St. Mary’s National School

Lamb’s Cross

Sandyford

Dublin 18

Enrolment Policy

General Introduction

Saint Mary’s National School is a Roman Catholic school under the Patronage of the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin.

This enrolment policy is set out in accordance with the provisions of the Education Act (1998) and the Board of Management trusts that by so doing parents will be assisted in relation to enrolment matters. The Board of Management, parents and staff of St. Mary’s NS were involved in the consultation process.

Rationale

This policy is necessary to comply with the curricular programmes as prescribed by the Department of Education and Skills, which may be amended from time to time, in accordance with Sections 9 and 30 of the Education Act (1998). The school also follows the Religious Education Programme as prescribed by the Education Secretariat of the Archdiocese of Dublin.

Relationship of the Enrolment Policy to the School Ethos

As a Roman Catholic school, the school aims at promoting the full and harmonious development of all aspects of the pupil: intellectual, physical, cultural, moral and spiritual, including a living relationship with God and other people. The school models and promotes a philosophy of life inspired by belief in God and in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Catholic school provides religious education for the pupils in accordance with the doctrines, practices and tradition of the Roman Catholic Church and promotes the formation of the pupils in the Catholic faith.

Principles of enrolment policy

Within the context and parameters of DES regulations and programmes, the rights of the patron as set out in the Education Act 1998 and the funding and resources available to it, the school supports the principles of:-

  • Inclusiveness, particularly with reference to the enrolment of pupils with a disability or other special educational need.
  • Equality of access to and participation in the school.
  • Parental choice in relation to enrolment.
  • Respect for the diversity of values, beliefs, traditions, languages and ways of life in society.

Criteria for enrolment

In the event of the number of children seeking enrolment in any given class/standard exceeding the number of places available preceding or during the school year (due to the BOM being unable to provide suitable accommodation, or recruit the required teaching staff), the following criteria will be used to prioritise children for enrolment, with children whose fourth birthdays fall before 1st June in the year of intended entry to Junior Infants being given priority:

1. Brothers and sisters of (a) children in the school and (b) past pupils.

2. Parents of children who have been offered a place but choose to defer that place will be offered a place the following year but must indicate acceptance of the offer within a year of the original offer. A second deferral will nullify the offer of a place.

3.Catholic children of the parish.

4.Catholic children who live outside the parish and do not have a Catholic school in their parish.

5.All children who live within the parish boundaries but are not Catholic applying for a placement are entitled to a place if there are vacancies after the groups from (1) – (4) have been allocated places.

6.All children who apply to the school and are not Catholics and not residents within the parish boundaries are entitled to a place in the school if there are vacancies in the school after the groups from (1) – (5) have been allocated places.

If the number of applicants in groups (1), (2) and (3) exceeds the number of places available, the Board of Management may have to allocate places by setting an age limit in place, i.e. by offering places in order of age, the older children taking priority.

If, after places have been allocated to applicants in groups (1), (2) and (3), the number of remaining applicants from groups (4) to (6) exceeds the number of places available, the Board of Management may have to allocate places by setting an age limit in place, i.e. by offering places in order of age, the older children taking priority.

Process of enrolment

Parents of children applying for places in Junior Infants will receive an application form upon request.

The following documentation must be provided with the application:-

  • Proof of address (i.e. utility bill in the parent/guardian’s full names)
  • Birth/Adoption Certificate/other relevant documentation, e.g. legal – custody

arrangements/court orders.

  • Baptismal Certificate (if applicable)

Notification of successful application

  • Parents of pupils fulfilling the criteria for enrolment will be notified in writing by the end of November of the year previous to the year in which they wish to enrol their child for the following school year beginning in August/September, e.g. parents will be informed in November 2015 for children beginning school in August/September 2016.
  • They will also be asked to notify the school in writing whether they intend to accept the place offered.
  • Along with their acceptance letter, they will be required to make a payment, the amount of which will be set annually by the Board of Management. This deposit will be used to purchase learning materials such as books for each child.
  • An orientation meeting for parents who have accepted places for their children is held each year in the second half of the school year.
  • Certain information will be required when children are being enrolled. The Board of Management will provide a Registration Form for this purpose.

Such information will include:-

Pupil’s name, sex, age and address

Names and addresses of pupil’s parents/guardians

Contact telephone numbers

Contact telephone numbers in case of emergency

Details of any medical condition of which the school should be aware

Religion

Previous schools attended (if applicable)

Any other information which the parents/guardians consider relevant

Special needs requirements/assessments/reports

Signing agreement to uphold the school’s Code of Behaviour

Consent to contact the child’s previous school, if any, in order to request relevant information such as reports, standardised test scores, psychologists’ reports etc. in order to make a transferring child’s entry into the school as simple as possible, and to expedite the provision of any necessary supports for the child

Enrolment of pupils to classes other than Junior Infants or during the school year

Parents of children who are transferring from another school and/or entering this school after the beginning of the school year will apply in the same way and will be informed as soon as possible if their application has been successful.

Ratification of this policy

This amendedpolicy was ratified by the Board of Management at its meeting on 2nd December 2014.

Signed______

John C. Byrne

Chairperson, Board of Management

Consent to contact previous school

(in the case of a child transferring from another school)

I/We ______

parent(s)/guardian(s) of ______

consent to St. Mary’s National School, Sandyford, Dublin 18, contacting

in order to obtain information to help his/her transfer to St. Mary’s.

Parent’s/guardian’s signature ______

Date ______

St. Mary’s National School, Sandyford Enrolment Policy for years from 2015Page 1