Enrolment Policy for Midleton College

INTRODUCTION

This Enrolment Policy should be read in conjunction with the Ethos Statement of Midleton College and the College Code of Behaviour.

PROCESS

In order to comply with statutory requirements, the enrolment of a pupil at Midleton College takes place in five stages. The stages are:

1. Notification of Intention to Apply
2. Open Day and subsequent visit to the College
3. Formal Application
4. Offer of a Place
5. Registration

Only applications on the approved forms will be eligible for consideration.

All applicants for First Year must have attained their 12th birthday by 31st December in the year of enrolment.

Stage 1: Notification of Intention to Apply

The process begins by completing a Notification of Intention to Apply Form.

Parents or guardians should contact Midleton College, Midleton, Co Cork and request a Notification of Intention to Apply Form as soon as practicable; ideally, no later than 31st July in the year preceding admission (14 months prior to the proposed start date at the College).

The College will issue a written receipt of a completed Notification of Intention to Apply Form.

It is the responsibility of parents or guardians to notify subsequent changes of address or other contact information to the College.

Stage 2: Open Day and subsequent Visit to the College

Each parent/guardian and applicant pupil who has returned a Notification of Intention to Apply Form will be invited to attend an open day.

Each parent/guardian and applicant pupil is required subsequently to visit the College and to meet with the Headmaster or his representative.

All applicants will have visited the College by the conclusion of stage 3.

Stage 3:  Formal Application

On 1st September in the year preceding enrolment those who have returned a Notification of Intention to Apply Form will be sent an Application Form.

The Application Form should be completed legibly and fully.  Only applications which have been fully completed and signed will be considered.

A non-refundable administration charge of €90 per application should be returned with each submitted Application Form.

Completed and signed Application Forms (including any requested accompanying documentation) must be received in the College Office by the deadline of 30th September in the year preceding enrolment. This is when the application/decision making process begins formally for all applicants.

The College will issue a written receipt of a completed Application Form.

It is the responsibility of parents or guardians to notify subsequent changes of address or other contact information to the College.

Completion of an Application Form is not a guarantee of a place at Midleton College.

The application stage will conclude on 1st December in the year preceding enrolment.

Applications, except in a case of change of residence, are not generally entertained in the course of the school year.

Stage 4: Offer of a Place

The Board of Governors will respond to all applications as soon as practicable after 1st December.

Notification of the response to their application will be posted to all applicants as soon as practicable after the conclusion of Stage 3 (Formal Application), but not later than twenty-one days after the conclusion of Stage 3 (Formal Application).

A waiting list may be drawn up.  The waiting list does not carry forward from one year to another.

A subsequent review of a decision by the Board of Governors may be requested, generally on grounds only of additional information not previously submitted at the time of application, and would be considered at the next meeting of the Board.

Section 29 (1) (c) of the Education Act 1998 provides for procedures under which, in some circumstances appeal, may be made to the Secretary General of the Department of Education and Science.

While Midleton College is committed to meeting the identified requirements of applicants who have a disability or who have other special educational needs, the College reserves the right to enrol such applicants only in cases where it is satisfied, having regard to the resources available to Midleton College at the time of application/proposed date of enrolment, that the provision of education appropriate to their abilities and needs is practicable.   (Ref. Education Act 1998 s 6 (a)and (b) and s 9)

Stage 5: Registration

Applicants who are offered places at Midleton College are required to register (complete and return the registration form) within one month of the offer of the place, that is to say, by 21st January of the year of enrolment.

A registration fee of €300 is payable.  This will be deducted from fees - on the first invoice for school fees.  In the case of withdrawal of a registration, it is, however, non-returnable unless three full months’ notice is given.

Completion and return of a Registration Form together with payment of the Registration Fee guarantee a place at Midleton College for the specific year of application/offer.

At the time of registration parents/guardians are required to declare that they have read and understand both the Ethos Statement and the Code of Behaviour; and that they undertake to support the College in their implementation.

CRITERIA

The Board of Governors will, in the light of sections 6(e), 9(m) and 15 (2) (d) of the Education Act 1998, give consideration to the following factors:

• whether an applicant and his/her parents/guardians are sympathetic to the ethos and traditions of the College
• the number of available spaces in the College, which in turn involves:
  • the number of pupils expected to leave the school
  • the deployment of teachers
  • the resources of the school
  • the balance between boarders and day pupils
  • the nurturing of the international dimension of the College
• religious denomination (as outlined in Section 32 below) as based on the foundation and Ethos Statement of the College;
• whether an applicant is a sibling of another pupil already attending the College or the child of a past pupil, a member of College staff or of a Governor.

In relation to religious denomination the following priority is followed:

• Students who are Church of Ireland or are members of Protestant churches traditionally served by the College; or where their parents are members of one of those churches.
• Students who are adherents of other Christian denominations, other faiths or of no religion.