Ratoath Senior National School

ENROLMENT

Current Procedures for the purposes of Enrolment

Application Procedures:

Ratoath Senior National School has expanded rapidly in recent years and will continue to grow in numbers annually until the “bulge” referred to earlier is absorbed. This development requires considerable pre-planning by both, Board of Management, Teachers and Department of Education and Science so as to provide adequate accommodation and sufficient number of teachers and teaching resources. Towards assisting this essential pre-planning the following procedures shall apply
Parents who wish to enrol pupils must complete, in writing the prescribed enrolment form for EACH pupil. Copy of same attached. Further copies available from the school.
For the purpose of the School Attendance Act a child is deemed to have attained any particular age on whichever of the following days, viz., the 31st March, the 30th June, the 30th September, or the 31st December, first occurs after the anniversary of his birth on which he actually attains such age.

Particular time for enrolment: Generally, the school year runs from 1st September to the following June 30th. On occasion, the new school year may begin in the last days of August. The Board of Management will communicate generally to the school community through appropriate channels such as newsletter, parish bulletin notice, notes to children, letters, phone-calls or other appropriate media, outlining the application for enrolment procedures and deadlines for same.

Parents are required to complete the prescribed enrolment form as comprehensively as possible giving all the following details: Pupils name, age, and address, names and addresses of pupils parents/guardians, contact telephone numbers, contact telephone numbers in case of emergency, details of any medical conditions which the school should be aware of, Religion, previous schools attended, if any, and reasons for transfer, if applicable, together with any other relevant information (including any such other information as may be prescribed under the Education Welfare Act 2000) and giving permission for previous schools attended to forward all reports, records, psychological reports and amendments to Ratoath Senior National School.

Decision-Making

Decisions in relation to application for enrolment are made by the Board of Management of the school in accordance with school policy.
As a general principle, and in so far as practicable having regard to the school's enrolment policy and the agreement between the Patron and the Department of Education and Science as to a maximum of 20 mainstream classes, children will be enrolled on application, provided that there is space available in the appropriate class.
- As mentioned in the ‘School Policy’ section of the Introduction to this document, the Board of Management is required to process the excess “bulge” in enrolments in Ratoath Junior National School but then to downsize to a maximum of 20 mainstream classes.
- Priority : Children transferring from Second Class in Ratoath Junior National School – all children who have satisfactorily completed Second Class in Ratoath Junior National School are guaranteed a place in Third Class in Ratoath Senior National School.
- The Board shall have due regard for any relevant Department of Education and Science guidelines in relation to class size or staffing provisions.
- The Board shall have due regard for any other relevant requirements concerning accommodation, physical space, or the health and welfare of children
- Parish boundaries:Provision for children of ethnic minorities, including travellers, refugees etc.
- Ethos considerations as outlined in Equal Status Act, Section 7.
- In the event that applications for enrolment exceeds or is expected to exceed the number of places available, the following criteria will be used by the Board of Management for enrolment. Where the number of applicants in any group exceeds the number of places available, the applications will be dealt with on a first come basis (as per the date the application for enrolment form is received in the school) or will go on a waiting list.
- Brothers and Sisters of children already in the school
- Children of Staff Members
- Catholic children of the parish (including the Travelling Community living in the parish) if there are vacancies after the groups above have been allocated places.
- All children who live within the parish boundaries but are not Catholics applying for placement are entitled to a place if there are vacancies after the groups above have been allocated places.
- All children who apply to the school, are not resident within the parish boundaries and are Catholics are entitled to a place in the school if there are vacancies after the groups above have been accommodated.
- All children who apply to the school, are not resident within the parish boundaries and are not Catholics are entitled to a place in the school if there are any vacancies after the groups above have been allocated places.
These criteria may need to be amended or added to by the Board of Management from time to time in response to prevailing circumstances.

Pupils transferring from other schools: Children transferring from other schools must have satisfactorily completed Second Class. Places will be allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis based on the date the application form was received at the school, subject to the above premise that all children who have satisfactorily completed Second Class in Ratoath Junior National School are guaranteed places first. Pupils may transfer to the school at any time, subject to school policy, available space at the appropriate class level, and in relevant cases, the approval of the Department of Education and Science. All reports and relevant documentation from previous school (s) must be forwarded in advance of enrolment.
Pupils transferring from other countries: Experience has shown that in particular cases it may take 2 to 3 weeks of assessment by the school before a suitable class level is determined. Parents are required to forward all relevant reports and documentation from the child's previous school (s)

Pupils transferring to another school: Once a pupil has been offered a place in Ratoath Senior National School, transfer to another school may only be effected in accordance with N.E.W.B. procedures. Ratoath Senior National School must be informed, in writing, of the new school details, including the school address and contact numbers.

Enrolment of Children with special needs
1. The Board of Management shall insist that the Department of Education and Science provide the resources required to meet educational and training needs of the child as outlined in the relevant psychological or medical report prior to the child actually starting in the school
2. Towards fulfilling the requirements in 6(1) above the Board shall request a copy of the child's medical and/or psychological report. Where such a report is not available the Board shall request that the child be assessed immediately. The purpose of the assessment report is to assist the school in establishing the educational and training needs of the child relevant to his/her disability or special needs and to profile the support services required.
  
  Following receipt of the report, the Board shall assess how the school could meet the needs specified in the report. Where the Board deems that further resources are required section 6(1) above shall apply towards provision of necessary resources.
  
  These resources may include, for example, access to or the provision of any or a combination of the following: Visiting Teacher Service, Learning Support Teacher, Special Needs Teacher, Resource Teacher for special needs, Special needs assistant, specialised equipment or furniture, transport services or other.
  
  The school shall meet with the parents of the child to discuss the child's needs and the school's suitability or capability in meeting those needs. If the school or Board deem it necessary a full case conference involving all parties shall be held, which may include parents, Principal, class teacher, previous teachers from the Junior School, Learning Support teacher, special class teacher, resource teacher for special needs or educational psychologist as appropriate, together with relevant people from the board.
  It may be necessary for the Board to decide to defer enrolment of a particular child, pending:
  - The receipt of an assessment report and /or
  - The provision of appropriate resources by the Department of Education and Science to meet the needs specified in the psychological and/or medical report.
3. The Board of Management will be unable to accept applications in the following circumstances
  - Where a pupil has not satisfactorily completed Second Class in a school in Ireland or its equivalent elsewhere.
  - Where the school is already full.
  - Where the pupil’s parents refuse to accept the characteristic spirit of the school
  - Where the Board of Management, having interviewed the pupil, the parents and any other relevant persons and having considered all medical, psychological or other reports made available to it, comes to the conclusion that it would be unable, given its present resources, to carry out its statutory obligation to provide an appropriate education to the pupil in question.
  - The Board of Management, in endorsing the school admissions policy, pay due regard to the Department of Education and Science’s regulations on school enrolment, particularly those contained in the Education Act 1998, the Education (Welfare) Act 2000, the Equal Status Act 2000, the Education for Persons with Special Needs Act 2004 and any subsequent relevant legislation. The Board of Management will continue to endeavour as far as is practicable and having regard to the resources available, to accommodate students with disabilities or those who have special educational needs. The Board of Management reserves the right to refuse to enrol a child on the following grounds:
    1. That to have the child as part of such a class would not be consistent with ‘the best interests of the child as determined in accordance with any assessment carried out under the Education for Persons with Special Needs Act 2004.’
    2. That the presence of the child in a mainstream class would be inconsistent with ‘the effective provision of education for children with whom the child is to be educated.’
Appealing a Decision to Refuse to Enrol a Pupil
If a decision is communicated by the Board of Management to a parent indicating that the school is unable to accept a pupil, that parent can request a copy of the enrolment policy and enquire as to what section/sections of the policy justify the refusal. If unhappy with the explanation the parent can appeal the decision directly to the B.O.M. The B.O.M. then considers the appeal and advises the parent of its decision.

A school, in informing a parent of its decision, should advise parents of the right to appeal under Section 29 of the Education Act within 42 calendar days from the date the parent was notified of the decision. The appeal will be processed by the Appeals Administration Unit of the Department of Education and Science and the parents will be informed of its decision in due course.