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DRAFT Admissions Policy

 

   DRAFT

Admission Policy of St. James’s Primary school

 

 

School Address: Basin Lane, Dublin 8.

 

Roll number: 20429F

 

School Patron/s:  Archbishop Diarmuid Martin

 

 

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 _______________  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 St. James’s Primary 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

 

St James’s Primary School is a safe, happy and friendly place where our children are given every opportunity to develop and grow physically, spiritually, intellectually, emotionally and socially.

Our aim is to be a centre of academic excellence with great concern for children at risk. We strive to ensure that we discover at least one strength of each child before they leave our care.

Our school aims to instil in all our pupils a great sense of worth and uniqueness, thereby enabling them to develop to their full potential.

Our school welcomes parent involvement and participation at every level through Parent’s Association, Board of Management and Home School Liaison Activities.

 

Our School Provides:

  • A quality holistic education in a welcoming school environment.
  • An excellent academic programme ensuring that each child reaches his her potential.
  • Experienced, committed and caring staff.
  • Opportunities for active parental participation in the education process, with support from the Home School Community Liason Coordinator.
  • Stimulating classroom environments that appeal to the sensory development of your child.
  • Creative teaching styles to suit all types of learners.
  • Whole school promotion of social and emotional well-being

 

3.    Admission Statement

 

St. James’s Primary School is a Catholic school whose objective is to provide education in an environment which promotes Catholic values and does not discriminate in relation to the admission of a student who has applied for a place in the school in accordance with section 7A of the Equal Status Act 2000.

 

St. James’s P.S. is a school which has established an ASD class, with the approval of the Minister for Education and Skills, which provides an education exclusively for students with a category or categories of special educational needs specified by the Minister and may refuse to admit to the class a student who does not have the category of needs specified.

St. James’s Primary School will not discriminate in its admission of a student to the school on any of the following:

 

  • the gender ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,
  • the civil status ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,
  • the family status ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,
  • the sexual orientation ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,
  • the religion ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,
  • the disability ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,
  • the ground of race of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,
  • the Traveller community ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned, or
  • the ground that the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned has special educational needs

 

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.

 

 

4.    Categories of Special Educational Needs catered for in the school/special class

 

 

St. James’s Primary School with the approval of the Minister for Education and Skills, has established a class to provide an education exclusively for students with Autism.

 

5.    Admission of Students

 

St. James’s Primary School Admission Policy welcomes all pupils for whom the school can provide an appropriate education. As a general principle, and in so far as practicable having regard to the school’s enrolment policy, children will be enrolled on application, provided that there is space available. The Board will have regard for any relevant DES guidelines in relation to class size or staffing provisions and if or any other relevant requirements concerning accommodation, such as physical space or the health and welfare of children.

 

 

Application for enrolment in the school is made by completing the school’s application form and returning it to the school office by 05/03/2021.

 

This school shall admit each student seeking admission except where –

 

  1. the school is oversubscribed (please see 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

 

 

St. James’s P.S. is a Catholic school and may refuse to admit as a student a person who is not of catholic religion where it is proved that the refusal is essential to maintain the ethos of the school.

 

  1. 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:

 

Criteria:

  1. Brothers and sisters of children already in the school or have attended the school in the past.
  2. Children of parents/grandparents who are past pupils of the school.

In relation to (2) parents and grandparents having attended, a school may only apply this criteria to a maximum of 25% of the available spaces as set out in the school’s annual admission notice).

  1. Children in the immediate catchment area of Dublin 8.
  2. Children from the extended catchement area of Dublin 12.
  3. Children of current teaching staff.
  4. Children who are 4 years of age by the 1st April of the year they are enrolling
  5. If places are still available then places will be allocated on the basis of age starting with the oldest applicant.

Junior Infant Applications will be accepted any number of years in advance of admission but does not guarantee admission. Priority criteria will be applied.

 

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:

 

  • Class numbers are completed from the full list of applicants, which is compiled and ordered according to the date of the original application.
  • The criteria are listed in order of priority when spaces are allocated under criterion 1 and space is still available then criterion 2 comes into play and so on.
  • This prioritisation proceeds until all places have been allocated.

The special class attached to St. James’s P.S. provides an education exclusively for students with Autism and the school may refuse admission to this class, where the student concerned does not have the specified category of special educational needs provided for in this class.

 

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:

 

 

  • a student’s prior attendance at a pre-school or pre-school service

 

  • the payment of fees or contributions (howsoever described) to the school;

 

  • a student’s academic ability, skills or aptitude;

(other than in relation to:

  • admission to the ASD class insofar as it is necessary in order to ascertain whether or not the student has the category of special educational needs concerned.
  • the occupation, financial status, academic ability, skills or aptitude of a student’s parents;

 

  • a requirement that a student, or his or her parents, attend an interview, open day or other meeting as a condition of admission

 

  • The date and time on which an application for admission was received by the school,

 

This is subject to the application being received at any time during the period specified for receiving applications set out in the annual admission notice of the school for the school year concerned.

This is also subject to the school making offers based on existing waiting lists (up until 31st January 2025 only).

8.    Decisions on applications

 

All decisions on applications for admission to St. James’s Primary School will be based on the following:

  • Our school’s admission policy
  • The school’s annual admission notice (where applicable)
  • The information provided by the applicant in the school’s official application form received during the period specified in our annual admission notice for receiving applications

 

(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 St. James’s Primary 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 are 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 St.James’s P.S. where—

  • it is established that information contained in the application is false or misleading.
  • an applicant fails to confirm acceptance of an offer of admission on or before the date set out in the annual admission notice of the school.
  • the 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; or
  • an applicant has failed to comply with the requirements of ‘acceptance of an offer’ as set out in section 10

 

 

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.

 

 

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 St. James’s P.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 St. James’s P.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.

 

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.

 

 

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:

The school will make every reasonable effort to facilitate a pupil seeking a transfer to our school. The B.O.M. will decide whether or not a transfer:

  • is in agreement with the school’s Admissions Policy
  • is in the best interest of the pupil
  • is in the best interest of the school
  • is of educational benefit to the pupil.

The Education Welfare Act (2000) requires that information concerning the attendance and the child’s educational progress be communicated between schools.

The procedures of the school in relation to the admission of  students who are not already admitted to the school, after the commencement of the school year in which admission is sought, are as follows:

  • Contact the school office or the HSCL to fill in an application form and bring an original birth certificate.
  • Parents will be notified within a few days if there is any space available in that year grouping.

 

 

16. Declaration in relation to the non-charging of fees

 

This rule applies to all schools.

 

The Board of Managmenet of St. James’s P.S. or any persons acting on its behalf will not charge fees for or seek payment or contributions (howsoever described) as a condition of-

  • an application for admission of a student to the school, or
  • the admission or continued enrolment of a student in the school.

 

 

17.  Arrangements regarding students not attending religious instruction

 

If parents wish to have their children opt out of formal religious education the school offers the following options:

  • If alternatiove supervision is not possible ,staying within the classroom and engaging in an educationally appropriate activity – reading a novel, fine motor activities, educational online games/work, project work, wellbeing activities, free writing etc.
  • Split timetabling of religious education across class streams
  • Children are always invited but not obliged to attend Catholic religious celebrations in the school. Individual children, with parental consent, may wish to participate in these celebrations by participating in art activities, doing dramas or singing in the choir.
  • School assemblies acknowledge festivals associated with the other faith traditions in the school.

 

18.  Reviews/appeals

 

Review of decisions by the Board of Management

The parent/guardian of 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/guardian of the student, may appeal a decision of this school to refuse admission.  An appeal can be made in writing to the Board of Management up to 3 weeks after the refusal of 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.