Fáilte go dtí Scoil Náisiúnta Ioma PH:057 8646868

Draft Admission Policy

School Admission Policy                 
Diocese of Kildare & Leighlin

Name of School: Emo National School

Address: Emo, Co. Laois

PHONE 057 86 46868

Email: principal@emons.ie

 

Roll Number: 13643Q

 

Patron:                       Most Reverend Denis Nulty, Bishop of Kildare & Leighlin

 

1.    Introduction

 

This Admission Policy complies with the requirements of the Education Act 1998, the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 and the Equal Status Act 2000. In drafting this policy, the board of management of the school has consulted with school staff, the school patron and with parents of children attending the school.

 

The policy was approved by the school patron on [date].  It is published on the school’s website and will be made available in hardcopy, on request, to any person who requests it.

 

The relevant dates and timelines for Emo National School admission process are set out in the school’s annual admission notice which is published annually on the school’s website at least one week before the commencement of the admission process for the school year concerned.

This policy must be read in conjunction with the annual admission notice for the school year concerned.

The application form for admission is published on the school’s website and will be made available in hardcopy on request to any person who requests it.

 

 

 

2.    Characteristic spirit and general objectives of the school

 

Emo NS is a Catholic co-educational primary school with a Catholic ethos. The Bishop of Kildare & Leighlin is the Patron of this school.

 

‘Catholic schools are communities which are open, welcoming and inclusive. Therefore, Catholic schools may include children who adhere to other religions or other stances for living. While mindful of their duty to educate in the distinctive beliefs, values, and practices of the Catholic community, teachers will bear witness to an attitude of respect for and appreciation of all’.

                                                            ‘The Catholic Preschool & Primary Religious Education Curriculum p15’

 

Catholic Ethos’ in the context of a Catholic primary school means the ethos and characteristic spirit of the Roman Catholic Church, which aims at promoting:

In accordance with S.15 (2) (b) of the Education Act, 1998 the Board of Management of Emo National School  shall 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

Emo National School is guided in all its work by the Catholic ethos. We share with our community the responsibility for providing a rich, welcoming, encouraging and secure learning environment for all the children in our care. Our core root beliefs and values provide us with a focus for our Catholic identity. Through reinforcement from teachers, core values and root beliefs are clearly, consistently, and effectively communicated to each child in our care. Our school’s core beliefs and values are:

Admission Statement

Emo National School will not discriminate in its admission of a student to the school on any of the following:

 

 

As per section 61 (3) of the Education Act 1998, ‘civil status ground’, ‘disability ground’, ‘discriminate’, ‘family status ground’, ‘gender ground’, ‘ground of race’, ‘religion ground’, ‘sexual orientation ground’ and ‘Traveller community ground’ shall be construed in accordance with section 3 of the Equal Status Act 2000.

 

Emo N.S. is a school whose objective is to provide education in an environment which promotes certain religious values and does not discriminate where it refuses to admit as a student a person who is not of the Catholic faith and it is proved that the refusal is essential to maintain the ethos of the school.

 

3.    Categories of Special Educational Needs catered for in the School/Special Class

 

Emo NS is a mainstream school with a no additional special classes attached.

 

4.Admission of Students

 

This school shall admit each student seeking admission except where –

 

  1. the school is oversubscribed (please see section 6 below for further details)

 

  1. a parent of a student, when required by the principal in accordance with section 23(4) of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000, fails to confirm in writing that the code of behaviour of the school is acceptable to him or her and that he or she shall make all reasonable efforts to ensure compliance with such code by the student.

 

  1. Emo N.S. is a Catholic school and may refuse to admit as a student a person who is not of the Catholic Faith where it is proved that the refusal is essential to maintain the ethos of the school.

 

 

6      Oversubscription

 

In the event that the school is oversubscribed, the school will, when deciding on applications for admission, apply the following selection criteria in the order listed below to those applications that are received within the timeline for receipt of applications as set out in the school’s annual admission notice:

 

Selection criteria:

  1. All applicants for junior infants must be at least 4 years of age or older before the 1stSeptember in the year of intended enrolment.
  2. Brothers and sisters of children already enrolled (including step-siblings, resident at the same address)
  3. Children who are permanent residents of Emo catchment area as defined in Appendix A (Emo N.S. Catchment area)
  4. Children whose parents are past pupils of the school.
  5. Other applicants whose permanent address is closest to the school.

Children in the above categories will be prioritised according to the criteria outlined with preference given in order of date of birth from the oldest to the youngest with any child having the same date of birth given equal priority.

In the event that there are two or more students tied for a place or places in any of the selection criteria categories above (the number of applicants exceeds the number of remaining places), the following arrangements will apply:

7      What will not be considered or taken into account

In accordance with section 62(7) (e) of the Education Act, the school will not consider or take into account any of the following in deciding on applications for admission or when placing a student on a waiting list for admission to the school:

 

(i)siblings already enrolled (including step-siblings, resident at the same address)

(ii) Parents of a student having attended the school. (See school’s admission notice for further details)

provided the application was received during the period specified for receiving applications set out in the annual admission notice of the school for the school year concerned.

 

8      Decisions on applications

All decisions on applications for admission to Emo National School will be based on the following:

 

(Please see section 14 below in relation to applications received outside of the admissions period and section 15 below in relation to applications for places in years other than the intake group.)

 

Selection criteria that are not included in our school admission policy will not be used to make a decision on an application for a place in our school.

 

9      Notifying applicants of decisions

 

Applicants will be informed in writing as to the decision of the school, within the timeline outlined in the annual admissions notice.

 

If a student is not offered a place in our school, the reasons why they were not offered a place will be communicated in writing to the applicant, including, where applicable, details of the student’s ranking against the selection criteria and details of the student’s place on the waiting list for the school year concerned.

 

Applicants will be informed of the right to seek a review/right of appeal of the school’s decision (see section 18 below for further details).

 

 

10    Acceptance of an offer of a place by an applicant

 

In accepting an offer of admission from Emo National School you must indicate—

 

(i) whether or not you have accepted an offer of admission for another school or schools. If you have accepted such an offer, you must also provide details of the offer or offers concerned and

 

(ii) whether or not you have applied for and awaiting confirmation of an offer of admission from another school or schools, and if so, you must provide details of the other school or schools concerned.

 

 

11   Circumstances in which offers may not be made or may be withdrawn

 

An offer of admission may not be made or may be withdrawn by Emo National School where:

 

12   Sharing of Data with other schools

 

Applicants should be aware that section 66(6) of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 allows for the sharing of certain information between schools in order to facilitate the efficient admission of students.

Section 66(6) allows a school to provide a patron or another Board of Management with a list of the students in relation to whom—

 

(i) an application for admission to the school has been received,

 

(ii) an offer of admission to the school has been made, or

 

(iii) an offer of admission to the school has been accepted.

 

The list may include any or all of the following:

(i) the date on which an application for admission was received by the school;

 

(ii) the date on which an offer of admission was made by the school;

 

(iii) the date on which an offer of admission was accepted by an applicant;

 

(iv) a student’s personal details including his or her name, address, date of birth and personal public service number (within the meaning of section 262 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005).

 

 

13   Waiting list in the event of oversubscription

 

In the event of there being more applications to the school year concerned than places available, a waiting list of students whose applications for admission to Emo N.S. were unsuccessful due to the school being oversubscribed will be compiled and will remain valid for the school year in which admission is being sought.

 

Placement on the waiting list of Emo N.S. is in the order of priority assigned to the students’ applications after the school has applied the selection criteria in accordance with this admission policy.

Applicants whose applications are received after the closing date, outlined in the Annual Admission Notice, will be placed at the end of the waiting list in order of the date of receipt of the application.

 

Offers of any subsequent places that become available for and during the school year in relation to which admission is being sought will be made to those students on the waiting list, in accordance with the order of priority in relation to which the students have been placed on the list.

 

 

14   Late Applications

 

All applications for admission received after the closing date as outlined in the annual admission notice will be considered and decided upon in accordance with our school’s admissions policy, the Education Admissions to School Act 2018 and any regulations made under that Act.

 

Late applicants will be notified of the decision in respect of their application no later than three weeks after the date on which the school received the application.  Late applicants will be offered a place if there is place available.  In the event that there is no place available, the name of the applicant will be added to the waiting list as set out in Section 13.

 

15   Procedures for admission of students to other years and during the school year

 

The procedures of the school in relation to the admission of students who are not already admitted to the school to classes or years other than the school’s intake group are as follows:

 

16   Declaration in relation to the non-charging of fees

 

 

The Board of Emo N.S. or any persons acting on its behalf will not charge fees for or seek payment or contributions (howsoever described) as a condition of-

 

17    Arrangements regarding students not attending religious instruction

 

 

A written request should be made to the principal of the school.  A meeting will then be arranged with the parent(s) to discuss how the request may be accommodated by the school.

 

18    Reviews/appeals

 

Review of decisions by the Board of Management

The parent of the student, or in the case of a student who has reached the age of 18 years, the student, may request the board to review a decision to refuse admission. Such requests must be made in accordance with Section 29C of the Education Act 1998.

The timeline within which such a review must be requested and the other requirements applicable to such reviews are set out in the procedures determined by the Minister under section 29B of the Education Act 1998 which are published on the website of the Department of Education and Skills.

The board will conduct such reviews in accordance with the requirements of the procedures determined under Section 29B and with section 29C of the Education Act 1998.

Note:  Where an applicant has been refused admission due to the school being oversubscribed, the applicant must request a review of that decision by the board of management prior to making an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act 1998.

Where an applicant has been refused admission due to a reason other than the school being oversubscribed, the applicant may request a review of that decision by the board of management prior to making an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act 1998.

 

Right of appeal

Under Section 29 of the Education Act 1998, the parent of the student, or in the case of a student who has reached the age of 18 years, the student, may appeal a decision of this school to refuse admission.

An appeal may be made under Section 29 (1) (c) (i) of the Education Act 1998 where the refusal to admit was due to the school being oversubscribed.

An appeal may be made under Section 29 (1) (c) (ii) of the Education Act 1998 where the refusal to admit was due a reason other than the school being oversubscribed.

Where an applicant has been refused admission due to the school being oversubscribed, the applicant must request a review of that decision by the board of management prior to making an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act 1998. (see Review of decisions by the Board of Management)

Where an applicant has been refused admission due to a reason other than the school being oversubscribed, the applicant may request a review of that decision by the board of management prior to making an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act 1998. (see Review of decisions by the Board of Management)

Appeals under Section 29 of the Education Act 1998 will be considered and determined by an independent appeals committee appointed by the Minister for Education and Skills.

The timeline within which such an appeal must be made and the other requirements applicable to such appeals are set out in the procedures determined by the Minister under section 29B of the Education Act 1998 which are published on the website of the Department of Education and Skills.

 

Appendix A (Emo N.S. Catchment Area)

MORETTE

CAPPAKEEL

NEW INN

COOLBANAGHER

CARN

KNIGHTSTOWN

EMO KILLEEN

WOODBROOK

COOLAGH

BALLYCULLANE

EMO DANGANS

TINNAKILL

LIMETREE

EMO GARRYVACUUM

EMO LOUGH

OLD BALLYBRITTAS

EMO PARK

KILLIMY