OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL BOYS’ SCHOOL   JOHNSTOWN, DÚN LAOGHAIRE, CO. DUBLIN PHONE: 01-2851449  FAX: 01-2848828 Email: johnstownbns@olgc.ie www.olgc.ie

 

Enrolment and Participation Policy

Introduction

Our Lady of Good Counsel B.N.S. is a Roman Catholic school under the Patronage of the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin.  As a Roman Catholic school, the school aims at promoting the full and harmonious development of all aspects of the pupil:  intellectual, physical, cultural, moral and spiritual, including a living relationship with God and other people.  The school models and promotes a philosophy of life inspired by belief in God and in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  The Catholic school provides religious education for the pupils in accordance with the doctrines, practices and tradition of the Roman Catholic Church and promotes the formation of the pupils in the Catholic faith.  (c.f. school Mission Statement Appendix 1)

The Board of Management of Our Lady of Good Counsel Boys’ NationalSchool is setting out this enrolment policy in accordance with the provisions of Section 15(d) of the Education Act 1998.  The Board trusts that by doing so parents will be assisted in relation to enrolment matters.  Furthermore, the Chairperson of the Board of Management and or/the Principal, Our Lady of Good Counsel B.N.S., Johnstown, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin Tel: 353-1-2851449 will be happy to clarify any further matters arising from the policy.

School Name  :            Our Lady of Good Counsel Boys’ NationalSchool.

Address           :           Johnstown, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.

Telephone        :           353-1-2851449

Fax.                 :           353-1-2848828

E.Mail             :           johnstownbns@olgc.ie

Denomination character  :       Catholic

Patron              :                       Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin.

Number of teachers     :                       23        (including Principal).

Number of class teachers        :           16

Special Education Team         :           6 Teachers

Visiting Teacher Service         :           1

Special Needs Assistants        :           10 – (9 Full time positions and 1 Infant day.)

The school offers a full range of classes from Junior Infants to Sixth class.

The school is a Boys’ School i.e. single sex school.

The school depends on the grants and teacher resources provided by the Department of Education and Skills and operates within the regulations laid down from time to time by the Department.  School policy must have 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, and the funding and resources available the 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; 

• Respect for the diversity of values, beliefs, traditions, languages and ways of life in society.

Our Lady of Good Counsel B.N.S. opens to receive pupils at 9.00a.m. each morning.

Mid morning break 10.30a.m. – 10.40a.m.

Lunch break    12.00 – 12.30p.m.

Infant classes cease at 1.40p.m.

All other classes cease at 2.40p.m.

Staff meetings are held outside of teacher/pupil contact time.

Details of school holidays are issued in September.

 

Application Procedure

Parents who wish to enrol pupils in Junior Infants must complete an application form for each child and return this to the school.  The Board will communicate generally to the school community through appropriate channels in October each year e.g. newsletter, parish bulletin, church announcement, text/letter and school websites that applications for enrolment must be submitted before the end of that month,

Decisions in relation to applications for enrolment are made by the Board of Management of the school in accordance with school policy.

The completion of an application form or the placement of your child’s name on a list, however early, does not confer an automatic right to a place in the school.

As a general principle, and in so far as practicable having regard to the schools enrolment policy, children will be enrolled on application, provided there is space available.

However, in the event that applications for enrolment exceeds/is expected to exceed the number of places available the following criteria shall apply:

If there is no response to the offer of a place within 10 days of the date of issue then the offer of that place ceases and will be cancelled.

1. Catholic children living within the parish and siblings (including step-siblings resident at same address) of children already enrolled in the schools.

2.  Catholic children from outside the parish who do not have a Catholic school in their parish.

3. All children who live within the parish boundaries but are not Catholic.

4. All children who apply to the school and are Catholic/other faiths and not resident in the parish.

5. In the event that there are more applicants within any category than there are available places, priority will be given to children within the particular category in order of date of receipt of application.  All applications are date stamped upon receipt by the school.

Other pupils may be enrolled during the school year if newly resident in the area.  Pupils wishing to transfer from other schools are enrolled subject to the Rules for National Schools, Education Welfare Act and school’s Admissions and Participation policy.

In order to accommodate group 1 the Board may have to operate a cut off in age of applications to give places to group 1 if there is pressure for places in the school.

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

Junior Infants may only be admitted on 1^st September.

The following information is required for enrolment – see attached enrolment form:

Enrolment of children with Special Needs.

Children with special educational needs are welcome to enrol in the school and every effort will be made to provide them with an appropriate education as well as to include them in every aspect of school life. The child enrolling in the Primary School will be resourced in accordance with the level of resources provided by the Department of Education and Skills to the Board of Management.

The Board of Management will request copies of relevant reports or request that the child be assessed in order to assist the school in establishing the educational needs of the child and to profile the support services required.

The Board of Management will endeavour to have all resources and supports in place before the child is admitted to school. This may include visiting teacher service, resource teacher, special needs assistants, specialised equipment or furniture, transport service and other as required.

The school principal 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.  If necessary, a full case conference involving all parties will be held which may include parents, principal, class teacher, learning support teacher, special class teacher, resource teacher for special needs and/or psychologist as appropriate.

Where application for resources is being made on behalf of a child, parents/guardians will be required to supply the child’s PPS number to the school.

Pupils Transferring

While recognising the rights of parents to enrol their child in the school of their choice, the Board of Management respects the rights of the existing school community and in particular, the children already enrolled.  This requires balanced judgements, which are guided by principles of natural justice and acting in the interests of all children.  Assisting the school in such circumstances the Board of Management respects the right of children in each separate classroom bearing in mind

(i)                 size of available space in classrooms.

(ii)               the educational needs of children of a particular age.

(iii)             presence of children with special educational/behavioural needs.

(iv)             D.E.S. maximum class average directives.  (currently a maximum average of 28 children).

(v)               In certain instances the approval of D.E.S. will be required.

(vi)             All reports relating to the child are presented when application for a transfer is made.

Code of Behaviour

Children enrolled in Our Lady of Good Counsel Boys’ School are required to co-operate with and fully support the School/Board of Management’s Code of Behaviour as well as all other policies on curriculum, organisation and management.  The Board of Management places all Parents/Legal Guardians responsible for ensuring that their child(ren) co-operates with said policies in an age-appropriate way. The terms of Section (20) Education Welfare Act (2000) relating to pupil transfer will be followed accordingly. As a condition of registering a child in the school, the Board of Management requires parents/guardians to confirm in writing that the School’s Code of Behaviour is acceptable to them and that they make all reasonable efforts to ensure compliance with the Code by the child(ren). In line with the Department of Education and Skills rules for National Schools, the Board may suspend a child following the procedures set out in the School’s Code of Behaviour.

Children of other faiths or no faith

Bearing in mind the Catholic ethos of the school, every effort will be made so that the schools are as inclusive as possible. Catholic education and the ethos of the school permeate the day. Children of other faiths or none, where a request is made in writing, will be excused from formal religious instruction classes and specifically Catholic liturgies. As far as possible, in consultation with parents, suitable alternative arrangements may be made in order to facilitate this. It will not be possible, however to provide religious instruction in other faiths.

 Appeals Procedure

In line with Section 29 of the Education Act 1998, parents who are dissatisfied with an enrolment decision, may appeal to the Board of Management. This 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 this 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. An appeal form will be issued by the school to the parents/guardians. This appeal must be lodged within 42 days of receipt of the refusal from the school to enrol.

Addendum: 

The Enrolment of Children in the Special Classes for children with Autism/

The Meadow

• Each child must have a full current Psychological & Cognitive Assessment, which must specify a diagnosis of ‘Autism’ i.e. DSMIV or ICD10 and a recommendation for a special class placement from a multi-disciplinary team.

• The parents/guardians must fill in and return a School Enrolment form as for all pupils.
• All relevant reports and assessments must be given to the school prior to the child enrolling.

• The Board of Management policy states that the school will accommodate a maximum of three classes for children with Autism, one Junior and one Senior class, and a pre-school class

• The Department of Education & Science states that the ratio for each class is a maximum six pupils to one teacher and two SNAs. There must be more than three pupils to access the second SNA.

• This policy states that the parents/guardians (and the prospective candidates for the class if required) must meet the principal, the class teacher and any other relevant parties before the child starts school. A meeting of new parents will be held prior to commencement in the school, as with all pupils.

• The classes will be co-educational and will cater for children of Pre-school and Primary School age only – i.e. three/four years to thirteen years. Where appropriate and depending on the individual child, pre-school placement may be offered to such children until the age of six years on June 30^th of the year of exit. A starting age of three years has been set by the board of Management.

• The Board of Management reserves the right to refuse enrolment if they believe the school cannot meet the needs of a particular child.  The Board also reserves the right to continue to enrol, suspend or expel a child under ‘Health & Safety’ regulations and in conjunction with the school ‘Code of Behaviour’ as per the National Education Welfare document if the need arises.

• All placements are subject to review at the request of the parents and/ or the school.  The review will include input from all agencies involved, the parents/guardians and the school.  Following the review a recommendation may be made that the child be enrolled in a school that can meet his/her needs.

•  The Principal implements the enrolment policy on behalf of the Board of Management.

• First preference will be given to pupils attending Our Lady of Good Counsel BNS/GNS schools, Johnstown. Following that, enrolment will be on a first come first served basis.

• Where appropriate and depending on the individual child, pre-school placement may be offered to such children until age 6 yrs.

• Issue of integration etc – only on agreement will it be added.

 

Policy Review

The operation of this policy is kept under constant review.  It is formally reviewed twice per annum at the joint B.O.M. meetings or sooner if required.

This policy is posted on the school website and hard copies are available on request from the School Secretary.

 

This revised Admissions and Participation Policy has been ratified at the joint Boards of Management meeting of Our Lady of Good Counsel Boys’ School and Girls’ School held on 14^th October 2013.

Its implementation is immediate.

 

 

 

14^th October 2013

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

Michael J. Hunt

Chairperson B.O.M.

 

14^th October 2013

 

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

Neil Cadogan

Principal.