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Admission Policy

St. Columb’s N.S.

ANNUAL ADMISSION NOTICE

in respect of admissions to the 2024/2025 school year

Admission Policy and Application Form

A copy of the school’s Admission Policy and the Application Form for Admission for the 2024-2025 school year is available as follows: –

On request: By emailing office@stcolumbs.ie or writing to: St. Columb’s N.S., Moville, Co. Donegal

PART 1 - Admissions to the 2024-2025 school year

Application and Decision Dates for admission to 2024-2025 school year

The following are the dates applicable for admission to Junior Infants

Note: the school will consider and issue decisions on late applications in accordance with the school’s admission policy.

*Failure to accept an offer within the prescribed period above may result in the offer being withdrawn 

Number of places being made available in 2025 - 2026

Admission Policy of St. Columb’s N.S.

School Address: Moville

Roll number: 15763N

School Patron: The Bishop of Derry and Raphoe

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            .  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 St. Columb’s N.S. 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

St. Columb’s N.S. is a co-educational primary school with a Church of Ireland ethos under the patronage of the Bishop of Derry and Raphoe.

“Church of Ireland/Anglican” ethos in the context of a Church of Ireland primary school means the ethos and characteristic spirit of the Anglican Christian tradition. This seeks to nurture and encourage the formation of the intellectual, academic, sporting, social and religious abilities of each child within the framework of the community of faith. A Church of Ireland ethos encourages intellectual diversity of thought and encourages the individual to seek to understand themselves, the world around them and the connection between the world and the Divine. This understanding of school ethos promotes pluralism in thought and living, in the context of a Christian school community. Drawing on its Anglican tradition, the Church of Ireland School encourages home/family involvement, highlighting the importance of the family/home in the social and emotional development of the child, and more broadly, the community of the school and church.

In accordance with S.15 (2) (b) of the Education Act, 1998 the Board of Management of St. Columb’s N.S. shall uphold, and be accountable to the patron for so upholding, the characteristic spirit of the school as determined by the cultural, educational, moral, religious, social, linguistic and spiritual values and traditions which inform and are characteristic of the objectives and conduct of the school

The Department of Education and Skills expects that Protestant Schools will cater for the education of Protestant children.  In accordance with the Education Act 1998, this policy seeks to balance the rights of the Patron with the Board’s understanding of denominational education, the effective use of resources and the rights of parents and guardians to send their children to the school of their choice.  In order to comply with the Patron’s rights as set out in the School’s Deed of Variation, and to maintain the Ethos of the school as Church of Ireland, the core group of pupils is specified as 50% plus one of the enrolment being Church of Ireland.

Parents and guardians applying for a place at the school do so knowing that the School’s Ethos is that of the Church of Ireland, and that it provides education based on Christian principles.  The Board of Management therefore expects that all pupils will take part in the Christian worship of the school and will attend Religious Education lessons.  As already stated, the Board of Management acknowledges the rights of parents and guardians to withdraw their child/children from religion classes and other religious activities.

The Board of Management is responsible for making decisions in relation to all admission to the school.  The Board of Management may devolve responsibility for the processing of all applications for enrolment to the Chairperson and the Principal.  This is duly recorded in the minutes of the Board of Management.  However, all decisions on admission are subject to the final approval of the Board, and all recommendations on enrolment made by the Chairperson and Principal must be reported to the Board at the next scheduled meeting of the Board or at a meeting called to discuss any applications for admission.

3.  Admission Statement

St. Columb’s N.S. will not discriminate in its admission of a student to the school on any of the following:

(a)  the gender ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,

(b)  the civil status ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,

(c)  the family status ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,

(d)  the sexual orientation ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,

(e)  the religion ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,

(f)  the disability ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,

(g)  the ground of race of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,

(h)  the Traveller community ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned, or

(i)   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.

St. Columb’s N.S. is a school whose objective is to provide education in an environment

which promotes certain religious values and does not discriminate in relation to the admission of a student who has applied for a place in the school in accordance with section 7A of the Equal Status Act 2000.

St. Columb’s N.S. 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 Church of Ireland and it is proved that the refusal is essential to maintain the ethos of the school.

4. Special Classes:

This section provides the Minister with a power, after a process of consultation with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), the Board of Management and the Patron of a school, to compel a school to make additional provision for the education of children with special educational needs i.e. open a special class or classes, where the NCSE has identified a need for such provision within an area.

Within the context and parameters of Department of Education and

Skills regulations, the Board of Management endeavours to

protect the rights of the Patron as set out in the Education Act

1998 and enshrined in the Deed of Variation attached to the School

Lease, which exists with the Department.

5.    Admission of Students

This school shall admit each student seeking admission except where –

a)    the school is oversubscribed (please see section 6 below for further details)

b)    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 

c)     St. Columb’s N.S.is a Church of Ireland school and may refuse to admit as a student a person who is not Church of Ireland 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:

St. Columb’s National School is a Church of Ireland school.  In the event that the number of applications exceeds the number of available places, the priority categories below, which are listed in order of priority, are used to determine the priority given to applications in the descending order outlined below from (a) to (d) , as follows:

(a) Priority Category 1: An Applicant Student who is a member of the Church of Ireland or a Protestant reformed church  or is a member of a minority religion which has the same religious ethos, or a similar religious ethos to the programme of religious instruction/education which is provided in the school and who lives within the boundary of Moville or has access to the School Transport Scheme for the School.

(b) Priority Category 2: An Applicant Student who is a member of the Church of Ireland, or a Protestant reformed church or is a member of a minority religion which has the same religious ethos, or a similar religious ethos to the programme of religious instruction/education which is provided in the school and who lives within the boundary of Muff/Moville/Greencastle/Gleneely, where such parishes have no Church of Ireland/Protestant school of their own.

(c) Priority Category 3: An Applicant Student who lives within 10 miles radius of the School and who complies with the terms of this Policy

(d) Priority Category 4: All other Applicant Students who comply with the terms of this Policy

In respect of Priority categories 1 and 2 above, the Applicant must provide the following documentation with the application form in order for the application to be complete, as the School must satisfy itself that the Applicant Student is a member of a minority religion and that it provides a programme of religious instruction or religious education which is of the same religious ethos as, or a similar religious ethos to, the religious ethos of the minority religion of the Applicant Student.

(i) a statement from the Applicant confirming (i) that the Applicant Student is a member of a minority religion and (ii) that the Applicant wishes the Applicant Student to be educated in a school that provides a programme of religious instruction/education  which is of the same religious ethos, or a similar religious ethos to, the religious ethos of the minority religion of the Applicant Student

and

(ii) evidence from the Applicant to support the statement that the Applicant Student is a member of the minority religion. This evidence will consist of:-

• a letter from the relevant religious leader confirming, that the Applicant Student is a member of the minority religion or 
• the signature and stamp of the relevant Church leader on the application form confirming, that the Applicant Student is a member of the minority religion or
• a baptismal record issued by the relevant minority religion which confirms that the Applicant Student has been baptised as a member of the minority religion.                                                  

It is to be noted that where oversubscription occurs in any one of the above priority categories, priority will be given within the priority category (and only in that priority category) to Applicant Students, who have siblings currently enrolled in the School (“Sibling Applicant Students”). Where the number of Sibling Applicant Students in such a priority category, exceeds the available number of places, the remaining places will be allocated to Sibling Applicant Students using a lottery system i.e. lots will be drawn. Where the number of Sibling Applicant Students in such priority category does not exceed the number places available, the remaining places in this category will be allocated using a lottery system.

Where the Applicant Students in a category are not successful in achieving a place, their names will be placed on a waiting list in the order in which such names were drawn in the category.  Applicants will be informed of the Applicant Student’s place on the waiting list as it applies in the particular priority category.

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: 

Points (a) to (g) must be included here by all schools. There are limited exceptions to some of these (highlighted in red below) and schools must retain the exceptions that apply to them and delete those that do not:

(a) a student’s prior attendance at a pre-school or pre-school service, including naíonraí,

other than in relation to a student’s prior attendance at—

(I) an early intervention class, or

(II) an early start pre-school, specified in a list published by the Minister from time to time;

(b)  the payment of fees or contributions (howsoever described) to the school;

(c)  a student’s academic ability, skills or aptitude;

(d)  the occupation, financial status, academic ability, skills or aptitude of a student’s parents;

(e)  a requirement that a student, or his or her parents, attend an interview, open day or other meeting as a condition of admission;

(f)  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, in the case of the school wishing to include a selection criteria based on (1) siblings of a student attending or having attended the school and/or (2) parents or grandparents of a student having attended the school.

In relation to (2) parents and grandparents having attended, a school may only apply this criteria to a maximum of 25% of the available spaces as set out in the school’s annual admission notice).

(g)  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 St. Columb’s N.S. 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 

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 St. Columb’s N.S., 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 St. Columb’s N.S. where—

(i)       it is established that information contained in the application is false or misleading.

(ii)     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.

(iii)   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

(iv)    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.

Section 66(6) allows a school to provide a patron or another board of management with a list of the students in relation to whom—

(i) an application for admission to the school has been received,

(ii) an offer of admission to the school has been made, or

(iii) an offer of admission to the school has been accepted.

The list may include any or all of the following:

(i) the date on which an application for admission was received by the school;

(ii) the date on which an offer of admission was made by the school;

(iii) the date on which an offer of admission was accepted by an applicant;

(iv) a student’s personal details including his or her name, address, date of birth and personal public service number (within the meaning of section 262 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005).

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 St. Columb’s N.S. 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 St. Columb’s N.S. 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. 

Applicant students whose applications are received after the closing date outlined in the Annual Admission Notice, will be placed at the end of the waiting list in order of the date of receipt of the application.

 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.

Late applicants will be notified of the decision in respect of their application no later than three weeks after the date on which the school received the application. Applicant students will be offered a place if a place is available. In the event that there is no place available, the name of the applicant student will be added to the waiting list in accordance with Section 13 of this policy.

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 to classes or years other than the school’s intake group are as follows:

Applicants will be notified of the decision in respect of their application no later than three weeks after the date on which the school received the application. Applicant students will be offered a place in the relevant class if a place is available. In the event that the number of applications exceeds the number of available places in the relevant class, the school will apply the selection criteria set out in Section 6 of this policy to those applications.  In the event that there is no place available, the name of the applicant student will be added to the waiting list in accordance with Section 13 of this policy.

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:

Late applicants will be notified of the decision in respect of their application no later than three weeks after the date on which the school received the application. Applicant students will be offered a place if there is a place available. In the event that there is no place available, the name of the applicant student will be added to the waiting list in accordance with Section 13 of this policy.

16.            Declaration in relation to the non-charging of fees

 The board of St. Columb’s N.S. or any persons acting on its behalf will not charge fees for or seek payment or contributions (howsoever described) as a condition of-

(a)  an application for admission of a student to the school, or

(b)  the admission or continued enrolment of a student in the school.

17. Arrangements regarding students not attending religious instruction

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 parent(s)/guardians or the student, as the case may be, 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.