Placement
Placement in a grade level is determined by the student’s age and/or by the last grade they completed in their previous school. A September 1st birth date is used as a guideline for placement for all grade levels. A September 1st birth date is followed explicitly for placement in the Early Years 3 (3 year old), Early Years 4 (4 year old), and Primary Preparation (5 year old) classes. Students must turn the required age prior to September 1st.
In higher grades factors such as maturity, educational background, and achievement level are also taken into consideration to ensure each child can be successful at VIS. New students from Grade 6 through Grade 12 will have a general admissions assessment which is used to place students in courses appropriately. Parents are requested to provide the school with educational records demonstrating the educational background and achievements of the student. It is particularly important that the school be given all of the records documenting any special educational needs as VIS is only able to provide a program for students with mild learning difficulties.
EAL (English as as Additional Language)
In our diverse population many children speak languages other than English as their Mother Tongue. VIS provides an English as an Additional Language (EAL) support program to assist these students to be successful. Students who may require English support will be assessed during the admissions process to determine the level of support required. Enrollment at a particular time may be dependent on the availability of appropriate support within the limitations of the resources.
