Somerset & St. George’s P1 Enrolment Reopened

Minister of Education Diallo Rabain announced the “decision to reopen P1 enrolment for the 2025-2026 school year at Somerset Primary School and St. George’s Preparatory School.”

A Government spokesperson said, “This follows meetings with both school communities, including a meeting on November 28th with the PTA Executive of St. George’s Preparatory School and a subsequent meeting on December 4th with the PTA Executive and Principal of Somerset Primary School.

“During these discussions, the Minister heard the communities’ desire to continue P1 enrolment until the schools close.”

Minister Rabain explained, “It should be noted that the initial decision to pause P1 enrolments was made with careful consideration of its long-term implications. Specifically, discontinuing P1 enrolments allows for a natural phase-out at both schools and this approach reduces the number of students who would later face the challenge of transitioning to a new school.

“Allowing continued P1 enrolments would lead to a larger student body needing to navigate the eventual closure and relocation process.

“Both of these PTA executives, after understanding the potential impacts, ultimately chose to continue P1 enrollments, which we consider as the most disruptive option. However, the Ministry appreciates that P1 enrolment is an important and sensitive time for parents, and we remain committed to providing the necessary support to help families navigate this process.”

A Government spokesperson added, “Due to technical limitations with the current online P1 application system (PowerSchool), a separate process has been developed for parents wishing to register for P1 at these schools:

New Applications or Amendments

“If you have not submitted a P1 application for St. George’s Prep or Somerset Primary School, OR if you previously submitted an application and now wish to amend it to include these schools, please use the following link: https://bit.ly/P1_Somerset_Prep

Other Primary Schools

“If you have not submitted an application for P1 at another primary school (other than St. George’s Prep or Somerset Primary), please use this link: https://bit.ly/Register-Student

“Parents who have already submitted a P1 application must resubmit an updated one to indicate their interest in St. George’s Prep or Somerset Primary. Applications submitted without this update will not be processed for these schools, and the original submission will remain in effect.

“Parents are encouraged to attend the following open houses to learn more about the schools:

• St. George’s Preparatory School: Please contact the school at 297-0370 to schedule.
• Somerset Primary School: Tuesday, December 10, 2024.

“Required Documentation for P1 Registration:

• Birth Certificate [Passports are not accepted].
• Proof of Parent 1’s Residential Address [in the parent’s name].
  • Acceptable documents include:
    • BELCO utility bill
    • Lease agreement
    • Bank statement
    • Internet bill
      • Cell phone bills will not be accepted.

“The Department of Education has extended the registration deadline to Friday, December 13, 2024. Applications received after this date will be considered late and processed only after all on-time applications have been reviewed.

“Parents can contact the Department of Education at 278-3307 or registration@moed.bm for additional support.”

Minister Rabain concluded, “I want to thank the PTA Executives and parents of both schools for their thoughtful advocacy as we work together to ensure a smooth enrolment process for the 2025-2026 school year.”

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