ADMISSIONS POLICY

Presentation School Wexford through its Admissions Policy welcomes all female students and aims to provide an integrated and an inclusive education for girls only.

Each year the Board of Management will decide in advance the number of First Year girls for whom the school can provide an appropriate education, having regard to the facilities, personnel, plant and resources.

STUDENTS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR ADMISSION
” Having reached the required age: 12 on the 1st January in the calendar year following the girl’s entry into First Year and having completed Sixth class in Primary School or the equivalent standard of education.

” Be willing to accept the school ethos.

” Be willing, with parents/guardians to accept the school Code of Behaviour. Confirmation, in writing, that parents/guardians and their daughter accept the Code of Behavior will be required.

ADMISSIONS PROCEDURES
All girls applying for a place in the school must complete the official application form.
Application Forms are available at the school office. It is advisable that parents/guardians apply for a place for their daughter when she is in 1st. class in Primary school.

ENROLMENT CRITERIA FOR ENTRY TO FIRST YEAR UP TO AND INCLUDING 2013
Applications for entry to first year must be received on or before the last Friday in September of the calendar year previous to the year of enrolment in the school.
In the event of the school having more applications than places
available, the following criteria will apply in order:
” Sister to current student
” Sister to past pupil
” Date of receipt of application form for girls only.
The criteria apply to applications received on or before the above closing date. If at any point in the process of enrolment there are more applications under any category than places available places will be awarded according to date of application.
All applications received after the closing date will be processed by date of receipt of application form only.

ENROLMENT CRITERIA FOR ENTRY TO FIRST YEAR FOR 2014 ONWARDS
Applications for entry to first year must be received on or before the last Friday in September of the calendar year previous to enrolment in the school.
In the event of the school having more applications than places
available, the following criteria will apply in order:
” Sister to current student
” Sister to past pupil
” Daughter to current staff
” Daughter to past pupil
” Date of receipt of application form for girls only.
The criteria apply to applications received on or before the above closing date. If at any point in the process of enrolment there are more applications under any category than places available places will be awarded according to date of application.
All applications received after the closing date will be processed by date of receipt of application form only.

NOTIFICATION OF ENROLMENT DATES WILL BE AS FOLLOWS:
In November of the year before the girls are due to start secondary school, offers of places will be made in writing and parents must confirm acceptance by returning the completed acceptance forms together with other stated requirements on or before the acceptance closing date (this date will be stated on the letter of offer). If the place is not confirmed by the acceptance closing date it will be allocated to the next girl on the waiting list.

ENROLMENT FEE:
All new entrants to the school are asked to pay a non refundable enrolment fee on acceptance of the offer of a place.

VOLUNTARY SUBSCRIPTION
First years are not asked to pay a voluntary contribution during their first year.
In subsequent years the school asks for an annual voluntary contribution from families of students to support the running costs of the school.

CODE OF BEHAVIOUR
A copy of this will be included in the documents requiring attention when a place has been offered.

There is an Information Evening for all incoming 1st girls and their parents/guardians in the Spring of the year of entry to the school. Parents/Guardians will receive advance notice of the date and time. This meeting is a vital part of our enrolment process. Parents/guardians are strongly encouraged to attend this meeting.

SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS
Presentation Secondary School welcomes girls with special needs and will use the resources, both financial and personnel, provided by the Department of Education and Science to make reasonable accommodation for girls with disabilities or special educational needs up to a nominal cost so that these students are free to participate in the life in the school in so far as is reasonably practicable.
While recognizing and fully supporting parents’ rights to have a school of their choice for their daughters, the school’s ability to accept girls with particular needs is dependent on the supply of resources, suitable to the needs of the individual student, being supplied by the Department of Education and Science.
The school welcomes applications from girls with special educational needs unless the nature and degree of those needs is such that to enroll the student concerned would be inconsistent with both the best interests of the student concerned and the effective provision of education for the other students with whom the student concerned is to be educated.
The Board of Management must be made aware of any special needs as early as possible, so that these needs can be assessed and addressed where possible.
Parents are requested to outline the details of their daughter’s special educational needs on the Application Form
The Board of Management, having gathered all relevant information and professional documentation, assesses how the needs of these girls can be met.
Contact will be made with the National Council for Special Educational Needs regarding special needs resources to which the student may be entitled.
The Principal may request a meeting with the parents of the student to discuss the application and their daughter’s needs.
The parents of the student may request a meeting with the Principal to discuss their daughter’s educational or other needs.
N.B. It may take some time for the Department of Education and Science to process such applications. Parents are strongly advised to inform the school as early as possible and discuss their particular situation well in advance of making application.
As soon as is practicable, but not later than 21 days, after a parent/guardian has provided all the relevant information, the Board of Management shall make a decision in respect of the application concerned and inform the parents/guardians in writing thereof. (Education Welfare Act (Section 19 (3)).

TRANSFER OF A STUDENT FROM ANOTHER SCHOOL
Any request to transfer a female student from another second level school into Presentation must be made on the standard Transfer Application Form available at the school office.
The school will make every reasonable effort to facilitate a girl seeking a transfer to our school. The Board of Management will decide on applications for admission to any year other than First Year by applying the following criteria:

The Board will decide whether or not a transfer: -
” Is in agreement with school Admissions Policy.
” Is in the best interest of the girl herself.
” Is in the best interest of the school.
” Is of educational benefit to the girl transferring.
All relevant information from former school/s is expected to be made available to the Board.
The Department of Education must approve the transfer.
A consultation with the Educational Welfare Officer may be necessary.

Where a girl is considered for a place, the decision will be taken by the Board of Management following consultation with the girl’s parents/guardians, her former school, relevant professionals and having regard to the school’s class size policy, available resources, DES regulations and any relevant Health and Safety concerns.

Should a girl’s application for admission to the school be refused the parents/guardians have the right to appeal to the Secretary General of the Department of Education and Science, (Education Act 1998, Section 29 (d).)

November 2008