Primary School Registration.

J

JOHN334

Guest
I have a son approaching his second birthday and we are wondering about getting his name down for schools. He will be attending in Sept 2008. I have a number of questions

Firstly on the state sector.

I understand there are catchment areas.

1. Are there one or more schools in a catchment area ?
2. Are catchment areas the same as parishes ?
3. Is the school or schools in your catchment area required to provide your child with a place ?
4. Is there a list of these catchment areas with the schools assigned. I tried the Dept Of Ed. website but could'nt see anything useful.
5. What are the chances of getting him into a state school outside our catchment area and whats the best way of going about this ?
6. Can we put his name down with as many schools as we like.?
7. What the best way of improving chances of getting places with a favoured school?

On private sector

1. Is there a list of these anywhere ?
2. What are the annual cost ranges ?
3. Since he's now two am I just too late for this option ?

All feedback welcome

Thanks

J334
 
Hi John - I can't answer all your questions. Have a look at www.oasis.gov.ie and www.rollercoaster.ie for more information.

I don't believe there is any restriction on the number of schools at which you can register your child. I did hear recently of one school that had introduced a registration charge, but to be honest, I'm somewhat surprised that some kind of charge isn't standard.

Schools now (since the 1999 Education Act which enshrined the right of schools to discriminate based on the religion of their pupils) have to have a formal enrollment policy which outlines their approach to assigning places to pupils. So your best bet to improve your chances of getting into your preferred school is to meet the requirements of their enrollment policy.
 
Just tagging onto this thread - when do people normally register kids for primary school?
 
I rang our local school in Dub 15 to register our then 2 year old. I was told there was no need to register so early and to register him in the autumn before he is due to go to school.

I was told that there is no need to panic over school numbers as there is plenty of room and that a lot of what is in the press regarding no places for kids in schools is scaremongering. Maybe it was just my local school that is not having this problem??

C
 
There are two primary schools in our area. Both boys were registered in both schools late summer 2003. Our first boy was 2, the second was a month old. Our eldest boy started in junior infants last week. Note that this school is now enrolling pupils for 2008.
This was our experience in north Co Dublin. The schools in your area should be able to tell you how early you need to enrol your children.
 
We started registering after her first birthday, but some schools expressed surprise that we had left it so late!
 
ClubMan said:
Thanks for that info. I guess -2 days old is too soon so.
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Hey Clubman - Are congratulations in order? If so welcome to the sleepless nights club! Just graduated out of that club - ah the sleep-ins at the weekend are great!
 
I see the minus sign before your post clubmam so nearly due? Is so congrats and best of luck to both of you!!!!

On the subject of registering for schools my little girl is 31/2 and will be going next year to school but havn't registered her yet. Come from county Cork so maybe it is different in towns/villages down the country!

It's hard to imaging plotting out their whole education already but suppose it has to be done. I want my kids to go to a country school a few miles from home as her cousins will be there and it will be smaller so more individual attention and more emphasis on sports.
 
Just to add, if you are considering either a Multi-D (aka Educate Together) or a private fee-paying school you would be well advised to put their names down sooner rather than later. Most Multi-D schools (and many fee-paying schools) have long waiting lists and date of enrolment is a primary factor.
 
I know that where I live there are long waiting lists for primary schools in the town. They order in which children are accepted is as follows:
1. Children of staff
2. Children with a sibling already in the school
3. Proximity to the school
I would register the child asap ... just to be safe.
 
Baby due today but no sign of budging yet.
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Very few people have their baby on their due date especially if this is a first?
My sister however had her second baby on her due date.

You may not be able to dedicate as much time to AAM when you are doing the night feeds ;-)
 

We contacted our nearest and preferred national school about 3 years ago for a place this month. The response was similar - wait until nearer the time. As he is in the catchment area, they are obliged to take him. We registered him this year and he started last week.
A number of people we know registered their kid at the same school and the local Educate Together which had a long waiting list and ones further away. The long waiting list for the Educate Together school seemed to disappear suggesting people were registering for more than one school, i.e. a kid we know who was #24 on the list is now in that school.
 
Does anyone know how big a factor religion plays on getting kids into a school. I don't plan bringing my child up Catholic and just want to know how much of impact that is likely to have when it comes to school.
 
Dowee said:
Does anyone know how big a factor religion plays on getting kids into a school. I don't plan bringing my child up Catholic and just want to know how much of impact that is likely to have when it comes to school.
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It really depends on the school's enrollment policy - ask them for a copy. Many church-owned schools will give priority to their own religion, so if demand exceeds supply, other kids will lose a place. Isn't it great to see religious discrimination supported by the state?
 
For what it's worth Educate Together may have a school in your area. There's one not far from us and we will certainly be trying them before anybody else when the time comes. While you're at it you might want to support ET's lobby for realistic state funding as outlined on their website.
 
I have already looked into that place. They do have a school near me and at the moment it is top of my list.
 
Thanks for all the feedback.


The situation in this area does seem chaotic and there seems to be no choice but approaching multiple schools and making multiple applications.

This is especially so if you want to look outside the local parish schools.

Having had a look my first choice would be an "Educate Together" school. There are two close by. However their website recommends registration at birth so I dont know what my chances are. Seems like I will have no choice but to clog up a couple of registration lists in order to give myself a plan B.

Anyway thanks for all the info.

John334
 
JOHN334 said:
Having had a look my first choice would be an "Educate Together" school. There are two close by. However their website recommends registration at birth so I dont know what my chances are.

John334
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I know someone you registered their child a few months after birth and the class was almost full, so it may be tough at this point. No harm calling them I suppose.
 
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