What should you do if you don't get placed in your high school of choice?
As a parent or guardian of a Grade 7 learner, you’re gearing up for the next stage in your child’s learning journey: assessing and applying to high schools in South Africa.
It probably seems overwhelming. First, you need to make sure you’re choosing the right learning environment for your child. Second, you need to do your best to navigate the high school application process, which is competitive and inconsistent.
In this article, we’ll address the worry that’s keeping you up at night. What do you do if – after high school applications are closed – you haven’t managed to get your child a spot at your high school of choice? What then?
First off: Don’t panic! We understand that this is a major concern. That’s why we’ve outlined the various options you have if your first choice doesn’t pan out. Let’s take a look at each of these.
What to do if you don’t get a place in a private school?
Contact admissions offices
Admissions to private high schools in South Africa can be competitive. If you don’t get the place you were hoping for, you still have options. First off, contact the school admissions officer. They’ll be your guide through this process. You can discuss next steps together.
You’ll likely be placed on a waiting list, with the chance that a space will open up and be offered to your child. This is a normal part of the process.
Most private brick-and-mortar schools will also have a late application process. And many parents and guardians – just like you – put in late applications when they haven’t secured the spot they were hoping for.
Consider homeschooling or online high school
If you haven’t considered options like homeschooling and online high school, now’s a good time to do so.
Homeschooling offers an alternative to attending brick-and-mortar public or private schools where you can provide education for your child at home. For details on what it takes to provide education for your child at home, take a look at the Department of Basic Education’s overview of home education.
Online high schools are more flexible with their applications, meaning that you can usually apply to them late if your first choice doesn’t work out. But keep in mind that even with this added flexibility, online schools also have capacity limits. So don’t leave your application to the last minute.
To prepare for the best outcome, consider applying to an online high school as an option in your planning now. As you research the options on offer, you may find that it becomes your first choice.
Plan for a backup
It never hurts to have a backup when applying to high schools in South Africa. If it’s within your family budget, you may wish to make extra applications.
For example, UCT Online High School has a nominal application fee of R50, which will ensure your child has a place at an online high school, either as a first option or as a viable backup for brick-and-mortar public or private school.
Public school
Contact admissions offices
You also have options during the public high school applications process. If you make your application on time and include a minimum of three schools in your application, chances are you’ll be just fine.
Problems with public school placements are mainly from the thousands of late applications received by provincial departments of education. When parents and guardians wait until the last minute, departments don’t know what numbers to plan for.
Still, here are the steps you need to take if this happens to you and your child.
Get on the unplaced learners list
First, contact the schools you applied to and tell them you still need a place. They may be able to accommodate you. At the same time, take to Google and search out other “high schools near me”, and make contact with other schools in your area.
Also contact your local District Office. They will get your child is on the list of unplaced learners and will search for a public school that can accommodate them.
Appeal a school decision
If you had your heart set on a specific school, you can make an appeal. This is your right, under the South African Schools Act Section 5(9) for all high schools in South Africa.
How to appeal
- First, you need to appeal directly to the school. Ensure they know you are still looking for a place for your child.
- Ask them to reconsider your application and place you on the school’s waiting list.
- If the school governing body (SGB) is still unwilling – or unable – to place your child, ask for a copy of their decision.
- You then need to send this SGB report to your provincial MEC for Education for review. You will also send them your application and the supporting documents you supplied.
How to contact your provincial MEC for Education
Start the applications process today
We hope that this article will help you to hope for the best, while planning for the worst. Know that you have options that’ll help your child to access the educational opportunities that will suit them best.
For more guidance on high school applications, download our free guide, and read other insights from our applications series for high schools in South Africa on our blog.
Share this with another parent or guardian who needs it, or get in touch with one of our Admissions Consultants who’ll be able to help you assess online high school as an option for your family.
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