• Introduction
• Characteristic spirit and general objectives of the school
• Admission Statement
• Categories of Special Educational Needs catered for in the school/special class
• Admission of Students
• What will not be considered or taken into account
• Decisions on applications
• Notifying applicants of decisions
• Acceptance of an offer of a place by an applicant
• Circumstances in which offers may not be made or may be withdrawn
• Sharing of Data with other schools
• Waiting list in the event of oversubscription
• Late Applications
• Procedures for admission of pupils to other years and during the school year
• Declaration in relation to the non-charging of fees
• Arrangements regarding pupils not attending religious instruction
• Reviews/Appeals
• Ratification and Review Procedure

Introduction

This Admission Policy complies with the requirements of the Education Act 1998, the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 and the Equal Status Act 2000. In drafting this policy, the board of management of the school has consulted with school staff, the school patron and with parents of children attending the school. The new admissions arrangements will apply to school admissions for the 2023/24 school year and subsequent years.

The policy was approved by the school patron in December 2022. It is published on the school's website and will be made available in hardcopy, on request, to any person who requests it.

The relevant dates and timelines for Scoil Phádraig Naofa Admission processes are set out in the school's annual admission notice which is published annually on the school's website at least one week before the commencement of the admission process for the school year concerned.

This policy must be read in conjunction with the annual admission notice for the school year concerned. The application form for admission is published on the school's website and will be made available in hardcopy, on request, to any person who requests it.

Characteristic spirit and general objectives of the school

Scoil Phádraig Naofa is a co-educational primary school with a Catholic ethos under the patronage of the Archbishop of Armagh.

"Catholic Ethos" in the context of a Catholic primary school means the ethos and characteristic spirit of the Roman Catholic Church, which aims at promoting:

1. the full and harmonious development of all aspects of the person including the intellectual, physical, cultural, moral and spiritual aspects; and
2. a living relationship with God and other people; and
3. a philosophy of life inspired by belief in God and in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus; and
4. the formation of the pupils in the Catholic faith

Our school provides religious education for the pupils in accordance with the doctrines, practices and traditions of the Roman Catholic Church, and/or such ethos and/or characteristic spirit as may be determined or interpreted from time to time by the Irish Episcopal Conference.

In accordance with S.15 (2) (b) of the Education Act, 1998 the Board of Management of Scoil Phádraig Naofa shall uphold, and be accountable to the patron for so upholding, the characteristic spirit of the school as determined by the cultural, educational, moral, religious, social, linguistic and spiritual values and traditions which inform and are characteristic of the objectives and conduct of the school.

This policy aims to ensure that the appropriate procedures are in place to enable the school:

• To make decisions on all applications in an open and transparent manner consistent with the Ethos, the Mission Statement of the school and legislative requirements.
• To put in place a framework which will ensure effective and productive relations between pupils, parents and teachers where a pupil is admitted to the school.

Admission Statement

Scoil Phádraig Naofa will not discriminate in its admission of a pupil to the school on any of the following:

1. the gender ground of the pupil or the applicant in respect of the pupilconcerned,
2. the civil status ground of the pupil or the applicant in respect of the pupilconcerned,
3. the family status ground of the pupil or the applicant in respect of the pupil concerned,
4. the sexual orientation ground of the pupil or the applicant in respect of the pupil concerned,
5. the religion ground of the pupil or the applicant in respect of the pupilconcerned,
6. the disability ground of the pupil or the applicant in respect of the pupilconcerned,
7. the ground of race of the pupil or the applicant in respect of the pupilconcerned,
8. the Traveller community ground of the pupil or the applicant in respect of the pupil concerned, or
9. the ground that the pupil or the applicant in respect of the pupil concerned has special educational needs

As per section 61 (3) of the Education Act 1998, 'civil status ground', 'disability ground', discriminate', 'family status ground', 'gender ground', 'ground of race', 'religion ground', 'sexual orientation ground' and 'Traveller community ground' shall be construed in accordance with section 3 of the Equal Status Act 2000.

Scoil Phádraig Naofa is a school whose objective is to provide education in an environment which promotes certain religious values and does not discriminate where it refuses to admit as a pupil a person who is not catholic and it is proved that the refusal is essential to maintain the ethos of the school.

Categories of Special Educational Needs catered for in the school

Children with special needs enrolling in Scoil Phádraig Naofa will be resourced in accordance with the level of resources provided by the DES to the BOM.

The BoM may request a copy of the child's medical and/or psychological report or request that the child be assessed immediately in order to assist the school in establishing the educational needs of the child and to profile the support services required. The BOM will endeavour to have all resources and supports in place before the child is admitted to the school. This may include visiting teacher service, SET support, special needs assistants etc, specialised equipment or furniture, transport services etc.

Scoil Phádraig Naofa will cooperate with the National Council for Special Education in the performance by the Council of its functions under the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 relating to the provision of education to children with special educational needs, including in particular by the provision and operation of a special class or classes when requested to do so by the Council.

Scoil Phádraig Naofa will comply with any direction served on the patron or the board, as the case may be, under section 37A and any direction served on the board under section 67(4B) of the Education Act.

Admission of Pupils

Parents seeking a place for their child in Scoil Phádraig Naofa. should return a completed application form (available from the school office or on our school website for printing) with a copy of the child's birth/adoption certificate to the school and a household utility bill as proof of address.

This school shall admit each pupil seeking admission except where:

1. The school is oversubscribed (please see section 6 below for further details).
2. A parent of a pupil, when required by the principal in accordance with section 23(4) of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000, fails to confirm in writing that the Code of Behaviour of the school is acceptable to him or her and that he or she shall make all reasonable efforts to ensure compliance with such code by the pupil.
3. Scoil Phádraig Naofa is a Catholic school and may refuse to admit as a pupil a person who is not of Catholic faith where it is proved that the refusal is essential to maintain the ethos of the school.

Please Note: The school's Code of Behaviour is available on the school website for each parent and parents will be requested to sign an undertaking to uphold the school Code of Behaviour and all school policies outlined on each child's admission form. Parents/Guardians are responsible for ensuring that their child(ren) co-operates with the policies of the school in an age-appropriate way.

What will not be considered or taken into account

In accordance with section 62(7)(e) of the Education Act, the school will not consider or take into account any of the following in deciding on applications for admission or when placing a pupil on a waiting list for admission to the school:

1. a pupil's prior attendance at a pre-school or pre-school service, including naíonraí,
2. the payment of fees or contributions (howsoever described) to the school;
3. a pupil's academic ability, skills or aptitude;
4. the occupation (except in the case of children of current school staff), financial status, academic ability, skills or aptitude of a pupil's parents;
5. a requirement that a pupil, or his or her parents, attend an interview, open day or other meeting as a condition of admission;
6. a pupil's connection to the school by virtue of a member of his or her family attending or having previously attended the school other than, in the case of the school wishing to include a selection criteria based on
   1. siblings of a pupil attending or having attended the school and/or
   2. parents of a pupil having attended the school (a school may only apply this criteria (2) to a maximum of 25% of the available spaces as set out in the school's annual admission notice).
7. the date and time on which an application for admission was received by the school. (This is subject to the application being received at any time during the period specified for receiving applications set out in the annual admission notice of the school for the school year concerned.)

Decisions On Applications

All decisions on applications for admission to Scoil Phádraig Naofa will be based on the following:

• Our school’s admission policy
• The school’s annual admission notice
• The information provided by the applicant in the school’s official application form received during the period specified in our annual admission notice for receiving applications (Please see section 14 below in relation to applications received outside of the admissions period and section 15 below in relation to applications for places in years other than the intake group.) Selection criteria that are not included in our school admission policy will not be used to make a decision on an application for a place in our school.

Notifying Applicants of Decisions

Applicants will be informed in writing as to the decision of the school, within the timeline outlined in the annual admissions notice. If a pupil is not offered a place in our school, the reasons why they were not offered a place will be communicated in writing to the applicant, including, where applicable, details of the pupil’s ranking against the selection criteria and details of the pupil’s place on the waiting list for the school year concerned. Applicants will be informed of the right to seek a review/right of appeal of the school’s decision (see section 18 below for further details).

Acceptance of an Offer of a Place by an Applicant

An offer of a place must be accepted in writing within two weeks from the date of receipt of the offer. In accepting an offer of admission from Scoil Phádraig Naofa, you must indicate—

1. whether or not you have accepted an offer of admission for another school or schools. If you have accepted such an offer, you must also provide details of the offer or offers concerned and
2. whether or not you have applied for and are awaiting confirmation of an offer of admission from another school or schools, and if so, you must provide details of the other school or schools concerned.

Circumstances in Which Offers May Not Be Made or May Be Withdrawn

An offer of admission may not be made or may be withdrawn by Scoil Phádraig Naofa where—

1. it is established that information contained in the application is false or misleading.
2. an applicant fails to confirm acceptance of an offer of admission on or before the date set out in the annual admission notice of the school.
3. the parent of a pupil, when required by the principal in accordance with section 23(4) of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000, fails to confirm in writing that the code of behaviour of the school is acceptable to him or her and that he or she shall make all reasonable efforts to ensure compliance with such code by the pupil;
4. an applicant has failed to comply with the requirements of ‘acceptance of an offer’ as set out in section 10 above.

Sharing of Data with Other Schools

Applicants should be aware that section 66(6) of the Education Act 2018 (Admission to Schools) allows for the sharing of certain information between schools in order to facilitate the efficient admission of pupils.

Waiting List in The Event of Oversubscription

In the event of there being more applications to the school year concerned than places available, a waiting list of pupils whose applications for admission to Scoil Phádraig Naofa were unsuccessful due to the school being oversubscribed will be compiled and will remain valid for the school year in which admission is being sought.

Placement on the waiting list of Scoil Phádraig Naofa is in the order of priority assigned to the following selection criteria in accordance with this admission policy.

Primary Enrolment (Priority A)

1. Children who have brothers and sisters already attending Scoil Phádraig Naofa.
2. Children living in the immediate catchment area of Scoil Phádraig Naofa in the parish of Faughart starting with the oldest child and including children of staff.

Secondary Enrolment (Priority B)

1. Children living in the Parish but in the catchment area of other schools.
2. Children of parents who attended Scoil Phádraig Naofa.
3. Children living outside the Parish.
4. Children transferring from other schools.

Offers of any subsequent places that become available for and during the school year in relation to which admission is being sought will be made to those pupils on the waiting list, in accordance with the order of priority in relation to which the pupils have been placed on the list.

Late Applications

All applications for admission received after the closing date as outlined in the annual admission notice will be considered and decided upon in accordance with our school’s admissions policy, the Education Admissions to School Act 2018 and any regulations made under that Act.

Procedures for Admission of Pupils to Other Years and During the School Year

The procedures of the school in relation to the admission of pupils who are not already admitted to the school to classes other than junior infants are as follows:

Places will be offered provided there is space available and taking into consideration Department of Education and Skills guidelines in relation to class size and/or staffing provisions.

● The Board of Management of Scoil Phadraig Naofa has capped class size at 28 pupils from the 2025/26 Junior Infants intake

● The educational needs of children, including the presence of children with special education/behavioural needs

● The parameters of the school’s Health & Safety Policy e.g. The size of available physical space in classrooms

● The existence of multi-grade classes

The procedures of the school in relation to the admission of pupils who are not already admitted to the school, after the commencement of the school year in which admission is sought, are as follows:

Pupils transferring

1. Children newly resident in the school catchment area.

Subject to availability of a place, such pupils may be enrolled during the school year if newly resident in the school catchment area

2. Children resident in the school catchment area and attending another school within the parish/area - Transfers not involving a change of address will be assessed on an individual basis and may only be considered at the end of a school term.

3. Children resident outside the catchment area and attending school outside the catchment area - subject to the availability of a place a transfer may only be considered at the end of a school term.

Any available places will be offered in strict accordance with this school’s enrolment policy.

Declaration in Relation to The Non-Charging of Fees

The board of Management of Scoil Phádraig Naofa or any persons acting on its behalf will not charge fees for or seek payment or contributions (howsoever described) as a condition ofa) an application for admission of a pupil to the school, or b) the admission or continued enrolment of a pupil in the school.

Arrangements Regarding Pupils Not Attending Religious Instruction

The following are the school’s arrangements for pupils, where the parents have requested that the pupil attend the school without attending religious instruction in the school. These arrangements will not result in a reduction in the school day of such pupils:

A written request should be made to the principal of the school.

A consultation will then be arranged with the parent(s)/ guardians of the pupil to discuss how the request may be accommodated by the school.

Reviews / Appeals Review of decisions by the Board of Management

The parent of the pupil may request the board to review a decision to refuse admission. Such requests must be made in accordance with Section 29C of the Education Act 1998. The timeline within which such a review must be requested and the other requirements applicable to such reviews are set out in the procedures determined by the Minister under section 29B of the Education Act 1998 which are published on the website of the Department of Education and Skills. The board will conduct such reviews in accordance with the requirements of the procedures determined under Section 29B and with section 29C of the Education Act 1998. Note: Where an applicant has been refused admission due to the school being oversubscribed, the applicant must request a review of that decision by the board of management prior to making an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act 1998.

Where an applicant has been refused admission due to a reason other than the school being oversubscribed, the applicant may request a review of that decision by the board of management prior to making an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act 1998. All relevant information will be scanned and held on file in compliance with GDPR. Right of Appeal Under Section 29 of the Education Act 1998, the parent of the pupil may appeal a decision of this school to refuse admission. An appeal may be made under Section 29 (1)(c)(i) of the Education Act 1998 where the refusal to admit was due to the school being oversubscribed. An appeal may be made under Section 29 (1)(c)(ii) of the Education Act 1998 where the refusal to admit was due a reason other than the school being oversubscribed. Where an applicant has been refused admission due to the school being oversubscribed, the applicant must request a review of that decision by the board of management prior to making an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act 1998. (see Review of decisions by the Board of Management) Where an applicant has been refused admission due to a reason other than the school being oversubscribed, the applicant may request a review of that decision by the board of management prior to making an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act 1998. (see Review of decisions by the Board of Management). Appeals under Section 29 of the Education Act 1998 will be considered and determined by an independent appeals committee appointed by the Minister for Education and Skills. The timeline within which such an appeal must be made and the other requirements applicable to such appeals are set out in the procedures determined by the Minister under section 29B of the Education Act 1998 which are published on the website of the Department of Education and Skills. Appeals Procedure Parents who are dissatisfied with an enrolment decision, may appeal to the Board of Management. The appeal 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 Skills 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.

Responsibility for Review:

All members of staff, Parents Association, BoM.

Timeframe for Review:

This policy will be reviewed every 4 years Next review: October 2029

Admission and Enrolment Policy

Ratified by the Board of Management in September 2025