1. This circular informs school principals, school governing bodies (SGBs) and district officials of the procedure for enrolment of learners for the 2014 school year. It relates to children entering school for the first time, those starting high school and those changing school.

2. This circular must be read in conjunction with the Western Cape Education Department (WCED)'s Policy for the Management of Admission and Registration of Learners at Ordinary Public Schools, implemented as from1 January 2011. (See Circular 0026/2010.)

3. Schools are requested to refrain from illegal practices which infringe on the learner’s basic rights to education, as articulated in the Constitution, the South African Schools Act and the above-mentioned admission policy.

4. The WCED regards early enrolment as a priority for the start of a successful school year. The full use of teaching time during an academic year is necessary for sound academic performance, and thus it is important that children are enrolled well before the end of 2013.

5. Parents and guardians are reminded of their responsibilities and rights with regard to the enrolling of their children for school:
5.1 It is the responsibility of parents and guardians to enrol their children for the following school year if they are entering Grade 1 or changing schools (such as when entering Grade 8 or 9 or moving to a new geographical area).
5.2 Parents and guardians must distinguish between the child being "enrolled" and "placed on a waiting list". Being on a waiting list is not a guarantee that their child learner will be admitted to that school.
5.3 In terms of Section 3(1) of the South African Schools Act (Act 84 of 1994), school attendance is compulsory for all children from the first school day of the year in which the child reaches the age of seven years.
5.4 Section 5(4) (a) of the Act determines that the admission age of a learner to a public school to

  1. Grade R is age four years turning five years by 30 June in the year of admission and

  2. Grade 1 is age five years turning six years by 30 June in the year of admission.

These are the MINIMUM ages at which admission may be granted, but are subject to the developmental readiness of the child.
5.5 Parents and guardians must, in the first instance, deal directly with the school at which they wish to enrol their child. Should they, however, encounter difficulty in enrolling their child for 2014, they may approach their local education district office for assistance, using the appropriate telephone number below:

Education District Tel. no.
Metro Central 021 514 6700
Metro South 021 370 2000
Metro North 021 938 3000
Metro East 021 900 7000
Overberg 028 214 7300
Cape Winelands 023 348 4600
West Coast 021 860 1207
Eden & Central Karoo 044 803 8300
5.6 It is assumed that a learner currently enrolled at a school will continue at that school until the exit grade. Some schools require parents to confirm that the learner will attend that school in the following year. In such cases, the principal and the SGB must inform the parents of this requirement.

6. Principals and SGBs must inform parents and/or guardians that enrolment for 2014 has two phases:

Phase 1 1 March to 21 June Written responses to parents by 28 June
Phase 2 16 July to 6 September Written responses to parents by 11 October

Note: Some schools may choose to start this process earlier.

7. Schools are reminded that they should have replied to all first phase applications by 28 June 2013 so that parents and guardians have sufficient time to look for alternative schools at which to enrol their children.

8. Principals and SGBs are requested to make the contents of this circular available to all educators, parents and guardians.


SIGNED: PA VINJEVOLD
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2013:03:01

South African Schools Act (Act 84 of 1994)  (size: 86 KB)