Progression And Subject Choice Policy
Date of Implementation - 22 October 2021
Progression, Promotion, Qualifications and Subject Selection Policy
- Date of Implementation – 22 October 2021
- Category – Academic
- Purpose – To address strategic goals 1.2 and 1.3 of the 2015 to 2019 strategic plan which requires that we draft an FET subject selection policy for Grade 9’s registering for Grade 10 and establish and maintain independent progression and promotion requirements to promote excellence and discourage a tolerance for underperformance and mediocrity.
- Application – For progression and promotion requirements for Grades 1 to 11, qualifications requirements for grade 12 and subject selection of Grade 9’s registering for Grade 10.
- Definitions:
- Subjects as referred to in the Intermediate Phase: English Home Language, Afrikaans First Additional Language, Mathematics, SS (Combined History and Geography component), NS and Technology, Life Skills (Combined Creative Arts, Physical Education and Personal and Social Wellbeing components).
- Subjects as referred to in the Senior Phase: English Home Language, Afrikaans First Additional Language, Mathematics, NS, SS (Combined History and Geography component), EMS, Life Orientation, Technology, Creative Arts.
- Policy Statement
3.1 Progression, Promotion and Qualifications Policy
It is ISASA’S considered view that the National Policy on promotion requirements does not preclude an independent school from setting higher promotion requirements for those grades that are examined internally and where promotion is not regulated through National exams. Decisions about promoting and retaining learners are critical to an independent school’s freedom to use its professional judgement to maintain a high quality of education. Legal opinion obtained by ISASA is that independent schools are free to offer education at standards higher than public schools. In September 2013 NAISA met with the DBE and the following was agreed upon: “Independent schools may exceed the promotion requirements prescribed in the regulations.”
In conclusion, therefore, independent schools have a right to make their own promotion and retention decisions and departmental officials have no right to change promotion decisions made by the independent school. Any decision to progress a learner on the grounds of age will be at the sole discretion of the school and will not be based on departmental assessment instructions and/or consent from parents or guardians.
St. Monica’s Progression Requirements for Grades R to 3:
- Home Language: Level 4 (a minimum of 50%)
- Mathematics: Level 4 (a minimum of 50%)
- First Additional Language: Level 3 (a minimum of 40%)
St. Monica’s Progression Requirements for Grades 4 to 6:
- Home Language: Level 4 (a minimum of 50%)
- Mathematics: Level 4 (a minimum of 50%)
- Any other TWO of the remaining subjects: Level 4 (a minimum of 50%)
- The TWO remaining subjects: Level 3 (a minimum of 40%)
St. Monica’s Progression Requirements for Grades 7 to 9:
- Home Language: Level 4 (a minimum of 50%)
- Mathematics: Level 3 (a minimum of 40%)
- Any other THREE of the remaining subjects: Level 4 (a minimum of 50%)
- The FOUR remaining subjects: Level 3 (a minimum of 40%)
St. Monica’s Progression Requirements for Grades 10 and 11:
- Home Language: Level 3 (a minimum of 40%)
- Life Orientation: Level 3 (a minimum of 40%)
- Any other THREE of the remaining subjects: Level 3 (a minimum of 40%)
- The TWO remaining subjects: Level 2 (a minimum of 30%)
Grade 12 Qualifications requirements:
St. Monica’s grade 12’s write their external examinations leading to a National Senior Certificate through the Independent Examinations Board (IEB). The NSC is a national qualification and the requirements are:
- NSC with a Higher Certificate Pass: Level 3 (40%) in Home Language and two others; level 2 (30%) in three subjects; only one of the remaining subjects may be a level 1 (0% to 29%).
- NSC with a Diploma Pass: Level 3 (40%) in Home Language and three others (excluding LO, CAT and Tourism); level 2 (30%) in two subjects; only one of the remaining subjects may be a level 1 (0% to 29%).
- NSC with a Bachelor’s Pass: Level 3 (40%) in Home Language; level 4 (50%) in four subjects (excluding LO); only one of the remaining subjects may be a level 1 (0% to 29%).
- Further to the National requirements, the IEB requires that all SBA components are timeously submitted fully complete. These SBA components contribute 25% to 50% of the final result, depending on the subject. If there are any SBA components not submitted or submitted incomplete, the candidate will be reported as “Did not Result” (DNR).
- The school reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to register any grade 12 candidate as a part-time candidate or change any candidate’s registration from full-time to part-time during their grade 12 year. This decision will be based on academic performance in SBA components and any other factors which may affect a learner’s academic performance. The school will notify the parent/s and learner of its decision in writing. The school will be responsible for the registration and identifying which subjects the candidate will be registered for each year they will be sitting NSC examinations. The learner and parent are responsible for ensuring that part-time candidates meet all the SBA requirements for the subjects for which they are registered. In the case of part-time candidates, school fees will be charged at a pro-rata rate from the time the candidate is registered as a part-time candidate.
3.2 Subject Selection Policy
Learners must register the Home Language as offered by the school and the First
Additional Language as offered by the school.
Learners must register for Life Orientation.
The following are the requirements for registering for Mathematics:
- Learners must get a minimum of 40% as a final result in Grade 9 Mathematics in order to register for Mathematics.
- Learners who do not meet the above requirements will be registered for Mathematical Literacy.
- Grade 10 learners who do not meet the promotion requirements to pass Mathematics will be registered for Mathematical Literacy, in Grade 11.
In order to register for Physical Sciences, a learner must have been accepted to register for Mathematics and must get a minimum of 50% as a final result in Grade 9 Natural Sciences.
Subject registration takes place at the school during a meeting with staff, the learner and parent/s as scheduled on the year plan. Parents will be informed in writing of the time that this will happen. Should the parent and/or learner fail to complete the registration within the stipulated time frame, the school will at its discretion register the learner for his/her grade 10 subjects taking into account factors including but not limited to; the regulations in this policy, the learner’s academic performance in grade 9 and subject class sizes as per completed registrations at that time. In the event that this needs to be done, no requests for changes to the registrations will be entertained by the school. Parents are advised that should the school be unable to accommodate their expectations as to subject registration as stipulated herein, they may explore alternative options for their child/ren with other service providers.
- Changes to Policy:
4.1 Any changes to this policy may only be made after consultation and approval of the School Management Team.
4.2 This policy will be reviewed as the need arises.
- Policy Development Procedures:
5.1 Development and Drafting – School Management Team and Academic Staff
5.2 Approval – School Management Team
6. Review History:
Date of Review | Date of Implementation |
20 January 2015 | 21 January 2015 (First Implementation) |
14 March 2017 | 3 April 2017 |
15 February 2021 | 22 October 2021 |
7. ADOPTED BY THE PRINCIPAL AND SCHOOL MANAGEMENT TEAM: