In an attempt to address the specific school accommodation problems which have arisen in the parish of Porterstown /Clonsilla, the Archdiocese of Dublin and the respective Boards of Management have taken the initiative of adjusting the enrolment policy for the two parish schools for the coming school year.
There has been huge pressure on school places in St. Patrick’s and St. Mochta’s national schools for over two years, and demand by parents for places in both schools has consistently exceeded availability.
This coming September, a common enrolment policy will continue to operate for the two schools. Catholic children in the parish will offered up to two thirds of the places available and the remaining one third will be offered to children of other faiths and none. As is the practice in other schools refusal will be only on the basis of age, determined by the number of applicants.
The school’s Patron, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, said that, while maintaining the clear Catholic ethos and identity of the schools, he was also anxious to ensure that these particular schools would continue to be good examples of integration in a developing area, whose growing population outstripped available services, particularly in education.
“In the absence of an adequate number of school places in the area and of sufficient alternative Patronage models, the parish has been left to cope with a burgeoning young population, with a significant number of immigrant families,” said Archbishop Martin “This is a developing situation for all of us, and I am pleased that the Catholic schools have shown and will continue to show leadership in welcoming new communities. That welcome and support is part of the ethos of our Catholic school and communities and of diocesan policy.” Archbishop Martin asked, in particular, that the parents of the parish would be firm in their support for the schools and in their efforts to ensure the schools remain at the core of building a community for all.
The policy will be re-examined next year in the light of demographic developments and of the provision of schools under other Patronage bodies in this area. The Archbishop expressed his hope that all schools in the area would examine their policies in the light of the current demographic make up of Porterstown/Clonsilla..
The Parish Priest, Fr. John Daly, said he was extremely hopeful that this pilot system, which will operate initially for this year, will help address school accommodation problems in the locality. “He said, “we have to be realistic and make the best possible use of what is available to us,” he said that he, as Parish Priest, with the schools principals and staff, wanted to ensure the best possible social, ethnic and religious mix in their schools that would reflect the community in which they live and work. He said it was an indication of the commitment of the teachers and principals in St. Patrick’s and Mochta’s that parents were very anxious to have their children attend these schools.
Under the pilot enrolment policy for 2008, the oldest children applying for places will be given priority. Every effort will be made to accommodate children in the school of first choice but siblings will have priority in all cases. In the event of there being more applicants than places; refusal of a place will be determined by the age cut off point as is the practice in most schools. In the case of this parish, that cut off will be reached when the 126th Catholic child has been offered a place. Children not of the Catholic faith will have to be aged four on or before that date to qualify for a place in one of the schools.
Last September the Diocese agreed to act as patron for a new school, Scoil Choilm in Diswillstown, for a two year period, following a request from the Department of Education, to ensure that 82 junior infants who had no school place would be able to start school in September 2007. Scoil Choilm, under the guidance of principal, Theresa Lowe has had a most successful opening term. It is envisaged that this school will be handed over to another patron body at the end of the two year period
