Admissions Process

We encourage families to visit our website and fill the Enquiry form to start the application process. Our admissions team will get in contact with the family inviting them to  visit the school for a physical school tour and assessment.  Parents will need to fill the full registration form before the assessment, which will be shared by email before the assessment. 

• Completed Registration Form
• Passports copies for the student(s), father and mother 
• Emirates I.D. copies for the student(s), father and mother 
• Copy of the last 2 years school reports, including examination results
• Copies of any applicable external reports e.g. speech therapy (Full details and copies of any Special Educational Needs referrals and any relevant reports should be on an Official letterhead with a school stamp and signature)

For children with additional learning needs parents are required to submit an educational psychologist report along with any appropriate therapist reports.

All relevant information must be provided as asked for and be true. Any false or missing information may result in a denial of admission or a re-assessment being needed at an additional cost.

Assessment

Our assessments are free of charge.   For EYFS and Key Stage One, the Phase Leader will carry out the assessment and provide feedback . For Key Stage Two and Secondary, the applicant has to pass a CAT4 test, followed by an admissions meeting with the Phase Leader. If needed, the Head of Inclusion might be involved in the assessment process to assess additional needs. 

Foundation Stage

In the Foundation Stage, the assessment process involves an assessment with the Phase Leader. 

The assessment links to the appropriate age-related stages in Development Matters. For FS1 assessment children are asked to undertake activities present in the EYFS curriculum in line with Age Banding ‘22 – 36 months Developing’. The child is settled before the assessment commences and the assessment takes no longer than 10 to 15 minutes.

For FS2 assessment children are asked to undertake activities present in the EYFS curriculum in line with Age Banding ‘30 – 50 months Developing’.  The child is settled before the assessment commences and the assessment takes no longer than 10 to 15 minutes. 

Key Stage 1

Children would undertake short informal mathematics, phonics, and reading tests based on the age-related expectations from the English National Curriculum from the year group they are currently placed.  For example, if a child is applying for Year 2, they will complete mathematics questions based on Year 1 (as we are working under the assumption that the child sitting the assessment has completed Year 1, but will not have covered all areas of the curriculum for Year 2). The assessment would take no longer than 15 to 30 minutes. 

KS2 & KS3

From Year 3 and into Secondary, children undertake a CAT4 assessment. If a child submits an application for admission at the beginning and throughout the academic year (September-May), they will conduct the appropriate age-related CAT4 assessment based on that child’s current year group. If a child undertakes an admission at the end of an academic year (June-August) they will undertake the subsequent year group that they will enter in the September of that year.

The CAT4 assessment will generate data that will give a clear understanding of the child’s cognitive ability and potential. As well as looking carefully at the CAT4 results, a member of the SLT will meet the child and family to gather an understanding of the child’s background and listen to the child’s language ability. After the CAT4 has been completed, the Assessment Leader will read the results of each battery thoroughly and build a detailed picture of that child’s cognitive ability. If the results are Stanine 3 or below, the Head of Inclusion will be consulted and in some circumstances, the child will be invited back into school for a follow-up admission with the Head of Inclusion. This will enable the Head of Inclusion to conduct specific screening tests to allow us better understand the child’s strengths and challenges and allows us to identify the best strategies that will contribute to the student's success.

When a child is accepted into Star Midif, the results from the CAT4 assessments will be passed directly to the class teacher in order to support further teaching and learning within the class.

KS4 and KS5

New Students applying for Y10 - first year of the GCSE, will undertake a CAT4 assessment and should get Stanine 3 or above. A member of the Secondary leadership team will discuss the (I)GCSE and BTEC options with the students. The subjects might be reviewed throughout the year with the student, in case of any concerns.  The school does not accept new applicants for Y11.

New students applying for Y12 will undertake a CAT4 assessment and should get Stanine 3 or above. Upon acceptance, they will receive a “Conditional Offer letter” subject to the  GCSE results. Students willing to study A-Level subjects need to get at least Grade 5 in at least 5 (I)GCSE subjects, including English and Mathematics, and at least 7 in the specific subjects they are opting for. For subjects not studied before, then the minimum requirements will come from their grades in other subjects, usually English, Maths and Sciences. Students who study BTEC subjects need to get at least Grade 4 across at least 5 subjects including English and Mathematics. Should a student have at least a Grade 4 in English/Mathematics they will be required to re-sit these subjects in Y12.

The school does not accept new applicants for Y13

Assessment of pupils with SEND

The entry assessment process for students of determination is in accordance with the UAE  Federal Law no. 29/2006, Dubai Inclusive Education Policy Framework, and the KHDA’s Directives and Guidelines for Inclusive Education. 

The entry assessment focuses on identifying a student’s strengths and learning challenges to allow the school to identify the best strategies to support the student, and then ensure the school can provide the needed provision.

No child will be refused a place at the school based on Special Educational Needs or a Disability provided we can provide the proper support. The admission of Students of Determination who are siblings of existing students is prioritised at our school.

Star International School Mirdif is an inclusive school for gifted children and those with special educational needs.  Parents should inform the school at the application stage regarding any additional learning support requirements for their child. We may request copies of external documents such as professional assessments and individual learning plans or request that a professional assessment is carried out and the report shared with the school

In line with the requirements of the local regulatory body, we are committed to being as inclusive as we can be. Students of Determination are assessed by both the Phase leader and the Head of Inclusion at our school.

We would only consider rejecting an application if the child’s needs were such that they could not be met in a mainstream school, and/or if their presence would significantly hinder the other children’s learning. In exceptional cases, the school may require the provision of a suitably qualified Individual Learning Support Assistant, which would be employed by the family and approved by the school following school safeguarding, background checks, etc.

If a child is receiving specialist services, such as Speech and Language Therapy, parents are responsible for providing the school with all relevant information, both at the admissions stage and once they have joined the school. Students of Determination are assessed by both the Phase leader and the Head of Inclusion at our school. 

Although we aim to ensure that any child being accepted has the basic language skills required in order to be able to absorb the curriculum coverage being taught, there are extenuating circumstances that may affect our decision-making process. At times children may require an Arabic assessment in order to gauge their true potential, so this will be arranged. Additionally, we may also invite children to undertake an extended in-class assessment, in which the child in question will be monitored during a regular class lesson by an appropriate member of staff (either a member of SLT or the Inclusion Department). Allowing for in-class assessments takes into account the fact that on some occasions, children simply do not perform to their true potential in a one-off assessment scenario.

Parents are advised to share all information related to their child’s learning needs. If at any point the school discovers that the family has intentionally withheld information regarding any additional needs for their child, the school will have the right to cancel the child’s application

Waiting Lists

Where a year group is at capacity, a child may be placed on the waiting list. The parent will be contacted if and when a place becomes available. If a place is offered. it must be accepted or declined within one week (5 working days). Priority on the waiting list will be given to the new students with siblings at school. 

Distance Learning Assessments

For families moving from overseas, and to guarantee they can reserve a seat as early as possible, the admissions team can facilitate Online Assessments. This would be a CAT4 assessment for Y3 onward. The admissions team will invigilate the online assessment through Teams meeting. For Secondary years, the online assessment will be followed by an admissions meeting with the Head of Secondary. For EYFS, Y1 and Y2, face to face assessments are preferable, but in case of urgent need, we can do an online assessment with the child. The teacher will meet the child online for a semi-formal interview, and will assess the communication level, reading, writing and maths skills.

Following the assessment, parents receive a decision, usually within one or two working days.

Admission and Offering

Upon successful completion of the assessment, an offer letter will be sent to parents detailing the next steps in the process.  Parents will have five working days to accept the place. After this time, the offer of a place will be deemed not accepted. The Admissions team will follow up with the family for acceptance and has the right to withdraw the offer letter if it expires. To accept an offer letter, the family needs to pay the registration fee, which is 10% of the annual fees.  As per KHDA rules, this amount is not refundable, and is adjustable against term one fees. The school must also receive all the required documents (see list below) to complete registration. The admissions team might share “Conditional Offer letters” in case of critical conditions required by the academic team for enrolment to meet the child’s needs. 

Registration

The Registration process starts once the family accepts the offer letter. The family has to submit the required documents and complete the KHDA registration as per the government authorities rules. 

Registration deposit can be refundable under these circumstances only:

• The family has to move outside the Emirate of Dubai before the start of the new academic year. The School reserves the right to ask for proof that the family is moving outside the Emirate of Dubai.

• If the child is applying for Y12 and his GCSE results did not meet the minimum requirements requested by the school for his/her options

• If the child was on our waiting list the school failed to secure a seat

Medical Records

The school requires current and accurate information regarding all children enrolled with us. Parents are asked to update the school should any medical circumstances change.  We require records of previous medical treatments, allergies, and vaccination records on registration.

Families Moving Their Children from Other Private Schools in Dubai

To complete any registration process, our school will need a Leaving/Transfer Certificate from the child’s previous school in UAE

Families Coming from Outside the UAE

Families will need to provide a Leaving/Transfer Certificate for their child, from their previous school, in the previous country.

The Leaving Certificate should be printed on the school letterhead, with the Principal signature and the school stamp;  including the following information:

• Full name and detail of school
• Full name of the applicant
• Date of Birth
• Date of enrolment at school
• Grade/level/year group upon leaving
• Date of leaving school
• Curriculum offered at school
• Indication of whether the previous school follows the 12 grades / 13 years system
• Indication of whether the applicant attained a ‘PASS’ or ‘FAIL’ in the last level of the school.

For student(s) coming from outside of the UAE, the Transfer Certificate must be:

• Attested by the Ministry of Education from the country where the TC has been obtained.
• Attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Attested by the UAE consulate in the country where the TC has been obtained.

• Families moving from the US, Canada, Australia, UK and Western Europe do not need to get attestations on their Transfer Certificate.

For student(s) coming from Gulf countries other than the UAE, the Transfer Certificate must be:

• Attested by the Ministry of Education of that country.

For student(s) coming from Emirates other than Dubai, the Transfer Certificate must be:

• Attested by the Ministry of Education of that Emirate.

Documents to be submitted with the Admission Forms

Check List

• Completed Registration Form
• Passports copies for the student(s), father and mother 
• Emirates I.D. copies for the student(s), father and mother 
• 1 Passport size photograph
• Copy of Birth Certificate in English or Arabic
• Copy of the last 2 years school reports, including examination results
• Copies of any applicable external reports e.g. speech therapy (Full details and copies of any Special Educational Needs referrals and any relevant reports should be on an Official letterhead with a school stamp and signature)
• Copies of immunisation records