Enrolment Form. (pdf, 261kb)

Enrolment Policy and Admissions Policy. (pdf, 121kb)

General Introduction

The enrolment policy of St. Fiachra’s Senior School is set out in accordance with the provisions of the Education Act (1998). The Board of Management trusts that by so doing parents will be assisted in relation to enrolment matters. The Chairperson of the Board of Management, and the School Principal, Mr. Kieran Creaner , St. Fiachra’s Senior School, Montrose Park, (Tel: 018477762) will be happy to clarify any further matters arising from this policy.

 

St. Fiachra’s Senior School is a Catholic National School for boys and girls under the patronage of the Archbishop of Dublin, and is situated at Montrose Park, Beaumont, Dublin 5. 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 and promotes a Christian philosophy of life.

 

There are approximately 30 teachers including an administrative principal and deputy principal, there are seven learning support teacher for children with special educational needs, and 22 mainstream class teachers. The school caters for pupils from approximately age 9 years to 12 years in classes from Third to Sixth Class.

 

The school depends on grants and teacher resources provided by the Department of Education and Science and operates within the rules and regulations laid down from time to time by the Department of Education and Science. This enrolment policy will have regard to available funding and resources.

 

The school is subject to The Education Act (1998), The Education Welfare Act (2000), The Education for Persons with Special Education Needs Act (2004) and all relevant equality and employment legislation. St. Fiachra’s Senior School follows the curricular programmes laid down by the Department of Education and Science which may be amended from time to time in accordance with Sections 9 and 30 of the Education Act (1998).

 

Within the context and parameters of Department of Education and Science regulations and programmes, the rights of the Patron as set out in the Education Act (1998) and the funding and resources available the enrolment policy of St. Fiachra’s Senior 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 and
  • Respect for the diversity of values, beliefs, traditions, languages and ways of life in society.

 

Therefore, no child will be refused access to St. Fiachra’s Senior School for reasons of ethnicity, special educational needs, disability, accent, language, traveller status, asylum seeker/refugee status, religious or political beliefs or values, family or social circumstances provided the school has the expertise and the facilities to cater for such children. ( Education Welfare Act 2000)

 

Procedures

As a general principle and insofar as practicable having regard to the enrolment policy of St. Fiachra’s Senior School, children will be enrolled on application provided there is space available.

 

Pupils will, as a rule, only be admitted to Third class during the month of September. Following the application procedure, children may be admitted to all classes during the school year provided they are transferring from another school. Children entering the school should have completed the relevant curricular programmes, or their equivalent, prior to enrolment e.g. a child entering third class should have completed the relevant courses from Junior Infant to second class or their equivalent.

 

Application Procedure

Provision of Key Information by Parents

Allocation of places is at the discretion of the school Board of Management. Applications will only be accepted on the basis of a fully completed School Application form. The school will request such information as it deems necessary to process the application. Such information includes:

 

  • Pupil’s Name, address, D.O.B.;
  • Names and addresses of pupil’s parents / guardians and their contact numbers;
  • Relevant contact details in case of emergency;
  • Details of medical conditions, allergies, or special education need that the school should be aware of;
  • Religion;
  • Previous schools attended and school contact details.

 

The application form must be accompanied by a copy of Birth Certificate/ Baptismal Certificate if appropriate. Evidence of residency may be requested in the form of a household bill etc. Parents of children with medical conditions that may necessitate serious medical intervention, will be asked to furnish the school with four passport type photos as part of our ‘Administration of Medicines Policy’. The application form must be signed by at least one parent (or guardian). On signing the application form, parents commit themselves and the child to abiding by and supporting the policies of the school which may be revised from time to time. The relevant policies are published on the school website.

 

The principal intake occurs in September of each year, the bulk of which is made up of transfers from St. Fiachra’s Junior School.

 

Decision Making

The Board of Management makes decisions relating to enrolment in accordance with school policy.  In the event that applications exceed the number of spaces available the Board of Management has determined that priority in the allocation of places will be given to the following groups of children :

 

  • Catholic children of the parish (see definition below);

 

  • Brothers and sisters of children already enrolled in the senior and junior schools;

 

  • Children of teachers and other employees of the junior and senior schools;

 

  • Catholic children who live outside the parish who do not have a Catholic school in their parish;

 

  • Non – Catholic children who live within the parish;

 

  • Catholic children who live outside the parish who have a catholic school in their parish;

 

  • Non – Catholic children who are not residents of the parish with priority given to children whose home address is closest to the school (as measured by a straight line on an O.S. map).

 

Places will be allocated thereafter according to the priorities above and confirmed by the Board of Management at its next meeting. If necessary the additional criteria of the age of pupils may be taken into account and priority given to older children. In the event of a child not obtaining a place on the grounds of age priority will be given in the subsequent school year.

 

In the application of these criteria the Board of Management reserves the right to make exceptions to provide for the enrolment of children of staff members, children of ethnic minorities, traveller children, children of refugees, asylum seekers etc.

 

Parents will be notified of the decision of the Board of Management within 21 days of its meeting at which enrolment decisions are made.

 

In determining enrolment the Board of Management shall take into account Department of Education and Science regulations regarding

  • staffing provisions,
  • maximum class size and maximum class average and any other relevant requirements concerning accommodation such as
  • physical space,
  • the educational needs and rights of children already enrolled,
  • the pre-existence of multi-grade classes and
  • the presence of children with special educational/behavioural needs.

 

 In this regard, the Board will be guided by the Department pupil / teacher ratio for average class size and will endeavour not to exceed that number. In 2015, the DES guidelines is for pupil/teacher ratio is 28:1 per class teacher. As we have been sanctioned for 22 mainstream classes, this implies that the maximum number of pupils we can cater for is 28 X 22 = 616.

The school Board of Management is ever mindful of its duties of care to the pupils of St. Fiachra’s Senior School and all who work in the school with regard to space in the classrooms, compliance with the Health and Safety Act, Special Needs provision and school ethos. Every effort therefore, will be made to maintain the Pupil/Teacher ratio used by the DES as far as possible. The Board of Management shall at all times have regard for the Health, Safety and Welfare of pupils and teachers and others who work in the school.

Appeals Procedure

Parents who are dissatisfied with an enrolment decision, may appeal to the Board of Management. It 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, if unhappy with the result of this appeal, may appeal to the Department of Education and Science under Section 29 of the Education Act on the official form provided by the Department.  This appeal must be lodged within 42 days of receipt of the refusal from the school to enrol.

 

Enrolment of Pupils with Special Needs

In relation to applications for the enrolment of children with special needs the Board of Management may request a copy of any relevant medical or psychological reports as are available. If such a report is not available it is open to the Board to request that the child be assessed prior to enrolment. The purpose of the assessment is to establish the educational needs of the child relevant to his disability/special needs and to profile the support services required.

 

Following receipt of such a report the Board of Management shall assess how the school can meet the needs specified in the report. If further resources are required the Board of Management will, prior to enrolment, request the Department of Education and Science to provide the required resources. These may include any combination of the following visiting teacher service, resource teacher for special needs, special needs assistant, specialised equipment or furniture, transport or other services.

 

The school principal will meet with the parents/guardians of the child to discuss the child’s needs and the suitability and capability of St. Fiachra’s Senior School to meet those needs. If necessary, a full case conference may be called which may include parents, principal, class teacher, learning support teacher, special class teacher, resource teacher, psychologist, and other relevant personnel such as the EWO and SENO..

Speech and Language Class / Autism unit
St. Fiachra’s Senior School has no Speech and Language Class, Autism unit, or other specialised facility and cannot cater for children who need such specific expertise as would be available in such units.

 

Transfer of Pupils

Pupils may transfer to the school at any time subject to school policy, available space, the provisions of the Education Welfare Act (2000) and, in some cases, the approval of the Department of Education and Science.

 

Code of Behaviour , Anti-Bullying & School Uniform Policies

Children enrolled in St. Fiachra’s Senior School are required to co-operate with all of the school’s policies and in particular, the school’s Code of Behaviour, Anti-Bullying policy and other policies on curriculum, uniform, organisation and management. These are all available to parents and guardians on request and can be viewed on the school website. Parents/guardians are responsible for ensuring that their children co-operate with these policies in an age appropriate way.

 

This policy was first approved by the Board of Management at its meeting of May 7 2009 and is reviewed at least once during the term of office of the Board and changed where deemed necessary and appropriate.

This version was ratified by the BoM on June 9 2015.

 

Appendix 1: The ‘Parish’ is defined as those houses in the areas listed below.

 

Parish of the Nativity, Beaumont, Dublin 5

The parish consists of the following roads and estates (as defined in 2009):

 

 

Montrose Court                     Ardmore Park            Whitethorn Ave.

Montrose Drive                       Ardmore Drive           Whitethorn Grove

Montrose Close                       Ardmore Close            Whitethorn Close

Montrose Crescent                  Ardmore Crescent       Whitethorn Crescent

Montrose Park                        Ardmore Grove           Whitethorn Park

Montrose Ave.                                                                        Whitethorn Rise

Montrose Grove                                                          Whitethorn Road

 

Elm Mount Park                    Elm Mount Drive        Elm Mount Lawns

Elm Mount Heights                Elm Mount Rise          Elm Mount Crescent

Elm Mount View                    Elm Mount Grove       Elm Mount Ave 2-84&1-83

 

Beaumont Rd. 78 – 166 & 89 – 183                          Coolatree Rd.

Beaumont Crescent                                                     Coolatree Close

 

Beaumont Woods:                                                    Collinswood inc

The Park                                                                     Chestnut Court

The Green

The Close

Ivy Court

 

Beauvale Park

 

Dromeen Ave.                        Drom na Nane Rd.      Drom na Nane Park

Dromawling Road                  Dromlee Crescent       Drombawn Ave.

 

 

 

 

 

Appendix 2:

Saint Fiachra’s Senior School

Montrose Park, Beaumont, Dublin 5

Email: principal@fiachras.ie; Phone 8477762

Principal: Mr. Kieran Creaner MSc BEd;

Application Form

 

Today’s date: ____/____/_______  (date of application)

 

Proposed date of enrolment: ____/____/__________

 

Child’s Full Name: ……………….…………………………………………….

 

Address: …………………………………………………………………………

 

……………………………………………………………………………………

 

Date of Birth: ….…./…../…… Religion: ……………… Nationality:……………..

 

Parish: ……………………………………………………. Home Telephone:…..…..

 

Parent(s)/guardian(s):

 

Father:  …………………………………………     Occupation: ……………………

 

Mother:  ………………………………………        Occupation:.……………………

 

Contact Moblie Numbers : ………………………………….………………………..

 

Parents who work outside the home, should provide a name and contact for use in emergency.

Contact 1:  ………………………………………    Number: ……………………

 

Contact 2 :  ………………………………………   Number: ……………………

 

Class for which application is made …………… to enrol year ………………..

 

Number of children in the family ……… place of applicant in family: ………

 

If applicant has a sister/brother in school, please give details.

 

Name ……………………………………………..   Class:…………………………..

 

Name ……………………………………………..   Class:…………………………..

 

pto à

 

 

 

What Primary school has your child attended previously?

 

School: ……………………………………………. Classes completed:……………..

 

Please state relevant facts/medical conditions of which teachers should be aware:

 

…………………………………………………………………………………..

 

Please state whether your child has any Special Educational Needs of which the school should be aware: All pupils are welcome to enrol, irrespective of learning needs and students with special education needs are supported to participate to the greatest extent possible in all school activities.

 

…………………………………………………………………………………….

 

If so, has your child had a psychological assessment? If yes, please give details & date.

…………………………………………………………………………………..

 

Does any legal order under family law exist that the school should know about?

 

…………………………………………………………………………………….

Have you attached ?             (a) Birth Certificate   Yes  ………  No ………

 

(b) Baptismal Cert:    Yes  ………  No ………

 

(c ) Proof of Address  Yes  ………  No ………

 

I certify that the above information is accurate.

Please note that this is an application form only and is not a guarantee of admission to the school. Allocation of places is a function of the Board of Management of St. Fiachra’s Senior School. Parents/ Guardians will be notified of the decision of the Board at the earliest date.

 

Signed: ……………………………………………………Date:    ……/…../……….

 

If this application is successful and my child is enrolled in the school, I/we will abide by the school rules and routines and support the policies under which the school operates. (The most relevant policies are available on the school website.)  

 

Signed: ……………………………………………………Date:    ……/…../……….

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For Office Use

 

Child’s School Registration Number: |__________|

 

Date child Started:  …../…../………….      Date child Left:  …../…../………….