Enrolment Process
There are a number of aspects to the enrolment process at Alia College. The school is small, and unique, and therefore we take great care in helping new students find their place in the community. The following information about Information Nights, Brief Visits, Trial Days and Trial Weeks is typical, but not prescriptive. First and foremost these processes exist so we can learn the interests and needs of prospective students, and so prospective students can have ample time to ask questions about us.
If, after reading the information on this website, you think there might be place for you at Alia we suggest you come for a Brief Visit or attend an Information Night.
You can fill out a copy of the enrolment application form here: Enrolment Application Form. For information on how the information collected is used, ask us for a copy of our privacy policy.
Further reading about enrolment
When some families come to see our groups in action they develop a fear that we only enrol capable or confident kids. It’s sometimes not easy to explain to the visitors that most of the students here were as sensitive or meek as their own child when they first arrived. The confidence develops gradually in the student’s own time.
We accept our fair share of students who have a very low standard and/or low maturity. Admittedly we get a good supply of students who might be characterised as capable or creative and sensitive. We accept students who are a good fit with the style of the school. “Smartness” is potentially nice as long as it doesn’t come with too much arrogance. The great results here are because we do a far better job. Often students of supposedly low ability, maturity or confidence find that they seem less “disabled” after only a short time here. When excessive pressure is removed from people they are often able to perform at their real or desired capacity.
We take inappropriate pressure away and once a student is ready, we replace it with pressure that is responsible and respectful. A sensible degree of stress improves performance wonderfully, but sometimes it is impossible to apply any pressure because a person is too psychologically tense to be able to manage it.
Did I mention somewhere that we also get a good supply of students who are right into social justice and are sometimes very vocal about issues. They also like it here a lot because they are permitted to have their opinions and to argue them. Another possible motto for the school is Quot Homines, Tot Sententiae – Terence (185 BC – 159 BC). It translates to There are as many opinions as there are people. Students are encouraged to think for themselves, to have their own opinions and to argue them respectfully, and not to simply believe what they are told, even by their teachers or by the principal.