Application Procedure:
The Board of Management will communicate generally to the school community through appropriate channels e.g. newsletter, parish bulletin, parents’ letters, community notes in local papers to outline the application for enrolment procedures. Parents seeking to enrol their child(ren) in the school should return a completed enrolment form (available from the school) with a copy of the child’s birth cert by a certain date.(usually early April). Parents of children enrolled in Junior Infants will be invited to a meeting in the school in September each year. This meeting will be addressed by class teacher(s).
Children will be enrolled on application provided that there is space available and subject to the school’s enrolment policy.
Children enrolled in Junior Infants will be invited to school to meet class teacher for one afternoon in the month of June.
Children will be admitted to school on first school day after summer holidays provided they are four years of age. Children will be admitted once they have reached the age of four up to 30th September. Junior Infants will not be enrolled during the year unless transferring from another school. This is for education reasons as the curriculum is progressive and it is necessary for the child to complete a full year.
Pupils may be enrolled during the school year if newly resident in the area.
Transfer of pupils from schools outside the catchment area will be discouraged. Parents will be required to make every effort to resolve issues at original school before application for enrolment can be made to this school. The Board of Management reserves the right to follow up on these issues prior to enrolment.
Temporary enrolments will be at the discretion of the Principal taking into consideration the overall enrolment and class situations
No child is refused admission for reasons of ethnicity, special educational needs, disability, language/ accent, gender, traveller status, asylum seeker/ refugee status, religious / political beliefs and values, family or social circumstances.
Parents will be informed of acceptance or non- acceptance of the child to the school within 21 days of closing date for enrolment.
Decisions in relation to application for enrolment are made by the Board of Management.
The completion of an enrolment form or the placement of your child’s name on a list does not confer an automatic right to a place in the school.
Children enrolled in St. Brigid’s Primary School, Moate, are required to co-operate with and support the school’s Code of Behaviour as well as other policies. Parents and guardians are responsible for ensuring that their child(ren) co-operate with these policies in an age –appropriate way. An Information Booklet containing Code of Behaviour, Anti- Bullying Policy, Homework Policy and other relevant information is issued to all parents on application for enrolment.
In the event of the number of children seeking enrolment exceeding the number of places available the following criteria will be used to prioritise children for enrolment.
1. Brothers and sisters (including step siblings, resident at same address) of
children already enrolled.
2. Children of current school staff.
3. All children who live within a 4 kilometre radius of the school.
In the event of being unable to enrol a child in any year, the child’s name will be
placed on the waiting list in accordance with the criteria as above.
In determining enrolment the Board of Management shall take into account Department of Education and Science regulations 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. The Board of Management shall at all times have regard for the Health, Safety and Welfare of pupils and teachers and others who work in the school. The Board of Management is bound by the Department of Education and Science Rules for National Schools which provides that pupils may only be enrolled from the ages of 4 years of age upwards although compulsory attendance does not apply until the age of 6 years of age.
Children with Special Needs:
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, to request that the child be assessed immediately. The purpose of the assessment report is to assist the school in establishing the educational needs of the child relevant to his/her disability or special needs and to profile the support services required. Following receipt of the report, the Board will assess how the school could meet the needs specified in the report. 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 i.e. visiting teacher, resource teacher for special needs, special needs assistant, specialised equipment, furniture or transport. The Principal will meet with the parents/ guardians of the child to discuss the child’s needs and the suitability and capability of the school to meet those needs. If, necessary a full case conference may be called which may include parents, Principal, class teacher, learning support teacher, resource teacher, psychologist and medical personnel.
Exceptional Circumstances:
The school reserves the right to refuse enrolment to a pupil in exceptional cases. Such an exceptional case could arise where either:
1. The pupil has special needs such that, even with additional resources available from the Department of Education and Science, the school cannot meet such needs and/or provide the pupil with an appropriate education.
2. In the opinion of the Board of Management, the pupil poses an unacceptable risk, to himself / herself, to other pupils, to school staff or to school property.
Children of other faiths or no faith:
We have respect for diversity of beliefs, traditions, languages and ways of life in society. However with regard to ethos of school Religious Instruction will only be given in the Catholic Faith and no alternative arrangements are in place for the removal of pupils from different faiths during Religious Instruction.
Appeals Procedure:
Parents, who are dissatisfied with an enrolment decision, may appeal to the Board of Management. It must be addressed, in writing, to the Chairperson of the Board, stating the grounds for 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. This appeal must be lodged within 42 days of receipt of the refusal from the school to enrol.
