WCED

2021 PLANNING CALENDAR FOR SCHOOLS

Western Cape Education Department • http://wced.school.za • http://wcedeportal.co.za • WCED Client Services Call Centre: 0861 92 33 22

1. Introduction This schedule of dates for training programmes, meetings, tests and examinations, and important administrative deadlines is provided to aid schools’ planning for 2021.

2. Amended 2021 school termsTerm Begins Ends No. of

weeksNo. of school days

First 25 January (teachers) 27 January (learners)

31 March 10 47 (teachers)45 (learners)

Second 13 April 25 June 11 51

Third 13 July 23 September 11 52

Fourth 05 October 08 December (learners) 10 December (teachers)

10 49 (teachers) 47 (learners)

199 (teachers) 195 (learners)

2.1 Religious observances in 2021

Religious holiday

Day Date

Pesach (Passover) Sunday and Monday 28 and 29 March 2021

Pesach (Passover) Saturday and Sunday 03 and 04 April 2021

Ascension Day Thursday 13 May 2021

Eid ul Fitr Thursday 13 May 2021

Shavuot Monday and Tuesday 17 and 18 May 2021

Eid ul Adha Tuesday 20 July 2021

Yom Kippur Thursday 16 September 2021

Diwali Thursday 04 November 2021

3. Important dates per school term3.1 Term 1 (25 January to 31 March 2021) No. of weeks: 10

Activity Due date

Submit online applications for curriculum posts

11 to 25 January 2021

Closing date for capturing Vacancy List 1/2021(Please note: Post level 1 posts will not be advertised in 2021 in respect of ordinary public schools. Institutions must use the 6A and 6B conversion process to fill post level 1 posts on a permanent basis.)

29 January 2021

Payment of hostel boarding, private boarding and private transport subsidy advances: Claim for Term 1

29 January 2021

Submit WCED 043 semester reports for period 01 July to 31 December to district offices

30 January 2021

Induction of new Representative Councils of Learners (RCLs) is scheduled

February to March 2021

Remedial delivery of workbooks February to March 2021

Safe Schools Back to School Drive 01 to 05 February 2021

WCED Snap Survey for ordinary public and independent schools

09 February 2021(10th school day)

Schools complete and sign off automated planned enrolment on CEMIS

10 to 16 February 2021

Publication date: Vacancy List 1/2021 15 February 2021

Circuit managers sign off on WCED Snap Survey for ordinary public and independent schools

15 February 2021

Submit hostel boarding, private boarding and private transport subsidy applications for newly enrolled learners during January 2021

15 February 2021

Submit hostel boarding, private boarding and private transport subsidy claim forms to Head Office: Claim for Term 1

15 February 2021

Circuit managers verify and sign off automated planned enrolment on EduInfoSearch

17 to 19 February 2021

Due date for sign off on final School Improvement Plan (SIP) which must include the results for the Academic Performance Improvement Plans

19 February 2021

District Principals’ Forum meetings 22 February to 02 March 2021

Performance management dates (QMS – Principals): Finalisation and sign off on work plans

25 February 2021

School admissions open (all ordinary public schools)

26 February 2021

Schools submit requisitions (WCED 026A and 026B) for school furniture and equipment to district offices

26 February 2021

Commencement of 2021 national governing body elections

01 March 2021(to be confirmed)

• WCED Annual School Survey for ordinary public and independent schools

• WCED Annual Survey for early childhood development (ECD) centres

• WCED Snap Survey for special public and independent schools

02 March 2021(1st Tuesday in March)

• Circuit managers sign off on WCED Annual Survey for ordinary public and independent schools

• ECD managers sign off on WCED Annual Survey for ECD centres

• Provincial programme managers sign off on WCED Snap Survey for special public schools

• ECD IMGP managers sign off on WCED Snap Survey for special independent schools

08 March 2021

Provincial Principals’ Forum meeting 12 March 2021

District offices submit prioritised lists for furniture and equipment to Chief Directorate: Districts

12 March 2021

Performance Management: Baseline scores (new educators)

19 March 2021

Western Cape Education Department • http://wced.school.za • http://wcedeportal.co.za • WCED Client Services Call Centre: 0861 92 33 22

School admissions close (all ordinary public schools)

26 March 2021

Submit applications for the extension and/or curtailment of the curriculum to district offices for 2021

26 March 2021

Final norms and standards (N&S) allocations for ordinary public schools (including Grade R) and independent Grade R sites published on CEMIS

26 March 2021

3.1.1 Curriculum, tests and examinations

Activity Due date

2020 National Senior Certificate (NSC) marking 04 to 22 January 2021

Closing date for parents to appeal the progression/promotion result of their child

29 January 2021

Principal communicates the outcome of the appeal to parents in writing

05 February 2021

School provides a register of appeals to the circuit manager

08 February 2021

Closing date for parents, who are dissatisfied with the outcome of their appeal, to appeal to the district director

10 February 2021

Release of the 2020 NSC examination results 23 February 2021

All appeals (for progression and promotion results for Grades 1–11 of 2020) finalised

25 February 2021

Verification of NSC Grade 12 full-time learners’ biographical and subject details on CEMIS completed

26 February 2021

NSC Awards Ceremony 09 March 2021(to be confirmed)

Submit applications for NSC examination re-marks and rechecks

10 March 2021

Schools (including special schools) must confirm all adaptation needs in cases of adapted papers and assistive devices (e.g. braille, large font, audio files etc.) for learners with special needs which needs to be specially ordered by the Department of Basic Education (DBE)

15 March 2021

Closing date for registrations for NSC November 2021 examinations

15 March 2021(to be confirmed)

Closing date for applications for chief markers and internal moderators for the 2021 NSC examinations

19 March 2021

Capture data for newly elected members of the School Assessment Irregularity Committee

26 March 2021

Closing date for registrations for NSC/Senior Certificate (SC) June 2021 examinations

31 March 2021

Grade 11 subject changes (maximum two subjects)(Note: No subject changes are allowed in Grade 12)

31 March 2021

3.1.2 Learning and teaching support material (LTSM) processes

Activity Due date

LTSM committee appointed in writing 28 January 2021

Ensure that every learner has a covered textbook

29 January 2021

Parent meeting held where LTSM is included as an agenda item

As per scheduled parent meeting

Remedial delivery of workbooks to district offices

February/March 2021

Communication sent to parents about their responsibility to replace lost or damaged textbooks

05 February 2021

LTSM policy updated and submitted to governing body for approval

12 February 2021

Conduct quarterly textbook check to identify lost and worn out textbooks

19 March 2021

Schools capture textbook issue rates (Please note that an online system to capture textbook rates is currently under construction)

26 March 2021

Principal signs off textbook issue rate on CEMIS

26 March 2021

Discuss LTSM progress to be reported to the governing body and then submit to principal for approval

Before scheduled governing body meeting

Report on textbook retrieval and retention tabled at quarterly governing body meeting

As per scheduled quarterly governing body meeting

Submit WCED 032 (LTSM allocation) forms to Head Office

30 March 2021

Circuit manager signs off on issue rates and writes a comment and follows up on any textbook shortages with the school

30 March 2021

3.2 Term 2 (13 April to 25 June 2021) No. of weeks: 11

Activity Due date

Schools process online admission applications 29 March to 14 May 2021

Online capturing of information on compensation for school fee exemptions

01 April 2021

Safe Schools Holiday Programme 06 to 09 April 2021

Induction of newly elected governing bodies 13 April to 25 June 2021

Grade R Subsidy: CEMIS opens for the submission of claims for four days only

13 to 16 April 2021

Submit section 18A donation tax certificates to district offices

14 April 2021

Payment of hostel boarding, private boarding and private transport subsidy advances: Claim for Term 2

16 April 2021

Submit hostel boarding, private boarding and private transport subsidy claim forms to Head Office: Claim for Term 2

29 April 2021

Western Cape Education Department • http://wced.school.za • http://wcedeportal.co.za • WCED Client Services Call Centre: 0861 92 33 22

Activity Due date

Final School Development Plan (SDP) sign off 30 April 2021

Each governing body member must declare a direct or indirect personal interest that the member or any of his/her family members has in the procurement of goods or services for the school. This completed declaration must be provided to the chairperson of the governing body.

30 April 2021

Principal must conduct handover process by officially providing all relevant governance files, including the governing body constitution, policies and procedures, to the newly elected governing body

30 April 2021

Sign off on compensation for school fee exemptions on CEMIS

30 April 2021

Closing date for capturing Vacancy List 2/2021(Please note: Post level 1 posts will not be advertised in 2021 in respect of ordinary public schools. Institutions must use the 6A and 6B conversion process to fill post level 1 posts on a permanent basis.)

04 May 2021

District Principals’ Forum meetings 10 to 18 May 2021

First N&S transfer payment and payment of Grade R claims for the 2021/22 financial year

14 May 2021

School safety round-table discussions (urban) 15 May 2021

Principals finalise and sign off all online admission application statuses on CEMIS

17 May 2021

System displays the outcome of all online admission applications

24 May 2021

Parents are informed of the outcome of online admission applications per email/SMS

24 to 28 May 2021

School admissions: parents confirm acceptance 24 May to 25 June 2021

Provincial Principals’ Forum meeting 28 May 2021

School safety round-table discussions (rural) 29 May 2021

Publication date: Vacancy List 2/2021 07 June 2021

Performance management dates (QMS – Principals): Completion of mid-year appraisal

18 June 2021

Safe Schools Holiday Programme 28 June to 09 July 2021

Submit a copy of annual financial statements, audited or examined in terms of section 43 of the South African Schools Act, 1996 (Act 84 of 1996), to district office

30 June 2021

3.2.1 Curriculum, tests and examinations

Activity Due date

Closing date for applications for deputy chief markers, senior markers and ordinary markers for the 2021 NSC examinations

16 April 2021

Combined June NSC supplementary and SC examinations

29 April to 12 June 2021 (to be confirmed)

Activity Due date

Subject changes for Grade 10 subjects + 8th/9th subject

30 April 2021 (capture on CEMIS)

Provincial Grade 12 School-based Assessment (SBA) moderation of a sample of high schools in each district

May 2021

Provincial moderation of SBA portfolios and marks (schedules with precise dates will be sent to schools)

26 to 28 May 2021

Grade 10 subject changes (maximum two subjects)

30 June 2021

DBE and Umalusi moderation of selected Grade 12 SBA portfolios and marks (final dates to be confirmed by DBE and Umalusi)

June 2021

3.2.2 LTSM processes

Activity Due date

Conduct annual LTSM audit in preparation for the ordering of top-up textbooks in May/June

23 April 2021

Submit damaged and worn out textbooks to disposal committee

30 April 2021

Discuss LTSM progress to be reported to governing body and then submit to principal for approval

Before scheduled governing body meeting

Report on textbook retrieval and retention tabled at quarterly governing body meeting (includes the findings of the annual stocktaking/audit)

As per scheduled quarterly governing body meeting

Conduct quarterly textbook check to identify lost and worn out textbooks

11 June 2021

Online ordering of CAPS top-up textbooks May/June 2021

Online ordering of stationery and cleaning materials for non-section 21 schools

May/June 2021

3.3 Term 3 (13 July to 23 September 2021) No. of weeks: 11

Activity Due date

School admissions: schools fill available places

26 June to 23 September 2021

Payment of hostel boarding, private boarding and private transport subsidy advances: Claim for Term 3

16 July 2021

Performance management dates (QMS – Principals): Submission of mid-year scores

23 July 2021

Compensation for fee exemptions: Schools submit audited information to the relevant circuit manager at the district office and closure of CEMIS for all schools

23 July 2021

District Principals’ Forum meetings 26 July to 03 August 2021

Submit hostel boarding, private boarding and private transport subsidy claim forms to Head Office: Claim for Term 3

29 July 2021

Western Cape Education Department • http://wced.school.za • http://wcedeportal.co.za • WCED Client Services Call Centre: 0861 92 33 22

Activity Due date

Submit WCED 043 semester reports for period 01 January to 30 June to district offices

30 July 2021

Sign off on Grades 3, 6 and 9 learner registers for WCED Systemic Tests on CEMIS (includes verifying that the Language of Learning and Teaching of each learner is correct)

30 July 2021

School Safety Summit 30 to 31 July 2021

Delivery of volume 1 workbooks for Grades R to 9

August to September 2021

Schools submit applications for new LTS routes, to commence in January 2022, to circuit managers

06 August 2021

Schools submit applications for new additional learners (2022) to circuit managers

06 August 2021

Closing date for capturing Vacancy List 3/2021 (Please note: Post level 1 posts will not be advertised in 2021 in respect of ordinary public schools. Institutions must use the 6A and 6B conversion process to fill post level 1 posts on a permanent basis.)

20 August 2021

Educator staff establishments of ordinary public schools for 2022 made available

20 August 2021

Provincial Principals’ Forum meeting 20 August 2021

Educator staff establishments of special public schools for 2022 made available

27 August 2021

Submit an inventory of the furniture and equipment disposed of and the minutes of the disposal committee to the Subdirectorate: Equipment at Head Office

27 August 2021

Elect teacher liaison officers September 2021

WCED Annual Survey for special public and independent schools

02 September 2021 (1st Thursday in September)

Publication date: Vacancy List 3/2021 06 September 2021

• Provincial programme managers sign off on WCED Snap Survey for special public schools

• ECD IMGP managers sign off on WCED Snap Survey for special independent schools

08 September 2021

Safe Schools Holiday Programme 27 September to 01 October 2021

Compensation for fee exemptions: WCED informs schools of amounts to be awarded

30 September 2021

3.3.1 Curriculum, tests and examinations

Activity Due date

Dramatic Arts Practical August to October 2021

Grade 12 oral moderation begins August 2021

Grade 12 practical examinations begin August 2021

Activity Due date

Dance Studies Practical August to October 2021

Training of invigilators September 2021

Provincial Grade 12 SBA moderation of a sample of high schools in each district

September 2021

Provincial moderation of SBA portfolios and marks (Schedules with precise dates will be sent to schools)

01 to 03 September 2021

DBE and Umalusi moderation of selected Grade 12 SBA portfolios and marks (final dates to be confirmed by DBE and Umalusi)

September/October 2021

Music Practical September to October 2021

Grade 12 September trial examinations earliest start date

13 September 2021

Common Assessment Task for Life Orientation

To be confirmed

3.3.2 LTSM processes

Activity Due date

Submit damaged and worn out textbooks to disposal committee

30 July 2021

Delivery of volume 1 workbooks for Grades R to 9

August/September 2021

Conduct quarterly textbook check to identify lost and worn out textbooks

10 September 2021

Discuss LTSM progress to be reported to governing body and then submit to principal for approval

Before scheduled governing body meeting

Report on textbook retrieval and retention, tabled at quarterly governing body meeting

As per scheduled quarterly governing body meeting

Ensure that all newly procured textbooks are stamped and provided with a unique number

As ordered and received

3.4 Term 4 (05 October to 10 December 2021) No. of weeks: 10

Activity Due date

Election of RCLs October 2021

Delivery of volume 2 workbooks for Grades R to 9

October to November 2021

WCED Systemic Tests for Grades 3, 6 and 9(Tests will take place on one school day during the morning)

06 to 21 October 2021

Payment of hostel boarding, private boarding and private transport subsidy advances: Claim for Term 4

08 October 2021

Draft SIP 2022 completed 12 October 2021

Performance management dates (QMS – Principals): Completion of summative evaluations (principals)

15 October 2021

Complete summative evaluations, lists of Staff Development Team members and Educator mprovement Plans

15 October 2021

Western Cape Education Department • http://wced.school.za • http://wcedeportal.co.za • WCED Client Services Call Centre: 0861 92 33 22

Activity Due date

Submit hostel boarding, private boarding and private transport subsidy claim forms to Head Office: Claim for Term 4

21 October 2021

Submit internal moderation reports on the Integrated Quality Management System evaluation process to district offices

22 October 2021

District Principals’ Forum meetings 25 October to 02 November 2021

Public service staff establishments of ordinary public schools for 2022 made available

29 October 2021

Public service staff establishments of special public schools for 2022 made available

29 October 2021

Performance management dates (QMS – Principals): Submit annual appraisal scores for principals (Schools to adhere to district office submission dates)

29 October to 19 November 2021

Submit Summary Composite Score Sheets: Summative Evaluation (QA 7) to district offices(Schools to adhere to district office submission dates)

29 October to 19 November 2021

Schools ready for online progression and promotion capturing

05 November 2021

Provincial Principals’ Forum meeting 12 November 2021

Second N&S transfer payment and payment of Grade R claims for the 2021/22 financial year and compensation for fee exemptions

15 November 2021

Submit hostel boarding, private boarding and private transport subsidy applications forms for 2022 to Head Office

30 November 2021

Submit final tables to district offices indicating the number of:a) applications for exemption of parents from the payment of school fees considered;b) total exemptions granted;c) partial exemptions granted; andd) applications not granted.

30 November 2021

Submit a copy of the approved 2022 school budget to the district office

01 December 2021

3.4.1 Curriculum, tests and examinations

Activity Due date

Capture Grade 12 SBA scores on electronic record sheets

October 2021

Final district moderation of Grade 12 record sheets

October / November 2021

NSC practical examinations (Computer Applications Technology & Information Technology Paper 1)

To be confirmed

NSC practical examinations To be confirmed

2021 NSC examinations To be confirmed

Marking of the 2021 NSC examinations To be confirmed

3.4.2 Assessment accommodations, applications for immigrant status, and requests for adapted papers and assistive devices (e.g. braille, large font, audio tapes) for learners with special needs

Applications for assessment accommodations and adapted papers

Due date

For Grades R–9: Ongoing at school and district level

Ongoing

For Grades 10–11: Must be recorded on CEMIS by the end of October in the learner’s Grade 10/11 year. No new applications will be accepted in Grade 12.

October 2021

Appeals for Grades 10 to 11 November 2021

3.4.3 LTSM processes

Activity Due date

Ensure that all newly procured textbooks are stamped and provided with a unique number

As ordered and received

Delivery of volume 2 workbooks for Grades R to 9

October / November 2021

Submit damaged and worn out textbooks to disposal committee

22 October 2021

Retrieve textbooks from learners and conduct textbook check to identify lost and worn out textbooks

From the 3rd last week of term onwards

Report on textbook retrieval and retention tabled at quarterly governing body meeting

22 November 2021 onwards

Disposal process of unwanted and damaged books

03 December 2021

Report on textbook retrieval (including recommendations on improvement strategies) submitted to the principal

03 December 2021

Teachers/schools capture textbook retrieval rates on CEMIS (teacher must provide reasons for any deviation on the system)

07 December 2021

Principal signs off textbook retrieval rate on CEMIS

07 December 2021

Circuit manager signs off textbook retrieval rate online

10 December 2021