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 24th September 2020 and on 19th December 2022. 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. Mary’s Senior School’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 enrolment form for admission to the MAINSTREAM classes is available for download here and the relevant enrolment form for admission to the SEN classes is available for download here and will be made available in hardcopy on request to any person who requests it.
The completion of an enrolment application form or the placement of your child’s name on a list, however early, does not confer an automatic right to a place in the school.
2. Characteristic spirit and general objectives of the school
St. Mary’s Senior School is a Catholic all-girls primary school (mainstream classes) with two co-educational SEN classes with a Catholic ethos under the patronage of the Bishop of Cork and Ross.
“Catholic Ethos” in the context of a Catholic primary school means the ethos and characteristic spirit of the Roman Catholic Church, which aims at promoting:
(a) the full and harmonious development of all aspects of the person of the pupil, including the intellectual, physical, cultural, moral and spiritual aspects; and
(b) a living relationship with God and with other people; and
(c) a philosophy of life inspired by belief in God and in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus; and
(d) the formation of the pupils in the Catholic faith, and which school provides religious education for the pupils in accordance with the doctrines, practices and traditions of the Roman Catholic Church, and/or such ethos and/or characteristic spirit as may be determined or interpreted from time to time by the Irish Episcopal Conference.
In accordance with S.15 (2) (b) of the Education Act, 1998 the Board of Management of St. Mary’s Senior School 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.
In St. Mary’s Senior School it is our policy to give both boys and girls equal opportunities in curricular and sporting areas. St. Mary’s Senior School is a Catholic Primary school which strives to provide a well-ordered, caring, happy and secure atmosphere where the intellectual, physical, moral, spiritual, aesthetic and cultural needs of the pupils are identified and addressed.
This, we envisage, occurring in an atmosphere of mutual respect where all members of the school community feel happy and secure working in a spirit of encouragement and enthusiasm while recognising and celebrating diversity.
3. Admission Statement
St. Mary’s Senior School 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. Mary’s Senior School is an all-girls school (mainstream only) and does not discriminate where it refuses to admit a boy applying for admission to its mainstream classes in this school.
St. Mary’s Senior School 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. Mary’s Senior School will cooperate with the National Council for Special Education in the performance by the Council of its functions under the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 relating to the provision of education to children with special educational needs, including in particular by the provision and operation of a special class or classes when requested to do so by the Council.
St. Mary’s Senior School will comply with any direction served on the patron or the board, as the case may be, under section 37A and any direction served on the board under section 67(4B) of the Education Act.
St. Mary’s Senior School is a school which has established two classes (Multiple Disabilities and Autism), with the approval of the Minister for Education and Skills, which provides an education exclusively for students with a category or categories of special educational needs specified by the Minister and reserves the right to refuse to admit to the class a student who does not have the category of needs specified (ref. Section 5).
Note for Parents: the inclusion of the above wording was mandated by the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018.
4. Categories of Special Educational Needs catered for in the school/special class
St. Mary’s Senior School, with the approval of the Minister for Education and Skills, has established a class to provide an education exclusively for students with multiple disabilities and a second class for students on the autistic spectrum.
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
In its mainstream classes, St. Mary’s Senior School provides education exclusively for girls and reserves the right to refuse to admit as a student a person who is not of the gender provided for by this school.
St. Mary’s Senior School is a Catholic school and reserves the right to refuse to admit as a student a person who is not of the Catholic faith where it is proved that the refusal is essential to maintain the ethos of the school.
The special class attached to St. Mary’s Senior School provides an education exclusively for students with a Multiple Disabilities or on the autistic spectrum and the school reserves the right to refuse admission to the relevant class, where the student concerned does not have a report confirming that s/he has been diagnosed as having the specified category of special educational needs provided for in this class.
Enrolment Procedure in our Special Classes
Children and young people are eligible for enrolment in a Special Class for multiple disabilities when the following is provided in support of such an application:
Professional report(s) outlining:
· Diagnosis of special educational needs (e.g. Autism: DSM IV/V or ICD 10/11 (psychologist, psychiatrist, multi-disciplinary report)
AND
· A demonstration of the understanding of complexity of the child’s overall level of need/s evidenced in the professional reports
AND
· Given the severity or complexity of the child’s support needs, a clear professional recommendation as to what educational placement type would be most appropriate to best meet the child’sneeds, along with the rationale for same
AND
· A letter from the NCSE confirming that the child is known to them and that the child has the required diagnosis and recommendation for a Special Class for autism.
Once these documents have been forwarded to the School Principal, parents will be asked to make an application to enrol the child in the school. The Board of Management will then consider the application and notify the parents accordingly.
Note for Parents: the inclusion of the above wording was mandated by the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018.
6. Oversubscription
Mainstream Classes:
In the event of the number of children seeking enrolment exceeding the number of places available the following criteria will be used to prioritise children for enrolment:
Priority Category 1: Sisters of children already enroled (including stepsisters, resident at same address)
Priority Category 2: Children currently enroled in St. Mary’s Infants School, Dunmanway
Priority Category 3: Girls living within the town and parish boundaries respectively.
Priority Category 4: Girls who live outside the town and parish
Special Needs Classes:
In the event of the number of children seeking enrolment exceeding the number of places available (max. of 6 pupils in each classroom) the following criteria will be used to prioritise children for enrolment:
Priority Category 1: Pupils currently enroled in the school (priority to mainstream and then the other SEN class)
Priority Category 2: Siblings of present pupils of the school (including stepsiblings, resident at same address)
Priority Category 3: Children currently enroled in Scoil Phádraig Naofa, Dunmanwayand then St. Mary’s Infants School, Dunmanway
Priority Category 4: Children living within the town and parish boundaries respectively
Priority Category 5: Children who live outside the town and parish
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:
Mainstream Classes:
Priority will be given to applications within the particular category in order of age, starting with the oldest. By way of example, if there are still places available in the school after accepting applications in categories 1 & 2, those available places will be filled from category 3 according to the age of the child (with the older given priority). No application from category 4 will be considered until such time as all category 3applications have been exhausted.
Special Needs Classes:
Priority will be given to applications within the particular category in order of age, starting with the oldest. By way of example, if there are still places available in the school after accepting applications in categories 1,2 & 3 those available places will be filled from category 4 according to the age of the child (with the older given priority). No application from category 5 will be considered until such time as all category 4 applications have been exhausted.
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:
(a) a student’s prior attendance at a pre-school or pre-school service, including naíonraí
(b) the payment of fees or contributions (howsoever described) to the school;
(c) a student’s academic ability, skills or aptitude; other than in relation to:
– admission to our special classes (i.e. Multiple Disabilities and Autism) insofar as it is necessary in order to ascertain whether or not the student has the category of special educational needs concerned and/or
(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 sisters or stepsisters of a student attending or having attended the school in the case of our mainstream classes and other than siblings or stepsiblings of a student attending or having attended the school in the case of our special educational need classes
(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. Mary’s Senior School 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 St. Mary’s Senior School, 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. Mary’s Senior School 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 10above.
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. Mary’s Senior School 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. Mary’s Senior School 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.
Applicants 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. Late applicants will be offered a place if there is place available. In the event that there is no place available, the name of the applicant will be added to the waiting list as set out in Section 13.
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:
· Sections 5 & 6 will continue to apply in the case of such children, provided that capacity exists within the school to accommodate such students.
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:
· Sections 5 & 6 will continue to apply in the case of such children, provided that capacity exists within the school to accommodate such students.
16. Declaration in relation to the non-charging of fees
The board of St. Mary’s Senior School 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
Our school is of a Catholic ethos and, in keeping with that ethos, children of all or no other faith are welcome to apply to this school. We respect the decision of parents to withdraw their child/children from taking part in the religious education curriculum, religious ceremonies, school Masses, etc.
The following are the school’s arrangements for students, where the parent(s)/guardian(s) have requested that the student attend the school without attending religious instruction (etc.) 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)/guardian(s) 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
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 and should be made to the Board within 21 calendar days from the date of receipt of refusal.
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.
Oversubscription:
As the refusal to enrol is due to the school being oversubscribed, you may appeal this decision under section 29(1)(c)(i) of the Education Act 1998, as amended. In the first instance you must request a review by the board of management of the decision to refuse admission. This must be requested within 21 calendar days from the date of the decision to refuse admission to the school. A board of management request form (BOMR1) is available at https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/8248c-appeals-in-relation-to-refusal-to-admit-a-student-due-to-a-school-being-oversubscribed/#how-to-seek-a-review-by-the-board-of-management.
You can proceed to submit a section 29 appeal once you have received the outcome of the review by the board of management or once 42 calendar days have passed since the decision to refuse admission was made (whichever of these is the earliest). A section 29 appeal form can be downloaded at https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/8248c-appeals-in-relation-to-refusal-to-admit-a-student-due-to-a-school-being-oversubscribed/#how-to-appeal-if-a-child-has-been-refused-admission-because-the-school-is-full. Alternatively you can submit your appeal online and upload the required documentation at https://www.section29appeals.gov.ie/. A section 29 appeal must be made no later than 63 calendar days from the date of the decision to refuse admission.
Reasons other than oversubscription
As the refusal to enrol is for a reason other than the school being oversubscribed, you may appeal the decision under section 29(1)(c)(ii) of the Education Act 1998, as amended. You may choose to request a review by the board of management of the decision to refuse admission. You are not obliged to, but if you choose to request a review you must request it within 21 calendar days from the date of the decision to refuse admission to the school. A board of management request form (BOMR1) is available at https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/8248c-appeals-in-relation-to-refusal-to-admit-a-student-due-to-a-school-being-oversubscribed/#how-to-seek-a-review-by-the-board-of-management.
If you do request a review by the board of management, you can proceed to submit a section 29 appeal once you have received the outcome of the review by the board of management or once 42 calendar days have passed since the decision to refuse admission was made (whichever of these is the earliest). A section 29 appeal form can be downloaded at https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/31c4f-appeals-in-relation-to-refusal-to-admit-a-student-for-a-reason-other-than-the-school-being-oversubscribed/#how-to-appeal-if-my-child-has-been-refused-admission-and-the-school-has-places-available. Alternatively you can submit your appeal online and upload the required documentation at https://www.section29appeals.gov.ie/. A section 29 appeal must be made no later than 63 calendar days from the date of the decision to refuse admission.
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.
19. Implementation and Review
This Policy will be reviewed, as deemed necessary, by the Board of Management.
20. Policy Ratification
The policy was ratified by the Board of Management of St. Mary’s Senior School on 27th April 2020, reviewed on 23rd September 2021, 29th September 2022, 11th January 2023, 23rd September 2024 and 22nd September 2025.
Signed: John Martin Date: 22.09.2025
(Chairperson, Board of Management)
Mairéad Twohig Date: 22.09.2025
(Principal)
The contents of this policy have been approved by the Diocesan Office, acting on behalf of the Patron.