Enrolment Policy - St Patricks BNS

Search
Search
Go to content

Main menu:

Enrolment Policy

School Policies

Enrolment Policy


This policy has been produced to clarify the enrolment procedure for Scoil Phádraig Naofa Buachaillí (St. Patrick’s Boys’ National School), Gardiner’s Hill, Cork. This school is subject to the Department of Education and Science guidelines regarding pupil/ teacher ratio. Enrolment at St. Patrick’s Boys’ National School is confined to boys only from 1 st to 6 th Class.

Scoil Phádraig Naofa is subject to The Education Act 1998, The Education (Welfare) Act 2000, and The Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004, equality law and all other relevant legislation. Scoil Phádraig Naofa School follows the curricular programmes laid down by the Department of Education and Skills.

Policy

St. Patrick’s Boys’ School is a Roman Catholic school. We welcome other pupils, of all faiths and none, who respect the Roman Catholic ethos of our school.

Children of other faiths or no faith

Bearing in mind the Catholic ethos of the school, every effort will be made so that the school is as inclusive as possible. While Catholic education and the ethos of the school permeates the day, children of other faiths or none, will be excused from attendance at formal religious instruction classes and specifically Catholic liturgies. As far as is possible, in consultation with parents, suitable alternative arrangements will be made in order to facilitate this. It will not be possible however to provide religious instruction in other faiths.
No child is refused admission for reasons of ethnicity, special educational needs, disability or religious beliefs. No enrolment or admission fees apply in Scoil Phádraig Naofa.

Enrolment procedures are as follows:

Enrolment in Scoil Phádraig Naofa Buachaillí is dependent on the pupil having satisfactorily completed the Junior and Senior Infant programme in St. Patrick’s Infant School or any other Department of Education and Science approved infant school provided

A school application form is completed
A copy of the pupil’s Birth Certificate is supplied
A letter of transfer and/or a school report is obtained from the pupil’s previous primary school
A copy of the school’s Code of Conduct is read and explained by the parents/guardians to the child and a letter of compliance is signed and returned to the school as part of the enrolment pack.

In determining enrolment, the Board of Management shall take into account the Department of Education and Skills regulations and recommendations regarding staffing provisions, maximum class size and maximum class average and any other relevant requirements concerning accommodation such as physical space, the educational needs and rights of children already enrolled, multi-grade classes and the presence of children with special educational/behavioural needs.

In the event of the number of applicants exceeding the number of places available (as laid down by D.E.S. Guidelines) then the following criteria will apply in hierarchical order (a) to (f)

Children who have attended St. Patrick’s Infant School
Children whose siblings already attend the school
Children living within St. Joseph’s parish boundaries
Children of past pupils
Children of staff members
Children living outside St. Joseph’s parish boundaries
It is preferable that parents who wish to enrol their children in classes during the school year should do so at the start of a quarter-1 st October, 1 st January, 1 st April provided conditions from (a) to (f) are met for the benefit of the child and the school.

Children with special educational needs are welcome to enrol in the school and every effort will be made to provide them with an appropriate education as well as to include them in every aspect of school life. The child enrolling in Scoil Phádraig Naofa will be resourced in accordance with the level of resources provided by the Department of Education and Science to the Board of Management.

The Board of Management will request copies of relevant reports or request that the child be assessed immediately in order to assist the school in establishing the educational needs of the child and to profile the support services required. The Board of Management will endeavour to have all resources and supports in place before the child is admitted to the school. This may include visiting teacher service, resource teacher, special needs assistants etc., specialised equipment or furniture, transport services etc.

The school will meet with the parents of the special needs child to discuss the school’s suitability for the child. If considered necessary, a full case conference may be called which will include parents, class teacher, learning support teacher, resource teacher, psychologists, social workers if involved and any other relevant professionals.

Exceptional Circumstances

The school reserves the right to refuse enrolment to a pupil in exceptional cases. Such an exceptional case could arise where either:

In the opinion of the Board of Management the school cannot provide the pupil with an appropriate education.
Or
In the opinion of the Board of Management, the pupil poses an unacceptable risk to other pupils, to school staff or to school property.

(See Appeals Procedure below)

Appeals Procedure

In line with Section 28 of the Education Act 1998, parents who are dissatisfied with an enrolment decision, may appeal to the Board of Management. This appeal must be addressed, in writing, to the Chairperson of the Board, stating the grounds for the appeal, and lodged within ten days of receiving the refusal. Parents, if unhappy with the result of this appeal, may appeal to the Department of Education and Science under Section 29 of the Education Act on the official form provided by the Department. An appeal form will be issued by the school to the parents/guardians. This appeal must be lodged within 42 days of receipt of the refusal from the school to enrol.


Signed:
Dr. Joseph McCarthy

Principal


Signed:  
Phil O’ Kelly

Chairperson


Date: 27/03/2019


Education (Admissions to Schools) Act 2018



 
Back to content | Back to main menu