The closing dates for submission of complete applications are as follows:

2025 Term 1 admission – by 30 September 2024

(Pre-admission Assessment Period: July – October 2024)

2025 Term 3 admission – by 31 March 2025

(Pre-admission Assessment Period: January – May 2025)

2026 Term 1 admission – by 30 September 2025

(Pre-admission Assessment Period: July – October 2025)

For application requirements and the documents to be submitted, please refer to the information under Admission Criteria and Application Procedures.

Please submit your child’s application using the digitised Special Education (SPED) school application form, at https://go.gov.sg/spedschoolapplicationform.

For transfer from mainstream school to SPED school, please note that with effect from 10 October 2022, applications for a transfer from a mainstream school to a SPED school must be facilitated through the student’s mainstream school. 

Please approach your child’s current Principal to apply for the transfer. Direct applications from parents/legal guardians, private professionals, and hospitals will not be accepted. Please visit https://www.moe.gov.sg/special-educational-needs/apply for more information.

The following supporting documents must be submitted
together with the completed application form at https://go.gov.sg/spedschoolapplicationform.

1.      Copy of the Birth Certificate of the child.

2.      Copy of NRIC of parent(s)/legal guardian.

3.      Recent passport-sized photograph of the child.

4.      Medical Report (duly completed by a qualified medical practitioner within one year prior to the date of submission of the application form).

5.  Psychological Report (completed within 2 years prior to the date of submission of the application form and must be conducted by a qualified psychologist registered with the Singapore Register of Psychologists maintained by the Singapore Psychological Society (SPS), or licensed psychologist in the countries recognised by the SPS). The psychological report must include the following items:

a.    Results of the child’s individually administered intellectual assessment that present an overview of the child’s general cognitive/intellectual functioning. They should include verbal, non-verbal and global scores. If specific IQ scores are not obtained, reasons should be given. Language(s) used during the testing is (are) to be indicated.

b.   Results of the child’s social and adaptive functioning as measured by an adaptive behaviour assessment.

c.      Summary of the child’s individual educational needs.

d.      School Report(s) that include the following items (if applicable).
i. Learning Support Programme assessment data (e.g., Singapore Word Reading Test results, School Readiness Test score, SMART results).
ii.   Reports from previous/current class teacher/Special Educational Needs Officer on the child’s learning, behaviour, social skills, etc.
iii.   Results slips.
iv.  Samples of child’s work in class or examination papers.
v.     Individual Education Plan (IEP).

6.    Other reports and recommendations from professionals (e.g., Speech Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Guidance Officers) working with the child.

In addition to the above, for children with autism spectrum disorder, the following must also be submitted:

7. Diagnostic Report that includes data from clinical observations and diagnostic interviews/observations schedules/checklists indicating that the child meets established criteria for autism.

Regarding waitlisting in SPED Schools for Primary 1/Junior 1 placement, please note the following:

With effect from 1 January 2023, a child applying for placement in Primary 1/Junior 1 in a government-funded SPED school can only be placed on the waitlist if the child has first been placed in another government-funded SPED school¹ which serves the same primary diagnosed condition. Please refer to this link for the list of SPED schools categorised by the primary diagnosed conditions. This requirement will also apply to returning Singaporeans entering SPED schools at all levels².

¹A child placed in a mainstream school will not be eligible to be on the waitlists for SPED schools. Should there be interest to transfer the child to a SPED school, please refer to the “Transfers from Mainstream Schools to SPED schools” section for more details

²This requirement will not be applied to P3 and above children who can access ASD-NC schools in 2023. This is because Pathlight School is the only ASD-NC school that offers P3 and above classes in 2023. This requirement will be extended accordingly to P3 and above children when the other ASD-NC school, St. Andrew’s Mission School progressively offers P3 and above and secondary levels.

You can also contact the school office at 6561 9128 or email us at admissions@go.edu.sg for further enquiries.

FOR ALL APPLICANTS

NATIONALITY

Singapore Citizens (SC) with special educational needs will be given absolute priority for admission.

Singapore Permanent Residents (PR) and International Students (IS) may apply for admission to Grace Orchard School subject to Ministry of Education’s terms and conditions. In accordance with these terms and conditions, PR and IS will be served only if there are no SC children with special educational needs on the waiting list.

AGE

The child needs to be between 6 and 16 years old at the time of application.

PRIMARY DIAGNOSIS OF MILD INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY

The child has been formally diagnosed with mild intellectual disability, defined as an intellectual functioning in the range of 50 to 70 as assessed on an individually administered intelligence (IQ) test, and limitations in adaptive behaviour as expressed in conceptual, social and adaptive skills.

For applicants with autism spectrum disorder, the diagnosis must be supported by a diagnostic report or written statement from a qualified medical professional or psychologist.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

1.     The child should not have another significant disability (e.g., physical impairment) that may affect his or her ability to cope with and benefit from the school’s curriculum and support.

2.   The child needs to be assessed to have the adequate skills (e.g., joint attention, self-help) to access a group-based educational setting, with the average class size of 8 to 14 students. Pre admission screening for applicants will be conducted across 2 consecutive days to ascertain school placement suitability.