Enrolment

Enrolment

Enrolment of all pupils is strictly in accordance with the enrolment policy. This policy has been drawn up by the Board of Management in consultation with the principal and teaching staff. A copy of the policy together with the necessary application form is given to all prospective parents.

St. Brigid’s Enrolment Policy

This enrolment policy for St. Brigid’s School has been set by the Board of Management in accordance with the provision of the Education Act, 1998. The B.O.M. trusts that through the policy parents will be assisted in relation to enrolment matters. It informs parents of the process used to allocate available places in all classes. Should you have any further queries please contact Ms. Evelyn O’ Brien, Principal, (01) 8376653, or
Fr. Sean Mundow, Chairperson B.O.M., (01) 8373455

A. General Information
School Name: St. Brigid’s, G.N.S.
Address: Old Finglas Rd., Glasnevin, Dublin 11.
Telephone: (01) 8376653
e-mail stbrigid.glasnevin@gmail.com

St. Brigid’s is a Roman Catholic all girls school, founded by the Holy Faith Sisters and under the Patronage of Archbishop Desmond Connell. There are currently 20 teachers on staff including the Principal, 16 class teachers, 2 full time & 1 part-time Learning Support teachers and 1 teacher of English to children who do not have English as their first language. Classes range from Junior Infants to Sixth class.

The school depends on the Dept. of Education and Science for grants and for teacher resources and thus is required to operate within the regulations laid down by the Department. Decisions taken in school policy must have regard to the resources and funding available from the Department.

The school follows the curricular programmes prescribed by the Dept. of Education & Science which may be amended from time to time in accordance with Sections 9 and 30 of the Education Act (1998)

The school supports the principle of inclusiveness particularly with reference to the enrolment of a child with a disability or other special needs, where the needs of the child can be met through mainstream education.

B. Procedures for Enrolment

On application for enrolment, parents/guardians are required to complete an enrolment application form. Applications will then be processed in accordance with the schools’
policy. Pupils applying for placement in St. Brigid’s must be 4 years of age on or before May 31st on the year of enrolment. Junior Infants may only be admitted to the school on the first day of the new school year (usually @ 1st September), except where a child is transferring from Junior Infants in another school and when the transfer is in accordance with this schools policy. Classes are deemed to be full when there are 30 children on roll.

The criteria which the B.O.M. will use in the allocation of places is as follows:

1. Roman Catholic girls from the parish of Our Lady of Dolours including traveller children

2. Sisters of girls who are attending or have attended St. Brigid’s Glasnevin. Foster children will be regarded as siblings.

3. Deferrals - (see below)

4. All girls who live within the parish boundaries but are not Roman catholic are entitled to a place if there are vacancies after the above groups have been allocated places.

5. All Roman catholic girls who apply to the school and are not resident within the parish are entitled to a place if there are vacancies in the school after the groups 1 – 3 have been allocated places.

6. All non catholic girls who apply are entitled to a place if there are vacancies in the school after the groups 1 – 5 have been allocated places.

C. Offers of Places for Junior Infants – Dates of offers and deferrals

• Offers of places for Junior Infants will be based on the names of children who have
applied for a place in the school.
• Offers will be made in accordance with the criteria set out in Section B.
• The offers of places for Junior Infants will be sent out at the beginning of
January of each year.
• Replies will be due back on the date stated in this January letter.
• Failure to reply will result in the loss of the place.
• Deferrals – where a definite place has been offered for Jnr. Infants and a parent requests a deferral to the following year, the child will be placed on that list as follows:
(1) After places for parish children and sisters.
(2) In accordance with their original date of application.
Applications for deferral can only be made up to the return date stated on original offer letter (usually towards end of January). Requests for deferrals after this date will result in the child’s name being placed at the end of the waiting list for the following year.
• Applications for places in Junior Infants received after places have been offered in January will be put on a waiting list according to the criteria as set out in Section B of this policy.

Enrolment of Children with Special Needs

It is the policy of St. Brigid’s, where possible, to integrate children with special needs or disabilities into mainstream education. To enable the Principal/B.O.M. to request additional assistance/resources where needed from the Dept. of Education & Science, on the enrolment application form parents/guardians will be asked to provide information on any special needs which children may have. This is to enable the school to ensure such assistance/resources will be in place when the child begins school.

To assist the school in establishing the educational and training needs of the child relevant to his/her disability or special needs and to profile the support services required, the B.O.M. may request a copy of a child’s medical and/or psychological report or to request the child be assessed immediately.

The school would then meet with the parents of the child to discuss these needs. Where necessary a full case conference, involving all parties may be called.

It may be necessary for the B.O.M. to defer enrolment of a child pending:
- the receipt of an assessment report; and/or
- the provision by the Dept. of Education & Science to meet the needs specified in the medical/psychological report

Transfer of Pupils from another school.

1. Transfer of pupils from another school without change of address may only occur at the start of each quarter i.e. 1st July (1st Sept.), 1st October, 1st January, 1st October. This transfer will be subject both to availability of a place in the required class and is subject to the school policy.

2. Pupils seeking transfer from another school due to change of address will be allocated places in accordance with school policy and subject to availability of a place in the required class.

3. In the case of transfers as outlined in 1 & 2 above, parents will be asked to furnish this school with a report from the previous school, a record of pupil attendance and, if deemed necessary, a letter of transfer from the school where the child is currently registered.

This Enrolment Policy has been reviewed and sanctioned by the Board of Management of St. Brigid’s School in September 2008.
This updated policy supersedes all other versions of The Enrolment Policy which may have been issued by the School.
 

School Hours

The school building is opened to the children at 8.30a.m. each day when they are admitted to the hall and supervised by a duty teacher. The children should not be dropped/arrive at school before 8.30a.m. The school and Board of Management are not responsible for children who are left at the school before 8.30a.m. Please encourage your child to come into the hall on her own. The children are collected from the hall by their teacher at 8.50a.m. with formal teaching beginning at 9.00a.m. Please ensure that your child is on time for school each day.
Other relevant times are as follows:
Morning Break       10.30a.m. - 10.40a.m. (Indoors)
Lunch Break          12.30a.m. -1.00p.m. (Outdoors weather permitting)
School ends at 1.30p.m. for Infants and at 2.30p.m. for all other standards. At dismissal time children are brought to the gate by the teachers. Please ensure that your child knows who is collecting her or how she is to go home. If your child is being collected regularly by a grandparent or child minder please let the class teacher know and if possible introduce them to the teacher. Where there is a change in the person collecting your child please let the class teacher know in writing.