A new era in school admissions has begun
Forthcoming legislation means that parents in many areas can expect changes in how their local schools select pupils for entry, writes Katherine Donnelly
The new school admissions bill will have a practical impact for a large number of families
THE School Admissions Bill promises a fairer approach to school entry, with some of its main provisions set to apply in September 2019.
It went through the Dáil last week, and the only part of the legislative process that is left is its passage through the Seanad, where it is on the agenda for June 13. Following that, Education Minister Richard Bruton said he plans to implement its provisions quickly.
It will bring a cultural change to the often contested issue of school admissions, and will have a practical impact for a large number of families who have been left confused and frustrated by the current system.
Here we answer questions parents are asking, about how it will affect their chances of getting their child into their preferred school.
QI want to enrol my child in the local Catholic primary school, which is very popular. Am I now guaranteed a place?
AIT depends. About 80pc of primary schools accommodate all comers and if it is one of those, there is no change and you should be okay.
If it is a school where there is more demand than there are places available, there is still no guarantee. However, what does change is that, from 2019, the school can no longer use a baptism certificate as a selection tool. If the school is over-subscribed, it will have to use other criteria for prioritising pupils, such as distance from school and/or whether the child has any siblings already in the school.
QWE put our son’s name down for the secondary school that my husband attended. He is due to start in 2020 and we were sure of a place because the school gives preference to children of past pupils. Has this changed?
AIF the school is oversubscribed, the new legislation will cap, at 25pc, the number of children of past pupils, either a parent or grandparent, that it enrols in a year. This applies to both primary and post-primary schools. Currently no such restriction exists, so a school could allocate all of its available places to children of past pupils.
The legislation introduces some uncertainty for you. It will depend on how many other past pupils are seeking to enrol a child in the school.
QWAITING lists are being banned. What does that mean?
AONCE the legislation is implemented, a school will no longer be permitted to use the time or date on which an application for admission was received as a selection criterion. This means an end to the first come, first served principle for waiting lists and the practice of parents putting a child’s
name down soon after they are born.
Schools are being given five years to phase out existing lists. Lists that have been compiled on the basis of first come, first served may be used for the five year period. Lists that have been compiled on any other basis may not be used.
QSO, when will we be able to put our child’s name down for a school?
ATHE legislation provides that the Minister may make regulations in relation to the timelines during which applications for admission shall be made.
Schools will also have to publish an annual notice setting out the timelines applicable to the school’s admission process and ensure there are at least three weeks between the opening and closing dates for receipt of applications.
We don’t know yet what timelines will be proposed. But what has been suggested before is a three-week period
in the autumn in the year before admission.
Where a school is oversubscribed in a particular year, it will be required to compile a waiting list of unsuccessful applicants and to fill any further places arising during that school year from that list.
QTHERE are a number of schools in my locality, can I choose any one?
APARENTS can choose which school to apply to and, where the school has places available, the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available a selection process may be necessary. It
must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants.
QTHE new legislation bans schools seeking deposits to hold a place. What about parents who have paid a deposit for the 2019 school year?
AAPART from the fee-charging sector, primary and post primary schools are precluded from charging booking fees/ deposits. Currently, they can seek such fees but they must be refundable. Under the legislation they will not be able to seek a deposit/booking fee.
QWILL schools have freedom to decide what criteria they use for selection? For instance, can they decide to put past pupils, local children or siblings as their first enrolment criterion?
ATHE proposed legislation sets out the selection
criteria that may not be applied to applications for admission, such as religion (other than for minority religion schools).
Apart from these, it is a matter for boards of management to decide which criteria they apply and in what order they appear in the school’s admission policy.
The use of the past pupil criterion will be subject to a school having no more than 25pc of children of past pupils enrolled.
QWHAT about gaelscoileanna? Wasn’t the minister proposing changes relating to admissions to these?
ATHE minister sought to allow Irish-medium schools to give priority to students who have a reasonable age appropriate level of oral fluency in the Irish language. Schools would also be required to take into account whether a child has a special educational need in the context of determining a reasonable, age-appropriate level of Irish.
Fianna Fail has asked about giving certain priority to chil-
dren from Irish-language households and this will be further debated at the Seanad stage.
QTHE new rules don’t change the fact that my local schools are Catholic and I would prefer to send my child to a multi- or non-denominational school.
ATHIS issue is being tackled separately from changes to the admissions rules.
For historic reasons, 90pc of primary schools are Catholic and even though handing some of these over to other patrons has been under discussion for a number of years, progress has been very slow.
A new initiative is underway, with an initial round of surveys of parents of pre-school children in 16 parts of the country to determine whether they want choice — not only to a multi-or non-denominational patron, but also whether they want it to be Irish-medium. Where there is sufficient demand for change, discussions will be held with the local bishop about a handover.
Q My son is dyslexic and he is going into 6th year in September. He is currently studying eight subjects and we want him to reduce it to seven. He is considering dropping chemistry, French or Irish. How would dropping any of these subjects affect his route to university?
A
Taking eight subjects is a tremendous task and an unnecessary one. Which subject your son should drop depends on two things: what area of study he would like to pursue after school and which subject is taking the most time.
With regards to Irish and French, some colleges require these subjects for entry. However, as I’m sure you are aware, your son may apply for an exemption from these requirements on the grounds of dyslexia. This will mean that he will only be excluded from courses that will include the study of these languages, for example primary school teaching or business and French.
Chemistry is required for entry to a small number of science and health courses,
however, the majority of these courses simply require students to present a particular grade in any one or two science subjects. Exceptions to this include courses with a high chemistry content such as nanoscience or medical chemistry and prestigious health-related courses such as veterinary medicine and pharmacy. It is also very useful for medicine.
Your son should consider what area of study he would like to pursue after school and check the requirements for a selection of these courses. He does not need to decide exactly what he would like to do, but it may be helpful to have some idea, or at least know what he doesn’t want to do. He should then drop the subject which will free up most time, space and energy as possible.