Admissions Policy (Amended September 2003, May 2004, April 2006 and May 2006)

This Admissions Policy should be considered in conjunction with the Confey College Code of Discipline and the Education Act 1998. The procedures outlined in this policy may, from time to time as circumstances demand, be varied or altered.

Confey Community College was established to cater for the educational needs of young people in the Confey area of Leixlip. Since its inception, the school has established close links with San Carlo Senior School and has accepted all students from San Carlo into First Year who have completed enrolment procedures and sat the assessment examination. Students from other schools may also be invited to complete the enrolment and assessment procedures. Priority is given to students living in the Confey area. In addition, Confey Community College is the school designated by Kildare VEC to cater for the educational needs of families of Intel ( Ireland ) employees relocating to the area.

Students in sixth standard and fifth will be enrolled formally in November/December of the previous academic year. (Students in fourth standard, third standard and second standard can be enrolled prior to this date subject to a non-refundable deposit.)

Priority will be given on any waiting list to those students who have enrolled in this manner based on date of formal enrolment and who complete the enrolment/assessment process outlined below.

Students who seek to enrol to First Year after the enrolment and assessment procedures outlined below have been completed may be placed on a waiting list. Students seeking to enrol to any year group after the initial schedule of enrolment and assessment has been completed will be required to enter into a six-month contract. This contract is sanctioned by the Board of Management and deals with matters such as discipline, attendance and academic application. Adherence to the contract will be reviewed and, if necessary, the duration of the contract will be extended. In certain circumstances the school authorities may terminate the contract. In the case of a student transferring from another school, a ‘good behaviour’ bond of €130 may be imposed. Subject to good behaviour, this bond will be returned. Students wishing to transfer following exclusion (formal/informal) from another school must in the first instance have exhausted all appeal mechanisms including Section 29 to Department of Education and Science before they will be considered by the Board of Management for enrolment.

Enrolments to all years or courses are subject, in the first instance, to a place being available. The closing date for receipt of applications for the academic year commencing in September is 30^th June of that same calendar year. Applications for the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme will not be accepted after 1^st June unless there are places available and the principal believes the student will make a positive contribution to the course.

Admission is subject to the following conditions:

§    That, in the professional judgement of the School Authority and following an interview (if deemed appropriate), the student/participant is deemed suitable for admission to a school, centre or to a course/activity.

§    That, in the professional judgement of the School Authority, the student/participant, because of previous education, training or experience, is considered likely to benefit from attendance

§    That the participation of the student/applicant will contribute positively to the school, centre or to the course/activity and not infringe, in any way, upon the opportunities or rights of other students or staff.

§    Students with special educational needs require support systems so that the school can provide an education appropriate to the students’ needs. It is a requirement that resources to address these special needs be in place prior to a student with special educational needs being admitted to the school.

§    The Board of Management of a school shall not refuse to admit as a student in such a school a child, in respect of whom an application to be so admitted has been made, except where such refusal is in accordance with the published admission policy of such school.

§    All disputes in relation to admission will be referred to Confey Community College Board of Management.

Enrolment and Assessment Procedures

In November prior to the forthcoming academic year, contact is made with prospective students to First Year. Parents are invited to attend an Information Meeting in the school. Shortly after this meeting, parents and prospective students will attend for enrolment in the school. This enrolment usually takes place on a Saturday morning. Early in February, students will attend for an Assessment Examination. This is again normally held in the school on a Saturday morning. Further assessment tests take place in the primary schools in the months of May and June and are set by the primary school class teachers.  Where places are limited, prospective First Year students who wish to enrol but who have not attended for these procedures will be placed on a waiting list. These students, in the company of their parents, are required to arrange an interview with the Principal/Deputy Principal.