RESPECTIVE FUNCTIONS OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS AND PRINCIPAL IN RELATION TO ADMISSIONS.

The Board of Governors have delegated to the principal the task of selecting pupils for admission.

ADMISSIONS CRITERIA – YEAR 1

During the admissions procedure when applying the criteria punctual applications will be considered before late applications are considered.   The application procedure opens on 9 January 2024 at 12noon (GMT), and an application submitted by the closing date of 26 January 2024 at 12noon (GMT) will be treated as a punctual application.   An application received after 12noon (GMT) on 26 January 2024 and up to 4 pm on 31 January 2024 will be treated as a late application, this is also the last date and time for processing a change of preference in exceptional circumstances.  After 4 pm on 31 January 2024 no applications will be processed until after the close of procedure on 25 April 2024.

Priority will be given to children who will have attained compulsory school age at the time of their proposed admission, including those children whose parents deferred their admission to primary school in September 2023 as defined by the new School Age (NI) Act (both groups to be treated equally).

The following criteria will be applied in the order set down below by the Board of Governors of St Macartan’s Primary School in selecting children of compulsory school age for admission to Year 1 in September. Priority will be given at all times to pupils regarded by the Board of Governors, on the basis of supporting evidence by parents and/or statutory agencies, as having special circumstances (medical, social, security factors). Children normally resident in Northern Ireland will be considered before any other children.

When considering which children should be selected for admission, the Board of Governors will only take into account information which is detailed on or attached to the application. Parents/guardians should therefore ensure that all information pertaining to their child and relevant to the school’s admissions criteria is stated on the application or attached to it. Examples of such information include whether the child has brothers or sisters attending or previously attended the school etc.

1. Children who normally reside in the Co Fermanagh section of Clones Parish.
2. Children from other areas.

In the event of over-subscription in any one of the criteria taken in order, the following Sub-Criteria will be applied in the order set down. If over-subscribed in any one of the Sub-Criteria, taken in order, final selection will be on the basis of the closeness of the home to the school as measured by using google maps.

(a) children who have brothers/sisters (half-brothers/sisters) presently enrolled in the

(b) children whose parent/guardian, brother/sister (half-brother/sister) are prior pupils of the school.

YEAR 1 ADMISSIONS – AFTER THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR

Children who apply to enter the school during the academic year will be considered using the same criteria as for Year 1.

DUTY TO VERIFY

The Board of Governors reserves the right to require such supplementary evidence as it may determine to support or verify information on any applicant’s Application.

If the requested evidence is not provided to the Board of Governors by the deadline given, this will result in the withdrawal of an offer of a place. Similarly, if information is supplied which appears to be false or misleading in any material way, the offer of a place will be withdrawn.

WAITING LIST POLICY

The school does not operate a Waiting List Policy.

ADMISSIONS CRITERIA – YEARS 2-7

The following criteria will be applied, in the order set down below, to all pupils seeking admission to Years 2 to 7. However, the school shall not cause or admit the number of registered pupils to exceed the school's enrolment number as determined by the Department of Education. Priority will be given to children who are residents of Northern Ireland.

1. Pupils for whom their admission would not, in the opinion of the Board of Governors, prejudice the efficient use of the school's resources.

If there are more applicants than places available, then the Criteria for Year 1 will be applied. In all categories children will be accepted on the basis of age with younger pupils having preference as long as their admission would not in the opinion of the Board Governors prejudice the efficient use of the school’s resources and provision of education.