Admissions Policy

 
 

21st September 2011

ADMISSIONS POLICY ST. DAVID’S HOLY FAITH SECONDARY SCHOOL, GREYSTONES, CO. WICKLOW

INTRODUCTION

School Culture and Ethos

St. David’s is a Holy Faith Secondary Co-Educational school under the Le Cheile Catholic Schools Trust, which aims to maintain a Christian environment where teachers and students can learn and work together in an atmosphere of co-operation and mutual respect. More specifically, it aims to guarantee justice and fairness for all, to protect every student’s right to benefit fully from their education in St. David’s and to enable all students to work to the best of their ability in the classroom and so to achieve their full potential.

Every reasonable effort is made to accommodate the individuality of each student while at the same time acknowledging the right of each student to receive his/ her education in a safe environment conducive to good education.

The ethos of a school is a major factor in establishing and maintaining high standards of behaviour and discipline. This is characterised by a strong sense of community within the school and a high level of co-operation between staff, students and parents/guardians, achieved through good relationships. Management and staff promote to the best of their ability the educational welfare of all students.

Total school enrolment is determined annually by the Board of Management as is the right of a Board of Management. This is to safeguard the health and safety of all in the confined area of the school and ensure the best possible educational provision for each student.

St David’s Secondary School, Greystones, Co. Wicklow welcomes all students for whom the school can provide an appropriate education (subject to the proviso highlighted above) subject to:-

  • The Department of Education and  Skills regulations and programmes
  • The right of the Trustees/Board of Management as set out in the Education Act 1998 (section 15 (I), (2) and,
  • The funding and resources available.

The School supports the following principles:-

  • Inclusiveness, particularly with reference to the enrolment of students with a disability or other special  educational needs.
  • Equality with respect to maximum access and participation in the school.
  • Parental choice in relation to choice of school, having regard for the characteristic spirit of the school.
  • Respect for the diversity of beliefs, languages, traditions and ways of life in society.
  • Education Act 1998 (section 15).

 

First Year Enrolment Criteria 2014/15

St David’s Secondary School, Greystones, Co. Wicklow

(as approved by the Board of Management at their meeting of 21/09/2011)

In the event that the total number of First Year applicants exceeds the number of places available, as decided by St David’s Board of Management,  the following Criteria will be applied to determine to whom places will be offered.

Criterion 1.

Applicants, who have a parent/guardian working full-time for at least one year within the school and who apply by the specified date, will be automatically entitled to a place.

These must be received by the closing date specified for receipt of applications together with the relevant fee and all other documentation.

Criterion 2.

Applicants, who at present have a brother or sister attending, or had in the past a brother or sister attending St David’s.

Places will be offered, in order of receipt of completed application form, administration fee and all other documents requested.  These must be received by the closing date specified for receipt of applications.

If, after applying Criterion 2 there are still places remaining, Criterion 3 will be applied to the remaining applicants.

Criterion 3.

Applicants, whose parents/guardians live in the Holy Rosary Parish and  who attend a primary school within that parish as detailed below : -

  1. 1. St Kevin’s N. S., Greystones
  2. 2. St, Laurence’s N.S., Greystones
  3. 3. St. Brigid’s N.S., Greystones
  4. 4. St. Patrick’s N. S., Greystones
  5. 5. Gaelscoil na gCloch Liath
  6. 6. Greystones Educate Together

Places will be offered, in order of receipt of completed application form, administration fee and all other documents requested.  These must be received by the closing date specified for receipt of applications.

If, after applying Criterion 3 there are still places remaining, Criterion 4 will be applied to the remaining applicants.

Criterion 4.

Applicants, whose parents/guardians live in the Kilquade Parish and  who attend a primary school within the Holy Rosary Parish (as listed under Criterion 3).

Places will be offered, in order of receipt of completed application form, administration fee and all other documents requested.  These must be received by the closing date specified for receipt of applications.

If, after applying Criterion 4 there are still places remaining, Criterion 5 will be applied to the remaining applicants.

Criterion 5.

Applicants, whose parents/guardians live in the Kilquade Parish and who attend a primary school within the Kilquade Parish, namely:

Delgany N.S.

Newtownmountkennedy Primary School

St. Anthony’s N.S Kilcoole

St. Brigid’s  N.S Kilcoole

St. Francis’ N.S. Newcastle

 

All primary schools are listed as per alphabetical order.

Places will be offered, in order of receipt of completed application form, administration fee and all other documents requested.  These must be received by the closing date specified for receipt of applications.

If, after applying Criterion 5 there are still places remaining, Criterion 6 will be applied to the remaining applicants.

Criterion 6.

Applicants, whose parents/guardians live in the Holy Rosary parish, and  who attend  primary school outside the Holy Rosary and Kilquade Parishes.

Places will be offered, in order of receipt of completed application form, administration fee and all other documents requested.  These must be received by the closing date specified for receipt of applications.

If, after applying Criterion 6 there are still places remaining, Criterion 7 will be applied to the remaining applicants.

Criterion 7.

If, after applying Criterion 1 through 6, there are still places remaining then the remaining applicants will be considered on a case by case basis and subject to the resources available within the school.

Places will be offered, in order of receipt of completed application form, administration fee and all other documents requested.  These must be received by the closing date specified for receipt of applications.

If, after all the places have been allocated, there are students whose application form and other documentation and relevant fee were on time, such applications will be put on top of the waiting list in the order in which they were received.

LATE APPLICATIONS

Applications received after the closing date, which for 2014/15 will be Monday 21st November at 11.a.m. will be considered late applications and will only be dealt with after all the applications received on time have been processed.  If there are places remaining, these will be offered to late applications in the order in which they were received irrespective of criteria.  If there are no places remaining, these late applications will be placed on the waiting list in the order in which they were received.

Parents/ Guardians will be informed by the school whether their son’s / daughter’s application has been successful within 21 days of the closing date of receipt of application form, registration fee and other relevant documentation.

St David’s welcomes applications from students with special educational needs unless the nature and degree of those needs is such that to enrol the student concerned would be inconsistent with both the best interest of the student concerned and the effective provision of education for the other students with whom the student concerned is to be educated.

The Board of Management reserves the right to refuse enrolment to any student in exceptional cases. Such an exceptional case could include the following:

  1. Student has special needs such that, even with additional resources available from the Department of Education and Skills, the school cannot meet such needs and/or provide the student with appropriate education or
  1. In the opinion of the Board of Management, the student poses an unacceptable risk to other students, to school staff, or to school property.

ENROLMENT PROCEDURE:-

The parent/guardian wishing to have their child considered for a place in St. David’s must send a letter of enquiry. The letter must include:

  • Child’s name
  • Date of birth
  • Name of current primary school
  • Class in that primary school
  • Year for which a place in St David’s is sought
  • Parent/guardian’s name
  • Home address
  • Phone number(s)

The letter of enquiry will be acknowledged by St David’s as soon as possible.

Date of Letter of Enquiry 2014/15 is Monday 24th October at 3.30p.m.

Letters of enquiry received after that date will not be dealt with until after the application process is completed for those pupils whose parent(s)/guardian(s) forwarded the Letter of Enquiry on time.  This will mean such applications are late and will be on a waiting list for the relevant year.

When the child is in 4th class, an application form and other relevant documentation will be forwarded to the parent/guardian at the address provided in the letter of enquiry. This address to be the normal residence of parent/ guardian and student.

The completed application form, any other relevant documentation including the administration fee (as set by the Board of Management), should be returned to the school addressed to the Deputy Principal by the date specified,  and will be numbered in order of receipt of complete applications.

TRANSFER OF STUDENT FROM ANOTHER SCHOOL

(a)  The normal year of entry to St. David’s is in 1st Year.  However, sometimes applications are received from parent(s)/guardian(s) of students for a place in a year other than 1st Year.

The school will make every reasonable effort to facilitate a student seeking a transfer to St. David’s.  The Board of Management will decide on an application for admission to any other year other than First Years by applying the following criteria.

The Principal will decide whether or not a transfer:-

  • Can be accommodated within current class size and subject options.
  • Is in agreement with school Admissions Policy.
  • Is of educational benefit to the student.
  • Is accompanied by all relevant information from the previous school i.e. 2 recent reports, a reference from Principal/Deputy Principal and State Examination results (if applicable)
  • Requires a consultation with the Educational Welfare Officer.
  • Is in accordance with the Health, Safety and Welfare at Work Act (1989).

Where a student is considered for a place, the decision will be taken by the Principal who will consult with the student’s parents/guardians, his/her former school and, if required, the Educational Welfare Officer.  It will also be decided if such a place may be offered immediately or whether it would be better to defer transfer until the beginning of the next academic year.

(b) Re-admission of student, who left St. David’s.

A student who left St. David’s and who then wishes to return to resume his/her studies must follow the same procedure as for “Transfer of Student from another school” above.  Re-entry to St. David’s, for such students, is not automatic.

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