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Admissions
A short, plain process. Come and see the school, fill in the form, and talk to us about your child.
Before you begin. Application dates, the classes with vacancies and the current fee are confirmed by the school office each academic year. Please telephone 044 2599 4080 or call at the office before making arrangements.
The process
Five steps, start to finish
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Visit the school
Come during working hours and walk through the campus while it is in session. You will see the classrooms, the laboratories and the ground, and you can ask the staff anything you like.
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Collect and submit the application
The application form is issued at the school office. Fill it in and hand it back with the documents listed below.
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A short interaction
For entry into the middle and senior classes we sit with the child briefly to see where they are in language and mathematics. It is not a competitive test; it tells us what support they will need from us in the first term.
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Offer and verification of documents
If a place is available we confirm it to you, and the originals of the documents are verified at the office.
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Confirm the place
Complete the admission formalities and pay the term fee. The place is held until the date stated and then released.
Documents
What to bring
Bring the originals together with one photocopy of each. The originals are returned to you at the counter once they have been seen.
- Birth certificate of the child
- Aadhaar card of the child and of the parent or guardian
- Transfer Certificate from the previous school (for Class II and above)
- The most recent report card or progress report
- Four passport-size photographs of the child
- Community certificate, where applicable
- Proof of residential address
- Medical records relevant to the child's care, where applicable
Age
Age at entry
Admission to the entry classes follows the age norms laid down by the Government of Tamil Nadu, reckoned as on 31 July of the year of admission.
Because these norms are revised from time to time, the office will confirm the exact cut-off that applies to your child's class in the year you are applying. Ask when you collect the form.
For admission into the middle and senior classes, placement follows the class recorded on the Transfer Certificate from the previous school.
Fees
What the fee covers
Our Lady's is a government-recognised unaided school and the fee is set within the limits prescribed for such schools in Tamil Nadu. It is revised once a year. The current amount for each class is given at the office and printed in the admission letter.
Included
- Tuition in all subjects
- Internal tests and term examinations
- Use of the laboratories and computer room
- Games and physical education
Charged separately
- Uniform and shoes
- Textbooks, notebooks and stationery
- Public examination fees payable to the Board
- Optional trips and excursions
Families in genuine difficulty should speak to the Principal. Such conversations are held in confidence, and no child is discussed in front of others over money.
Questions
What parents usually ask
Is the school only for Catholic children?
No. Our Lady's admits children of all faiths and of none, and always has. We are a Christian minority institution and we do not conceal that, but the moral formation we offer is meant for every child in the building and no child is required to take part in religious observance.
Is the school for girls or for boys?
Both. The school is co-educational throughout.
What is the medium of instruction?
English, with Tamil taught throughout and used alongside it. Children who join us with little English are supported rather than penalised; a good many arrive that way and do perfectly well.
Which syllabus do you follow?
The Tamil Nadu State Board syllabus, leading to the SSLC public examination in Class X and the Higher Secondary examination in Class XII.
Do siblings get preference?
We try hard to keep a family in one school, and a sibling already with us is taken into account. It is not an automatic guarantee, because it depends on there being a vacancy in the class.
Can a child join in the middle of the year?
Sometimes — where there is a vacancy and the Transfer Certificate is in order. Families moving into Thiruvottiyur mid-year should telephone the office and ask.
Is there an entrance examination?
There is no competitive entrance examination. For the middle and senior classes there is a short interaction so that we know where a child stands before they start.
What about school transport?
Transport arrangements depend on the routes running in a given year. Please ask the office what is available for your area before you plan.
Start with a visit
Telephone the office and arrange a time to come and see the school at work. Everything else follows from that.