Admissions

Admissions Policy

Deadline for Submission of Application Form for Nursery 2010 is 22 January

General Admissions Policy

St. Michael's International School is dedicated to serving the foreign community primarily in the Kobe and Osaka area, pursuing an education guided by the English National Curriculum. Admission applications are reviewed and all decisions made by the School are final.

Children accepted to St. Michael’s International School are expected to show:

The ability to function in an English Language and Learning environment.
The appropriate level of educational aptitude and skills required at each year level. St. Michael's International School will accept children with Learning Difficulties if we feel that we can support them and provide a meaningful education for them. Admission for students with Learning Difficulties or Special Needs is on a case-by-case basis.

Application Procedure:

Complete the Application Form. This can either be collected from the School or downloaded.
Click here for Academic Year 2009-2010 Enrolment.
Click here for Academic Year 2010-2011 Enrolment.
Most children are admitted in August, but if vacancies exist the School will normally admit children throughout the course of the year.
Send the Application Form together with a copy of child’s passport or birth certificate. A copy of all school records and test results (if applicable) must accompany the Application Form.
The Application Fee of ¥20,000 must be submitted at the time of application. This fee is non-refundable.
The Application documents and fee can be submitted directly at the School Office, or sent by mail in an enveloped marked “ADMISSIONS”. Fee can be made in cash or by bank transfer. (Please refer to the Payment Procedure for bank details.)
An interview and assessment will be arranged when space is available at the appropriate Year Level.
When deemed necessary, a Trial Day may be organised in order to make clearer the child’s suitability for entering St. Michael’s International School.
All offers of acceptance or rejection will be made in writing. All decisions made by the School are final.
Enrolment Priority:

St. Michael’s is open to all children who can benefit from the intentional education offered regardless of gender, culture, nationality or religion. As a School with a distinct Christian ethos, we expect all parents to support its Christian identity, with tolerance and respect towards others of different religious backgrounds within the School community.
The School will aim to admit children in each academic year up to, but not exceeding the School’s standard number of twenty-five. If the number of requests exceeds the number of places available, the following will be given priority:

Children with siblings already in the School
Children from an international background (one or more parent holding a foreign passport)
Children who have completed at least two years of western style education overseas or in Japan.

High priority is placed on the following categories of children:

Representatives of the British Consulate
Full-time teachers serving St. Michael’s International School

Enrollment Procedure:

The child will be placed in the relevant year class (dependant on their chronological age). In exceptional cases, a child may be accepted into a class either one year below their chronological age or one year above. In these situations, previous School records and internal assessment will determine the placement, on approval by the Head of School.
After a decision is made concerning the admission of the child, a formal letter will be sent to the parents following a verbal confirmation from the Administration Office. If accepted, the child may enrol after a minimum of two school days after the verbal confirmation, to allow the School to make necessary preparation. (e.g. When a verbal confirmation of enrolment is made on Thursday, the child may start school on Tuesday.)
Necessary documents required by the School must be completed and submitted at the time of enrolment.
Registration and other Fees are payable prior to entry to the School. An invoice will be sent to the address indicated on the Application Form.

Role of Parents:

St. Michael's International School expects parents to:

Pay fees promptly, upon receipt of invoice, as outlined under Payment Procedure
Take an active and supportive role in the life of the School
Be able to communicate with the teachers and staff in English
Be willing to work with the child at home in their native tongue (i.e. encourage reading, help with homework, etc.)

Level Placement

Entry for 2009-2010

SMIS Class	Age	Date of Birth Between	US System
Nursery	3-4	1 September 2005 – 31 August 2006	Pre-K A
Reception	4-5	1 September 2004 – 31 August 2005	Kindergarten A
Year 1	5-6	1 September 2003 – 31 August 2004	Kindergarten B
Year 2	6-7	1 September 2002 – 31 August 2003	Grade 1
Year 3	7-8	1 September 2001 – 31 August 2002	Grade 2
Year 4	8-9	1 September 2000 – 31 August 2001	Grade 3
Year 5	9-10	1 September 1999 – 31 August 2000	Grade 4
Year 6	10-11	1 September 1998 – 31 August 1999	Grade

Entry for 2010-2011

SMIS Class	Age	Date of Birth Between	US System
Nursery	3-4	1 September 2006 – 31 August 2007	Pre-K A
Reception	4-5	1 September 2005 – 31 August 2006	Kindergarten A
Year 1	5-6	1 September 2004 – 31 August 2005	Kindergarten B
Year 2	6-7	1 September 2003 – 31 August 2004	Grade 1
Year 3	7-8	1 September 2002 – 31 August 2003	Grade 2
Year 4	8-9	1 September 2001 – 31 August 2002	Grade 3
Year 5	9-10	1 September 2000 – 31 August 2001	Grade 4
Year 6	10-11	1 September 1999 – 31 August 2000	Grade 5

Scholarships:

Limited number of partial Scholarships may be available, based on financial needs. A letter stating the reasons for applying for the Scholarship must be submitted to the Finance Committee of St. Michael’s International School Council via the Head of School. Confidential Scholarship Form is available from the School Office. Applicants are required to submit tax certificate and bank account details along with the Form, should they wish to proceed.

Extended Absence:

A child may leave the School for up to 3 months and a place will be held open for them, as long as tuition fees are paid for the period of absence. During the absence, the child is expected to attend an appropriate School, with documentation of such attendance required upon return to St. Michael's International School. (See Payment Procedure for further information) Parents are requested to inform the School in writing at least 30 days before the child returns, in order for the School to be able to confirm a place for the child. Any period of absence longer than 3 months will be up to the discretion of the Head of School.

Admissions Policy updated: September 2009