Gear up for the 2018 school year

The 2018 school year will kick off in the Western Cape on Wednesday 17 January and
we are prepared, ready and excited to welcome learners back to school.

The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) encourages you to speak to your child’s teachers about how to enhance their reading, writing and maths skills so they can improve their results and ultimately gain a deeper understanding of their school work.

Here are some examples of what you can do at home for children in Grades R - 6:

• Chat with your child about school, their friends, activities, teachers and assignments.
• Set practical goals and focus on achieving them one at a time.
• Praise your child for specific achievements. Focus on your child’s strengths and celebrate their progress.
• Encourage your child if they fail a test. With your constant support, they will  improve.

You can also help your child and teachers by:

• Ensuring your child arrives at school on time.
• Staying informed, attending school meetings regularly and communicating with teachers.
• Discussing your child's progress with teachers (your school should provide you with an assessment plan at the beginning of the year and a formal progress report at the end of each term.)
• Ensuring your child has exercise books and other relevant books in the first week of school.
• Checking that your child has read, written and practised maths every day.
• Checking your child's exercise books regularly. 
• Making sure your child has adequate exercise and sleep.
• Appreciating the importance of homework.
• Providing a quiet study area – complete with paper, pens, a ruler, pencils and a dictionary.
• Supporting school trips, assemblies, student performances and sports events.
• Ensuring your child attends school every day.

According to Ms Bernadette Williams, who teaches Grade RR, one of the biggest challenges facing learners is to find a balance between their workload and coping in big classrooms. So, by supporting your child’s school, you are helping to ensure the school is a happy place where your child and their friends can learn and grow.

The WCED has some more tips for parents on how to build reading, writing and maths skills at home.

Late registrations

Every year the WCED receives a number of late enrolments. This is either because their parents have relocated to the Province during the festive season, or their parents have neglected their responsibility to enrol their children on time.

The WCED has officials who are working full-time with schools and parents to place late comers. The WCED introduced the new School Admission Management Information System last year. This system has assisted us in providing clear data and indicating which schools are full or still have space. Additional mobile classrooms have been placed on hold to accommodate unexpected growth in the province.

To parents who are having difficulties enrolling their child, or who have failed to enrol their child, they are advised to approach their nearest school as there could be some enrolment cancellations after the school holidays.

Alternatively they may approach District Offices and the Officials who will be dealing with admission enquiries.