End of school ‘baptism barrier’ as admission rules change

PARENTS will see radical changes to school admission rules over the next year after a new law promising a fairer approach to pupil selection passed through all stages of the Oireachtas last night.

One key reform will remove the role of religion in school admissions for virtually all primary schools – the only exception will be schools catering for minority religions.

It means there can no longer be any requirement to produce a baptism certificate to gain advantage for admission to a Catholic primary school.

In a school where demand for entry exceeds available places, there will be a 25pc cap on the number of children of past pupils who can be enrolled in any one year. There is no such restriction at the moment.

Schools, other than those that charge fees, will no longer be able to seek deposits, and there will also be a ban on waiting lists that discriminate against parents newly moved into an area or who rent.