Introduction
The Board of Management of Scoil Mhuire agus Iosaf hereby sets out its Enrolment and Admission Policy in accordance with the provisions of the Education Act 2018, Education Act 1998, the Education Welfare Act 2000, the Equal Status Act 2000 and the Disabilities Act 2002 and the Board trusts that by so doing, parents will be assisted in relation to enrolment matters. The Chairperson of the Board of Management or the Principal Teacher will be happy to clarify any matters arising from this policy.
Decisions in relation to applications for enrolment are made by the Board of Management of the school
General School Information
| Name of School: | Scoil Mhuire agus Iosaf |
| Phone Number: | 071 9167763 |
| Roll Number: | 20122C |
- Dermot Meehan is the Diocesan Administrator for the Diocese of Achonry.
- At present, the teaching staff is comprised of 9 single class teachers, 1 Principal, an ASD class teacher, 2 full-time SEN Teachers & 1 shared Resource Teacher. The full range of classes are taught in the school and classes are of mixed gender.
- The school depends on the grants and teacher resources provided by the Department of Education & Skills and it operates within the regulations laid down, from time to time, by the Department. The school policy has regard to the resources and funding available.
- Class starts at 9.20am and finishes at 3pm. Infant classes finish at 2pm.
Rationale
This policy aims to ensure that the appropriate procedures are in place to enable the school:
- To make decisions on all applications in an open and transparent manner consistent with the mission statement of the school and legislative requirements.
- To make an accurate and appropriate assessment of the capacity of the school to cater for the needs of applicants in the light of the resources available to it.
- To put in place a framework which will ensure effective and productive relations between students, parents and teachers where a student is admitted to the school.
Legal Framework
Section 9 (j) of the Education Act 1998 specifies, that “A recognised school shall…subject to this act and in particular section 15 (2) (d), establish and maintain an admissions policy which provides for maximum accessibility to the school”.
Section 15 (2) (d) states the Board of Management shall “publish…The policy of the school concerning admission to and participation in the school and ensure that policy principles of equality and the right of parents to send their children to a school of the parents’ choice are respected”.
Section 27 (1) states that “A board shall establish and maintain procedures for the purposes of informing students in a school of the activities of the school” and (2) that “the procedures established and maintained under subsection (1) shall facilitate the involvement of the students in the operation of the school having regard to the age and experience of the students, in association with their parents and teachers”.
The Education Welfare Act 2000 [Section 19 (1)] requires that a Board of Management shall not refuse to admit a child except where such a refusal is in accordance with the school’s Admission Policy. Section 19 (2) requires that parents must provide relevant information to the school while Section 19 (3) requires that the Board of Management, shall as soon as possible (but no later than 21 days) after receiving such information “make a decision in respect of the application concerned and inform the parent in writing thereof”.
The Equal Status Act 2000 [Sections 5 & 7 (2)] prohibits discrimination on the grounds of “gender, marital status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race or membership of the Travelling Community” regarding admission access to programmes, participation in the school or regarding expulsion or any other sanction. There are limited exceptions regarding single-sex schools and schools promoting particular religious values [Section 7 (3)].
Goals
The school shall have in place appropriate channels of communication and procedures
- To inform parents about the school, it’s programmes, activities and procedures.
- To enable application for admission to the school to be handled in an open, transparent manner.
- To put in place criteria under which application shall be considered.
- To ensure that these criteria are informed by our Ethos, our Mission Statement & current legislation.
- To specify what information is required by the school at the time of application.
Context, Resources, School Organisation & Curriculum
The school supports the principle of equality for all students regarding access to and participation in the school. The school respects the diversity of traditions, values, beliefs, languages and ways of life in society. The school acknowledges the right of parents to send their children to a school of the parent’s choice, subject to the resources available to the school including classroom accommodation, class size, teaching resources and financial resources and subject to the capacity of the school to provide for the needs of any applicant of student. It will make every effort to secure those resources – where the resources cannot be secured the school may refuse admission. The school is staffed in accordance with the standard pupil – teacher ratio sanctioned by the Department and any additional teaching hours sanctioned by the Department in respect of curricular concession, special needs, special programmes etc. The school operates within the regulation laid down by the Department from time to time.
The capacity of the school to implement its desired curriculum, its broad range of educational programmes, its breadth of extra-curricular activities, its school plan and policies are dependent on the resources it receives. Consequently, in determining its activities and programme for any school year the school must have due regard to the teaching, management and administrative resources and the accommodation, equipment and funding available to it.
Roles and responsibilities in developing and implementing this policy:
Role of the Board of Management
- To ensure that a policy is in place and that it is reviewed.
- To appraise this policy with regard to its suitability and the effectiveness of its implementations and to make recommendation for improvement where appropriate.
- To decide on appeals by parents or students with respect to any decision(s) made by the Principal/Board.
Role of the Principal
- To formulate draft policy in consultation with the teaching staff, students, parents, Board and Trustees.
- To monitor its implementation and to ensure that it is reviewed by the review date.
- To implement the policy and to support other teaching staff in their implementation of the policy.
- To apply for and acquire such resources as are available in accordance with government policies.
- To ensure, within the constraints of available resources, that alternative programmes are devised where necessary and practicable to meet the needs of students.
- To appraise the policy with regard to its suitability and the effectiveness of its implementation and to make recommendation for improvement where appropriate.
- To ensure a register of all students attending the school is established and maintained.
- To ensure that a record of attendance or non-attendance is maintained for each student registered at this school and in the case of non-attendance, the reason for same.
- Prior to registering a child, to provide the parents of an applicant with a copy of the school’s Code of Behaviour & School Rules and ensure that the parent confirm in writing their acceptance of the Code and an assurance that they shall make all reasonable efforts to ensure compliance with the Code by the child.
- To provide, on request, to any parent of a child registered in the school with a copy of the Code of Behaviour and School Rules.
- Where a child is refused admission, to advise the parents of their right of appeal to the Trustees and the Department of Education setting out Title and Address of each and advising of time limits.
Role of Teaching Staff
- To co-operate with the implementation of this policy
- To take the needs of all students into account in the way in which they select textbooks, plan and teach their lessons and conduct assessments.
- To bring concerns about Special Needs curricular matters and information to the attention of the Principal, Deputy Principal and Special Needs Teacher.
- To keep parents informed through the regular Parent/Teacher meetings and School Reports and by meeting parents from time to time as required.
- To appraise this policy with regard to its suitability and the effectiveness of its implementation and to make recommendations for improvement where appropriate.
Role of Students
- To co-operate fully with the school in the implementation of the policy.
Role of Parents
- To support the policy and to co-operate fully with the school in its implementation.
- To bring to the attention of the school authorities any concern they may have in relation to the school’s provision for the educational needs of their child.
Policy Considerations
The Board of Management of Scoil Mhuire agus Iosaf reserves the right of admission if such admission contravenes Departmental guidelines on class size etc.
Equality of access is the key value that determines the enrolment of children to our school. No child is refused admission for reasons of ethnicity, disability, language/accent, asylum seeker/refugee status, religious/political beliefs and values, family or social circumstances or traveller status.
The Board of Management respects parental choice in relation to enrolment, provided the enrolment criteria are fulfilled.
The Board of Management of Scoil Mhuire agus Iosaf, in its Policy of Admissions/Enrolment, respects the rights of the existing school community and the children already enrolled. Consequently, the Board of Management reserves the right to determine the maximum number of children in each class, bearing in mind:
- Health & Safety concerns regarding staff & children
- Available classroom space
- Multi-grade classes
- Educational needs of the children
- Presence of children with special needs
- Department of Education & Skills class size directives
- Appropriate supports & resources are available
- Time of school year
Procedures – Application, Enrolment Criteria & Decision/Appeals
Admission to the school is, of course, subject to the resources available to the school including classroom accommodation, class size, teaching resources and financial resources, 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. Where the resources cannot be secured, the school reserves the unfettered right to refuse admission. 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. Failure to fully complete the application form, failure to supply any relevant information requested by the school or failure to make reasonable arrangements to meet with the school authorities to discuss the application may result in a child being refused admission to the school.
Application for immediate admission in the current school year
- If newly resident in the area, pupils are enrolled during the year (preferably on the first day of a quarter)
- Pupils who are transferring to Scoil Mhuire agus Iosaf from another school will require a letter from the school from which they transferred, stating the class which the child was enrolled in, together with details of attendances and absences. This letter should be handed to the Principal of Scoil Mhuire agus Iosaf prior to the child being enrolled.
Junior Infant Enrolment Procedure
The registration process in initiated on receipt by the school of a complete application form. This form must be signed and dated by one or both parents or guardians. Telephone calls or personal school visits concerning enrolment will be facilitated but are not in themselves enrolment applications.
Child’s date of birth, address, telephone contact number & PPSN are recorded in the school Record of Applications
Age Recommendations: We recommend that your child is as close to five as possible when starting school and that they have completed the free ECCE pre-school year.
Parents/Guardians who are enrolling a child who is over the age of six and who has not previously attended school will be required to account for education received to date by the child and to consent to the child being assessed by a Learning Support Teacher.
Parents seeking to enrol their child(ren) in Scoil Mhuire agus Iosaf are requested to return a completed Enrolment Application Form with an original Birth to the school each year.
Enrolment Criteria for all Classes
If the number of children on the waiting list exceeds the number of place available, the following prioritising criteria are used:
| Priority | Criterion |
| 1 | Families whose primary residence is in the immediate areas of Collooney Parish |
| 2 | Priority is given to siblings of children already in the school or who have attended the school in the past |
All children enrolled are expected to comply with and support the school’s Code of Behaviour, as well as the school’s designated policies on Curriculum, Organisation and Management.
Enrolment Policy/Procedure for Autism Class
The special Autism class was funded and resourced by the Department of Education and Science. This school policy has regard to the funding, resources, services and space available.
Enrolment Procedure
Registration process begins with a referral from the Autism Team, a telephone call or a visit from the parents. Applications, incorporating date of application, date of birth, address and telephone number are entered in the Applications book. Applications will only be processed on the basis of a diagnostic or psychological report. Once this process has been completed the applicant secures a place on the list of applicants to enrol. A school enrolment form, incorporating family details and medical history is then completed for children who have secured a place.
Enrolment Criteria
The maximum class size is six pupils. If the number of children on the list of applicants to enrol exceeds the number of places available, the following criteria will apply in priority order, beginning with number one, once a definite diagnosis of Autism has been provided by a qualified professional.
- Children living within the parish
- Brothers and sisters of existing pupils
- Undergo review by admission team
The first year will be used to;
- Assess the child’s educational needs
- Develop an I.E.P. to address identified needs
- Assess whether the child’s placement is appropriate
Taking into account the Department regulations and programmes, the rights of the patron as set out in the Education Act, and the funding available, the school supports the principles of;
- Inclusiveness, particularly with reference to the enrolment of children with a disability or other special education 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 Board of Management will not refuse a child on the basis of ethnicity, disability, (i.e. severity of Autism diagnosis) traveller status, refugee status, political beliefs or family or social circumstances, provided they fulfil the enrolment criteria. Fulfilling the enrolment criteria does not necessarily ensure enrolment if;
- Necessary resources pertaining to the enrolment are not available
- Sufficient classroom space is not available
- The Admissions Team decide that the school is unable to adequately meet the needs of the child
Taking all of the above into account, and based on the advice of the enrolment team of the Autistic Unit, the Board of Management reserves the right of admission.
Aim and Objectives
- To provide a quality driven, appropriate educational service to all children in the Unit, within the requirements of all recent legislation pertaining to Special Needs Education
- To strive towards the integration of children in the Unit into mainstream education, having regard for levels of disability, available resources and suitability for such integration
- To enhance the communicative and social skills of the children in the Unit
Health Board Input
Essential services are to be provided by the Health Service Executive. These services include Speech and Language therapy, Occupational therapy and Sensory activities.
Discharge Policy
It is school policy to facilitate the discharge of pupils from the unit once they have reached the age of twelve. Pupils who reach the age of twelve after September 30th in any year will be permitted to complete that academic year. This means a June discharge in the following year. Discharge may also be recommended after the first year if the admissions team, after consultation with the parents/guardian, feel that placement is not appropriate. Discharge from the unit may also happen if a pupil is fully integrated into the mainstream school.
Evaluation
The Board of Management will monitor the implementation of all aspects of the Policy and review and amend the Policy as required, with particular emphasis placed upon
- Effective management placed on application process
- Clarity and transparency relating to the process
- Applicants informed in good time regarding the status of their application, particularly in the case of refusal to enrol
- Positive parental feedback
Monitoring Procedures
The implementations of this policy will be monitored by the Board of Management at the appropriate time. It will also be referred by the Principal for consideration by the full staff at the same time. The Principal will report to the Board of Management regarding the process of enrolment each year and regularly thereafter until enrolment is complete. Where the Principal refuses admission to any applicant, by the authority delegated to him by the Board in line with this policy, any such refusal shall be communicated to the Board at the earliest opportunity.
Review Procedure
The policy will be reviewed regularly in the light of experience. It will be reviewed by the full staff and Board of Management every 5 years. Any staff member, board member, parent, guardian or student who is unhappy with the content or the implementation of any school policy may request a review at any time and such as request will be dealt with as quickly as possible.
This policy was adopted by the Board of Management on 16th April 2018
**Signed:
The Principal and The Chairperson, Board of Management
** Please note a signed copy of this document is available at the school
