The criterion for acceptance into the school is the willingness to put in the effort to achieve full potential, not high 'innate' ability. Placement into classes is determined by academic attainment, with age acting as a limiting factor. Students applying to enter Grade 2 and above must take diagnostic tests to determine placement.
Students who are found to be behind academically are rarely refused. Instead, they are offered one of several different solutions, depending on their academic needs. These may be:
Summer School: A six-week summer course offered in June, July, and August. Students who are academically below the required standard can attend this course, at an additional cost, in order to make up for academic gaps. Although SABIS® International School - Ruwais does not run a summer school program, students are given the option to join summer schools in other SABIS® member schools in the region including ISC-Abu Dhabi and ISC-Dubai.
Special Lessons: A student found to be weak in one subject attends extra periods in that subject until the level of the class is reached.
Full-Special Classes: Students are given accelerated programs intended to prepare them to join the regular classes. In many cases, Full-Special students have done the work of two or more scholastic years in one.
