Application
Please refer to the admissions policy.
- Communication will be made with each Primary School in the catchment area to distribute information about our school.
- A copy of the Application Forms and copies of the School Prospectus are distributed in each Primary School.
- A full enrolment pack is given out to each prospective student on our Open Night. Copies can also be picked up from the school office.
General Requirements for all students applying
Eligibility
To be eligible for admission to the school a student must be female and have reached 12 years of age on the 1st January in the calendar year following the student’s entry into the school.
It will be expected that the student will have completed sixth class in Primary school or an equivalent standard in another jurisdiction.
Application form for prospective pupils over the age of 18 will be considered on an individual basis by the Board of Management.
Requirements
- As part of the Admissions Process, parent(s) / guardian(s) will be required to
- Complete an Application Form and submit it before the closing date
- Ensure that all the required information is submitted to the School – Birth Certificate, 2 recent Passport Photographs
- Attend the School’s Information Evening with the prospective student
- Accept the School ethos
- Accept the School Code of Behaviour.
Assessment Test
A Cognitive Assessment Test to ascertain learning needs of all 1st year students will be conducted during 1st Term. All students must participate in this test which will provide information to enable the school make the best possible education available to each student.
Application Form
An Application Form must be completed for each female student seeking enrolment in St. Mary’s Secondary school.
Closing Date
The closing date for Applications is stated in the Application Form. The submission of an Application does not imply that the student has been admitted to the School. All applications which have been submitted by the closing date will be reviewed by the Principal. (see Criteria for Admissions below).
Enrolment
The school will reply within 21 working days after the closing date indicating that the student has not been accepted for enrolment.
Criteria for admission
The Parent(s) / Guardian(s) are requested to indicate their acceptance / non-acceptance of the enrolment offer by return of post. All Parent(s)/Guardian(s) are required to complete the declaration on the Application Enrolment Form. Failure to complete this section of the Enrolment Form will result in a refusal to enrol your daughter.
Exceptional Cases
The school reserves the right to refuse enrolment to any students where in the opinion of the Board of Management. The student poses an unacceptable risk to other students, to school staff or property.
Late Applications
Late Applications for First Year will be accepted subject to the following:
- Applicants will be placed on a waiting list if the earlier enrolment process has been over-subscribed
- Availability of a place in the school
- Application Form and all relevant information being submitted
- The final decision regarding admission to St. Mary’s Secondary School lies with the Board of Management.
- The school authorities will, as far as its practicable, reply within 21 days, indicating whether the student has been accepted for enrolment, and offering a place in the school.
Priority will be given to:
- Pupils of feeder primary schools
- Sisters of present students
- Daughters of staff members
- Sisters of past students
- Daughters of past pupils
- By Lottery.
List of Feeder Schools
- Ardcroney
- Ballina
- Balinaclough
- Ballinree
- Burgess
- Carrig
- Cloughjordan No 1
- Cloughjordan No. 2
- Gaelscoil, Nenagh
- Gurtagarry
- Kildangan
- Kilkeary
- Killeneave
- Kilruane
- Lisenhall
- Moneygall
- Portroe
- Silvermines S
- t. Mary’s Church of Ireland
- St. Mary’s Convent Primary
- Templederry
- Toomevara
- Youghalarra
Students with Special Educational Needs
St. Mary’s Secondary School welcomes students with special educational needs and will use the resources, both financial and personnel, provided by the Department of Education and Science to make reasonable accommodation for those students, up to a nominal cost, so that these students are free to participate in the life in the school in so far as is reasonably practicable.
While recognising and fully supporting parents’ rights to have a school of their choice for their children, the School’s ability to accept students with particular needs is dependent on the availability of resources, suitable to the needs of the individual student, being supplied by the Department of Education and Science.
The School welcomes applications from students with special educational needs unless the nature and degree of those needs is such that, to enrol the student concerned would be inconsistent with both the best interests of that student and the effective provision of education for the other students with whom the student is to be educated. (Board of Management is obliged to provide an appropriate education for all students – see Education Act 1998 – section 15.1)
The Board of Management must be made aware of any special needs of the student, as early as possible, so that these needs can be assessed and addressed where possible.
Any details of special needs must be detailed on the Application Form.
The Board of Management, having gathered all relevant information and professional documentation, assesses how the needs of these students can be met.
Contact will be made with the National Council for Special Educational Needs regarding special needs resources to which the student may be entitled.
The Principal may request a meeting with the parents of the student to discuss the application and the student’s needs.
The parents of the student may request a meeting with the Principal to discuss the student’s educational or other needs.
N.B. It may take some time for the Department of Education and Science to process such application. Parents are strongly advised to inform the school as early as possible and discuss their particular situation well in advance of making application.
As soon as is practicable, but not later than 21 days, after a parent(s) / guardian(s) have provided all the relevant information, the Board of Management shall make a decision in respect of the application concerned and inform the parents/guardians in writing thereof. Education Welfare Act (Section 19 (3)).
Transfers from other Second Level Schools
A student attending another second Level School may be enrolled in St. Mary’s on condition that:
- Such enrolment is in accordance with the School’s Admission Policy
- The Board of Management is satisfied with the reasons for the transfer and deems the move to be in Student’s best interest and that of other students in the school.
- In this regard, information will be requested from the Student’s former / present school concerning attendance, educational progress (copies of 2 most recent school reports and copies of results of any State Examinations taken by the student), disabilities, special needs and behavioural record.
- Due consideration will be given to the possible consequences of midyear / mid-programme transfer in relation to matters such as subject choice, space availability, syllabus coverage etc.
- In arriving at its decision the Board will consult with the student’s parent(s) / guardian(s), her former school(s) and the educational welfare officer may be consulted if appropriate.
- The Principal will meet with the student (usually in the presence of her parent(s) / guardian(s)) to discuss the transfer.
- Admission to St. Mary’s is contingent on acceptance by parent(s) / guardian(s) (or student, if over 18) of the School’s Code of Behaviour.
- The Board of Management will examine the Principal’s recommendation and decide on the application.
- The school will reply within 21 working days indicating that the student will be accepted or not accepted.
Right to refuse admission
The Board of Management reserves the right to refuse to enrol a student who has applied for admission to the school.
In the event of refusal, the parent has a right to appeal under Section 29 of the Education Act (1998).