Enrolment Policy
St Patrick’s Catholic School
“Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” Romans 15:7
Rationale:
St Patrick’s Catholic School is committed to managing our roll by following the stipulations set out in the Private Schools Integration Act (1975), our school’s Integration Agreement and the guidelines set by the Bishops of New Zealand.
Purposes:
To ensure clear procedures are in place to manage the St Patrick’s Catholic School roll in accordance with legal obligations
To ensure that these procedures are clear to those wishing to enrol their children at the school
To maintain the Catholic values of inclusion, justice and equity
Guidelines
Roll Size
St Patrick’s Catholic School has a maximum roll of 290 students, as set out in the Integration Agreement. This number must not be surpassed.
If the school approaches its maximum roll, the Board may ask the Bishop of Hamilton or his representative to apply to the Ministry of Education for a roll increase.
The Board may enrol up to 29 non-preference students (10% of the maximum roll) as per the Integration Agreement.
Priority of Enrolment: General
Preferential enrolment will be given to students who have a connection to the Catholic Church and obtain a Preference Certificate.
The Bishop of Hamilton or his representative decides whether a student is entitled to a Preference Certificate by following the NZ Catholic Bishops Conference’s criteria for granting preference (listed in Appendix A).
Preference Certificates are the property of the parents of the enrolling student, however, for audit requirements, certificates are kept at school.
Non-preference entry will only be granted if the school roll cannot be filled by students with Preference Certificates.
The school may stop accepting non-preference enrolments if the school roll is 85% full.
It is not the Bishops’ intention to split families so if one student is granted Preference status, this same status will be granted to any siblings of that student.
Priority of Enrolment: Non-Preference
The school will only accept non-preference applications if they are unable to fill the roll with students who hold Preference Certificates.
The school shall have no more than 29 non-preference students on the roll at any one time.
If all of the non-preference spaces are full, the principal will keep a waiting list of non-preference students.
Offers of place for non-preference students will be made in this order, as spaces become available:
(i) Siblings of students who already attend St Patrick’s Catholic School.
(ii) Children of current employees or Board members of St Patrick’s Catholic School.
(iii) Applicants moving into the area who have previously attended another Catholic school.
(ii) Students who live locally. Note: The Education Act (1989) stipulates that priority be given to applicants for whom the school is “a reasonably convenient school”. The Board will define this as students who live in Te Awamutu being given first priority, followed by students who live in the Waipa District.
(iii) Children or grandchildren of past students.
If there are still places to be filled after applying these criteria, places will be offered based on the date of application.
Priority of Enrolment: Preference (When the School Roll is full)
The principal will keep accurate roll records and projections.
If the school is projected to surpass 291 in any given calendar year, non-preference enrolments will cease and Preference Wait-List will be established
Students on the wait-list will be offered spaces as they become available in each year level
Applicants will be offered places using the following priority-criteria order:
(i) Siblings of students who already attend St Patrick’s Catholic School.
(ii) Children of current employees or Board members of St Patrick’s Catholic School.
(iii) Applicants moving into the area who have previously attended another Catholic school.
(ii) Students who live locally. Note: The Education Act (1989) stipulates that priority be given to applicants for whom the school is “a reasonably convenient school”. The Board will define this as students who live in Te Awamutu being given first priority, followed by students who live in the Waipa District.
(iii) Children or grandchildren of past students.
If there are still places available once these criteria are met, a ballot system will be used to determine which students are offered a place.
If a place is not offered to a student, they will be placed on a waiting list.
Ratified: 3 March 2021
Reviewed: 28 February 2024
APPENDIX A
Criteria for Preference (NZ Catholic Bishops Conference)
5.1 The child has been baptised or is being prepared for baptism in the Catholic Church
5.2 The child’s parents/guardians have already allowed one or more of its siblings to be baptised in the Catholic faith
5.3 At least one parent/guardian is a Catholic, and although their child has not yet been baptised, the child’s participation in the life of the school could lead to the parents having the child baptised
5.4 With the agreement of the child’s parent/guardian, a significant familial adult such as a grandparent, aunt or uncle, who is actively involved in the child’s upbringing undertakes to support the child’s formation in the faith and practices of the Catholic Church
5.5 One or both of a child’s non-Catholic parents/guardians is preparing to become Catholic
Appeal Process
If a preference certificate has been refused and the parents wish to appeal the matter, the application will be referred to the Bishop’s Office.