St. Nathy's School Policies - Effective: September 2010

SCHOOL ENROLMENT POLICY

1. Preamble

The school enrolment policy is based on the ethos enshrined in the Mission Statement of the School.

As a Catholic Voluntary Secondary School under the trusteeship of the Bishop of Achonry, St. Nathy’s College sees itself as dedicated to the needs of all sections of society and will, therefore, have an open enrolment policy in as far as the school can fulfil the needs of an individual student. All students are expected to respect and support our school ethos.

St. Nathy’s College, along with all other schools in our and neighbouring catchment areas, will assist in the education of all students.

2. Procedures regarding enrolment of First Year Students

2.1 Prior to enrolment day.
Parents or guardians may wish to indicate the intention of their child/ren to attend St. Nathy’s College prior to enrolment day. Such intention will be recorded in order of date received, cognisant of the criteria outlined below. These prospective students will be issued with information regarding enrolment day.

2.2 Enrolment day.
The enrolment day for new students and the procedures to be followed on that day will be made available to all neighbouring primary schools in advance and may also be openly publicised in the local media. In accordance with our ethos, enrolment will be non-selective.
Parents or guardians of applicants and the applicants themselves must attend the enrolment day.

2.3 After Enrolment Day.
After enrolment day, students will only be considered if there are places available. Preference will be given to the children of people new to the catchment area. Even if enrolment is facilitated, subject choices may not be accommodated.

Once school has commenced in September, applications from First Year students will be considered only in exceptional circumstances. Application will be made in writing on the official Application Form to the Principal, with appropriate references including (a) academic progress reports, (b) educational / psychological reports, (c) behaviour reports, (d) attendance reports & (e) all relevant disciplinary reports from the school being attended at present or from the school(s) last attended during the previous 12 months. Such students will be subject to the requirements of # 5 and following below.

3. Criteria for Enrolment

Where the number of students seeking access to the school has to be restricted, the following criteria will be applied which will give preference as follows:

1. - Students from primary schools in the catchment area.
- Siblings of present pupils.
2. Students who have indicated an intention to enrol prior to enrolment day - on a first come, first served basis.
3. Students from outside the catchment area.

4. Transfer of Students into higher year groups

Such transfer may come from within the Irish education system or from outside the state.

      4.1  Prior to enrolment day.

Parents or guardians may wish to indicate the intention of their child/ren to attend St. Nathy’s College prior to enrolment day. Such intention will be recorded in order of date received, cognisant of the criteria outlined above. These prospective students will be issued with information regarding enrolment day.

4.2  Enrolment day.

The enrolment day for new students and the procedures to be followed on that day will be made available in advance and may also be openly publicised in the local media. In accordance with our ethos, enrolment will be non-selective. Parents or guardians of applicants and the applicants themselves must attend the enrolment day.

4.3  After Enrolment Day.

After enrolment day, students will only be considered if there are places available and if their subjects can be accommodated. Preference will be given to the children of people new to the catchment area.

Once school has commenced in September, applications from students from other second level schools will be considered only in exceptional circumstances. Application will be made in writing on the official Application Forms to the Principal, with appropriate references including (a) academic progress reports, (b) educational / psychological reports, (c) behaviour reports, (d) attendance reports & (e) all relevant disciplinary reports from the school being attended at present or from the school(s) last attended during the previous 12 months. Such students will be subject to the requirements of # 5 and following below.

Enrolment for such students is considered probationary during the first year. It is subject to an ongoing review of academic and behavioural progress. Should the review be negative, enrolment may not be renewed at the commencement of the following academic year.

5. Allocation of Subjects to be Studied

Students will be assigned, where possible, to classes which best cater for the subjects they have requested to study. Students will study all subjects which are compulsory as outlined by the Department of Education & Science: English, Irish, Mathematics etc., etc. unless a recognised exemption has been granted in any one or more subjects. Likewise, students will study all subjects which the school deems compulsory: Religious Education etc., etc.

Students may not discontinue the study of any subject without the permission of the Guidance Teacher or Principal being sought and granted. In exceptional circumstances, where such permission is granted, the student will remain in the class originally assigned and may study another subject.

6. Students wishing to Repeat a Year

All students wishing to repeat a year (including Repeat Leaving Certs.) must make an application in writing to the Principal. Each case will be evaluated individually. The Department of Education & Science guidelines and rules will be followed in this assessment.

7. Notification of Absences

Once a student is enrolled in the school, a parent is expected to inform the school office of any prolonged absence of the pupil from school. Students who are absent for a day are expected to have an explanatory note in the school diary the following day for inspection by the Class Tutor.

8. Parent / Teacher Meetings

It is envisaged that parents be represented at Parent / Teacher meetings. The school will make every reasonable effort to accommodate parents attending such meetings. If, by the end of the school year, a parent has failed to be represented at a Parent / Teacher meeting, the school may may make meeting with parents a condition in order to allow the student to continue to be enrolled for the following year.

9. Induction Programme for incoming students

9.1 Aims:
· To ensure the smooth induction of new students into St. Nathy’s College.
· To create a friendly and welcoming environment for the new students where they feel happy and secure.

9.2 Preliminary Visit.
The induction process for First Year students will include visits to feeder primary schools where the College prospectus booklet will be distributed. An open evening / open day at the school where prospective students and their parents are invited to view the school and its facilities may also be provided.

9.3 Enrolment Day.
Parents and guardians of applicants (along with the applicant) must attend an enrolment meeting where rules, procedures and ethos will be outlined.

9.4 August/September Induction.
There will be a phased induction with only First Year students at school on the first day. Students will be assigned to classes primarily on the basis of the subjects chosen by them.

During the first days, students will have an induction programme which will consist of:
· An orientation session to familiarise themselves with the school.
· Meeting the senior students assigned as mentors.
· An introduction to organisation for class work - recording homework in school journals.
· The distribution of timetables.
· Meetings with the Year Head and Class Tutors as well as members of the Pastoral Care team.
· A clear explanation being given of the rules and discipline procedures.
· A clear statement being given regarding the school’s anti-bullying policy and an indication of how to seek help if subject to bullying in any form.

9.5 Student Pastoral Initiative.
The school runs a Student Pastoral Initiative Programme where older students (Leaving Certs.) will undertake peer ministry to the First Year students in order to provide support during the first months in the new school.

9.5 Parents.
· Parents should ensure that all relevant information on a student who has any difficulty e.g. medical, physical, behavioural, academic etc. is passed onto the Principal, Deputy Principal or Year Head. This information should be communicated as early as possible in the year.
· Likewise any difficulties experienced by their children, that parents become aware of, should be communicated to the Class Tutor / Year Head as early as possible in order to allow for intervention.
· Parents will be given an opportunity to meet with Class Tutors in order to discuss any problems their children may be having.
· Parents are expected to attend a Parent / Teacher meeting where academic progress / behaviour can be discussed.
· Teachers and parents may communicate using the school journal system.

10. Resources

The Principal will undertake to make personnel available to implement the undertakings in this policy through posts of responsibility and other means. The Principal will also make resources available to accomplish these tasks.

11. Evaluation

The procedures in this policy will be evaluated and reviewed periodically. Teachers, students and parents should be involved in this evaluation process.

The Principal and the Board of Management will consider any recommendations made.

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