Download – Declaration of Interest Form

This policy is set out in accordance with the provision of the Education Act, 1998, in order to assist parents/guardians in relation to enrolment matters. The Chairperson of the school’s Board of Management and the Principal will be happy to clarify any further matters arising from the policy.

The name of the school is Loreto High School, Beaufort, Rathfarnham. Contact may be made with the school office by telephone (01) 4933251, fax (01) 4933054, e-mail info@loretohighschool.com, and the school’s website address is http://www.loretohighschool.com.

The school opens at 8.15 a.m. and class begins at 8.40a.m. Class ends on Wednesday and Friday at 3.05 and 3.45pm on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Office hours are Monday to Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm.

Loreto Beaufort is a fee-paying voluntary Catholic school for girls, run under the auspices of the Loreto Trust Board. It prepares its pupils for the Junior and Leaving Certificates and operates within the regulations laid down by the Department of Education and Science which may be amended from time to time, in accordance with Sections 9 and 30 of the Education Act )1998. Transition Year is mandatory for all students.The school seeks to provide an environment in which the full potential of each student can be developed against the background of the Loreto philosophy of education, as outlined in the document The Educational Philosophy of Loreto Schools “The Loreto Tradition”. The Religious Education of our pupils is of prime concern. We strive to make our school a place where faith is nurtured within the Catholic tradition and where the needs of those of other faiths are recognised and respected.

See school prospectus or visit our web page: http://www.loretohighschool.com.

Within the context and parameters of Department of Education and Science regulations and programmes, also taking into account the rights of the Trustees as set out in the Education Act and the funding and resources available, the school supports the principles of inclusiveness, particularly with reference to the enrolment of children with a disability or other special educational needs. The school likewise recognises the principle of equality of access and participation in the school and parental choice in relation to enrolment. It respects the diversity of values, beliefs, traditions, languages and ways of life in society.

Enrolment Procedures

• Application for entry to the school must be made on the appropriate form which is available from the school office or which may be downloaded from the school’s website. Applicant’s names are then entered in the school’s Declaration of Interest book.
• It is the responsibility of parent(s)/guardians(s) to contact the school office if they change address or if they have not received a receipt from the school within 21 days of sending in the Declaration of Interest Form.

In the event that the number of applications exceeds, or is expected to exceed, the number of places available in the relevant year, the Principal of the College, on behalf of the Board of Management, will apply the criteria set out below in the allocation of places.

The following criteria will be applied in the following order:

• Pupils of Loreto Primary School, Grange Road, Rathfarnham
• Sisters of present pupils
• Daughters of existing eligible staff members. Eligible staff is defined as those non-casual employees who have been in the employment of the Board of Management of the school for at least six months and who are reasonably expected to be still employed by the Board at the time their daughter commences in Loreto High School, Beaufort.
• Sisters of past pupils, such past-pupils must have completed Fifth and Sixth Year in Loreto High School, Beaufort.
• Daughters of past pupils who have graduated from Beaufort.
• All other available places will be allocated in order of date of receipt of Declaration of Interest Form.

Total intake in the First Year Classes is 104 pupils

Prospective parents and pupils who are not Catholic are expected to respect the Catholic ethos and tradition of the school. The school seeks to promote the Catholic faith, not only in religion class, but in all aspects of school life. Certain liturgies e.g. opening of the Academic Year Mass and the Carol Service are core communal celebrations which all non-Catholic pupils are invited to attend. Attendance at other liturgies held outside class time is voluntary.

When it is decided to offer a place to a pupil, the following procedures are followed:

• A letter offering a place in the school is posted out in the September /October preceding the year of entry to secondary school to parents/guardians. This offer is conditional upon the parents/guardians properly completing and returning the accompanying form with a non-refundable deposit (2009 €500) by a certain date.
• The accompanying form requests further information from parents – any medical problems – update of telephone numbers etc
• Parents are welcome to make appointments to see the Principal and view the school.
• Career Guidance Teachers visits the feeder schools and gather information on new pupils.
• Principal visits and has meetings with Principal in Loreto Grange Road to discuss new intake of pupils.
• Parents are invited to an information evening in February/March prior to the September.
• Parents at this meeting are invited to give any further information about their children etc.
• Pupils sit an assessment examination in March prior to the September that the student is due to commence First Year in Loreto High School, Beaufort. At this point they have already been accepted.

On entering the school the pupil will be allocated to a particular class by the Principal. Requests to change class at any stage are accommodated only in very exceptional circumstances and are at the discretion of the Principal and the Board. Requests for particular teachers cannot be accommodated.

Procedure for Admission of New Students for years other than 1st Year

Students will only be admitted to years other than 1st year under the following conditions:

• There is space in the year.
• There is space in particular subjects which the student wishes to study providing she has a minimum of six subjects within the school.
• The student has a valid and genuine reason for changing schools.
• When the School office is contacted, the parents of the student will be requested to furnish the school with a completed application form and a letter outlining the reasons why the student wishes to change school.
• The Principal informs the applicant that she will be contacting the Principal of the student’s previous school for a report.
• If the school report seems satisfactory and the reasons for changing seem genuine and there is space in the year, the student and both parents or guardians are interviewed by the Principal or Deputy Principal.
• Following the interview the student will be informed within 21 days whether or not a place will be made available for her.
• On the first day when the student attends, another student will be assigned by the Year Head to introduce the new student to the school.

Enrolment of Children with Special Needs

• In order to meet any special needs of prospective pupils, the Board of Management will request a copy of the pupil’s, medical and or/psychological report or where such a report is not available, to request that the pupil be assessed immediately. The purpose of the assessment report is to assist the school in establishing the educational needs of the pupil and to profile the support services required in order to ascertain if/how the school could meet the needs specified in the report. The school will meet with the parents/guardians of the prospective pupil to discuss her needs.

Code of Behaviour

Prospective pupils and their parents should familiarise themselves with the Code of Behaviour which they will be required to accept and sign.

Appeals

In accordance with sections 28 and 29 of the Education Act 1998, parents of applicants who are not enrolled in the school may appeal the decision to the Board of Management in the first instance and subsequently, if necessary, to the Department of Education and Science.

The Board of Management’s decision in relation to the Admission Policy in final, subject only to the right of appeal under Section 29 of the Education Act, 1998. Parent(s)/Guardian(s), whose daughter has not received a place in the school, have the right to appeal to the Secretary General of the Department of Education and Science under section 29 of the Education Act. In general, such appeals must be made with 42 days of receipt of the Board of Management’s decision.

The Enrolment/admission policy is subject to review from time to time.

Reviewed June 2008
Adopted by The Board of Management