Enrolment Policy

This Enrolment Policy is being 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, Mr. Patrick Delaney, Acragar, Lisdowney, Ballyragget, Co. Kilkenny, and the Principal Teacher, Mr. Robinson, Scoil Naomh Fiachra, Clontubrid, Freshford, Co. Kilkenny, will be happy to clarify any further matters arising from the policy.

This policy is an interim document which will be subject to change when management authorities have taken legal advice on the requirements of an enrolment policy which will endure the demands of the Education Act 1998.

School Name:
Scoil Naomh Fiachra.

School Address:
Clontubrid,
Freshford,
Co. Kilkenny.

Telephone No.:
056 8832417

Email Address:
snfiachra@eircom.net

Denominational Character:
The school is under the patronage of the Catholic Bishop of Ossory.

Patron:
Most Rev. Dr. Séamus Freeman.

Total Number of Teachers in the School:
Principal Teacher,
Deputy Principal,
Assistant Teacher,
Shared Learning Support Teacher.

Range of Classes Taught
Junior Infants to Sixth Class, boys and girls.

Opening Hours:
School opening hours are from 09.00 to 14.40 for all classes except Infants and from 09.00 to 13.40 for Infants.

The school depends on the grants and teacher resources provided by the Department of Education and Science and it operates within the regulations laid down, from time to time, by the Department. School policy has regard to the resources and funding available.

The school follows the curricular programmes prescribed 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 regulations and programmes, the rights of the patron as set out in the Education Act (1998), and the funding and resources available, the school supports the principles of:
Inclusiveness, particularly with reference to 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 diversity of values, beliefs, traditions, languages, and ways of life in society.

Decisions in relation to applications for enrolment are made by the Board of Management in accordance with school policy. As a general principle, and in so far as practicable, having regard to the school’s policy, children will be enrolled on application, provided that there is space available.

The Board is bound by the Department of Education and Science’s Rules for National Schools, which provides that pupils may only be enrolled from the age of 4 years and upwards, though compulsory attendance does not apply until the age of 6 years.

1.         Parents seeking to enrol their child(ren) in Scoil Naomh Fiachra are requested to return a completed Enrolment Application Form (See appendix 1)(available from the school) with an original Birth/Adoption Certificate to the school by 31st May.

• The names of children for whom Enrolment Application forms and Birth/Adoption Certificates have been returned, will be placed on a class waiting list.
• Equality of access is the key value that determines the enrolment of children to our school.  No child is refused admission for reasons of ethnicity, special educational needs, disability, language/accent, gender, traveller status, asylum-seeker/refugee status, religious/political beliefs and values, family or social circumstances.
• While recognising the right of parents to enrol their children in the school of their choice, the Board of Management of Scoil Naomh Fiachra is also responsible to respect the rights of the existing school community and in particular, the children already enrolled.  This requires balanced judgements, which are guided by the principles of natural justice and acting in the best interest of all children. Assisting the school in such circumstances, the BOM reserves the rights to determine the maximum number of children in each separate classroom bearing in mind:
• size of /available space in classrooms
• educational needs of children of a particular age
• multi-grade classes
• presence of children with special educational/behavioural needs
• DES maximum class average directives (currently a maximum average of 30 children)

• In the event of the number of children seeking enrolment in any given class/standard exceeding the number of places available preceding or during the school year (due to the BOM being unable to provide suitable accommodation, or recruit the required teaching staff) the following criteria will be used to prioritise children for enrolment:
• brothers and sisters (including step-siblings, resident at same address) of children already enrolled – priority to oldest
• children living within the parish  – priority to oldest
• children whose home address is closest to the school (as measured by a straight line on OS map) if the child is normally resident outside the parish/agreed catchment area
• in the event of being unable to enrol a child(ren) from categories a, b or c, in a given class at the beginning of a year, or mid-year, such children will receive priority (in order of a,b,c,) for the subsequent school year over other children on the class waiting list.
• Other pupils are enrolled during the school year (if newly resident in the area).
• Pupils wishing to transfer from other schools are enrolled subject to the Rules governing National Schools, as well as our own school’s enrolment policy.
• New Junior Infants spend one/two informal periods in school in June to familiarise themselves with their new environment.
• Children with special needs will be resourced in accordance with the level of resources provided by the Department of Education and Science to the Board of Management.

• Notwithstanding the availability of such resources, parents of children who are unsatisfied with the level of educational provision in our school, are advised to consider a special school which is designed and resourced to specifically cater for the needs of children with special educational needs.

• Children enrolled in our school are required to co-operate with the support the School Board of Management’s Code of Behaviour as well as all other policies on curriculum, organisation and management.  The BOM places Parents/Guardians responsible for ensuring that their children co-operate with said policies in an age-appropriate way.  In accordance with the Department of Education’s rules for National Schools, may by suspended child.  These policies may be added to and revised from time-to-time.

Enrolment of Children with Special Needs

In relation to applications for the enrolment of children with special needs the Board of Management will request a copy of the child’s medical and/or psychological report, or, where such a report is not available, will 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 will assess how the school can meet the needs specified in the report. Where the Board deems that further resources are required, it will, prior to enrolment, request the Department of Education and Science to provide the resources to meet the needs of the child as outlined in the psychological and/or medical report. These resources may include for example, access to or the provision of any or a combination of the following: visiting teacher service, resource teacher for special needs, special needs assistant, specialised equipment or furniture, transport services or other.

The school will meet with the parents of the child to discuss the child’s needs and the school’s suitability or capability in meeting those needs. Where necessary, a full case conference involving all parties will be held, which may include parents, principal teacher, class teacher, learning support teacher, resource teacher for special needs or psychologist, as appropriate.

Admission Day/Date

Children who are enrolling for the first time in a primary school will normally be enrolled on September 1st (or on the first day of the school year, if earlier) and in any event, not later than September 30th of the relevant school year.

This policy was sanctioned by the Board of Management on October 16th, 2002.

The policy was reviewed by the Board of Management in October 2014

Application for Admission of New Pupils Year 2015-2016

The Department of Education and Skills has developed an electronic database of primary school pupils called the Primary Online Database (POD) which  involves schools maintaining and returning data on pupils to the Dept at individual pupil level on a live system. This information will be used  to evaluate progress and outcomes of pupils at primary level, to validate school enrolment returns for grant payment and teacher allocation purposes, to follow up on pupils who do not make the transfer from primary to post primary level and for statistical reporting. The database will hold data on all primary school pupils. The database will also contain, on an optional basis, information on the pupil's religion and on their ethnic or cultural background. The data required for POD is marked with an asterisk *and will only be uploaded to POD if your child is enrolled.  All other data we need for the efficient running of the school. In order to assist with the gathering of data please complete the form in CAPITAL LETTERS and return to the school.  This form will be retained by the school.

* Pupil First and Middle Names: _________________________________­­­­­­­  *Pupil Surname: _________________

* Birth Cert First Name (if different from above)                                                                     * Birth Cert Surname (if different from above)

_____________________________________________       ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­________________________________________

* Pupil Address:   __________________________________________________________________________________

“ Date of Birth:___________________ *PPSN ________________     * Gender    Male [   ]              Female  [   ]

* Mother’s maiden name ________________________ * County _____________ *Nationality ______________

*Is one of the pupil’s mother tongues(i.e. language spoken at home) Irish or English    Yes [  ]  No [  ]

* Religion _______________________________
Do you consent to uploading data relating to religion to POD   Yes  [    ]      No     [    ]

* To which ethnic or cultural background group does your child belong (please tick one)?
White Irish[    ]     Irish Traveller  [    ]              Roma   [    ]      Black African       [    ]
Any other White Background      [     ]              Any other Black Background    [     ]                  Chinese    [    ]      
Any other Asian background  [    ]  Other (inc. mixed background)   [    ]
Do you consent to uploading data relating to ethnicity to POD     Yes   [    ]      No  [   ]

The following information is required for the efficient running of the school and will not be uploaded to POD

Date and Place of Baptism: ______________________________________________________________
(Please attach copy of Baptismal Cert. if baptised outside Lisdowney Parish)

Irish version of child’s name: _______________________________________

Previous Primary School or Playschool attended if applicable:_________________________________________

Previous Class (Primary School) _____________________________
                               
Mother’s Name: ____­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­_________________ Telephone No. _________________Home No. __________________
­­­­­­­­­­­­­­
Father’s Name: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­______________________ Telephone No: _________________Home No. __________________

Please nominate one mobile number for our Text-a-Parent Service:   ___________________________________

E-mail:____­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­______________________________________________

Alternative Contact:           Name: _______________________________ Tel. No.: ________________________
(e.g. close relative or child minder)

Arrangements if child is ill in school: _____________________________________________________________________

Medical History: List any health problems your child may have that might affect his/her work or behaviour in school e.g. allergies, epilepsy, asthma, sight or hearing difficulty, etc. (including any relevant reports assessments) :
____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Medication:          ____­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­________________________________________________________________________

Doctor Name & Phone Number:     ____­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­_________________________________________________________

Please make the school aware as early as possible of any family situation such as bereavement, or separation that could impact on your child, so that we can be as supportive as possible.

Please answer YES or NO to the following (please circle as appropriate):

Does any legal order exist under Family Law that the school should know about:      Yes : No

We have read a copy of the “Code of discipline” (available on school website) : YES  :      NO

We will support & co-operate with the staff of the school:         YES  :  NO

Signature Parent/Guardian 1:                                                          Signature Parent/Guardian 2:
                                                               
___________________________________                              ______________               _________________________

Date:     ____/____/____   

NB: Please ensure that a photocopy of the child’s BIRTH CERTIFICATE and a photocopy of the BAPTISM CERTIFICATE (not necessary if baptised in Lisdowney) are returned  along with the Application Form, on or before the last day in February.

If any of the above information (e.g. contact telephone number, etc) changes while your child is a pupil of the school, please inform the school so that we can update our records.

ADMISSION OF NEW PUPILS 2015

Dear Parents,

I enclose an application form for admission to Scoil Naomh Fiachra, Clontubrid for the school year 2015 – 2016, in respect of your child _______________.  Please complete it and return it to the school [together with a Birth Certificate for State purposes and a Baptismal Certificate (Catholic pupils) for Church purposes] as soon as possible.

Also enclosed

• Copy of the school’s Enrolment Policy.
• Copy of the school’s Code of Good Behaviour.
• Copy of a booklet “Your Child in the Primary School: Tips for Parents” published by the INTO (for new families). Many parents find it useful, particularly when the child starting school is the first child in the family.
• Text-a-Parent Service Application Form.
• A General Consent Form.

The school uniform is as follows:

GIRLS                                                                       

• Grey pinafore (for Infants until such time as they fit into the first size of a grey skirt).
• Grey shirt.
• Royal blue jumper (or cardigan) with  V-neck.
• Grey and blue wide-striped tie.
• Grey socks.
• School crest available from the school or from Hennessy’s sports shop in Newpark Shopping Centre.

BOYS

• Grey pants.
• Grey shirt.
• Jumper, as for girls.
• Tie, as for girls.
• Grey socks.
• School crest available from the school or from Hennessy’s sports shop in Newpark Shopping Centre.

Other items are at your own discretion. You are free to purchase the garments wherever it suits you.  However, Uniform World Outlet, Market Cross Shopping Centre, Kilkenny, stock the uniform especially for us. If you mention Scoil Naomh Fiachra, Clontubrid they will know what uniform to show you. This uniform incorporates the school crest. Once adopted, we will insist on the uniform being worn consistently.

First Day/Week in School

On the big day, if you are feeling upset, don’t show it. Leave your child with the teacher, and tell the child you will be back to collect him/her. If your child is upset, attract the teacher’s attention and leave as soon as possible. Sometimes a small toy from home can be a comfort. After the first week it should not be necessary to accompany your child into the classroom.

School Day

The school day starts at 9.00 a.m.
Junior and Senior Infants go home at 1.40 p.m.
The other classes finish at 2.40 p.m.

Lunch Boxes

Lunch boxes should be small and compact. In the Junior Classes, children should be able to open and close lunch boxes and flasks. Be realistic as to the amount your child can eat. Yoghurts can be difficult for Infants to eat in school.

A sandwich, a piece of fruit and a healthy drink is still the best lunch.
Bars and biscuits are not allowed.

Shoes

The child should have indoor shoes, but not the large, fun, animal-face slippers, which can be a hazard and cause the child to trip.
If your child cannot tie laces and needs to change shoes, shoes with velcro fasteners will enable him/her to change quickly and independently. Also please avoid ‘slip-on’ slippers as they spend more time off the feet than on!!

Booklist

A booklist will be available in June and will be sent to parents.

I enclose a copy of the school’s Code of Good Behaviour.
You can find out more about Scoil Naomh Fiachra by visiting the school website at www.clontubrid.ie

Yours Sincerely,

________________
Principal