Process
All applications to Paarl School need to be processed by the district offices of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED). You can contact the WCED District office allocated to your area of residence. They will supply you with an application form to be filled in and signed along with guidance to the best suited school for your child. If your child is currently in a WCED school, the school should assist you with this part of the process. Along with the application, any reports – medical, therapeutic or scholastic of sort must be attached. The completed application pack is then sent back to the District office to be processed.
The placement committee, consisting of representatives from the WCED head office, various district offices and special schools meet each term to discuss all applications received for a specific school and reach one of the following outcomes:
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The application provides enough information to indicate that the learner will benefit from the programme offered at that school. The child’s name is put on the waiting list and placement will be offered as soon as an opening becomes available.
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The child is invited for a screening/trial placement at the special school.
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More information is needed before a recommendation can be made.
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From the information provided in the application, it is clear that placement at the specific special school will not be in the learner’s best interest. The application is sent back to the case manager for further management and support.
Criteria
The following groups of learners are considered for placement at Paarl School:
Learners with cerebral palsy – a permanent disability affecting posture and movement as a result of damage to the developing brain.
Learners with a physical disability – this includes medical or physical conditions that hinder successful placement in a mainstream setting e.g. muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, arthritis, neurofibromatosis, myopathy, progeria and complicated respiratory or medical conditions, as well as learners who suffered closed head injuries in e.g. motor vehicle accidents.
Learners with specific learning disabilities – learners with average to above average cognitive ability, who experience perceptual problems and underachieve in the areas of reading, spelling and mathematics. These learners must be able to master the content presented in the CAPS curriculum.