Orion College is an independent Assisted Learning and Remedial School. Orion primarily accommodates learners with specific learning difficulties, high functioning neurodiverse learning profiles (such as Level 1 ASD, ADHD), or mild cognitive, emotional or medical challenges.

Orion College is not a behaviour specialist school or a school that caters to learners with moderate to severe learning difficulties. The school is registered as an LSEN school but is not a special needs school.

Orion College offers 3 learning streams and curricula: Remedial Mainstream (CAPS), Pre-vocational and Vocational (from Grade 10 to 12) and the Technical Occupational Curriculum (TOC) from age 14 years. Learners enrolled at Orion College must be cognitively and academically capable of accessing one of the above curricula.

Any application for admission received for learners with or without specialised educational needs will be carefully considered to make a recommendation that will be most appropriate according to the learner’s particular needs.

The recommendations are based on the profile of the learner encompassing indicators of need, access to curriculum and levels of support required. All the available information about the learner, e.g. school performance, life history, family background and other available and supporting documentation will be carefully considered.

To ensure that a learner will be appropriately placed at Orion College and that the school will be able to care for his/her specific needs, information regarding his/her level of functioning, prior academic performance, areas of difficulty that need to be addressed, medical history etc. is required. Reports from professionals, such as Psychologists, Occupational and Speech Therapists, Neurologists and other Doctors, usually provide valuable information to enable the school to determine whether the learner will be able to benefit from the education, curricula and therapeutic input that is provided. It also assists in processing the application more speedily.

It is essential that ALL the documentation listed in the application process is submitted and completed in full so that it may be determined whether the learner is a candidate for placement at Orion College.

Orion College is NOT equipped to address the specific needs of learners in the following categories.
The following serves as a guideline and the final decision rests with the schools’ multi-disciplinary
team together with the Board of Directors.

• Severe hearing impairment
• Blind or severe visual impairment
• Cerebral palsy (non-independent, severe at school’s discretion)
• Severe physical disabilities
• Autism Spectrum Disorder Level 2 and 3
• Severe conduct disorder, behaviour disorders or learners awaiting trial
• Moderate to severely cognitively impaired learners (as determined by a psycho-educational assessment)
• Learners with syndromes, such as Down’s Syndrome and other unspecified syndromes (at school’s discretion)

Age norms for grades as stipulated by the GDE and ISASA must be adhered to (not more than 3 years older than the age norm of the grade) unless placement is for our Vocational or Skills/Technical Occupational (TOC) streams.

A learner must be admitted to a school in the year that the 6th birthday (Grade R) is reached (compulsory attendance).

Learners in Grades 10 – 12 who do not have the same subject choices as Orion College cannot be accommodated (at school’s discretion). No learners will be admitted into Orion College in or during their Grade 12 year.

NON-SOUTH AFRICAN CITIZENS
Non-South African citizens will only be accommodated at Orion College if the following documents or proof of application for these documents are submitted:

• Valid study permit (learner)
• Relevant residency permit (parents) or refugee status documents (refugee status does not qualify applicant for exemption of paying school fees.
• Foreigners need to provide a certified copy of the learner’s passport and study permit
• Parent(s) who are foreign nationals need to provide a certified copy of their passport(s).
• Applicants will be given three weeks to produce proof that they have applied for the necessary study permit and residency permits as the application will only be finalised once these documents have been received