ADMISSION POLICY – SCOIL BHRÍDE LANN LÉIRE (Updated December 6th, 2022)

School Address: Ardee Road, Dunleer, Co. Louth A92YW92

Roll Number: 18148I

School Patron: Archbishop Eamon 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.

Scoil Bhríde Lann Léire will cooperate with the National Council for Special

Education in the performance by the Council of its functions under the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 relating to the provision of education to children with special educational needs, including in particular, by the provision and operation of a special class or classes when requested to do so by the Council.

 

Scoil Bhríde Lann Léire will comply with any direction served on the patron or the board, as the case may be, under section 37A and any direction served on the board under section 67(4B) of the Education Act.

The policy was approved by the school patron on September 16th, 2020.  It is published on the school’s website (www.scoilbhridelannleire.ie) and will be made available in hardcopy, on request, to any person who requests it.

The relevant dates and timelines for Scoil Bhríde Lann Léire 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 (www.scoilbhridelannleire.ie) and will be made available in hardcopy on request to any person who requests it.

  1. Characteristic spirit and general objectives of the school

Scoil Bhríde is a co-educational, Catholic, primary school with pupils from Ireland, France, Spain, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Romania and Russia.

Our school strives to provide an organised, caring, happy and safe environment where the intellectual, spiritual, physical, moral and cultural needs of all our pupils are catered for. 

This includes enhancing the self-esteem of everyone in the school community and inspiring pupils to have respect for themselves, other people and property and to become responsible individuals and to have a voice. ​ 

Scoil Bhríde also aims to promote, both individually and collectively, the professional and personal development of teachers which in turn enhances the experiences and education of our pupils.

We aim to build strong links with parents & guardians through home-school contacts and through their involvement in the Parents Association. We also strive to develop good relationships with the wider school community by working together on activities and projects of mutual benefit.

  1. Admission Statement

Scoil Bhríde 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.

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

  1. Admission of Students

This school shall admit each student seeking admission except where –

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

(b) 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. 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:

  1. Brothers and sisters of children in this school and children of parents who themselves were pupils in the school and child of the current staff of Scoil Bhríde.
  2. Children who are attending “Little Rascals” and “Tír na nÓg” pre-schools – our local pre-school facilities.
  3. All children who live within the parish of Dunleer applying for a place are entitled to a place, if there are vacancies after 1 & 2 above have been allocated places, considering age (priority to the oldest).
  4. All children who apply to the school and are not residents within the parish boundaries are entitled to a place in the school if there are vacancies after 1 to 3 have been allocated places (priority to the oldest).

The following exceptions will be made to children applying from outside the parish:

Siblings of children already enrolled in the school and children of current staff members.

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:  Priority will be given to the oldest child.

  1. 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:

  1. a student’s prior attendance at a pre-school or pre-school service, including naíonraí.
  2. the payment of fees or contributions (howsoever described) to the school;
  3. a student’s academic ability, skills or aptitude;
  4. the occupation, financial status, academic ability, skills or aptitude of a student’s parents;
  5. a requirement that a student, or his or her parents, attend an interview, open day or other meeting as a condition of admission;
  6. a student’s connection to the school by virtue of a member of his or her family attending or having previously attended the school;
  7. 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).

  1. Decisions on applications

All decisions on applications for admission to Scoil Bhríde 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.

  1. 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).

  1. Acceptance of an offer of a place by an applicant

In accepting an offer of admission from Scoil Bhríde, 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.

  1. 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 Scoil Bhríde 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

 

  1. 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.

  1. 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 Scoil Bhríde 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 Scoil Bhríde 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.

  1. 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 a place available.  In the event there is no place available, the name of the applicant will be added to the waiting list as set out in Section 13.

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

When a child is transferring from another school with the Minister’s consent, the school requires a Letter of Transfer from the child’s previous school. All reports,  school attendance, relevant information, child safety issues and involvement of support services must be submitted with the application.  It is school policy that the Principal of Scoil Bhríde will contact the Principal of the present school of the child before a place is confirmed.

Submitting an application to enrol form does not guarantee a place. Parent will be informed in writing whether there is a place available or not. On receipt of offer written acceptance must be returned to the school within five days.

 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:

  • Transferring from another school as outlined above.
  • Junior Infants: As outline in our admissions policy.
  • If all classes are full no new admissions will be accepted during the academic school year.
  1. Declaration in relation to the non-charging of fees

The board of Scoil Bhríde 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.
  1.  Arrangements regarding students not attending religious instruction

The following is the school’s arrangement for students, where the parents request that the student attend the school without attending religious instruction in the school:

 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. These arrangements will not result in a reduction of the school day for these pupils.

The following is the school’s arrangement for students, where the parents request that the student attend the school without attending the church for practices and/or events during school hours:

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. These arrangements will not result in a reduction of the school day for these pupils.

  1. 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.