving below a C grade in a limited number of subjects;
• Year 13: admission is based on having achieved at least 2 subjects at AS Level with a minimum grade of C.

As English is the language of instruction across all year groups, the assessment of English proficiency is a core and non-negotiable part of every entrance assessment; the guiding principle for admission is the applicant's ability to access the curriculum successfully within a reasonable period of time. Where an applicant's English proficiency falls below the level required for their year group, the school may, at its discretion, offer conditional admission alongside a structured English as an Additional Language (EAL) support plan, or advise the family on an appropriate alternative year group or start date.

7Documentation Requirements

7.1 General Requirements (All Applicants)

To register a child with the Ministry of Education, the school requires the following documents to accompany the completed Registration Form:

• 2 copies of the child's passport;
• 3 passport-size photographs;
• 2 copies of the parent's UAE Residence Visa (as shown in the passport);
• 2 copies of the child's Birth Certificate;
• 1 copy of the child's most recent school report;
• Original Transfer Certificate / School Leaving Certificate / School Recommendation Letter.

7.2 Transferring from Schools within the UAE

• The school leaving certificate and last school report, endorsed by the Sharjah Private Education Authority;
• Original vaccination card (required from FS2 onward);
• Students transferring from other curricula/boards (e.g. CBSE, American) must provide an equivalency certificate.

7.3 Transferring from Schools outside the UAE

Transfer certificates (where applicable) and the last school report must be endorsed by:

• The Ministry of Education;
• The Foreign Ministry;
• The Embassy or Consulate of the UAE in the country where the documents were issued;
• For GCC students, endorsement by the Ministry of Education that issued the documents is sufficient;
• For applicants transferring from Europe, North America or Australia, a "To Whom It May Concern" letter must accompany the school report.

All school certificates and supporting documentation must be provided in Arabic or English; documents in any other language must be legally translated and authenticated to the same standard as the original documentation.

8Inclusion, SEN & Students of Determination

Providence English Private School is an inclusive school and welcomes applications from all students, including those experiencing special educational needs and disabilities (students of determination) and the gifted and talented. The school provides individualised, needs-specific support, and its approach is grounded in Federal Law No. 29 of 2006 Concerning the Rights of People of Determination (as amended by Federal Law No. 14 of 2009) and the Ministry of Education's "School for All" inclusive education framework.

• Admission for students of determination is never made conditional on the prior submission of a medical diagnosis;
• Parents/guardians of a child with an identified additional need are asked to submit full details of the need at the point of application, along with relevant supporting reports, including Individual Education Plans (IEPs) or reports from health professionals, to allow the school to plan appropriate support in advance of enrolment;
• All placements, including for students of determination, are subject to the availability of space in the relevant year group;
• The final admission decision for a student of determination is taken collaboratively between the Principal, the Leader of Provision for Inclusion, and other members of the Senior Leadership Team, in consultation with the family;
• Where necessary, the school may arrange a pre-admission observation visit or a phased/gradual integration plan to support a successful transition;
• Ongoing support needs are reviewed regularly by the Inclusion Team once the student is enrolled, in line with the school's Inclusion Policy.

9School Fees & Financial Policy

• Tuition fees, inclusive of books, are published on the school website every academic year;
• Tuition fees may be paid in four instalments: the first payable in cash, and the remaining three via postdated cheques dated October/November, January/February, and April/May;
• Transportation fees are not included in tuition fees and depend on the applicant's pick-up/drop-off area; transportation is currently available only for students residing in Sharjah or Ajman;
• Transportation fees must be paid in full at the start of the academic year; a pro-rata partial refund may be issued if an admission is cancelled during the academic year;
• A non-refundable admission fee of AED 500 is payable at the time of registration;
• Fees for external examinations (including CAT4, GL Progress Tests, IBT, Cambridge Primary and Lower Secondary Checkpoints, IGCSE, and AS & A Level) are not included in tuition fees and are charged separately as they fall due;
• Full details of the fee schedule, payment methods and refund arrangements are set out in the school's Fees & Refund Policy, which should be read alongside this policy.

10Data Protection & Confidentiality

All personal data collected during the admissions process — including passports, birth certificates, medical and inclusion-related reports, and academic records — is collected, processed and stored in line with Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data and the school's Data Protection Policy.

• Documents are used solely for the purposes of registration, verification with SPEA/MOE, and planning appropriate academic and support provision;
• Access to sensitive documentation, including medical and inclusion-related reports, is restricted to relevant staff, including the Principal, the Leader of Provision for Inclusion, and the Admissions Office;
• Personal data is retained only for as long as necessary to fulfil registration, regulatory and safeguarding requirements, and is disposed of securely thereafter;
• Parents/guardians may request access to, or correction of, their child's admissions records in line with the Data Protection Policy.

11Safeguarding in Admissions

As part of its commitment to safer recruitment and safeguarding, in line with the Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy and CIS's safeguarding standards, the school:

• Requests relevant behavioural, attendance and safeguarding information from a student's previous school as part of the transfer process, where such information is available;
• Refers any safeguarding concern identified during the admissions process to the Child Protection Coordinator prior to a place being confirmed;
• Verifies the identity and legal guardianship of the parent/guardian submitting an application, in line with UAE child protection requirements.

12Waiting List Policy

Where a year group is full at the time of application, PEPS maintains a waiting list in the order in which complete applications (including all required documents and, where applicable, entrance assessment results) are received, subject always to the priority order set out in Section 5.2. Families on the waiting list are contacted as soon as a place becomes available. Placement on a waiting list does not guarantee an offer of admission.

13Appeals & Right to Reconsideration

Where an application for admission is unsuccessful, parents/guardians may request that the decision be reconsidered by submitting a written request to the Admissions Office within ten school days of being notified of the outcome, setting out the grounds for reconsideration. Such requests will be reviewed by the Principal, in consultation with relevant staff (including the Leader of Provision for Inclusion, where relevant), and the family will be informed of the outcome in writing within a reasonable timeframe.

14Withdrawal, Transfer & Re-Admission

• Parents/guardians wishing to withdraw or transfer a student to another school should notify the Admissions Office in writing, providing as much notice as possible, and in line with the notice period set out in the Fees & Refund Policy;
• On withdrawal, the school will issue a Transfer Certificate and school report in line with SPEA/MOE requirements, once all outstanding fees have been settled;
• A student who has previously withdrawn may apply for re-admission through the standard admissions process set out in this policy; prior attendance does not guarantee a place.

15Admission Form & Registration

The Admission Form is made available to families once the applicant has successfully completed the entrance assessment/interview stage set out in Section 6.2 and a place has been offered. The completed Admission Form, together with the documents set out in Section 7 and payment of the applicable fees set out in Section 9, must be submitted to confirm enrolment.

16Policy Links

• Inclusion Policy
• Fees & Refund Policy
• Data Protection Policy
• Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy
• Behaviour & Discipline Policy
• Attendance Policy
• E-Learning & E-Safety Policy

17Monitoring & Review

This policy will be monitored and reviewed annually by the Principal, Vice Principal and School Director, on behalf of the Governing Body, or sooner if required by changes in SPEA/MOE regulation or UAE federal law.