Virtual Online Schooling
Seat Academy Virtual Online Schooling registrations are open for 2023. We know that the decision to home school your child is a very important decision given the current global context and we would like to assist you in this journey. Registration is R1500 which you can pay today.
Registration & Fee Structure 2023
Gr. R to 9: Reg – R 1500 – Annual Fees R 10 800 (R1080 x 10)
Fees payable over 10 months, Per Term (x4) or Once off
Monthly payments in advance via Debit Order
why seat Academy
Unlike many online homeschooling services that charge per subject, SeatSA offers our Online Homeschooling at a flat fee per month. Fees are payable monthly in advance. We charge an initial registration fee of only R1500, which needs to be paid as soon as possible, in order to secure your child’s place in our classes.
*Student Requirements*
- Last Grade report and ID/Birth certificate certified
- Student Gmail account, WhatsApp number and Google Meet on Student details
- Basic Stationery needed – Hardcover books, pens, and pencils.
- All learning material will be provided online
- No textbook needed – tutors will provide content on LMS
- ONLY reading book to be purchased
- Laptop i3 or dual processor with WEBCAM and Google App compatible
- Stable Wi-Fi connection
Subjects offered
All subjects are CAPS aligned for our Virtual Online Schooling.
Grades R – 1
- English Home Language
- Life Skills
- Mathematics
Choice of one first additional language
- Afrikaans First Additional Language
- isiXhosa First Additional Language
- isiZulu First Additional Language
Choice of one second additional language
- Afrikaans Second Additional Language
- isiXhosa Second Additional Language
- isiZulu Second Additional Language
Grades 2 – 3
- English Home Language
- Life Skills
- Mathematics
Choice of one first additional language
- Afrikaans First Additional Language
- isiXhosa First Additional Language
- isiZulu First Additional Language
Grades 4 – 6
- English Home Language
- Life Skills
- Mathematics
- Natural Sciences and Technology
- Social Sciences
Choice of one first additional language
- Afrikaans First Additional Language
- isiXhosa First Additional Language
- isiZulu First Additional Language
Grades 7 – 9
- Creative Arts
- Economic Management Sciences
- English Home Language
- Life Skills
- Mathematics
- Natural Sciences and Technology
- Social Sciences
Choice of one first additional language
- Afrikaans First Additional Language
- isiXhosa First Additional Language
- isiZulu First Additional Language
Frequently Asked Questions
REGISTRATIONS & Costs
Virtual Online Schooling Registrations are now open. Please note that places are limited, so register early to secure your child’s place!
Unlike many online learning services which charge per subject, Seat Academy offers our Virtual Online Schooling at a flat fee per month.
Registration & Fee Structure 2023
Gr. R to 9: Reg – R 1500 – Annual Fees R 10 800 (R1080 x 10)
Fees payable over 10 months, Per Term (x4) or Once off
Monthly payments in advance via Debit Order
WHY Virtual Online Schooling?
Studying Virtual Online Schooling is a safe way to study and allows your child to work at a pace which is comfortable for them.
PAYMENT OPTIONS
All payments will be done via Debit Order which are required to sign online via a laptop or desktop. Debit orders will be set for 10 months, term or once off payments. Debit orders can be signed via the website.
HOW Virtual Online Schooling WORKS
You are able to work at your own pace anywhere. At any hour of the day, you can log onto your profile, access your subjects and work on the content on your dashboard.
We use Google classroom for all pre-recorded lessons, homework, additional material and more.
IT SPECIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS
You can use any desktops, tablets laptops. It is recommended that tablets run on at least Android 7.0 and later (7.0 was released in 2016) and iPads need to run iOS 11 or later (released in 2017).
Minimum internet speeds of 4mb per second are the minimum required (if only one pupil is online, for more pupils you will require a higher internet speed). Each learner will need approximately 10 GBs a month depending on how often they watch and re-watch the content
TECHNOLOGY AS A SUCCESSFUL METHOD OF DELIVERY FOR EDUCATIONAL CONTENT
We are of the view that Virtual Online Schooling utilizing technology as a means to create socialization is an effective means to traditional classrooms and affords learners the opportunity to learn at their own pace.
Hence we see the online approach as the way of the future as many higher education institutions are choosing to go this route. For a learner to be successful they must be willing to put in the required time and effort to achieve their goals of success – parents play a pivotal role in this!
At SEAT, our aim is to offer interactive and supportive, technologically advanced solution to ensure learner’s success.
LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION
The medium of the Virtual Online Schooling instruction (home language) is English. However, we do offer a choice of 5 languages as the first additional language.
RETURNING TO PHYSICAL SCHOOLING
HOMEWORK POLICY
We believe that Virtual Online Schooling, using our E-learning platform, is a more efficient way of learning than the traditional school system.
Because learning is self-paced, and continually self-assessed (although our tutors, allocated to learners do check on results), homework is usually not necessary.
LEARNER/TUTOR INTERACTION
We also aim to continuously improve our methodologies and online prerecorded video lessons, based on our students feedback.
In Addition, we also aim to have multiple teachers teaching the same work, so that your child will have multiple options, in terms of teaching styles they may prefer. Our goal is to assist your child to master their work. All our teachers and systems are geared towards being responsive, and proactive in assisting your child to reach both their academic potential as well as develop a high level of EQ, independence as well as the ability to work well with others in achieving individual and group goals.
DEP ACCREDITATION
Seat Academy is a Distance Education Provider (DEP)
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION REGISTRATION
The South Africans Schools Act (section 51) provides for the registration of learners for home education. The process is as follows:
REGISTRATION OF LEARNER FOR EDUCATION AT HOME
- A parent may apply to the HOD for the registration of a learner to receive education at the learner’s home.
- The HOD must register a learner as contemplated in subsection (1) if he or she is satisfied that
- the registration is in the best interests of the learner;
- the education likely to be received by the learner at home;
- will meet the minimum requirements of the curriculum at public schools; and
- will be of a standard not inferior to the standard of education provided at public schools; and
- the parent will comply with any other reasonable conditions set by the HOD.
We suggest that parents makes written application to the Department of Education (DOE) informing the DOE of their intentions and also informing the school concerned of their intention to home school. We further suggest that parents obtain written feedback from the school concerned.
GOVERNMENT HOMESCHOOLING REQUIREMENTS AND SEATSA’S ROLE
According to the act, it is compulsory to register your child for home schooling, if they are between the ages of 7 and 15 years old (or Grade 9 level).
The policy stipulates that the environment needs to be suitable (a place where your child would study).
The important aspect to note, is that the quality of education that your child receives at home needs to be at least at the same standard they would have received had they gone to school.
At Seat Academy, our qualified and experienced tutors (all qualified teachers), are here to assist with this process. You are allowed to enlist the services of a tutor, and we are here to assist with both assisting your child to master the work, as well as to assist with assessments.
STEPS FOR Virtual Online Schooling APPLICATION
According to the act, it is compulsory to register your child for home schooling, if they are between the ages of 7 and 15 years old (or Grade 9 level).
You need to apply to the HOD (Head of Department) of your province.
There is a form to complete, per province. Our Administrators can assist with any questions you may have related to that form.
HOME EDUCATION APPLICATION PROCESS
- Visit the following departmental website:
https://www.education.gov.za/Programmes/HomeEducation.aspx. - On the website you will find Home Education Application Forms for All Provinces, The Policy on Home Education and other relevant material which you may need.
- Select the application form relevant to your Province,
- The first page of the application form has a list of documents required.
- Prepare certified copies of all required documents, scan and save them in your computer.
- Complete the application form relevant to your province. Follow these instructions to complete the form
- Type on the spaces provided and tick the check box to select the applicable information
- “Please select” provides you with a list of options to choose from.
- Complete the form correctly
- On the last page of the application form there is a SUBMIT button. If you have completed all fields correctly the SUBMIT button will generate an outlook email for you.
- Attach all certified scanned document on the same email and send it.
- If an email is not generated, save the form in your computer and create an email where you will attach the form and the required documents.
- Parents applying for more than one child must complete separate application forms for individual children (One Application Form per learner).
- Follow up with an official to confirm if your email has been received.
- Official(s) acknowledge receipt by sending acknowledgement email to parents.
- The Provincial Home Education Coordinator/ duly authorised official will contact you to arrange a home visit to verify the information submitted and provide guidance where necessary. A verification form will be completed together with the parent.
- Submission for application is developed and is sent en route via protocol:
- Director
- Chief Director
- Deputy Director General
- Head of Department (HOD) for the HOD’s signature and
- back to the Office of the Director
- Parents are informed of the outcome telephonically and a registration letter/ certificate with registration number is issued.
- A parent whose application is declined can appeal his/her disapproval of their application to the MEC. Check the policy on Home Education.
NOTE: If a parent is unable to access the electronic form, kindly contact the provincial officials for assistance.
COMPULSORY SCHOOLING AGE IN SOUTH AFRICA
It is incumbent on every parent to ensure that every learner for whom he or she is responsible for attend a school from age seven years until the age of fifteen years or the ninth grade, whichever occurs first (South African Schools Act Section 3 (1)).
ASSESSMENTS
We continuously assess learners via the online platform, using a combination of Assessment tools. Some of these assessments can also be used in attaining the minimum outcomes standards
In Addition, for Virtual Online Schooling, parents are responsible for keeping a Portfolio of Evidence and submitting that portfolio on a yearly basis. At Seat Academy, we assist with that process.
According the Policy, at the end of every phase (Grade 3, Grade 6 and Grade 9), the learner needs to write an exam under strict conditions. We assist with setting up and marking that exam. Your responsibility as a parent is to find an invigilator to assist with exams. This can be any trusted adult (Parent, grandparent etc.)
TERM REPORTS
We are able to provide reports to parents of the results of the online assessments which learners have completed.
For Virtual Online Schooling, a Portfolio of Evidence (POE) needs to be provided to the Department of education at the end of every year that must meet the minimum outcomes standards.
We provide parents with a comprehensive report of all assessments completed, which can assist parents to complete the POE. We do assist parents with the skill set and framework necessary to assist learners to complete the Portfolio of Evidence.
At the end of every phase (Grade 3, Grade 6, Grade 9), a moderated assessment needs to be done and submitted to the Provincial HOD. We do assist with the preparation and marking of that assessment.
RESULTS RECOGNITION
All our results are accepted by the Department of Education.
Up to grade 9, all portfolios are sent to the HoD of the Provincial Department of Education.
EXAM PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES UNDER Virtual Online Schooling CONDITIONS
Up to grade 9, Virtual Online Schooling exams take place at home, under strict supervision. At this stage the policy from WCED (Western Cape Education Department), is that at the end of every phase (Grade 9, being the end of a phase), an exam needs to be done under exam conditions and the invigilator needs to submit an Affidavit stating that it was done.
The process will be:
- Seat Academy will set up the exams and send it through electronically (either via Email or via our Learning Management System).
- The learner will write at a certain time (Example; over a 2 week period from Mondays to Fridays), with an Adult (could be a grandparent or parent). We are trying to get permission for us to be able to allow the learners to do it remotely, online, with one of our online Tutors being the invigilator.
- The exams are submitted online.
- The exams (as well as other assessments) are added to the Learners Portfolio of Evidence.
In addition, we will be doing weekly or bi-weekly assessments, and keep a record of that as a Portfolio of Evidence. We will give Parents access to that. Education Departments want to have evidence that Learning and Assessment is taking place at the same level as school. We do have qualified and experienced Teachers who will assist with this process.
It is important to note that exams under ‘exam conditions’ are compulsory at the end of every phase (Grades 3, 6 and 9).
ACCESSING THE LESSONS & WEBCAM USE
We currently make our lessons available either via a web browser or via the eLearnSA App.
At this stage a Webcam is not compulsory.
As Home Schoolers, parents and specifically learners are responsible for ensuring that they keep pace or work ahead of the Pace Setter, as per the Yearly plan per subject. Learners are encouraged to work ahead of the class, including completing Virtual Online Schooling self assessments.
When it comes to Assessments, learners are expected to adhere to the highest level of integrity, and only submit work completed by themselves.
For final examinations, parents are responsible for appointing an invigilator that is 21 years or older, that is a non family member.
At Seat Academy, we are investigating other methods of administering exams (without the requirement of a non family member older than 21 years of age, having to act as invigilator).