Admissions Policy

Admissions Policy of:

St. Columba’s Comprehensive School

Glenties, Co. Donegal

Roll number: 81010J

School Patrons: Minister for Education and Skills and the Bishop of 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 the 24th January 2023. 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. Columba’s Comprehensive 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 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

School Ethos and Mission Statement.

School ethos

St Columba’s Comprehensive School is a Catholic comprehensive school under the Patronage of the Minister for Education and Skills in partnership with Trustees, the Catholic Bishop of Raphoe and Donegal ETB.

School Mission Statement

St. Columba’s Comprehensive School will endeavour to:

Provide a curriculum appropriate to all students in a safe and caring environment
Foster a spirit of co-operation and mutual respect between students, staff and community.
Enable each student to reach his/her full potential.
Promote the development of personal responsibility founded on honesty, justice and truth.

We hope to achieve our aims by recognising, developing and rewarding the inherent good in all our young people. These aims are encapsulated in our school motto –

“Mol an Óige agus tiocfaidh sí”

3. Admission Statement

St. Columba’s Comprehensive School will not discriminate in its admission of a student to the school on any of the following:

the gender ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,
the civil status ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,
the family status ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,
the sexual orientation ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,
the religion ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,
the disability ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,
the ground of race of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,
the Traveller community ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned, or
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. Columba’s Comprehensive School is a school whose objective is to provide education in an environment which promotes certain religious values and does not discriminate where it admits a student of Catholic religion in preference to others.

St. Columba’s Comprehensive School 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 a Catholic and it is proved that the refusal is essential to maintain the ethos of the school.

“St. Columba’s Comprehensive 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. Columba’s Comprehensive 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.”

4. 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/guardian 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

St. Columba’s Comprehensive School is a Catholic comprehensive school and may refuse to admit as a student a person who is not of Catholic religion where it is proved that the refusal is essential to maintain the ethos of the school

5. 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:

(a)Pupils from a Catholic background from all our traditional feeder primary schools Glenties which are (in alphabetical order):

Brackey N.S.; Brackey, Ardara;

Crannogbois N.S., Loughros Point, Ardara;

Doochary N.S ; Doochary

Edeninfagh N.S., Edeninfagh, Glenties

Gortnacart N.S., Gortnacart, Ardara;

Kilkenny N.S., Kilkenny, Glenties;

Killian N.S., Inver P.O.;

Meenagowan N.S., Lettermacaward;

Meentinadea N.S., Meentinadea, Ardara;

Scoil Bhríde, Lettermacaward;

Scoil Cholmcille, Fintown;

Scoil Mhuire N.S., Glen Road. Glenties; Scoil Niall Mór, Killybegs

St. Conal’s N.S., Narin, Portnoo P.O.

St. Mary’s N.S., Hillhead, Ardara;

St Riaghan’s N.S, Drimnacrosh, Glenties;

The Wood N.S., Front Street, Ardara

Applications from children who have siblings in the school

Applications from children of other or none faith backgrounds from the feeder primary schools listed at (a) above.

Applications from children whose parents or grandparents attended the school. (There is a cap of 25% of places for this category.)

Applications according to age of child with priority given by age, in accordance with Department of Education & Skills Rules i.e. provided the student is 12 by the 1^st January for the academic year they are applying for admission to the intake group.

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:

 The place(s) will be determined by lottery

6. 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 student’s prior attendance at a pre-school or pre-school service, including naíonraí,

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

a student’s academic ability, skills or aptitude;

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

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

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, (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, the school will only apply this criteria to a maximum of 25% of the available spaces as set out in the school’s annual admission notice).

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.

7. Decisions on applications

All decisions on applications for admission to St. Columba’s Comprehensive 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(a) below in relation to applications received outside of the admissions period and section 14(b) 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.

8. 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 16 below for further details).

9. Acceptance of an offer of a place by an applicant

In accepting an offer of admission from St. Columba’s Comprehensive School, you must indicate—

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

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.

10. 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. Columba’s Comprehensive School 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/guardian 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 9 above.

11. 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.

12. 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. Columba’s Comprehensive 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. Columba’s Comprehensive 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.

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.

13. 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.

14. Procedures for admission of students to other years and during the school year

(a)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:

If places are available,

The student must complete and submit an application form.
Admission can then take place.

If no place is available at that time:

The student will be put on a waiting list and informed of his/her place on that list. The place on the waiting list will be ranked according to date and time received.

(b)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:

The student must complete and submit an application form.
Admission can take place following receipt of the application form.

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

The Board of Management of St. Columba’s Comprehensive School, 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.

16. 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)

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.

St. Columba's Comprehensive School