Admissions

Admissions Policy

Non-Discrimination Clause

Pinewood welcomes candidates from diverse backgrounds and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, age, gender, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by local laws, provided that they meet the admission requirements.

English Proficiency

Students with limited English proficiency in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 6 are considered eligible for admission without pre-admission language proficiency testing. Prior to the prospective student’s Admissions application to the school, a diagnostic test will be administered to determine the student’s English Proficiency Level. 

All prospective students for Grades 7-12 are required to demonstrate a specific level of English language proficiency on the scale of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), as determined by the online school-administered Cambridge Admissions Test. Upon admission to Pinewood, students are placed in their respective English Language and Literature groups in accordance with their score on the school’s paper-based Placement Test which is administered in the first week of the student’s enrollment at Pinewood.

Recommended English proficiency levels, based on the CEFR, at the time of admission, are as follows:

Grade 7: A2 or higher
Grade 8: A2 or higher
Grade 9: B1 or higher
Grade 10: B1 or higher
Grade 11: B1 or higher – American Diploma)

Grade 11 – IB Diploma Program – B2 English Proficiency is required to be eligible.

The CEFR serves as the comprehensive basis on which students’ language progression is measured. The placement of students is decided in accordance with their scores in mandatory end-of-year examinations and MAP tests.

Age Requirements

There are minimum age requirements for admission to the Early Years Program through Grade 1. To be eligible for Pre-Kindergarten, a child must have reached the age of 4 (four) by December 31. For Kindergarten, a child must have reached the age of five by December 31. For Grade 1, a child must have reached the age of six by December 31. For all subsequent grade levels, age and previous school experience will be considered.

Grade/Student Placements

Students are placed in the appropriate grade level based on English language proficiency (students wishing to enroll in Grades 7-12), previous schooling, age,  and seat availability, as determined by the Pinewood administration after a thorough review of application, documentation, and assessment results, the student will be placed in the appropriate Grade level.

Class Size: Under normal circumstances, class sizes, from Pre-Kindergarten to 12th Grade, shall not exceed 22 students. Classes are kept to a size that allows more than average individual attention to every student. Parents and staff are expected to understand the complexities and uncertainties inherent to the operation of a private, international school. The uncertainties of family movement, the need to ideally enroll whole families, and the need to recruit enough students to maintain budget targets make achieving exact policy figures a complex process. Because of these complexities, class size target figures may vary from one class to another at the discretion of the Head of School. Every effort, however, will be made to keep the number of students at the policy figure.

Student/Teacher Placement: Pinewood is not able to honor parent/guardian/student requests for specific teachers. Student placement is initiated according to a process involving time and careful thought concerning the best interest of every child in each classroom. Classrooms are heterogeneously grouped to mirror our international school community and society. In order to create balanced classes of students, factors that are considered include gender, ethnicity, English proficiency, student needs, behavior concerns, and special program needs. Please note that the final decision on all student placements rests with the administration. Parents/guardians of twins may request for their twin children to be in the same class or in different classes if possible. However, as stated above, they may not request specific teachers.

Enrollment Requirements

In order to be considered fully enrolled, the following is required from all new students and their parent(s)/guardian(s):

1.  Each student file must include the following paperwork, requested upon registration:
   ● Birth Certificate
   ● Parent passport or ID
   ● Student passport or ID
   ● Personal Student Health form (provided by Pinewood, completed by parent and doctor)
   ● Student Vaccination & immunization records
   ● Proof of previous studies (at least 2 years, with Apostille)
2. Each student’s parent or guardian must pay the following charges & fees:
   ● Capital Levy: an enrollment fee applicable to new students only, from Kindergarten to grade 12.
   ● Prepayment: a non-refundable payment due in the spring, deducted from the upcoming year’s tuition. The prepayment shall be refundable only in the case of denial of enrollment.
   ● Tuition and Fees: an amount that includes tuition and any other school fees as approved by the Board of Trustees.
   ● Transportation Fee: an additional and non-refundable fee for those who choose bus transportation to and from school.
   ● Boarding Fee: a fee paid directly to Pinewood for students who choose to reside in the Pinewood student residence hall.
3. Agreement with the terms and conditions of the privacy policy of the school in adherence with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and/or future Privacy regulations, as defined by the EU and/or local legislation.

Note: Upon registration each school year, parents and/or legal guardians shall receive a proforma invoice for each child enrolled at the school. This proforma is created once the parent completes the online enrollment from through the Athena platform. By submitting the enrollment form the parent and/or legal guardian agrees with the amount to be paid and the dates on which to pay. The school reserves the right to require full payment of tuition and fees prior to enrollment.

Students with Special Needs

Pinewood offers learning support for students with mild to moderate special educational needs (see Learning Support under School Programs and Services). Pinewood values learning diversity. However, the school may not be able to accommodate all needs beyond the regular curricular, facilities, and staff capacity without assistance from outside professional services. Any such needs, as determined by the school’s Student Services Department, will incur additional costs to be covered by the family. Please see HERE for more comprehensive information about the Learning Support procedures and protocols.

Re-enrollment

In order to hold a place at Pinewood, families are required to re-enroll in the spring of each school year. This procedure involves re-enrolling their child through the Athena portal and making a deposit as detailed in the proforma invoice sent home to families once the re-enrollment process is completed. The deposit is applied to the upcoming year’s tuition/fees.

Transfers from Pinewood to Anatolia Elementary

Pinewood parents interested in enrolling their children in the first form of Anatolia Elementary School should apply directly to Anatolia College by October 10th of the previous year and are required to pay the deposit of (1000 euro). Anatolia reserves three places for Pinewood students and enrollment is on a first come first serve basis.