Admissions

Learn about our
Admission Policy

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Thank you for your interest in Greater Grace International School (GGIS).

View admissions policy
We know that your choice in school will be one of the most important decisions you make for your child.

Our students often remark that…”we are like a family here!” In accordance with our mission, we seek to admit students who will thrive as members of our school family. We encourage you to schedule a visit soon to see what makes the GGIS family so special.

The following admissions policies are published to provide the rationale and criteria we use to base admissions decisions. Note that GGIS accepts students without discrimination of gender, race, religion or nationality.

Eligibility Requirements

English-Language Ability

For grades 2-11, all non-native English speaking applicants are required to undergo screening or testing to determine their English-language level. Results from the testing will be used to determine grade level and English as an Additional Language (EAL) class placement. The EAL program classes are required classes and will incur an additional EAL fee (See school fees). The school at its own discretion may waive the testing for those applicants who have attended an English-speaking school for the previous two years.

Applicants entering grades Prep-1 and 1 will be informally screened for school readiness and English-language ability prior to formal acceptance. The EAL program has a fee that will be determined by the end of August of each school year. See Tuition Fees for more information.

Behavior and Special Needs

GGIS does not have specialized facilities or personnel with the specialized training needed to accommodate students who have significant learning differences or behavioral/emotional challenges. Parents are expected to disclose in the application any and all information available regarding learning difficulties, disabilities or behavioral issues during the application process. We may refuse admissions (or continued enrollment) to a student if the school determines, at its sole discretion, that it cannot adequately serve the needs of the candidate.

Behavioral expectations are described in the Parent/Student Manual. GGIS students are held to a high standard of morality, discipline and respect. The school reserves the right to discontinue enrollment of any student who demonstrates inappropriate behaviors.

Grade Placement

Students come to us from a wide variety of educational backgrounds, including international and national school systems from around the world, and a complex range of circumstances. In general, we will place students in their age-appropriate grade level.

• Prep 1 students must be toilet-trained and at least five (5) years old by October 1 of the current school year.

• Grade 1 students must be toilet trained and at least six (6) years old by October 1st of the current school year.

Academic Achievement

GGIS offers a stimulating and challenging educational program. We accommodate students with a range of academic abilities, provided they are able to adequately access and benefit from our curriculum.

We make this determination primarily by reviewing applicants’ school records and standardized test data. In the absence of standardized test data, the school will screen (lower school) or test (upper school). GGIS requires that all students provide previous school records in English.

Non-English Speaking Student Quotas

Upper School (Grades 9-12)

For entrance into grades 9 through 12, students must demonstrate English language proficiency as determined by an English language assessment administered during the admission process.

• Students entering Grade 9 must test at a B1 CEFR level or higher.

• Students entering Grade 10 must test at a B2 CEFR level or higher.

• Students entering Grade 11 must test at a B2 CEFR level or higher.

• GGIS does not accept new students into the Grade 12.

To ensure effective support for English-language learners and to facilitate an English-language learning environment in the classrooms, we aim to cap the EAL student population at 40% for any one grade.

Upper School (Grades 7-8)

• GGIS accepts a limited** number of students with no prior exposure to English into Grade 7.

• GGIS accepts a limited** number of students with a minimum CEFR level A2 into grade 8.

**Admissions into these grades will depend on the CEFR level of the individual student, the number of EAL students in the individual class, and the space available in the corresponding EAL classes.

Lower School Grades 2 – 6

To ensure effective support for English-language learners and to facilitate an English-language learning environment in all our classrooms GGIS has the following enrollment limits.

• A maximum of 50% in any one grade of students enrolled in the EAL program.

• The number of students with no prior exposure to English is limited to a maximum of 25% of any one grade.

Preparatory 1 and Grade 1

There are no limits to the percentage of Non-English speaking students in these grades.

Waiting Lists

GGIS has limits on the number of students we accept for each class and adheres to the above quotas for non-native English speaking students. Therefore it is possible a student who has been accepted may be put on a waiting list. Only students who have been accepted are put on the waiting list.

Students on the waiting lists are selected based on their academic, behavioral and English language abilities. Students are NOT selected on a first come first serve basis. Parents of selected students will be notified when they can proceed to the registration process.