Student Acceptance Policy
If you are considering CIS as your child's school, you are kindly asked to read the following information carefully before contacting the school.
a) English language level relative to age, as determined on the CIS entrance test and interview
b) Outside support for English language, if necessary.
c) Report from previous school, which must include a recommendation regarding behaviour and/or special educational needs
b) Outside support for English language, if necessary.
c) Report from previous school, which must include a recommendation regarding behaviour and/or special educational needs
- Canadian International School does not have a separate ESL stream. Students are placed in a regular class according to their date of birth, and a language support team works with students in the classroom to the extent necessary.
- Applicants to Kindergarten and grade 1 will attend an informal interview with the KG teachers where their level of spoken English, number, letter, colour and shape recognition, and ability to print their name will be assessed. Applicants for grades K3/4 to grade 1 normally adapt to their new language very easily and quickly and are rarely refused a place, since they are dealing with the basics - letter and number recognition, common phrases, printing and simple addition and subtraction.
- Children entering grades 2 to 5 are expected to have sufficient understanding of English to be able to understand what the teacher is saying and should be able to read at or close to grade level. The Primary Years Programme (PYP) is used to teach the Canadian curriculum, and students are engaged in their own learning on a daily basis, requiring good verbal and written communications skills. The entrance test for grades 2 to 5 covers English and arithmetic, and there is a personal interview with the student and his or her parents and the principal, conducted in English. If necessary, language support is available to assist students in these grades.
- Students applying to enter Middle School (grades 6 to 8) are expected to have studied English in their previous school to a level where they can understand the teacher, contribute to class discussions, ask their own questions and be able to read the various textbooks independently. Homework is an important part of the curriculum, and students are expected to complete research projects and to solve math word problems in their own time. Limited language support is available for middle school students.
- Students applying to enroll in grades 9 through 12 are expected to be fluent in English. The senior school curriculum is demanding, and students must have a high level of spoken and written ability as well as the ability to comprehend the written word. Class discussion, extensive reading of magazine articles and texts, and several hours of homework each day are part of the programme of studies in all academic subjects; a high level of English is therefore a necessity. In order to graduate from CIS, grade 12 students must satisfy the English language requirements of the Department of Education of the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island, whose curriculum CIS teaches. There is no language support for students in grades 9 to 12.
- CIS admits students according to their age at the cut-off date of December 31st. Exceptions may be made at the discretion of the principal, based on English language ability, previous school reports and parents' English language level. However, parents should expect the following guide to be followed in most cases.
