We are currently accepting applications for children of pre-school through middle school ages (3 – 14 years).
All applications will be subject to a trial period; during this time, the child and family have an opportunity to get a taste of life at VFS and the teachers can assess the school’s ability to meet the child’s needs. Throughout the trial period, the child’s progress and integration into the school will be reviewed by the teachers. The outcome of this may result in full or conditional acceptance into the school; an extension of the trial period; or in the situation where the teachers feel strongly that the needs and interests of the child cannot be accommodated at the school, declining admission. The trial period involves consultation and review with the parents usually scheduled at the end of the week.
While we try to accommodate requested dates for trials, we have various factors to take into account when scheduling these, so please be aware that we cannot always facilitate last minute requests. For those families from abroad who have no opportunity to visit VFS in person, we can arrange a video chat with the teachers, however, along with those children starting at the beginning of a school year, their first week of school will be considered the trial period.
Kindergarten children must be at least 3 years old at the time of entry and be nappy-free. Due to the long periods outdoors in nature, children under the age of 3 ½ years will be assessed for stamina and independence during their trial week and, if successful, a part-time attendance arrangement will be planned in cooperation with the teacher.
Entry into the elementary classes will be from age 6 and based on school readiness observations at the end of kindergarten (more information available in our parent handbook). All elementary children are required to attend full-time, 9:00 – 15:00, 5 days a week.
When placing children in classes, we take into account age, developmental indicators, additional needs, language competencies and relocation impact.
We are currently only able to accept children who can understand and communicate in English or Italian. If your child cannot communicate effectively in either language, we require development of these skills before a trial can take place.