Admissions Policy


  
Gilson National School
 
Admissions Policy
 
Church St, Oldcastle, Co. Meath
 
Roll Number: 12488C
 
School Patron: Thomas Deenihan, Bishop of the Diocese of Meath
 
 

   1. 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 policy was approved by the school patron on 12th August 2020. 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 Gilson NS admission process 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.
 

    2. Characteristic spirit and general objectives of the school  
Gilson NS is a co-educational Catholic primary school in the Oldcastle/Moylagh Parish and under the patronage of the Bishop of Meath. Our school aims to promote the full and harmonious development of all aspects of the pupil: intellectual, physical, cultural, moral and spiritual, including a living relationship with God and with other people.  Our school strives to create a learning environment where every child is encouraged and enabled to develop to their full and unique potential as human beings, made in the image and likeness of God.  We seek to form pupils who will unselfishly use their gifts for the common good and are committed to work for a more just and caring society.
The school models and promotes a philosophy of life inspired by belief in God and in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Together, the Board, the principal and the staff, working with the Patron, the parents and the local parish, model a living human-religious-Christian educational tradition which nurtures the faith of Catholic pupils in a manner that is welcoming to and inclusive of pupils committed to other religious traditions.
 
 
 
Mission Statement
Gilson NS is a Catholic primary school. We in Gilson NS aim to create an ordered and orderly environment in which children feel secure, in which self-esteem is fostered and in which children make progress at their work. We aim at a general education, which embodies high academic standards allied to broad range of experience, which will develop the child holistically and prepare him/her for the demands of further education and the rapidly changing society in which we now live.
Gilson NS encourages parents to become involved in what children do at school and we hope that every parent will take advantage of the opportunities to find out about their child's/children’s progress at school. We also encourage the involvement of parents in the Parents' Association. Gilson NS promotes gender equity amongst the staff and pupils. We see our school as an extension of the home, a place where children are just not taught but where teachers and children, work, play and pray together. The ethos of the school is Catholic and, in this atmosphere, the spiritual, intellectual, social and the physical growth of the children is fostered.
Déanfaimid iarracht Gaeilge a labhairt.
The school motto is:
Ar Scáth a Chéile a Mhaireann na Daoine.
Our basic intention is to help each child realise his/her maximum potential in a happy and caring school environment.   
 

   3. Admission Statement  
Gilson NS will not discriminate in its admission of a student to the school on any of the following:

  1. the gender ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,
  2. the civil status ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,
  3. the family status ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,
  4. the sexual orientation ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,
  5. the religion ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,
  6. the disability ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,
  7. the ground of race of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,
  8. the Traveller community ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned, or
  9.  the ground that the student or the applicant in respect of the student 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.
 
All denominational schools
Gilson NS 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 student a person who is not Catholic and it is proved that the refusal is essential to maintain the ethos of the school.
 

   4. Categories of Special Educational Needs catered for in the school/special class This section is not applicable to our school.
 
 
   5. Admission of Students  
This school shall admit each student seeking admission except where –

  • the school is oversubscribed (please see section 6 below for further details)
 
  • a parent of a student, 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 student
 
All denominational schools
Gilson NS is a Catholic school and may refuse to admit as a student a person who is not Catholic where it is proved that the refusal is essential to maintain the ethos of the school.
 

   6. Oversubscription  
In the event that the school is oversubscribed, the school will, when deciding on applications for admission, apply the following selection criteria in the order listed below to those applications that are received within the timeline for receipt of applications as set out in the school’s annual admission notice:
 
Enrolment Criteria
The Board of Management operates a minimum age of four years of age on or before the 1st September of the year of admission to Junior Infants.
The Principal will allocate places in accordance with the following criteria in order of priority.

  1. Brothers and sisters (including stepsiblings’ resident at the same address) of children already enrolled in the school, priority to the eldest.
  2. All children who live within the Oldcastle/Moylagh Parish boundary (priority to the eldest.
  3. Children of current school staff (priority to the eldest).
  4. All other applicants (priority to eldest).
 
 
 
In the event that there are two or more students tied for a place or places in any of the selection criteria categories above (the number of applicants exceeds the number of remaining places), the following arrangements will apply:
 
If two or more applicants have the same date of birth, the school will apply a lottery selection process to establish to whom places in that category will be offered. The school principal will conduct the lottery in the presence of a member(s) of staff and officer(s) of the Parents Association and parents of the tied applicants if they wish to attend.
A waiting list for unsuccessful applicants will be compiled and applicants will be placed on the list in the order of priority as set out above. When a vacancy becomes available, applicants on the waiting list will be offered a place, in accordance with the order of priority the applicant has been placed on the list. This list will remain valid for the school year in which admissions are being sought.
 

   7. 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 student on a waiting list for admission to the school:
 
 

  1. a student’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 student’s academic ability, skills or aptitude;
  4. the occupation, financial status, academic ability, skills or aptitude of a student’s parents;
  5. a requirement that a student, or his or her parents, attend an interview, open day or other meeting as a condition of admission;
  6. a student’s connection to the school by virtue of a member of his or her family attending or having previously attended the school; other than, a selection based on the criteria based on siblings of a student currently attending the school.
  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.
 


   8. Decisions on applications  
All decisions on applications for admission to Gilson NS will be based on the following:
  • Our school’s admission policy
  • The school’s annual admission notice (where applicable)
  • 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.
 

   9. 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 student 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 student’s ranking against the selection criteria and details of the student’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).
 

   10. Acceptance of an offer of a place by an applicant  
In accepting an offer of admission from Gilson NS, you must indicate--
 
(i) 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
 
(ii) whether or not you have applied for and 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.
 

   11. 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 Gilson NS where--
  • it is established that information contained in the application is false or misleading.
  • 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.
  • the parent of a student, 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 student; or
  • an applicant has failed to comply with the requirements of ‘acceptance of an offer’ as set out in section 10 above.
 

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

   13. 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 students whose applications for admission to Gilson NS 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 [school name] is in the order of priority assigned to the students’ applications after the school has applied the selection criteria in accordance with this admission policy. 
 
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 students on the waiting list, in accordance with the order of priority in relation to which the students have been placed on the list.
 

   14. 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.
 

   15. Procedures for admission of students to other years and during the school year  
The procedures of the school in relation to the admission of students who are not already admitted to the school, after the commencement of the school year in which admission is sought, are as follows:

  • Parents requesting the enrolment of a child or children into classes after the commencement of the school year in which admission is sought are requested to complete and return a copy of our ‘Inter-School Transfer’ form for each child being enrolled.
  • Upon receipt of the completed form(s) the school will apply the process of admission exactly as detailed within this policy for all admissions.
 


   16. Declaration in relation to the non-charging of fees  
This rule applies to all schools.
 
The board of Gilson NS or any persons acting on its behalf will not charge fees for or seek payment or contributions (howsoever described) as a condition of-
  • an application for admission of a student to the school, or
  • the admission or continued enrolment of a student in the school.
 

   17. Arrangements regarding students not attending religious instruction  
This section must be completed by schools that provide religious instruction to students.
 
The following are the school’s arrangements for students, where the parents or in the case of a student who has reached the age of 18 years, the student, who has requested that the student attend the school without attending religious instruction in the school.  These arrangements will not result in a reduction in the school day of such students:
 
A written request should be made to the Principal of the school. A meeting will then be arranged with the parents/guardians of the student to discuss how the request may be accommodated by the school.

   18. Reviews/appeals  
Review of decisions by the Board of Management
The parent of the student, or in the case of a student who has reached the age of 18 years, the student, 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.  
 
Right of appeal
Under Section 29 of the Education Act 1998, the parent of the student, or in the case of a student who has reached the age of 18 years, the student, 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
 
 
 
Chairperson: William Smith
………………………...        Date: 26/06/2020
Principal: Mark Carey
……………………….          Date: 26/06/2020