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welcome

This enrolment policy is set out in accordance with the provisions of the Education Act (1998). The Board of Management (BOM) of Scoil Mochua trusts that
by so doing, parents / guardians will be assisted in relation to enrolment matters. The chairperson of the BOM, and the Principal, will be happy to clarify any further matters arising from the policy.
November 2007

1. General Information

School Name: Scoil Mochua,

School Address: Aghards,
Celbridge,
Co. Kildare.

Telephone Number: 01 – 6272963

Fax Number: 01 – 6279173

Email Address: scoilmochua@eircom.net

Chairperson BOM: Rev. Patrick Carmody,
St. Eustace Centre,
Main St.,
Celbridge,
Co. Kildare

School Principal: Mr. Tony Doohan,
Scoil Mochua,
Aghards,
Celbridge,
Co. Kildare

Denominational Character: Catholic Primary School

Name of the Patron: Archbishop Diarmuid Martin

Teaching Staff Details:

Principal, Deputy Principal, 21 class teachers, 6 Special Education Teachers and 3 Language/Resource Teachers.

Range of Classes taught:

Scoil Mochua caters for the full range of primary school classes from Junior Infants to Sixth Class. The school is co-educational and at present has an enrolment of 607 pupils.

Curricular Programmes:

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

Accommodation:

Current accommodation comprises 21 classrooms, computer room, general purpose room, gymnasium, principal’s office, deputy principal’s office, secretary’s office, library, 2 small rooms and 3 small pre-fabs used for Special Education, cleaners’ storage area and a PE equipment storage room.

Ancillary Staff:

Secretary, Caretaker, 4 Special Needs Assistants.

Opening Hours:

When in operation the school is open from 9.00am until 2.40pm Monday to Friday. Junior and Senior Infants finish their school day at 1.40pm.

2. General Enrolment Policies

  • Equality of access is the key value that determines the enrolment of children to Scoil Mochua. No child is refused admission for reasons of ethnicity, special educational needs, disability, language/accent, gender, traveller status, asylum-seeker/refugee status, religious/political beliefs and values, family or social circumstances.
  • While recognising the right of parents to enrol their child in the school of their choice, the BOM of Scoil Mochua has a responsibility to respect the rights of the existing school community and in particular, the children already enrolled. This requires balanced judgements, which are guided by the principles of natural justice and acting in the best interest of all children. Assisting the school in such circumstances, the BOM reserves the right to determine the maximum number of children in each separate classroom bearing in mind:
    size of / available space in classrooms
    educational needs of children of a particular age
    multi-grade classes
    presence of children with special educational / behavioural needs
    Department of Education and Science (DES) maximum class average directives.
  • The educational and training requirements of children with special needs attending Scoil Mochua will be catered for in accordance with the level of resources provided by the DES to the BOM.
  • All children enrolled in Scoil Mochua are required to co-operate with, and support the school / BOM’s Code of Behaviour and Discipline as well as all other policies on curriculum, organisation and management. The BOM places parents / guardians responsible for ensuring that their children co-operate with said policies in an age-appropriate way.
  • At time of admission, all parents / guardians are given a copy of the publication ‘Your Child in Scoil Mochua’. This booklet outlines the Code of Behaviour and Discipline for the school, background information on primary education and a short introduction to the history of Celbridge.
  • In accordance with the DES’s rules for National Schools, a child may be suspended. School policy relating to expulsion and suspension of students is outlined in the publication ‘Your Child in Scoil Mochua’ on pages 31 – 33.

3. Procedure for Enrolment of Pupils to Junior Infant Classes

  • Parents / guardians seeking to enrol a child in Junior Infants in Scoil Mochua make application by completing an Enrolment Application Form at the school on specified dates which will be circulated in advance in a school and parish newsletter.
  • Registration usually takes place in the month of February prior to the child starting school.
  • Parents / guardians should make the application personally.
  • An original birth certificate, baptismal certificate, child’s PPS no. and a recent utility bill (eg. ESB or landline telephone) are required with the application.
  • Only children who have reached the age of four by the beginning of the school year will be considered for enrolment to Junior Infants. Compulsory attendance does not apply until the age of 6 years.
  • Parents / guardians are informed by letter from the Chairperson of the BOM or the Principal of the outcome of their application.
  • It is a condition of application that applicants accept the protocol for enrolment to Junior Infants.
  • In the event of a cancellation, the vacancy will be offered to the next oldest child on the waiting list.
  • Parents / guardians may appeal any decision made to the B.O.M.
  • Where applications to Scoil Mochua exceed the number of places available, the BOM give children in the following groups priority listing:

    (a)Brothers and sisters (including step-siblings resident at the same address) of children currently attending the school and
    (b)Applicants from the Parish.

In the event of over subscription, the BOM addresses the matter by selecting on the basis of age and proximity to the school, and on age alone in the case of applicants with siblings.
Equal priority is given to the oldest children from groups (a) and (b) above, up to a maximum of the number of places available.
The BOM has prioritized the Parish into the following areas listed below. This prioritization is used as a general guideline only, the principle of which is proximity to the school.

Thornhill, Ballygoran, Ashgrove, Willowbrook, Beatty Park, Beatty Grove, Whitethorn/Temple Grove, Maynooth Road West, Castle Village, Kilwogan, Mooretown, Crodaun Forest Park, Hawthorn View, Oldtown Mill, Wolstan Haven, Vanessa Lawns, Celbridge East, Celbridge West, South of the Liffey.

4. Procedure for Enrolment of Pupils Transferring from other Schools

  • Where places are available, children who come to live in the Parish can make application to enrol in the school during the school year.
  • Where places are available, children who live outside the parish of Celbridge may also make application to enrol in Scoil Mochua.
  • Application for enrolment is made by applying to the BOM or the Principal.
  • Parents / guardians are requested to provide the school with a birth certificate and a report on the child’s previous educational progress and attendance.

All policies / procedures relating to school enrolment may be amended and / or revised from time to time in accordance with BOM and/or DES regulations and guidelines.