ADMISSION PROCEDURES

Students will be accepted regardless of their religion or sect or nationality, as stipulated by the rules and regulations of the Ministry of Education/KHDA.
The school accepts students who are at the required age and able to access the school curriculum with no or limited assistance and satisfy all admission requirements.
Students admitted to DNS are required to follow the curricula offered by the school and the Ministry of Education for Arabic, Islamic, Social Studies and Moral Education.
Parents enrolling their children in Dubai National School are required to fill an application, providing information about their child and their contact details. Parents are also required to fill a special form about their child’s health, special needs and wellbeing.
Students enrolling will be placed in grade levels based on their age, their previous academic records, and the results of the admission exam and the personal interview with teachers, counsellors and phase leaders. If the need arises, one-to-one evaluation may be conducted.
All students of phases 2, 3 & 4 (Grades 1-12) enrolling in the school are required to sit for three paper-based or online admission exams in English, Arabic, Mathematics and high school Physics. For non-native speakers of Arabic, a special exam for non-Arabic speakers is given in addition to English and Mathematics exams. These exams provide valuable information to help the school further determine the child’s placement and success in the offered programs.
Admission exams take place on assigned days and times; they do not require prior preparations as they measure candidates’ skills and knowledge needed for each grade level.
Admission exams are conducted for not more than:
- Phase 1 (PK, KG1 & KG2): a 30-minute interview
- Phase 2 (Grades 1-5): 1 ½ Hours
- Phase 3 (Gs 6-8): 2 Hours
- Phase 4 (Grades 9-12): 2-3 Hours

A decision concerning the child’s admission is made within two working days. The school will determine the placement based upon the results of the admission exams, the reviews of the previous academic records and the personal interview with the Principal if required.
A decision concerning the child’s admission is made within two working days. The Principal will determine the placement based upon the results of the admission exams, the reviews of the previous academic records, the personal interviews and the findings of the teachers, counsellors and phase leaders.
The candidate will be granted admission if his/her basic abilities, skills and knowledge might be improved with care and support and inclusive practices.
High school candidates from non-American program schools may be required to obtain equivalency from the UAE Ministry of Education.
Admission is granted for early registration. Applicants who have siblings studying at DNS will be given priority.

Phase 1 (PK, KG1 & KG2) Admission Procedures

Phase 1 students sit for a face-to-face/online interview with the teacher, counsellor and phase leader to evaluate their linguistic abilities and motor skills.
The duration of the interview is 15-30 minutes; however, sometimes it extends according to the child’s needs as some children need more time to familiarize them with the place.
During the interview, the interviewers observe the child’s pencil grip, his recognition of colors, shapes and the alphabets. The interviewers also observe and assess the child’s motor skills.
In case the child refuses to speak, parents are asked to speak to the child.
If the child still refuses to speak, the parents are asked to provide a video of their child speaking and playing, and this video is assessed as part of the child’s admission process. The interviewing committee analyzes the child’s interaction to detect speech difficulties or mental disabilities.
If any speech difficulty or learning disability is detected, the phase leader will require explanation from the parents who are requested to provide a medical/therapy report to establish inclusion provisions for the child.

Inclusive Admission

The school subscribes to the UAE Federal Law (No.29, 2006) and the Child Right Declaration that a person’s special needs shall not be a reason to deprive him/her of their educational rights and services. Dubai National School admits students with special educational needs and disabilities and is dedicated to offering the services and resources needed to produce an inclusive learning environment if provisions can be arranged to meet their identified needs.

After SEND students are enrolled, they are monitored to check their interaction with their teachers and classmates and their performance in the beginning of the school year after being given enough time to be familiar with the new surroundings.
The parents’ consent will be taken to start inclusion provisions, care, support services and remediation plans like IEPs and BIPs for the child based on his/her specific behavior or learning needs. Parents will be required to submit external assessments of the child’s abilities and needs.
Parents will be fully involved in the identification and intervention process of their child with special needs and/or disabilities. Parents will be updated periodically about their child’s progress.
The head of inclusion is also involved in the inclusive admission of the student with special educational needs. She conducts students’ and parents’ interviews and screenings of the student for the early identification of the needs.
The school policy is revised and updated yearly taking into consideration the input of the inclusion team, parents and teachers.

ADMISSION PROCEDURES

Phase 1 (PK, KG1 & KG2) Admission Procedures

Inclusive Admission

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