St. Joseph’s National School,
Templerainey, Arklow. Co. Wicklow
Telephone: 0402 32984 Roll No: 17181B Fax: 0402 29786
E-mail: Web-site:
Enrolment Policy
The Board of Management of St. Joseph’s NationalSchool is hereby setting out its enrolment policy in accordance with the provisions of the Education Act 1998. The Education Act specifies that the school policy is subject to any directions which may be issued from time to time by the Minister.
In doing this the Board of Management trusts that by so doing parents will be assisted in relation to enrolment matters and that, furthermore, the Chairperson of the Board of Management – Mrs. Marian Kavanagh c/o St. Joseph’s N. S. Templerainey, Arklow and the Principal - Ms. Mary Dalton of St. Joseph’s NationalSchool, Templerainey will be happy to clarify any further matters arising from the policy.
General Information:
Name of School:St. Joseph’s NationalSchool,
Address:Templerainey,Arklow, Co. Wicklow
Phone:0402 32984
Fax:0402 29786
E-mail:
Web-site
Denominational Character: St. Joseph’s is a Catholic school under the patronage of the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr. Diarmuid Martin. 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. While the religious education we provide is in accordance with the doctrines, traditions and practices of the Catholic Church, we respect and acknowledge the diverse beliefs, religions and ways of life of peoples of all faiths and none. There is an atmosphere in the school which generates good relationships and concern for the needs of the individual child.
Number of Teachers: The school currently has 35 teachers including the Principal. The composition of the staff is:
Enrolment policy – amended and ratified by Board on Monday 19th January 2015 Page 1 of 11
St. Joseph’s NS, Templerainey, Enrolment Policy
1 Principal
1 Deputy Principal
24 Class Teachers
1 SpecialClass Teacher
7Resource/ Learning Support Teachers
3 Teachers of Children with Autism
1 Spiritual Advisor
7 Full time Special Needs Assistants
1 Infant Day SNA
1 Part-time SNA
1 Secretary
1 Caretaker
Enrolment policy – amended and ratified by Board on Monday 19th January 2015 Page 1 of 11
St. Joseph’s NS, Templerainey, Enrolment Policy
Range of Classes: The school is a full vertical co-educational school with full teacher allocation allowed for teaching children with special needs.
School opens at 9:20am and finishes at 3:00pm. Infant classes finish at 2:00pm. A letter is sent to all parents by the Chairperson of the Board in September each year explaining this. A holiday list is also issued each September
Financial Provision: The School depends on the grants and teacher resources provided by the Department of Education and Science and operates within the guidelines laid down by Department of Education & Science from time to time. All school policies have regard to the resources and funding available from the Department of Education & Science.
Curriculum: The school follows the curricular programmes prescribed by the Department of Education and Science which may be amended from time to time in accordance with sections 9 and 30 of the Education Act 1998.
Code of Behaviour: All children enrolled are expected to comply with and support the school's Code ofBehaviour, as well as the school's designated policies on Curriculum, Organisationand Management. The Board of Management places parents/guardians responsible for ensuring that their child(ren) co-operate with the Code in an age-appropriate way. Parents/ guardians must sign that they accept the School’s Policy and Code of Good Practice on the enrolment form.These policies may be added to, and revised, from time to time.
General Statement of Values: Within the content and parameters of Department regulations and programmes the rights of the Patron as set out in the Education Act and the funding and resources available the school supports the following principles –
- Inclusiveness, particularly with reference to the enrolment of children with a disability or other special educational need:
- Equality of access 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.
The school respects the wishes of all parents as laid out in the Education Act 1998 Section 15 (2d)
15 – (1) It shall be the duty of the board to manage the school on behalf of the patron and for the benefit of the students and their parents and to provide or cause to be provided an appropriate education for each student at the school for which that board has responsibility
(2)A board shall perform the functions conferred on it and on a school by this Act and in carrying out its functions the board shall –
(a)do so in accordance with the policies determined by the Minister from time to time.
(b)Uphold, and be accountable to the patron for so upholding, the characteristic spirit of the school as determined by the cultural, educational, moral, religious, social, linguistic and spiritual values and traditions which inform and are characteristic of the objectives and conduct of the school, and at all times act in accordance with any Act of the Oireachtas or instrument made thereunder, deed, charter, articles of management or other such instrument relating to the establishment or operation of the school.
(c) consult with and keep the patron informed of decisions and proposals of the board.
(d)publish, in such manner as the board with the agreement of the patron considers appropriate, the policy of the school concerning admission to and participation in the school, including the policy of the school relating to the expulsion and suspension of students and admission to the participation by students with disabilities or who have other special educational needs, and ensure that as regards that policy principles of equality and the right of parents to send their children to a school of the parents’ choice are respected and such directions as may be made from time to time by the Minister, having regard to the characteristic spirit of the school and the constitutional rights of all persons concerned, are complied with.
(e) have regard to the principles and requirements of democratic society and have respect and promote respect for the diversity of values, beliefs, traditions, languages and ways of life in society.
(f) have regard to the efficient use of resources (and, in particular, the efficient use of grants provided under section 12), the public interest in the affairs of the school and accountability to students, their parents, the patron, staff and the community served by the school, and
(g)use the resources provided to the school from monies provided by the Oireachtas to make reasonable provision and accommodation for students with a disability or other special educational needs, including, where necessary, alteration of buildings and provision of appropriate equipment.
(3) For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Act shall confer or be deemed to confer on the board any right over or interest in the land and buildings of the school for which that board is responsible.
APPLICATION & ENROLMENT PROCEDURES
- PRE-ENROLMENT REGISTRATION:
Parents/guardians who wish to enrol their child in St. Joseph’s NS should complete a PRE-ENROLMENT FORM (Appendix 1). This is available from the office or online at
This form must be signed and dated by one or both parents/guardians. The form will be date stamped on receipt by the school and filed in the School Record of Applications. The attached acknowledgement of receipt of the Pre-enrolment Form (Appendix 2) is sent to the applicant.
The acknowledgement of receipt of application merely confirms that it will be assessed under the criteria outlined, and does not confer any further status on that application.Telephone calls or personal school visits concerning enrolment will be facilitated, but are not in themselves enrolment applications.
- ENROLMENT:
The school will contact all those who have completed a pre-enrolment form and are recorded on the School Record of Applications in Dec. /January of the year the child is due to start school. They will be asked to complete a Full Enrolment Application Form(Appendix 3)and to return it to the school before the end of that February at the very latest.
The Board of Management strongly recommends that applicant children for Junior Infants’ Class are at least four years of age on or before April 30th of the school commencement year.
All fully completed application forms are considered in January/ Februaryand will be evaluated on the basis of the criteria outlined in this policy.
- DECISION MAKING
Any decisions regarding enrolment are made by the Board of Management of St. Joseph’s in accordance with school policy.
Parents / guardians will be informed of the Board’s decision regarding enrolments within 21 days of the closing date for applications.
- CRITERIA FOR DECISION MAKING
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 Board being unable to provide suitable accommodation, or recruit the required teaching staff) the following criteria will be used to prioritise children for enrolment:
- Catholic children from the parish of Avoca and siblings of children attending St. Joseph’s NS – priority to oldest.
- Children living within the parish of Avoca – priority to oldest.
- Children of current school staff – priority to oldest
- Catholic children living outside the parish – priority to oldest.
- Children living outside parish – priority to oldest.
In the event of being unable to enrol a child(ren) from categories a, b, c, d, or e, in a given class at the beginning of a year, or mid-year, such children will receive priority in order of a, b, c, d, e, for the subsequent school year over other children on the class waiting list. These children will have first priority should space become available before the beginning of the school year.
Prior to coming to a decision on enrolment numbers, the Board of Management reserves the right to determine the maximum number of children in each class bearing in mind the following:
a. Size/available space in classrooms
b. Educational needs of children of a particular age.
c. Multi grade classes.
d. Presence of children with special educational/behavioural needs.
e. Department of Education & Science maximum class average directives.
Please note: We provide for children of ethnic minorities, including travellers, refugees, asylum seekers and children with special needs and disabilities.
We abide by the implication of Section 7 of the Equal Status Act 2000 as it applies to Primary Schools
Age of Entry:
The Board of Management specifies that junior infants are generally only admitted during the month of September and must be four years of age by the first day of the school year; ie Sept 1st.
The Board is bound by the Department of Education & Science rules for national schools which provide that pupils may only be enrolled from the age of 4 and upwards though compulsory attendance does not apply until age of 6 years. (Rule 64, Circular 27/85)
The Board of Management, however, is flexible when children who are already in junior infants or other classes are moving domicile. The Board is willing to accommodate these provided space isavailable within the confines of the pupil teacher ratio as laid down by the Department of Education & Science from time to time.
Please note: Application for immediate admission in the current school year:
The beginning of the school year i.e. September 1stis the official date of admission to St. Joseph’s NS.
Exceptions to this may be made if the child is moving domicile to Templerainey subject to space being available in the appropriate class and no other child already on the waiting list for the current school year.
• Application forms are available from the school secretary and must be fully completed
• Failure to fully complete forms will result in refusal to admit the applicant
• Further relevant information may be sought at a later stage
•Where an applicant is making a late application, enrolment will be subject to space being available in the appropriate class at the time of the application and/or at the proposed date of attending school.
Admission to the school is, of course, subject to the resources available to the school including classroom accommodation, class size, teaching resources and financialresources, and subject to the capacity of the school to provide for the needs of those who apply for admission. Where the school lacks the necessary resources to meet the needs of any applicant or student, it will make every effort to secure those resources. It is the responsibility of parents / guardians of any child to inform the school of any such needs on the enrolment application form for the child’s own welfare. In this context the school authorities will have equal regard for the welfare of all the students and their right to an education in an atmosphere that is not detrimental to their physical, emotional, moral, social or intellectual development.
Exceptional Circumstances:
The school reserves the right to refuse enrolment to any pupil in the following cases:
(a)When the school is full
(b)When parents refuse to sign acceptance of the code of behaviour
(c)Where the Gardaí or Child and Family Agencies inform the school that admission of the student may be detrimental to the working of the school or to the Health and Safety of the school day / life e.g. to pupils, staff, school property etc..
The Board of Management reserves the right to defer enrolment if they believe the school cannot meet the needs of a particular child. Where the Board deems that further resources are required, it should, prior to enrolment, request the Department of Education and Science, to provide the resources required to meet the needs of the child as outlined in the psychological or medical report. These resources may include for example, access to or the provision of any combination of the following: visiting teacher service, resource teacher for special needs, special needs assistant, specialised equipment or furniture, transport services or other.
The school will meet with the parents of the child to discuss the child’s needs and the schools suitability or capability in meeting those needs. Parents may be asked to complete a questionnaire outlining the pupil’s needs, likes, dislikes, areas of difficulty etc. If necessary, a full case conference involving all parties should be held, which may include parents, Class teacher, Principal, resource teacher for special needs, or psychologist as appropriate.
The Board of Management also reserves the right to suspend or expel a child under ‘Health and Safety’ regulations and in conjunction with the school ‘Code of Behaviour’ and taking cognisance of relevant clauses in the Education Welfare Act 2000.
All placements are subject to review at the request of the parents and/or the school. The review will include input from psychological services e.g. Lucena, Beechpark, NEPSs, the parents/guardians, and the school. Following the review a recommendation may be made that the child be enrolled in a school that can meet his/her needs.
Reports: The Board of Management of St. Joseph’s insists that before children can be enrolled from other national schools parents/guardians must provide all previous reports to ensure children are placed in the proper class for their age and ability.
Appeals Procedure: In line with Section 28 of the Education Act, 1998, parents who aredissatisfied with an enrolment decision, may appeal to the Board ofManagement. This appeal must be addressed, in writing to theChairperson of the Board, stating the grounds for the appeal, and lodgedwithin ten days of receiving the refusal. Parents, if unhappy with theresult of this appeal, may appeal to the Department of Education andScience under Section 29 of the Education Act on the official formprovided by the Department. An appeal form will be issued by the schoolto the parents/guardians. This appeal must be lodged within 42 days ofreceipt of the refusal from the school to enrol.
As of the Board of Management meeting of the 26th May, 2014 the Board is committed to maintaining St. Joseph’s as a 3 stream school and future intake of Junior Infants will be in accordance with the DES
pupil / teacher ratio of 28:1.
THE ENROLMENT OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Children with special needs will be resourced in accordance with the level of resources provided by the Department of Education and Science to the Board of Management.
In relation to applications for the enrolment of children with special needs, the Board of Management will request a copy of the child’s medical and/or psychological report or where such a report is not available; will request that the child be assessed immediately by the appropriate agency. The purpose of the assessment report is to assist St. Joseph’s in establishing the educational and training needs of the child relevant to his/her disability or special needs and to provide the support services required.
Following receipt of the report, the Board will assess how the school can meet the needs specified in the report. Where the Board deems that further resources are required, it will, prior to enrolment, request the Department of Education and Science, to provide the resources required to meet the needs of the child as outlined in the psychological or medical reports.These resources may include for example, access to or the provision of any or a combination of the following: visiting teacher service, resource teacher for special needs, special needs assistant, specialised equipment or furniture, transport services or other.
The school will meet with the parents/guardians of the child to discuss the child’s needs and the school’s suitability or capability in meeting those needs. If necessary, a full case conference involving all parties may be held, which may include parents, Principal, class teacher, special class teacher, resource teacher for special needs or psychologist as appropriate.
The Board of Management, at all times, will respect the provisions of the Education Act 1998, the Education Welfare Act 2000, Equal Status Act 2000 and Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004, in processing the enrolments of children applying to enrol at St. Joseph’s National School, Templerainey, Arklow.