Admission Policy of Scoil Mhuire Cork
School Address: 1/2/3 Sidney Place, Wellington Road, Cork T23PF76
Roll number: 62690E
School Patron: Ms. Mary O’Donovan
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 Manager of the school has consulted with school staff, the school patron and with parents/guardians of children attending the school.
The policy was approved by the school patron on 30th April 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 Scoil Mhuire Cork’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 from where it can be downloaded. It will be made available also in hardcopy on request to any person who requests it.
2: Characteristic spirit and general objectives of the school
Scoil Mhuire Cork is a Catholic all girls fee charging voluntary secondary school with a Catholic ethos under the sole trusteeship of Miss Mary O’Donovan, cofounder.
“Catholic Ethos” in the context of a Catholic voluntary secondary school means the ethos and characteristic spirit of the Catholic Church, which aims at promoting:
(a) the full and harmonious development of all aspects of the person of the pupil, including the intellectual, physical, mental, cultural, moral and spiritual aspects; and
(b) a living relationship with God and with other people; and
(c) a philosophy of life inspired by belief in God and in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus; and
(d) the formation of the pupils in the Catholic faith, and which school provides religious education in accordance with the doctrines, practices and traditions of the Catholic Church, and/or such ethos and/or characteristic spirit as may be determined or interpreted from time to time by the Irish Episcopal Conference.
In accordance with S.15 (2) (b) of the Education Act, 1998 the Manager 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.
Mission Statement
Mission Statement ‘‘Nurturing for Life’’
Scoil Mhuire seeks to develop the full potential of each individual girl in a caring atmosphere of mutual respect and cooperation. Our aspiration is to maintain a balance between academic achievement and the development of moral integrity through the nurturing of the enquiring mind and spirituality of each girl.
Scoil Mhuire was founded in 1951 by the late Miss Kathleen M. Cahill, M.A., Miss O Donovan, M.A. and Miss Joan O Donovan, M.A. (who later joined the Dominican Order). The school opened at 2 Sidney Place with seventy pupils aged from nine to seventeen years. In 1954, when Scoil Ite closed, most of its pupils and some staff transferred to Scoil Mhuire, which then became an all age school from Kindergarten upwards. Over the years, the buildings occupied by the school have been extended by purchasing adjoining property and by building some new rooms. All buildings have been extensively refurbished in recent years. Pupil numbers now exceed 400. Scoil Mhuire has provided a full curriculum of subjects from the outset and has always promoted high academic standards. Care for individual pupils is a strong part of our ethos, and all pupils are helped to reach their full potential. Scoil Mhuire retains its Catholic ethos
and gives priority to the spiritual and personal development of each pupil. This tradition of personal care and individual attention has enabled Scoil Mhuire to carve out a unique niche in the education of young women in Cork where we:-
- provide students with opportunities to live their faith through liturgy, prayer and reflection; • inculcate good standards of behaviour and respect for one another;
- promote academic excellence to the full potential of the individual student; • foster the growth of self-worth and confidence through the development of the whole person; • provide access to the resources of civilization;
- equip students with life-skills and develop their leadership qualities;
- provide an opportunity for the physical development of each student;
The school hopes to achieve the above through a curriculum which provides well-structured learning experiences, both academic and non-academic which enables our students to embrace life to the full and to become active global citizens contributing to the greater good of humanity.
3: Admission Statement
Scoil Mhuire Cork will not discriminate in its admission of a student to the school on any of the following:
(a) the gender ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the students concerned,
(b) the civil status ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,
(c) the family status ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,
(d) the sexual orientation ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,
(e) the religion ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,
(f) the disability ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,
(g) the ground of race of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned,
(h) the Traveller community ground of the student or the applicant in respect of the student concerned, or
(i) 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.
Single gender schools
Scoil Mhuire Cork is an all-girls school and does not discriminate where it refuses to admit a girl applying for admission to this school.
Post-primary denominational schools
Scoil Mhuire Cork 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 Catholic faith in preference to others.
4: Special Education Needs
The Manager will ensure that steps are taken at an early stage to identify children with special needs who have been offered and accepted a place in our school and to become familiar with their needs.
The Manager will request a copy of the applicant’s medical, psychological or individual educational report if available. If special resources are required to meet the needs of the student, the Manager will request the Department of Education and Science to provide the necessary resources. In seeking to identify the applicant’s needs, it may be necessary for the Principal to meet with the applicant’s parents and/or other professionals working with the child.
5: Admission of Students
This school shall admit each student seeking admission except where:
(a) the school is oversubscribed (please see section 6 below for further details).
(b) a parent/guardian 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.
Scoil Mhuire Cork provides education exclusively for girls and may refuse to admit as a student a person who is not of the gender provided for by this school.
Scoil Mhuire Cork is a Catholic school and may refuse to admit as a student a person who is not Catholic where it is proved that the refusal is essential to maintain the ethos of the school.
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:
Places will be offered to applicants based on the following criteria and in this order:
- Sisters (including step-sisters etc.) of students who are in the school, or who have been registered for the six years of second level education in Scoil Mhuire Cork, are accepted.
- Daughters (including step-daughters, foster daughters etc) of past pupils of the school are accepted, subject to a maximum of 25% of the available spaces as set out in the school’s annual admission notice.
- Daughters (including step daughters, foster daughters etc) of members of staff of Scoil Mhuire Cork are accepted.
- Students are accepted from Scoil Mhuire Junior School.
- 3 places reserved for students returning from abroad, within the last 12 months.
Students are accepted from traditional feeder schools. Places are allocated to students from these schools on a proportional basis using the average number of students enrolled in 1st Year in Scoil - Mhuire Cork from each of the schools over the previous five years. Applicants who qualify under Criteria 1 – 3 above are included within (and not additional to) their school’s quota.
The recognised feeder schools for Scoil Mhuire Cork are (in alphabetical order):
- Ballintemple Girls National School
- Beaumont Girls National School
- Cloghroe National School
- Glounthaune National School
- Our Lady of Lourdes National School
- Scoil Bhríde Eglantine Nat. School
- Scoil na N’Óg
- Saint Lukes Nat School, Douglas
- Scoil Phádraig Naofa
Once places have been assigned under Criteria 1 – 6 above and in the event that two or more students are 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:
(a) Where two or more tie for a place, the name of the successful applicant will be drawn by lottery carried out under the direction of the Manager.
(b) Where the number of applicants exceeds the number of available places, then a waiting list will be drawn up based on criteria 1 to 3 above. However, at all times, the quota of each feeder school must be filled in the first instance.
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:
There are limited exceptions:
(a) the payment of fees or contributions (however described) to the school; other than in relation to a fee charging school.
(b) a student’s academic ability, skills or aptitude;
(c) the occupation, financial status, academic ability, skills or aptitude of a student’s parents;
(d) a requirement that a student, or her parents/guardians, attend an interview, open day or other meeting as a condition of admission;
(e) a student’s connection to the school by virtue of a member of his family attending or having previously attended the school;
(other than, siblings of a student attending or having attended the school and parents/guardians of a student having attended the school. (See section 5 above). In relation to parents/guardians having attended, the school will only apply this criterion to a maximum of 25% of the available spaces as set out in the school’s annual admission notice).
(f) 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.
8: Decisions on applications
All decisions on applications for admission to Scoil Mhuire Cork will be based on the following:
- Our school’s admission policy
- The school’s annual admission notice
- 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 section 15 below in relation to 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 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 18 below for further details). A letter seeking this review, must be written to the Manager, to be received within 4 weeks of the date of the letter issued by the school informing them of the decision of the school that their application was unsuccessful.
10: Acceptance of an offer of a place by an applicant
In accepting an offer of admission from Scoil Mhuire Cork, 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 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 Scoil Mhuire Cork where:
- it is established that information contained in the application is false or misleading
- 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
- the parent/guardian 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
- an applicant has failed to comply with the requirements of ‘acceptance of an offer’ as set out in section 10 above.
- The Manager 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 Manager 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.
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 her name, address, date of birth and personal public service number (within the meaning of section 262 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005).
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 Scoil Mhuire Cork were unsuccessful, due to the school being oversubscribed, will be compiled. This will remain valid for the school year in which admission is being sought.
Placement on the waiting list of Scoil Mhuire Cork 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. However, the Quota of each feeder school must be satisfied in the first instance. (See section 5 above).
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 bottom of the waiting list.
15: Procedures for admission of students to other years and during the school year
The procedures of the school in relation to the admission of students who are not already admitted to the school to classes or years other than the school’s intake group are as follows:
Pupils may transfer into Scoil Mhuire Cork at any stage providing there is a vacancy in the relevant year, class and subject groups. Entrance to 3rd and 6th year are generally not considered to be in the best interests of the applicant. Transfer applications are subject to:
- The provisions of the Admissions Policy.
- The school being satisfied with the reasons for the transfer.
- The school regarding the move as being in the best interests of the applicant.
- The availability of space in the relevant year, class and subject groups.
- Consultation with the Educational Welfare Officer.
Under the terms of the Education Act 1998 and the Department of Education and Science Circular M48/01, Scoil Mhuire Cork reserves the right to refuse an application for admission in exceptional circumstances. These may include a student transferring from another post primary school for reasons of gross misbehaviour which in the opinion of the Manager, means that the student poses a health and safety risk to themselves, to other students, to school staff and/or to school property.
There are four stages to the application process:
Stage one: The applicant will be required to complete a school transfer form, where information regarding the students age, year group, desired subjects etc. will be required. The parent(s) and student will be invited to attend a meeting with the Principal and Deputy Principal. Where space, as defined above, is not available the applicant will not proceed to stage two.
Where the school is oversubscribed and where an unsuccessful applicant wishes to be put on a waiting list, she will be advised of her position on this list.
Stage two: Where an applicant successfully moves to stage two, she will be provided with an application form.
Stage three: Where all details are satisfactorily filled out in the application form and all appropriate documentation has been received by the school, the applicant will be required to sign an agreement to respect the school’s Catholic Ethos, to observe the school’s code of behaviour and all other school policies.
Stage four: The application form and documentation received will be
considered. Applicants will be advised of the outcome of their application within 6 weeks of receipt of all of the required, completed documentation. Unsuccessful applicants will be advised of the reason for their refusal.
The procedures of the school in relation to the admission of students who are not already admitted to the school, after the commencement of the school year in which admission is sought, are as above.
16: Declaration in relation to the non-charging of fees
The Manager of Scoil Mhuire Cork 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:
(a) an application for admission of a student to the school,
or
(b) the admission or continued enrolment of a student in the school, other than in relation to a fee charging school.
17: Arrangements regarding students not attending religious instruction
In Scoil Mhuire Cork ‘Religious Education’ is taken by all students as a non examinable core subject. It provides a broad education in world religions. The content of the Religious Education program is drawn from the NCCA curriculum framework for non-exam Religious Education.
In the event of a student not taking Religious Education, the school will not be in a position to offer an alternative subject. The student will engage in readings in Philosophy using texts supplied and owned by the school, while remaining under the supervision of the classroom teacher. There will not be a reduction in the school day of any such students.
A parent of a student, or a student who has reached the age of 18, who wishes to attend Scoil Mhuire Cork without attending religious education classes should make a written request to the Principal. A meeting will then be arranged with the parent or the student, as the case may be, to discuss how the request may be accommodated by the school.
However, the student will remain under the supervision of the classroom teacher. There will not be a reduction in the school day of any such students
18: Reviews/appeals
Review of decisions by the Manager
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 Manager 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. In Scoil Mhuire Cork the timeline is 4 weeks.
The Manager 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 Manager 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 Manager 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 Manager prior to making an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act 1998. (see Review of decisions by the Manager). 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 Manager prior to making an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act 1998. (see Review of decisions by the Manager).
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. In Scoil Mhuire Cork the timeline is 4 weeks.
SCOIL MHUIRE CORK
ANNUAL ADMISSION NOTICE FOR 2024/25
Copies of the school’s Admission Policy and the Application Form for Admission for the 2022/23 school year are available as follows:
To download at:”www.scoilmhuirecork.ie”
On request: By emailing “info@scoilmhuirecork.ie” or
by writing to: The Admissions Secretary, Scoil Mhuire Cork, 1/2/3 Sidney Place,
Wellington Road, Cork, T23PF76
1: Application and Decision Dates for admission to 1st Year for 2024/25
- The school will commence accepting applications for admission on Monday 2nd of October 2023
- The school will cease accepting applications for admission on Monday 23rd of October 2023 at 1pm
- Applicants will be notified in writing of the decision on their application by Tuesday 31st October 2023
- Applicants must confirm acceptance of an offer of admission accompanied by deposit as determined by the Manager by Friday 27th October 2023 at 1pm
Failure by an applicant to accept an offer by 1pm on Friday 28th October 2022 may result in the offer being withdrawn.
2: Number of places being made available in the 2024/25 school year
The number of places being made available in 1st year is 96
The number of places for 1st year that were offered and accepted prior to the coming into operation of section 62 of the Education (Admission to
Schools) Act 2018 on 1 February 2020 is N/A
3. Breakdown of applications in the previous year
The total number of applications for admission received by the school for admission in 1st year in the 2022/23 school year was as in the table below:-
Breakdown of places allocated for 1st Year for the 2022/23 school year:
Number of places available 72
Number of applications received 188
Offers made and accepted under each criteria
Criteria 1: 19
Criteria 2: 18
Criteria 3: 02
Criteria 4: 23
Criteria 5: 03
Criteria 6: 07
Offers made in accordance with previous Enrolment Policy.
Number of names placed on waiting list for the school year concerned: 26