Admissions
Application Procedures
Application for a place in Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh is made to the school office, usually in mid to late September. The exact closing date for application is given on the application form attached to this policy. All applicants (including those who qualify under Criteria 1 – 3 below) must submit an application form. Applications which are submitted after the closing date will be accepted but these applications will only be considered after all applications which were submitted by the closing date have been offered a place. Parents will be informed in writing of the status of their application within twenty-one days of the closing date for applications.
Decisions made in relation to admissions are made by the Board of Management in accordance with school policy. Under the rules outlined by the Department of Education and Skills, secondary school students must be aged at least 12 years on the 1st of January in the calendar year following their entry into First Year. Places will be offered to applicants based on the following criteria and in this order:
- Brothers (including step-brothers etc.) of students who are in the school, or who have been in the school, are accepted.
- Sons (including step-sons, foster sons etc.) of members of staff and ancillary educational personnel are accepted.
- Sons (including step-sons, foster sons etc.) of past pupils of the school are accepted.
Students are accepted from traditional feeder schools. Places are allocated to students from these schools on a proportional basis using the average number of students enrolled in 1st Year in Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh from each of the schools over the previous five years. Applicants who qualify under Criteria 1 – 3 above are included within (and not additional to) their school’s quota. The recognised feeder schools for Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh are (in alphabetical order):
(i) Ballinora National School
(ii) Ballyheada National School
(iii) Cloghroe National School
(iv) Gaelscoil Ui Riada, Bishopstown
(v) Glasheen National School
(vi) Goggin’s Hill National School
(vii) Greenmount National School
(viii) Scoil an Spioraid Naoimh, Bishopstown
(ix) St. Joseph’s National School, Mardyke
(x) Togher National School
Once places have been assigned under Criteria 1 – 3 above, remaining places within a feeder school’s quota will be assigned by reference to the geographical distance from an applicant’s home to Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh ‘as the crow flies’ i.e. applicants living closest to the school will be given priority. The applicant’s ‘home’ will be defined as per the applicant’s home address as recorded on his primary school’s register.
Any remaining places will be allocated in the first instance to applicants from feeder schools and thereafter to applicants from non-feeder schools (other than those who qualify under Criteria 1 – 3 above). At all times, geographical distance from the applicant’s home to Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh will be the determining factor in establishing the order of the offer of places.
Parents of any student whose application for enrolment is refused by the school may appeal to the Secretary General of the Department of Education and Science under Section 29 of the 1998 Education Act.
Special Education Needs
The Board of Management will ensure that steps are taken at an early stage to identify children with special needs who may be applying for admission and to become familiar with their needs.
The school will request a copy of the applicant’s medical, psychological or individual educational report if available. If special resources are required to meet the needs of the student, the Board will request the Department of Education and Science to provide the necessary resources. In seeking to identify the applicant’s needs, it may be necessary for the Principal to meet with the applicant’s parents and/or other professionals working with the child.
Transfers from other Second-level Schools
Pupils may transfer into Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh at any stage subject to:
- The provisions of the Admissions Policy.
- The school being satisfied with the reasons for the transfer.
- The school regarding the move as being in the best interests of the applicant.
- The availability of space.
- Consultation with the Educational Welfare Officer.
Under the terms of the Education Act 1998 and the Department of Education and Science Circular M48/01, Coláiste and Spioraid Naoimh reserves the right to refuse an application for admission in exceptional circumstances.