Lusk National School

Chapel Rd.,

Lusk,

Co. Dublin.

Tel/Fax: 8437734

Email: luskns.ias@eircom.net

Lusk National School Enrolment Policy

Introductory Statement

This policy was devised and formulated by the school community, involving Board of Management, parents and Staff of Lusk National School, in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the Department of Education and Science and the C.P.S.M.A.

Ethos

Lusk National School is a co-educational, primary school, which strives to provide a well ordered, caring, happy and secure atmosphere where the intellectual, spiritual, physical, moral and cultural needs of the pupils are identified and addressed. While respect is paid to all religious and/or value systems, Lusk National School is a Catholic school under the patronage of the Archbishop of Dublin.

The school supports the principles of inclusiveness, equality of access and of participation in school life, with respect for diversity of tradition, values, beliefs, languages and ways of life in society, whilst working within the context of the Rules and Regulations of the Department of Education and Science.

Aims

To provide equal access to all applicants in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the Department of Education and Science and the School's Enrolment Policy. Lusk National School aims to promote and develop the physical, social, emotional and educational aspects of the child.

Rationale

To provide a framework for the selection of new applicants to Lusk National School.

Policy Content

Application for Enrolment

Parents seeking to enrol their child(ren) in Lusk National School are requested to complete an Application Form (available in the school office) to the school between 1st school day in February and 22nd February (or the next school day) prior to the September of admission.

Parents should supply an original Birth/Adoption, Baptismal Certificate and a copy of a household utility bill with their application form.

First round offers of places will be issued on the 1st school day following the Easter break. The final date for acceptance of offers by successful candidates shall be specified by the Board of Management on an annual basis.

The names of children for whom Application forms and Birth/Adoption Certificates have been returned (who did not receive an offer of a place) will be placed on a waiting list. Subsequent offers may be made according to the criteria outlined below

Selection Criteria

While recognising the right of parents to enrol their child in the school of their choice, the Board of Management of Lusk National School takes cognisance the rights of the existing school community, and in particular, the children already enrolled. This requires balanced judgements in deciding questions of enrolment, guided by the principles of natural justice and/as acting in the best interest of all children.

The Board of Management reserves the right to determine the maximum number of children in each class bearing in mind, in particular.

  1. The size of available space in classrooms
  2. The educational needs of children of a particular age, priority to the oldest
  3. The existence of multi-grade classes
  4. The presence of children with special education/behavioural needs
  5. Department of Education and Science maximum class average directives
  6. The parameters of the schools Health & Safety Policy

In the event of the number of children seeking enrolment in any given class/standard exceeding the number of places available the following criteria, in the order set out, will be used to prioritise children for enrolment:

  1. Children, who were unsuccessful above in their application the previous year, will be given priority in accordance with (a-f) above. This will not apply to children who have started in another school.
  2. Siblings (including step-siblings resident at the same address) who have reached the age of 4 years prior to the 1st March of the year of enrolment.
  3. All other applicants living within the parish shall be considered according to age and to the Roman Catholic ethos of Lusk N.S.. - priority to the oldest within this group.
  4. Children of current Lusk N.S. staff will be accepted in accordance with (a-f) in order to maintain the stability of the school environment.
  5. All children who live within the parish boundaries but are not Roman Catholic applying for a placement are entitled to a place if there are vacancies after the groups from 1,2,3 and 4 have been allocated places.

In the event of only one place remaining to be filled, where two applicants of the same birth date are next on the waiting list, the child whose application was returned to the school first shall be awarded the place, (all applications for enrolment shall be dated on return to the school).

Other pupils are enrolled during the school year (if newly resident in the parish), subject to the criteria set out at a, b, c, d, e, f.

Pupils wishing to transfer from other schools are enrolled subject to the Rules governing National Schools and to

  1. The school Enrolment Policy
  2. The school being satisfied with the reasons for the transfer
  3. The school regarding the move to be in the best interests of the pupil
  4. Available space.

Incoming Junior Infants spend one/two informal periods in school at the end of June to familiarise themselves with what will be their new environment.

Parents of children with Special Educational needs are required to supply all relevant documentation e.g. medical, psychological reports with the application form.

The parents of children, with special educational needs, or the Board of Management, who feel relevant resources available to us are inadequate to the special needs of their child/children 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 and support the School's Code of Behaviour as well as all other policies on curriculum organisation and management. The Board of Management places Parents/Guardians as responsible for ensuring that their - child(ren) co-operate with said policies in an age-appropriate way. All policies are available from school office on request.

The Board of Management requires parents/guardians to sign and return the School's Code of Behaviour, prior to enrolment (copy attached).

Signed: _______________ Chairperson, Board of Management

   _____________________ Principal.