Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any academic requirements when joining?
Are there any language requirements?
What is the difference between a ‘Drop-In’ enrolment and a permanent enrolment?
How much does it cost to send my child to Pelangi School?
We are not Indonesian. What type of visa does my child need to attend school?
When does the Pelangi School year begin and end?
What should we bring to school each day?
Does the school provide food for the students?
I’d prefer my child to bring food from home. Can I pack any food that they like to eat?
Is there a school uniform at Pelangi School?
What curriculum do you follow?
How many students are at the school?
What is the maximum number of students in each class?
Where do Pelangi students come from?
I want to help! What ways am I able to get involved in the school?
Which class will my child join?
Class placements are based on age groups. Students must meet the class age requirements as follows:
| Class | Age by 1 July |
|---|---|
| Tiny Tots | 2 |
| Playgroup | 3 |
| TKA | 4 |
| TKB | 5 |
| SD Grade 1 | 6 |
| SD Grade 2 | 7 |
| SD Grade 3 | 8 |
| SD Grade 4 | 9 |
| SD Grade 5 | 10 |
| SD Grade 6 | 11 |
N.B. In some cases where children are of the correct age for a specific class but have additional needs or have not completed sufficient schooling prior to their application, it may be recommended that the student enters in a lower class level.
Are there any academic requirements when joining?
All prospective students grade 3 and above are required to sit an English and a Maths test to check that their academic levels are in line with the class that they intend to join.
Prospective students would be expected to have had an adequate level of prior education before joining our classes, be it formal or informal, from our TKB (senior Kindergarten) level and up.
Are there any language requirements?
Non-native English speaking children, or those whose previous education was in a school where the language of instruction was not English, are required to complete a language proficiency evaluation.
From grade 2 onwards, a good understanding of the English language for use in both written work, reading and speaking is a necessity for entering Pelangi.
Classes are taught in English, and whilst we would not expect a child to be fluent, their understanding must be at an age-appropriate level, where they are able to understand instruction and follow the lessons, especially within the classroom environment (which is more challenging than a one-to-one scenario).
Students who speak Indonesian fluently are able to be accommodated within the program as we have bilingual teachers who can assist in facilitating understanding.
What is the difference between a ‘Drop-In’ enrolment and a permanent enrolment?
A permanent enrolment is for any student wishing to enrol for a minimum of one quarter.
Drop-In enrolments have been created for temporary visitors to Bali who are seeking a short-term solution for their children’s education & care.
- The minimum and maximum period for Drop-In students at all class levels is 20 consecutive school days.
- If a child attends Drop-In for one month and then decides to enrol full time at Pelangi School, the cost of the Drop-In can be applied towards the student’s full tuition & fees for the year (restrictions apply).
How much does it cost to send my child to Pelangi School?
The fee schedule for the current academic year can be found here.
What are my payment options?
Pelangi School prefers payments made by bank transfer. Once payment has been made, please send your proof of transfer to and include the name of your child as the reference.
Cash is accepted. A member of our office team may receive cash payment during the office hours on Monday to Fridays only. Cash payments cannot be made on Saturdays.
Unfortunately, we do not accept payment by credit or debit cards.
We are not Indonesian. What type of visa does my child need to attend school?
All non-Indonesian students 6 years of age and above (grade 1 upwards,) must have either a Dependent KITAS* or a Student KITAS* visa to attend school in Indonesia. This is also backed up by the Indonesian education department, as the government’s student database requires that a KITAS number is listed for non-Indonesian citizens in order to enable a student number to be assigned to them.
Students who have parents on a Working KITAS will be eligible for a Dependent KITAS. Any non-Indonesian student not eligible to access a KITAS through a working parent will need to apply for a Student KITAS to legally attend school in Indonesia. Pelangi School must comply with these government requirements, in terms of upholding an expectation that all non-Indonesian students accepted as students at our school either have a KITAS (be it Dependent or Student) or have a KITAS application in process at the time of entering the school.
The foundation legally responsible for Pelangi School, Yayasan Cahaya Pelangi, is able to provide sponsorship for Student KITAS applicants. This means that if the student is enrolled at Pelangi School, the school will act as a sponsor by applying for the Student KITAS through our immigration account, via the agent we are working with.
The yayasan (foundation) are only able to sponsor Student KITAS for students enrolled at Pelangi School; sponsorship does not cover siblings not enrolled at school, nor parent visas. Sponsorship is contingent upon all codes of conduct, tuition payment policies and enrolment agreements being adhered to.
Once your application is finalised, we will put you in touch with our visa agent who will help you organise the required visa.
* A KITAS is a permit (renewable up to 5 consecutive years) allowing individuals to reside in Indonesia as a temporary resident, either to work, accompany working parents or attend school, depending upon the type of KITAS.
When does the Pelangi School year begin and end?
The Pelangi School year starts in August and ends in June, following a northern hemisphere school calendar.
Please note that students will not be promoted to the next class mid-year because they have reached the correct age. Students will only move to the next class at the beginning of each academic year.
The year is separated into quarters that are divided with holidays in between. Payments are also arranged around this quarterly division.
What are the school hours?
The school day begins at 8:30 am for all classes and ends at 3:00 pm, with the exception of the Tiny Tots students, who go home at 12:00 pm unless they are enrolled for the full day. The school security gates will be kept closed between 9:00 am until 2:50 pm. (For Tiny Tots collection the gates will be opened at 11:50 am)
All students are expected to arrive at school between 8:15 – 8:30 am.
Students must be collected from their classrooms by parents at 3:00 pm.
Students are not permitted to leave the school campus alone unless we have written permission from a parent or guardian.
What should we bring to school each day?
All students must bring a hat for outside play, a complete spare set of clothes (including a Pelangi t-shirt) and a drink bottle. All students must wear closed-toe shoes.
For students in Class 1 and above, a spare pair of CLEAN SOLED shoes for sports hall activities are required each day.
Tiny Tots and some Playgroup students who are still wearing nappies will also need to bring enough nappies to get them through their school day. For those in the process of toilet training, please do not use belts or clothes that are difficult for the children to take off easily.
All equipment needed for school (pencils, paper etc) will be provided in the classrooms.
If you are not ordering food from the school café, ‘Warung Bamboo’, you will need to bring a snack and lunch from home.
Does the school provide food for the students?
Pelangi School’s ‘Warung Bamboo’ is our school café that provides healthy snacks and lunches available to buy every day. Please note that the cost of meals is not included in your child’s school fees. Ordering food from Warung Bamboo is at an additional cost and is completely optional.
The menu changes weekly and offers two choices for lunch on most days and one choice of snack. There is always a vegetarian option available.
I’d prefer my child to bring food from home. Can I pack any food that they like to eat?
Pelangi School has a Healthy Food Policy; students are not permitted to bring unhealthy food or drinks to school. This includes chocolates (or chocolate products,) and sugar-heavy foods such as doughnuts, cakes, biscuits, packaged snacks etc. Whilst we appreciate that many parents may bake, make or buy healthy food to include in your child’s lunchbox, please ensure that any foods brought in are not sugar-filled, and do not include any chocolate products. As we provide water for drinking, students are also asked not to bring soft drinks or flavoured drinks (such as chocolate milk, iced tea etc.).
Pelangi School is a PEANUT FREE environment and students should not bring peanuts or peanut products to school.
Is there a school uniform at Pelangi School?
Yes! All students must wear the official Pelangi School t-shirt. You will receive two free t-shirts when you join us and more are available to buy from the school office for Rp125,000 each. The Indonesian Education Department requires that every student wears their uniform to school.
If a student arrives at school without wearing their Pelangi t-shirt, they will be asked to change into the spare Pelangi t-shirt that they are required to have in school. If they do not have one with them, parents will be phoned to bring one in. If a parent cannot be contacted, or are unable to bring a t-shirt into school, the student will be given a new t-shirt and the parents will be sent an invoice.
Students are free to wear shorts, trousers, skirts or leggings with their uniforms. We ask that parents ensure that these items of clothing are appropriate for school use (e.g. skirts and shorts must not be too short).
Students should wear closed-toe shoes to school. Sports shoes or Crocs, for example, are acceptable. Open-toed shoes and flip-flops are not to be worn by students as these do not provide adequate protection when running around and playing outside.
Hair that is shoulder length or longer must be tied back.
Students must bring a sun-safe hat to wear during Sports lessons and outside playtime. Pelangi School has a ‘No Hat, No Play’ policy. Students will be asked to stay in the shaded areas if they do not bring their hat to school, in order to protect them from sunburn and also the greater risk of dehydration.
What curriculum do you follow?
Pelangi School uses the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) combined with the Indonesian National Curriculum, taught by teaching teams of highly qualified International and Indonesian teachers. Students in grades 1 – 6 follow the Singapore Maths program.
How many students are at the school?
We currently have just over 200 fully enrolled students at Pelangi School.
What is the maximum number of students in each class?
This amount differs between year groups:
- Tiny Tots takes a maximum of 12 students.
- Playgroup takes a maximum of 18 students.
- TKA & B take a maximum of 22 students in each grade.
- Classes 1 – 6 take a maximum of 25 students in each grade.
Where do Pelangi students come from?
Pelangi School has a very diverse body of students, coming from over 27 different countries.
I want to help! What ways am I able to get involved in the school?
The PPCA (Pelangi Parents & Community Association) is a parent-run group that meets regularly throughout the school year providing a link between the school, the students, the parent community, the leadership team and the school’s yayasan board.
The association is active in organising social events and in raising monies for both the school and charitable projects in our community.
All parents automatically become members when joining the school. The PPCA welcomes parents to join meetings and invites them to become involved as an interested parent. Representatives from PPCA are happy to meet with new parents and help them settle into the school community.
