Enrolment Policy

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The admission Policy of Scoil Naomh Eoin is in accordance with the provision of the Education Act 1998, the Education Welfare act 2000, the relevant Heath and safety legislation and equality legislation. The Board of management trusts that it will be helpful to parents in relation to enrolment matters. The Chairperson of the B.O.M. ( Mr Denis Smith, Dunmoe, Navan) and the Principal ( Mary Mc Mahon) will be happy to clarify any further matters arising from the Policy.

Scoil Naomh Eoin opened on September 1^st 2003. The school serves the people of the Catholic parish of Navan.  It  is a Catholic school that has been established with the Minister of Education and Science having as its Patron most Reverend Michael Smith, the Bishop of Meath. It aims at promoting the full harmonious development of all aspects of the person of the pupil-intellectual, physical, cultural, moral and spiritual, including a living relationship with God and other people. Scoil Naomh Eoin is a coeducational school and will cater for classes from Junior Infants up to and including Sixth Class

Equality of access is the key value that determines the enrolment of children in our school. No child is refused admission for reasons of ethnicity, special educational needs, language/accent, gender, traveller status, asylum seeker/refugee status, religious or political beliefs or values, family or social status

As a general principle and in so far is practicable, children will be enrolled on application, provided the criteria are adhered to

 

 

 

Procedures  and Criteria

 

1. Application procedure

Parents who wish to enrol pupils in Junior Infants should contact the school during Parish Enrolment week (where applicable) which will be announced in the Parish church bulletin.Parents can also ring the school and an enrolment form will be sent to them .which they may fill in and return to the school.

2. Provision of information by Parents

When enrolling children, parents will be asked to complete an enrolment application form providing specific helpful details about the child

3. Decision making

Decisions in relation to application for enrolment are made by the B.O.M. of the school in accordance with school policy

Health and Safety Legislation

Equality legislation

Scoil Naomh Eoin will strive to cater for:

• Sisters and brothers of pupils already enrolled in the school and Catholic children within the parish boundary;
• Children of current staff members including ancillary staff.
• Catholic children living outside the parish boundary;
• All other children living  within the parish boundary;
• All other children from outside the parish boundary

 

On accepting a place in our school, it is deemed that our code of discipline (Discipline for Learning Policy- DFL) and all other school policies are adhered to

Scoil Naomh Eoin Primary school is a Catholic school. It is under the patronage of the Bishop of Meath, Most Rev. Dr. Michael Smith.

While recognising the rights of parents to enrol their child in the school of their choice, the Board of Management of Scoil Naomh Eoin reserves the right to determine the criteria used to allocate admissions. This requires balanced judgements, which are guided by the principles of natural justice and acting in the best interests of all the children.

Scoil Naomh Eoin depends on the grants and resources provided by the Department of Education and Science. It operates within the regulations laid down from time to time, by the Department and has regard to the resources and funding available. Scoil Naomh Eoin follows the curricular programmes currently prescribed by DES

These criteria also apply

• Availability of grants and teacher resources provided by the Department of Education and Science
• Educational Needs of the children
• Multi-grade classes.
• Presence of children with special educational/ behavioural needs.
• DES maximum class average directives.
• Advice from our patron, Bishop Michael Smith, Bishop of Meath.

 

Enrolment  of Junior  Infants

Admission of Junior Infants normally takes place in the autumn on the first day of the new school year. If a child is not four years of age before 1 September, then he/she cannot be enrolled.

Appeals

• Parents who are unhappy 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 10 days of receiving the final refusal.
• If unhappy with the outcome of this appeal, they may then appeal to the Department of Education and Science on the official form provided by this Department.  This appeal must be lodged within 42 days of receipt of the final refusal from the school.

 

Exceptional Circumstances

The school reserves the right to refuse enrolment to any pupil in exceptional cases.  For example such an exceptional case could arise where either.

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

 

The parents of any pupil who has been refused enrolment, for any reason, are entitled to appeal that refusal pursuant to Section 29 of the Education Act 1998 and, in such circumstances should be advised in writing of their entitlement to such an appeal.

Review of Policy       

Boards of Management have the right to review and propose amendments to this enrolment policy.  Amendments proposed require the Patron’s approval before they become operative.

General Guidelines

In discussing admissions/enrolment policy, Board of Management are advised to consult the Catholic Primary School Managers Association handbook, revised 2007, appendix 39(a) ‘Enrolment/Admission Policy Guidelines’, pp 291-294.

Appendix

The relevant rules/statues are the following:

• Rule 64 of the Rules of National Schools under the Department of Education and Science (enrolment of pupils):
• Section 9 (m) of the Education Act 1998 (functions of a school-in relation to establishing and maintaining an admissions policy):
• Section 15(2) of the Education Act 1998 (duty of Board of Management to publish Enrolment/Admission Policy):
• Section 15 (d) of the Education Act 1998 (parental choice in relation to school):
• Section 7(3) (c) of the Equal Status Act 2000(ethos consideration):
• Section 29(1) (c) of the Education Act 1998 (parents right to appeal against refusal to enrol a child):
• Education (Welfare) Act 2000 (compulsory attendance does not apply until pupil is six years of age).