Admissions & Fees Policy

Background

In recent years the Madressa population has grown by almost a 100% and continues to grow steadily on an annual basis of circa 10%. During the course of the 2012 Academic Year, Madressa student population exceeded 1,000 and the volunteer staff population exceeded 250.

There are now clear limitations of space at both of Madressa’s premises – the Husaini Islamic Centre in Stanmore as well as at Kenmore Park School in Kenton. Furthermore, Madressa has limited available human resources.

In light of this, after consultation within the Madressa, the Executive Committee of the KSIMC of London has decided that the Admissions and Admissions Fee Policy set out below, and as amended from time to time, will apply for the 2013 Academic Year and all subsequent Academic Years, unless otherwise notified or advertised on the Madressa Website.

Definitions:

The following definitions apply to this policy:

“Academic Year”: Madressa’s academic year commencing January (or such other dates as notified or advertised by the Madressa from time to time).

“Enrolling Year”: the new Academic Year for which the Madressa is enrolling students.

“Enrolment Applications”: applications for enrolment for a place at Madressa received by the Madressa during the Enrolment Period.

“Enrolment Period”: the period notified or advertised by the Madressa for the enrolment of students on Madressa courses for an Academic Year.

“In Year Applications”: applications for enrolment for a place on a Madressa course received by Madressa after the Enrolment Period.

“Waiting List”: Madressa’s waiting list for Enrolment & In Year Applications which have not been allocated a place.

“KSIMC of London”: the Khoja Shia Ithna’asheri Muslim Community of London, a charity registered under number 288356.

“Madressa”: the Shia Ithna’asheri Madressa, part of the KSIMC of London.

“Eligible Madressa Volunteers”: teachers and volunteers of the Madressa who are registered with the Madressa in this capacity in the Academic Year immediately prior to the Enrolling Year and who otherwise satisfy other requirements and conditions applied by the Madressa from time to time.

“Eligible Member”: a person who is, at the time of allocation of a place by Madressa and immediately prior to the Enrolment Period, a registered and fully paid up member of the KSIMC of London.

“Madressa Website”:  Madressa’s official website (https://www.madressa.net/) or such other website as notified by Madressa.

Admission Criteria

If during either the Enrolment Period or post the Enrolment period the Madressa receives Applications in excess of the number of student places available for an Academic Year, the Madressa will apply the following Admissions Criteria (in the order set out below) in allocating the available student places for each year class:

  1. Existing Students: Applicants who were students of the Madressa in the Academic Year immediately prior to the Enrolling Year. For the avoidance of doubt, this criterion does not apply to students enrolled within the Madressa’s languages courses
  2. Siblings of Existing Students (Eligible Madressa Volunteers): Applicants who are siblings of persons who satisfy the following requirements: (a) they are the children of Eligible Madressa Volunteers; and (b) their applications have been accepted by Madressa under criterion 1 above.  For the avoidance of doubt, this criterion does not apply to siblings of students enrolled within the Madressa’s languages courses.
  3. Siblings of Existing Students (Eligible Members): Applicants who are siblings of persons who satisfy the following requirements: (a) they are the children of Eligible Members ; and (b) their applications have been accepted by Madressa under criterion 1 above.  For the avoidance of doubt, this criterion does not apply to siblings of students enrolled within the Madressa’s languages courses.
  4. Eligible Madressa Volunteers: Applicants who are the children of Eligible Madressa Volunteers.
  5. Members of KSIMC of London:  Applicants who are either Eligible Members or children of Eligible Members.
  6. Siblings of Existing Students (Others): Applicants who are siblings of persons who satisfy the following requirements: (a) they do not fall under 2)(a) or 3)(a) above;  and(b) their applications have been accepted by Madressa under criterion 1 above.  For the avoidance of doubt, this criterion does not apply to siblings of students enrolled within the Madressa’s languages courses.
  7. Others: Applications which do not fall under any of the above mentioned criteria 1-6 (which includes Members of the KSIMC of London who have not fully paid up their membership). Applications under this criterion 7 will be allocated places strictly on a first come first served basis.

The above data will be collected on the student enrolment form and will be cross checked with the KSIMC of London’s database at the point when the Madressa is processing applications after the Enrolment Period.

Waiting List

The above mentioned Admission Criteria will be applied for all applications received during either the Enrolment Period as well as for any In Year Applications. Any Enrolment or In Year Application that cannot be allocated a place will be put on the Waiting List and will be allocated a place in accordance with the above mentioned Admission Criteria.

An applicant will be notified if he/she has been placed on a Madressa waiting list.  The Madressa will notify (by email or post) an applicant who is on a waiting list once a place has been allocated to him/her.  Such applicant will be given a specified time by which to accept the place, and where appropriate, pay the relevant fee.  If the Madressa does not receive the acceptance and payment within the specified time, it may, at its full discretion and without notice, cancel the applicant’s application and allocate his/her place to another applicant.

Once an application is cancelled, withdrawn or rejected, it will not be considered for allocation of available Madressa places and will be removed from the Madressa’s waiting lists (as the case may be).

Eligible Madressa Volunteers

The Madressa intends to consider an individual to be an Eligible Madressa Volunteer if the individual was official and active member of Madressa’s teaching or support groups (i.e. classes 1-4, classes 5-11, Learning Support, Special Needs, Languages, IT, Car Park Volunteers, Administration) in the Academic Year immediately prior to the Enrolling Year and has agreed with Madressa that he/she will remain an official and active member of Madressa’s teaching or support groups for the Enrolling Year.  Notwithstanding this proviso, Madressa will have full discretion in determining who will be deemed to be an Eligible Madressa Volunteer for the purposes of the Admission Criteria.

Payments and Refunds

All fee payments must be received by the Madressa on the later of either the last day of the Enrolment Period (applies only to Enrolment Applications) or within 7 days after the date on which a new enrolment application is approved by the Madressa.

If payment is not received within the specified time, the application will be deemed to be invalid and rejected.

Once a place is allocated by Madressa on any of its courses and accepted by the applicant, the Madressa will not refund any course/admission fee received by it. In all other instances, the Madressa reserves the right to deduct an administration charge of up to £30, before any refund is made.

Place Allocation Decision and Appeals

The Madressa will apply Admission Criteria in the manner it considers appropriate and fair, and the Madressa will utilise its discretion where appropriate.

If you disagree with the Madressa’s decision, you may request in writing for a review of your application, clearly setting out your reasons and other submissions which you want the Madressa to take into account. Once the Madressa has considered your request, it will notify you of its decision, with or without reasons, and such decision shall be final and binding.

The Madressa’s decision will be final and binding on the following:

(a) The Madressa’s decision on the allocation of places pursuant to the Admission Criteria or otherwise.

(b) The interpretation and application of this Admission and Admission Policy, including but not limited to the resolution of any inconsistencies in this Admission and Admission Policy.

The Madressa is of the view that the above approach to decision making is fair and reasonable in the overall context, as classroom capacity is limited and it would be unfair to withdraw a place once it has been allocated to a child.

Changes to the Policy

The Madressa reserves the right to make any changes and revisions to, or withdraw all or parts, this policy from time to time as it considers appropriate without prior consultation or notice.

Communications

Any notifications or advertising by the Madressa required to by this policy or otherwise may be given or made via the Madressa Website or such other means (including electronic methods) as determined by the Madressa from time to time.

Update December 2015