PARENTS MAY no longer enjoy an automatic right to place sons or daughters in their old school under a major review of admission policies.
The review is also expected to see tough new sanctions imposed on schools which refuse to implement “fair” admission policies. This could include the appointment of external officers to control admission in offending schools.
The Department of Education discussion document signals that several practices governing admission could be abolished, including many favoured by fee-paying schools. The document questions whether schools should be able to give priority to students because their parents are past pupils or because they are related to teaching staff or board members.
It says it “would seem reasonable for regulations to continue to permit schools to give priority to siblings. However, families that have an applicant with no older siblings in that school may be at a disadvantage of accessing his/her closest school or school of choice.”
While welcoming the document, Ferdia Kelly, general secretary of the Joint Managerial Body, which represents more than 400 voluntary secondary schools, predicted that the suggestion schools might not be allowed discriminate in favour of past pupils’ children would be “the most challenging”. The document is designed to set a level playing field at a time when demand for places in the “best” schools is to exceed supply. At present, those who relocate within Ireland can find it impossible to place their children in local schools.
The paper suggests schools may only be able to open a waiting list a year before enrolment. It also suggests a zero tolerance of any discrimination against children because of their academic ability. This is already outlawed under equality legislation and the Education Act.
Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn stressed: “This document is not meant to be prescriptive, nor have any decisions been made as to what elements will be contained in any final regulations or legislation.”