Enrolment Policy

INTRODUCTION:

The Enrolment Policy of Moneenroe N.S., has been formulated in accordance with the provisions of the education Act 1998 in order to assist parents in relation to enrolment matters.  The Chairperson of the Board of Management or the Principal will be happy to clarify any further matters arising from the Policy.

 

 

GENERAL INFORMATION:

Moneenroe N.S.,

The Glen, Moneenroe, Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny.

Tel.:                                                         056 4442288

Email:                                                      gaz.ias@eircom.net

Roll No:                                                   16204F

Principal:                                                 Mr. Philip Lonergan

Chairperson of Board of Management:   Fr. Martin Tobin

 

Moneenroe N.S is a rural co-educational Catholic school under the patronage of the Bishop of Ossory, Dr. Seamus Freeman.  The school caters for the full range of classes from Junior Infants to sixth class.  It is an inclusive school and caters for children of all abilities.  The school has a Board of Management and a Parents Association.  At present it has a teaching principal, 3 other classroom teachers, shared learning support and part time resource teachers and an SNA.

The school day commences at 9.20 each morning.

Morning break is from 11 am to 11.15 am

Lunch break is from 12.45 pm to 1.15 pm

Junior & Senior Infants go home at 2.pm

1st  to 6th Class go home at 3 pm

A school calendar is issued to parents/guardians each year.

 

The school aims to promote the full and harmonious development of all pupils: cognitive, intellectual, physical, cultural, moral, and spiritual, including a living relationship with God and other people.

 

Moneenroe N.S operates under the Rules for National Schools and Departmental Circulars and is funded by grants from the Department of Education and Skills (DES) and from fund-raising activities.

Staff are resourced by the DES. The school is subject to the Education Act (1998), The Education Welfare Act (2000), The Education of Persons with Special Education Needs Act (2004), equality law and all other relevant legislation.  Moneenroe N.S follows the curricular programmes laid down by the DES, which may be amended from time to time in accordance with the Education Act (1998).

 

Within the context and parameters of the department regulations and programmes, the rights of the patron as set out in the Education Act (1998) and the funding and resources available, the school supports the principles of:

• Inclusiveness, particularly with reference to the enrolment of children with a disability or other special educational need

 

• Equality of access and participation in the school

 

• Parental choice in relation to enrolment

 

• Respect for diversity of values, traditions, languages and ways of life in society.

 

 

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 Ethos, 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 light of the resources available to it

 

• To inform parents of enrolment procedures

 

• 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.

 

 

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:

Application for enrolment in the school is made by completing the school’s Application Form (Appendix A) and returning it to the school office. Advance notification of the availability of application forms will be made to potential pupils:

• Through family members already in the school
• Through the Parish Newsletter
• Through the local newspapers
• By following up on enquiries
• By placing some application forms in local preschools.

Reminders of the closing date for the return of application forms will be posted in the Parish newsletter.

 

Decisions in relation to application for enrolment are made by the Board of Management of the School.

 

Parents/Guardians will be informed of the outcome, in writing and within 21 days of the closing date for receipt of Application Forms.  Parents/Guardians of children enrolled in Junior Infants, along with their children will be invited to an open afternoon in June each year.  This is for the purpose of familiarising both parents and children with the school surroundings and to welcome them to our school community, along with answering any queries they have, while outlining the key tenets that our school operates under and which are outlined throughout this and our other school policies.

 

 

POLICY CONSIDERATIONS:

• Junior Infants are enrolled on the first day of the new school year provided the child has reached his/her 4th birthday. Junior Infants will not be enrolled during the year unless transferring from another school.  This is for educational reasons as the curriculum is progressive and it is necessary for the child to complete a full year.

 

• 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, family or social circumstances.

 

• The completion of an Application Form or the placement of a child’s name on a list, however early, does not confer an automatic right to a place in the school.

 

• Children enrolled in Moneenroe N.S. are required to co-operate with and support the school’s Code of Behaviour as well as all other policies.  Parents/Guardians are responsible for ensuring that their child/children co-operate with these policies in an age-appropriate way. A copy of the Code of Behaviour will be made available to all parents.

 

• While recognizing the rights of parents/guardians to enrol their chlid in the school of their choice, the Board of Management of Moneenroe NS is also responsible for respecting the rights of the existing school community and in particular, the children already enrolled.  This requires balanced judgments, which are guided by the principles of natural justice and act in the best interest of the children.

 

• Consequently, the Board of Management reserves the right to determine the maximum number of children in each separate classroom bearing in mind:

1. Health & Safety concerns regarding staff and children
2. Available classroom space
3. Multi-grade classes
4. Educational needs of the children
5. Presence of children with special needs
6. Department of Education and Skills class size guidelines
7. Appropriate supports and resources are available.

 

 

CRITERIA:

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:

• Children living within the traditional catchment area of the school

• Brothers and sisters of children already enrolled (including step siblings living at the same address)

• Children living within the parish

• Children of current school staff

• Children living outside the parish

If priority needs to be given to children in any of the above categories, older children will be given priority.

 

 

CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS:

Children with special needs enrolling in Moneenroe N.S will be resourced in accordance with the level of resources provided by the Department of Education and Skills to the Board of Management. It is the responsibility of the parents/guardians to inform the school of any such needs on the enrolment application. 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. Following receipt of the report, the Board will assess how the school can meet the needs specified in the report. Where the Board deems that further resources are required it will, prior to enrolment, request the Department of Education and Skills to provide the resources required to meet the needs of the child as outlined in the psychological and/or medical report. These resources may include for example, access to or the provision of any or a combination of the following: resource teacher, special needs assistant, specialized equipment or furniture, etc.

 

The school will meet with the parents/guardians of the child to discuss the child’s needs and the school’s suitability or capability in meeting those needs. If considered necessary, a full case conference will be held which will include parents/guardians, principal, class teacher, learning support teacher and relevant outside agencies.

The Board of Management may deem it necessary to defer enrolment of a particular child pending:

a) The receipt of assessment reports and/or

b) The provision of resources by the DES to meet the needs of the child.

 

 

PUPILS TRANSFERRING FROM ANOTHER SCHOOL:

Pupils wishing to transfer from other schools during the school year may be enrolled subject to the school’s Enrolment Policy and available space. In compliance with the Education Welfare Act 2000, the Principal will request a record of the child’s attendance and educational progress, including behaviour, from the school from which the child is transferring.

 

The school also asks that he incoming child’s parents/guardians submit a transfer letter from the Board of Management of the previous school.

 

 

EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES:

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

• The pupil has special needs such that, even with additional resources available from the DES, the school cannot meet such needs and/or provide the pupil with an appropriate education.

 

• In the opinion of the Board of Management, the pupil poses an unacceptable risk to other pupils, to school staff or to school property.

 

 

APPEALS PROCEDURES:

Parents/Guardians 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/Guardians, if unhappy with the result of this appeal, may appeal to the DES under Section 29 of the Education Act on the official form provided by the DES. 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.

 

 

MONITORING PROCEDURES:

The Board of Management will monitor the implementation of all aspects of the Policy. The Principal will report regularly to the Board of Management regarding the process of enrolment.

 

 

REVIEW PROCEDURE:

This policy will be reviewed regularly by the Board of Management.

 

This policy was ratified by the Board of Management on April 21st 2015.