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De La Salle College Admission Policy

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Admission Policy of De La Salle College

Churchtown, Dublin 14.

Roll number: 60310E

School Patrons: The Le Chéile School Trust

 

1.Introduction

This Admission Policy complies with the requirements of the Education Act 1998, the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 and the Equal Status Act 2000. In drafting this policy, the Board of Management of the school has consulted with school staff, the school patron and with parents of children attending the school.

 

The policy was approved by the school patron on 21st September 2020. It is published on the school’s website and will be made available in hardcopy, on request, to any person who requests it.

 

The relevant dates and timelines for De La Salle College’s admission process are set out in the school’s annual admission notice which is published annually on the school’s website at least one week before the commencement of the admission process for the school year concerned.

This policy must be read in conjunction with the annual admission notice for the school year concerned.

The application form for admission is published on the school’s website and will be made available in hardcopy on request to any person who requests it.

 

2.Characteristic spirit and general objectives of the school

De La Salle College is a Catholic Co - Educational Voluntary Secondary School with a Catholic Ethos under the trusteeship of Le Chéile Schools Trust.

The purpose of our Le Chéile / Lasallian school is to provide an education that acknowledges and affirms the dignity and uniqueness of every human being as a child of God - “The glory of God is humanity fully alive” (St Irenaeus). It embraces the intellectual, physical, cultural, emotional, social, moral and spiritual growth of each student.

Our school seeks to build a learning community that welcomes, and witnesses to, the Gospel values of Jesus Christ, expressed through the lens of the Le Chéile Charter. The school draws on the richness of the religious and cultural heritage of the past and the charism of our founder John Baptiste De La Salle.  Our school is committed to the five Core Lasallian Principles of:

  • Faith in the Presence of God

  • Respect for All Persons

  • Inclusive Community

  • Quality Education

  • Concern for the Poor and Social Justice

It is a place of inclusivity, equality and openness, where people can live with and be taught by one another, however diverse our experiences might be. It does not discriminate on religious grounds and is open to students from diverse backgrounds. It offers educational opportunities which promote excellence so that students can reach their potential and respond responsibly to their own lives, the lives of others and the earth, which is our home.

As a Catholic school, Religious Education is central to our curriculum.  Alongside Religious Education the school supports students in their Catholic religious formation. All students’ spiritual growth is enhanced through areas such as nature, art, poetry and music.  The spiritual life of students can also be deepened through prayer and ritual. 

In accordance with S.15 (2) (b) of the Education Act, 1998 the Board of Management of De La Salle College shall uphold, and be accountable to the patron for so upholding, the characteristic spirit of the school as determined by the cultural, educational, moral, religious, social, linguistic and spiritual values and traditions which inform and are characteristic of the objectives and conduct of the school.

 

The general objectives of all Le Chéile schools include:-

  • Welcome recognises the unique dignity and worth of each person.

  • Wisdom is the pursuit of a greater understanding and appreciation of the world.

  • Witness comes from the expression of Gospel values, in everyday life, and recognises that every person is made in the image and likeness of God.

De La Salle College Mission Statement

De La Salle College Churchtown is a Catholic, Voluntary, Secondary School founded by the De La Salle Brothers and now under the trusteeship of the Le Cheile Trust. The College seeks to foster each student to achieve their full potential, academically, physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually, in a safe, caring environment and in an atmosphere of mutual respect.

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3.Admission Statement

De La Salle College will not discriminate in its admission of a student to the school on any of the following:

 

  1. the gender ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,

  2. the civil status ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,

  3. the family status ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,

  4. the sexual orientation ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,

  5. the religion ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,

  6. the disability ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,

  7. the ground of race of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,

  8. the Traveller community ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned, or

  9. the ground that the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned has special educational needs

 

As per section 61(3) of the Education Act 1998, ‘civil status ground’, ‘disability ground’, ‘discriminate’, ‘family status ground’, ‘gender ground’, ‘ground of race’, ‘religion ground’,  ‘sexual orientation ground’ and ‘Traveller community ground’ shall be construed in accordance with section 3 of the Equal Status Act 2000.

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Post-primary denominational schools : De La Salle College is a school whose objective is to provide education in an environment which promotes certain religious values and does not discriminate where it admits a student of the Roman Catholic faith in preference to others.

 

4.Categories of special need catered for in the school/special classes

De La Salle College welcomes students with Additional Education Needs (AEN) and is committed, within its resources, to accommodate and meet the Additional Needs of these students.

 

There are ASD special classes in the school and there is a separate Admissions Policy for enrolment  into these ASD classes.

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5.Admission of Students

This school shall admit each student seeking admission except where –

 

  1. the school is oversubscribed (please see section 5 below for further details)

  2. a parent of a student, when required by the principal in accordance with section 23(4) of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000, fails to confirm in writing that the Code of Behaviour of the school is acceptable to him or her and that he or she shall make all reasonable efforts to ensure compliance with such code by the student

All denominational schools

De La Salle College is a Catholic school and may refuse to admit as a student a person who is not of Roman Catholic where it is proved that the refusal is essential to maintain the ethos of the school.

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6.Oversubscription

In the event that the school is oversubscribed, the school will, when deciding on applications for admission, apply the following selection criteria in the order listed below to those applications that are received within the timeline for receipt of applications as set out in the school’s Annual Admission Notice: 

 

Selection Criteria

 

To be eligible for admission to First Year, students must:

  •  Have reached the required age: 12 years on January 1st of the calendar year following the child’s entry into First Year.

  •  Have completed Sixth Class in Primary School or equivalent.

 Along with their parents,/guardians agree to accept the following;

  • the school’s Ethos, its Catholic Tradition and Practices. 

  • the school’s Code of Behaviour and School Rules..

 

As soon as possible but not later than 21 days after the closing date for receipt of completed application forms, parents/guardians will be informed of the outcome of their application in writing (as required by the Education Welfare Act 2000).

 

Successful applicants must accept or reject the offer within the timeline outlined in the Annual Admissions Notice.. Failure to accept a place within this timeline may result in the offer being withdrawn. A maximum of 72 places will be available in First Year for the school year 2022/23.

 

 In the event that applications for admission exceed this number,  places will be allocated in the following order of categories.

  1. Siblings of existing or previously enrolled  students

  2. Children of  members of staff of the College

  3. Children of past-pupils of the College (subject to a maximum of 25% of total places available)

  4. Students from our feeder schools, in no particular order: St Attracta's NS, The Good Shepherd NS, Divine Word NS, St Mary's Rathfarnham BNS, Our Lady's BNS Ballinteer, Our Lady's GNS Ballinteer,  St Attracta's SNS, St Clare's NS Harold's Cross, St Joseph's BNS Terenure, St Louis NS Rathmines, Our Lady's Clonskeagh PNS, Ballinteer Educate Together NS, Rathfarnham Educate Together NS, Queen of Angels NS, St Marys NS Woodside

  5. [7] [8] Proximity of the applicants home to the school.(Proximity of home to school determined by straight line measurement on a street map)

  6. All other applicants. (Places to be allocated by lottery when the number of applicants is greater than the number of places available in any category.)

 

Applicants who do not succeed in gaining a place at this stage will be put on a waiting list. The order of the applicants on the waiting list will also be determined by an independently monitored lottery by category. All late applications, regardless of category, will be put at the end of the waiting list in the order in which the applications are received by the school.

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In the event that there are two or more students tied for a place or places in any of the selection criteria categories above (the number of applicants exceeds the number of remaining places), the following arrangements will apply:

 

 

Only students whose applications have been received on time will be offered places in accordance with the criteria above. Places will only be offered to students in a given category after all students in each previous category have been offered a place.

 

The lottery is conducted as follows:

 i. All applicants within the category where the oversubscription occurs will have their names entered for the lottery and names will be drawn until all places are filled. Twins and triplets will be treated as a single application, although both names or all 3 names will be entered in the lottery. If the name of one is drawn the others will automatically be allocated places. (subject to a total of 60 places not being exceeded)

 ii. When all places are filled, names of applicants in this category will continue to be drawn to establish the order of applicants on the waiting list.

 iii. Names of all other applicants will also be drawn in strict order of the categories above to determine each applicant’s place on the waiting list. If a vacancy arises and an applicant is offered a place from the waiting list, the place will be offered to the applicant highest on the list. If for any reason a place is not accepted that place will then be offered to the next applicant on the waiting list.

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7.What will not be considered or taken into account

In accordance with section 62(7)(e) of the Education Act, the school will not consider or take into account any of the following in deciding on applications for admission or when placing a student on a waiting list for admission to the school:

 

  1. a student’s prior attendance at a pre-school or pre-school service, including naíonraí;

  2. the payment of fees or contributions to the school;

  3. a student’s academic ability, skills or aptitude;

  4. the occupation, financial status, academic ability, skills or aptitude of a student’s parents;

  5. a requirement that a student, or his or her parents, attend an interview, open day or other meeting as a condition of admission;

  6. a student’s connection to the school by virtue of a member of his or her family attending or having previously attended the school other than (1) siblings of a student attending or having attended the school and/or (2) parents or grandparents of a student having attended the school. the date and time on which an application for admission was received by the school

  7. the date and time on which an application for admission was received by the school,

 

This is subject to the application being received at any time during the period specified for receiving applications set out in the annual admission notice of the school for the school year concerned.

This is also subject to the school making offers based on existing waiting lists (up until 31st January 2025 only).

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8.Decisions on applications

All decisions on applications for admission to De La Salle College will be based on the following:

 

  • Our school’s Admission Policy

  • The school’s Annual Admission Notice (where applicable)

  • The information provided by the applicant in the school’s official application form received during the period specified in our annual admission notice for receiving applications

 

(Please see section 14 below in relation to applications received outside of the admissions period and applications for places in years other than the intake group.)

 

Selection criteria that are not included in our school admission policy will not be used to make a decision on an application for a place in our school.

 

9.Notifying applicants of decisions

Applicants will be informed in writing as to the decision of the school, within the timeline outlined in the annual admissions notice.

 

If a student is not offered a place in our school, the reasons why they were not offered a place will be communicated in writing to the applicant, including, where applicable, details of the student’s ranking against the selection criteria and details of the student’s place on the waiting list for the school year concerned. 

 

Applicants will be informed of the right to seek a review/right of appeal of the school’s decision (see section 17 below for further details).

 

10. Acceptance of an offer of a place by an applicant

In accepting an offer of admission from De La Salle College, you must indicate—

 

(i) Whether or not you have accepted an offer of admission for another school or schools. If you have accepted such an offer, you must also provide details of the offer or offers concerned and

 

(ii) Whether or not you have applied for and are awaiting confirmation of an offer of admission from another school or schools, and if so, you must provide details of the other school or schools concerned.

 

Applicants should be aware that failure to disclose this information on the acceptance of a place may lead to an offer being withdrawn by the school.

 

11.Circumstances in which offers may not be made or may be withdrawn

An offer of admission may not be made or may be withdrawn by De La Salle College where—

 

  1. it is established that information contained in the application is false or misleading.

  2. an applicant fails to confirm acceptance of an offer of admission on or before the date set out in the annual admission notice of the school.

  3. the parent of a student, when required by the principal in accordance with section 23(4) of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000, fails to confirm in writing that the Code of Behaviour of the school is acceptable to him or her and that he or she shall make all reasonable efforts to ensure compliance with such code by the student; or

  4. an applicant has failed to comply with the requirements of ‘acceptance of an offer’ as set out in section 9 above.

  5. The Board of Management has a duty of care to ensure as far as practicable the health and safety of the students and staff of the school.  In addition, the Board of Management is required under section 15(1) of the Education Act 1998 to provide, or cause to be provided, an appropriate education for each student at the school for which that board has responsibility.

 

An application for admission may be refused, therefore, where the admission of the applicant would pose a significant risk to the health and safety of the applicant or students and staff of the school, or risk significantly interfering with the right of other students to an appropriate education.

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12.Sharing of Data with other schools

Applicants should be aware that section 66(6) of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 allows for the sharing of data between schools in order to facilitate the efficient admission of students.  Section 66(6) allows a school to provide a patron or another board of management with a list of the students in relation to whom—

 

(i) an application for admission to the school has been received,

(ii) an offer of admission to the school has been made, or

(iii) an offer of admission to the school has been accepted.

 

The list may include any or all of the following:

 

(i) the date on which an application for admission was received by the school;

(ii) the date on which an offer of admission was made by the school;

(iii) the date on which an offer of admission was accepted by an applicant;

(iv) a student’s personal details including his or her name, address, date of birth and personal public service number (within the meaning of section 262 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005).

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13.Waiting list in the event of oversubscription

In the event of there being more applications to the school year concerned than places available, a waiting list of students whose applications for admission to De La Salle College were unsuccessful due to the school being oversubscribed will be compiled and will remain valid for the school year in which admission is being sought.

Placement on the waiting list of De La Salle College is in the order of priority assigned to the students’ applications after the school has applied the selection criteria in accordance with this admission policy. 

Offers of any subsequent places that become available for and during the school year in relation to which admission is being sought will be made to those students on the waiting list, in accordance with the order of priority in relation to which the students have been placed on the list.

 

14.Late Applications

All applications for admission received after the closing date as outlined in the annual admission notice will be considered and decided upon in accordance with our school’s admissions policy, the Education Admissions to School Act 2018 and any regulations made under that Act. 

 

Late applicants will be notified of the decision in respect of their application not later than three weeks after the date on which the school received the application.  Late applicants will be offered a place if there is a place available.  In the event that there is no place available, the name of the applicant will be added to the waiting list.  

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Procedures for admission of students to other years and during the school year

Where parents wish to make an application for their child to a year group other than First Year or during the school year, they should in the first instance fill in an Application Form.  An offer of a place can only be made if there is space in the year group in question. A decision on whether a place can be offered will be conveyed to the parents within 21 days of the initial application. Applications made for a place in Transition Year or Fifth Year in the forthcoming academic year will be deferred until the Principal has established the number of available spaces in each of these year groups, which will depend, in turn, on the number of existing Third Year students who progress to either year group.  Such applications will be placed on a waiting list until the number of available places in the relevant year group has been established by the Principal.

 

Before accepting the offer of a place in the school the parents and their son/daughter may be invited to attend a meeting with the Principal and/or Deputy Principal to ascertain whether there is a place available in the particular subject classes required by their son/daughter. The fact that there may be a space in a year group would not automatically mean that there is a place available in a particular subject class at the level required by the student. This is because class size is limited in certain subjects. For this reason parents and their son/daughter are strongly recommended to attend a meeting with the Principal and/or Deputy Principal to ensure that a transfer to the school would be in the best interests of their son/daughter given the curricular provision, subject choices/levels  available at the time.

 

Acceptance of an offer of a place by an applicant to a year group other than First Year or during the school year:

 

The parents must confirm their acceptance in writing of an offer of a place within three weeks of the date of the offer of a place.

 

In accepting an offer of admission from  De La Salle College  the parents must indicate—

 

(I) whether or not they have accepted an offer of admission for another school or schools. If they have accepted such an offer, they must also provide details of the offer or offers concerned and

 

(ii) whether or not they have applied for and are awaiting confirmation of an offer of admission from another school or schools, and if so, they must provide details of the other school or schools concerned.

 

Parents should be aware that failure to disclose this information on the acceptance of a place may lead to an offer being withdrawn by the school.

 

Circumstances in which offers of a place in a year group other than First Year or during the school year may not be made or may be withdrawn:

 

An offer of admission may not be made or may be withdrawn by De La Salle College where—

 

  1. it is established that information contained in the application is false or misleading;

  2. an applicant fails to confirm acceptance of an offer of admission within three weeks of the date of the offer of a place;

  3. the parent of a student, when required by the Principal in accordance with section 23(4) of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000, fails to confirm in writing that the Code of Behaviour of the school is acceptable to him or her and that he or she shall make all reasonable efforts to ensure compliance with such code by the student;

  4. an applicant has failed to comply with the requirements of ‘acceptance of an offer’ as set out above;

  5. the admission of the applicant would pose a significant risk to the health and safety of the applicant or students and staff of the school, or risk significantly interfering with the right of other students to an appropriate education. The Board of Management has a duty of care to ensure as far as practicable the health and safety of the students and staff of the school.  In addition, the Board of Management is required under section 15(1) of the Education Act 1998 to provide, or cause to be provided, an appropriate education for each student at the school for which that board has responsibility; or

  6. the application is made for a place in Transition Year or Fifth Year in the forthcoming academic year before the Principal has established the number of available spaces in each of these year groups, which will depend on the number of existing Third Year students who progress to either year. 

 

Oversubscription to the year group other than First Year:

 

In the event of there being more applications to the year group other than First Year than places available, a waiting list of students, whose application for admission to the particular year group has been refused, will be compiled and will remain valid for the school year in which admission is being sought.

 

Placement on the waiting list will be in the order of priority assigned to the students’ applications after the school has applied the selection criteria in accordance with this admission policy see Section 6 above. If there are two or more students in any of the selection criteria categories set out in Section 6 above, then the position on the waiting list (for places in a year group other than First year) will be determined by a lottery process overseen by the Principal, Deputy Principal and an independent observer appointed by the Board of Management.

 

Offers of any subsequent places in the year group other than First Year that become available during the school year will be made to those students on the waiting list, in accordance with the order of priority in relation to which the students have been placed on the list.

 

Sharing of Data with other schools:

 

Applicants should note that the provisions of Section 12 above relating to the sharing of data with other schools will apply in all cases where an application is made to a year group other than First Year or during the school year.

 

Applicants should be aware that section 66(6) of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 allows for the sharing of data between schools in order to facilitate the efficient admission of students.  Section 66(6) allows a school to provide a patron or another board of management with a list of the students in relation to whom—

 

(i) an application for admission to the school has been received,

(ii) an offer of admission to the school has been made, or

(iii) an offer of admission to the school has been accepted.

 

The list may include any or all of the following:
(i) the date on which an application for admission was received by the school;

(ii) the date on which an offer of admission was made by the school;

(iii) the date on which an offer of admission was accepted by an applicant;

(iv) a student’s personal details including his or her name, address, date of birth and personal public service number (within the meaning of section 262 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005).

 

15.Declaration in relation to the non-charging of fees

The Board of Management of De La Salle College or any persons acting on its behalf shall not, except in accordance with section 64 of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, charge fees for or seek payment or contributions (howsoever described) as a condition of-

  1. an application for admission of a student to the school, or

  2. the admission or continued enrolment of a student in the school.

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16.Arrangements regarding students not attending religious instruction

The following are the school’s arrangements for parents of students and students (over 18) who have requested that the student attend the school without attending religious instruction in the school:

 

 These arrangements will not result in a reduction in the school day of such students.

 

Parents of students and students (over 18) who wish to opt out of RE class should make a written request to the Principal. A meeting will then be arranged with the parent and the student to discuss their options.

 

 Throughout this process the constitutional right of the parent/ student (over 18 years) will be respected by the school. The 1998 Education Act states that schools are required to promote the moral, spiritual, social and personal development of students (Section 9 (d)). At De La Salle College the allocated time on the timetable for Religious Education responds to this.

Students who opt out of RE class are required to use this time to study material relating to their own religious tradition or belief, for example sacred texts. Students of no religious faith, who opt out of RE class, are required to study relevant literature or philosophical texts. A list of suggested texts can be provided by the school. In line with the Le Cheilé Trust Charter which places great importance on the religious or spiritual formation of all its students.  Each student has his own personal journey which will be encouraged and respected. Students who opt out of RE class will not be offered extra tuition or study periods.

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17. Reviews/appeals

  • Review of decisions by the Board of Management

  • The parent of the student, or in the case of a student who has reached the age of 18 years, the student, may request the Board to review a decision to refuse admission. Such requests must be made in accordance with Section 29C of the Education Act 1998.   

  • The timeline within which such a review must be requested and the other requirements applicable to such reviews are set out in the procedures determined by the Minister under section 29B of the Education Act 1998 which are published on the website of the Department of Education and Skills.

  • The Board will conduct such reviews in accordance with the requirements of the procedures determined under Section 29B and with section 29C of the Education Act 1998.

  • Note:  Where an applicant has been refused admission due to the school being oversubscribed, the applicant must request a review of that decision by the Board of Management prior to making an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act 1998.

  • Where an applicant has been refused admission due to a reason other than the school being oversubscribed, the applicant may request a review of that decision by the Board of Management prior to making an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act 1998.  

 

Right of appeal

  • Under Section 29 of the Education Act 1998, the parent of the student, or in the case of a student who has reached the age of 18 years, the student, may appeal a decision of this school to refuse admission. 

  • An appeal may be made under Section 29 (1)(c)(i) of the Education Act 1998 where the refusal to admit was due to the school being oversubscribed.

  • An appeal may be made under Section 29 (1)(c)(ii) of the Education Act 1998 where the refusal to admit was due a reason other than the school being oversubscribed.

  • Where an applicant has been refused admission due to the school being oversubscribed, the applicant must request a review of that decision by the board of management prior to making an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act 1998. (see Review of decisions by the Board of Management)

  • Where an applicant has been refused admission due to a reason other than the school being oversubscribed, the applicant may request a review of that decision by the Board of Management prior to making an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act 1998. (see Review of decisions by the Board of Management)

  • Appeals under Section 29 of the Education Act 1998 will be considered and determined by an independent appeals committee appointed by the Minister for Education and Skills.    

  • The timeline within which such an appeal must be made and the other requirements applicable to such appeals are set out in the procedures determined by the Minister under section 29B of the Education Act 1998 which are published on the website of the Department of Education and Skills.

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