Enrolment Information

Enrolment Policy Guidelines

OLMC Enrolment Policy Guidelines

A pdf version of this document can be found in the Our School/Policy section of our website.

Sunbury Catholic Parish Enrolment Policy Guidelines

The existence of three schools in this Parish follows from the responsibility shared by

members of our community to provide formation in faith through Catholic schooling for all

our baptised children. In April 1978, the Bishops of Victoria reaffirmed “the Catholic school

as the most appropriate means of ensuring the proper education of Catholic children…” It is

in the light of this directive that our enrolment policy has been formulated.

Local pastoral discretion is an important element of decision-making with regard to

enrolment in our Catholic schools. Therefore, while bearing in mind that their first priority is

to Catholic parents, our Parish Priest and Principals may exercise some flexibility with

respect to enrolment decisions where pastoral discretion may be deemed necessary.

Priority of Enrolment of Students

1. Priority of access to our Catholic schools will be given to children who have siblings

already enrolled in either school.

2. Second priority will be given to Catholic children who live within the parish boundary.

These children must attend the designated school for their place of abode if there is a

vacancy. (see map)

3. Catholic children from other parishes (for pastoral reasons).

4. Children from non-Catholic Eastern churches who reside in the parish.

5. Children from non-Catholic Eastern churches who reside outside the parish.

6. Other Christian children who reside in the parish.

7. Other Christian children who reside outside the parish.

8. Non-Christian children who reside in the parish.

9. Non-Christian children who reside outside the parish.

Before consideration is given for the acceptance of an enrolment, parents will need to have

an interview with the Parish Priest and principal.

The Parish endeavours to accommodate all Catholic children in a Parish primary school. In

situations where one school is unable to offer a position to all Catholic applicants the other

school will assist in accommodating these children.

The designated area for each school will be reviewed annually in order to meet the

changing patterns of growth within the Parish.

General Guidelines

1. It is expected that as parishioners, parents of children enrolled in parish schools would be

supporting our Parish and our school physically and financially (Thanksgiving and school

fees). It is also expected that they would support the policies, religious teachings and

practices of the Church as advocated by the schools. Parents who it is felt are not

supportive of the policies of the school could be expected to justify their child’s continuing

enrolment in the school.

2. The Enrolment process is to be advertised concurrently in the Sunday Parish newsletters

and in weekly school newsletters for at least two weeks. Applications should then be

returned to the schools, together with the relevant documentation by the due date.

3. Receipt of an enrolment application does not indicate that enrolment has been accepted.

After the closing date, families of applicants will be invited to attend an interview. After all

interviews have taken place a decision to offer a place in our Parish schools will be made

collaboratively between our Parish Priest and principals. Late applications will only be

accepted while classes have available places. If there is an excess of applications, names

will be placed on a waiting list.

4. As the Church’s mission is particularly to those in greater need, no discrimination will be

shown against families or situations where parents are unable to pay fees. Where the latter

situation exists, parents are expected to contact the Parish Priest or Principal (authorised

representative) in confidence. Failure to either pay fees or contact the Parish Priest or

Principal for an interview will result in a meeting to discuss continued enrolment and future

options.

5. A $50 application fee is due on lodging the application forms. This fee is non refundable.

6. An acceptance fee of $150 is due on being offered and accepting a position in our

schools. This fee is non refundable and is rebated against the first school fee account.

7. This Enrolment Policy is consistent with the Catholic Education Office of Melbourne

Enrolment Policy.

8. The Parish Priest reserves the right to review the general guidelines at any time.

The compulsory age by which a child must be enrolled in Victorian school is the year in

which the child turns six years of age. The minimum starting age is four years and eight

months, i.e. A child must turn 5 by 30 April in the year of school commencement.

The enrolment of children under the minimum age is NOT recommended.

In situations where a parent seeks enrolment of a child under the minimum starting age, the

approval of the Director will be required. Supporting documentation detailing substantive

reasons for early school entry will be required from appropriate health and educational

professionals. This documentation should be provided by the parent and submitted by the

principal to the Director for consideration. Please note that such approval will only be given

in exceptional circumstances.

School Fees and Levies

The setting of fee levels and other compulsory charges in Catholic primary schools is the

responsibility of the school, taking into account the allocation of government funds. The school

offers a number of methods for paying fees to reduce any financial burden and to assist

financial planning. If you have difficulty in meeting the required fee payment, you are welcome

to discuss this with the Principal of the school.

Terms of enrolment regarding acceptable behaviour

Our school is a community that exemplifies the Gospel values of love, forgiveness, justice and

truth. The school community recognises that everyone has the right to be respected, to feel safe

and be safe; and in this regard, understands their rights and acknowledges their obligation to

behave responsibly.

Every person at the school has a right to feel safe, to be happy and to learn, therefore we aim:

a) to promote the values of honesty, fairness and respect for others;

b) to acknowledge the worth of all members of the community and their right to work. and

learn in a positive environment;

c) to maintain good order and harmony;

d) to affirm cooperation as well as responsible independence in learning; and

e) to foster self-discipline and to develop responsibility for one’s own behaviour.

The school administration, in consultation with the school community wherever appropriate, will

prescribe standards of dress, appearance and behaviour for the student body. In terms of your

child’s enrolment, parents and guardians are expected to comply with the school’s behaviour

aims and the school’s Code of Conduct, and to support the school in upholding prescribed

standards of dress, appearance and behaviour.

Unacceptable behaviour by a child, or repeated behaviour by a parent or guardian that, in the

school’s view, is unacceptable and damaging to the partnership between parent/guardian and

school , may result in suspension or termination of the child’s enrolment.

Terms of enrolment regarding conformity with principles of the Catholic

faith

As a provider of Catholic education, the school Principal will take into account the need for the

school community to represent and conform with the doctrines, beliefs and principles of the

Catholic faith when making decisions regarding matters of school administration, including

enrolment. Pupils and families who are members of other faiths are warmly welcomed at our

school. However, the school reserves its right to exercise its administrative discretion in

appropriate circumstances, where it is necessary to do so to avoid injury to the religious

sensitivities of the Catholic school community.

Terms of enrolment regarding provision of accurate information

It is vitally important that the school is made aware of each child’s individual circumstances

insofar as these may impact upon his or her physical, functional, emotional or educational

needs, particularly where the school is required to provide additional support to the child.

Parents and guardians must provide accurate information when completing an enrolment form

and must supply the school prior to enrolment any additional information as may be requested,

including copies of documents such as medical/specialist reports (where relevant to the child’s

schooling), reports from previous schools, court orders or parenting agreements. Provision of

requested documentation is regarded as a condition of enrolment, and enrolment may be

refused where a parent/guardian has unreasonably refused to provide requested information or

knowingly withheld relevant information from the school.

Where, during the course of a child’s enrolment, new information becomes available that is

material to the child’s educational and/or safety/wellbeing needs, it is a term of the child’s

continuing enrolment that such information is provided to the school promptly.

The provision of an inaccurate residential address, or failure to provide an updated residential

address for the child will also be treated as a breach of the terms of enrolment.

Enrolment for children with special needs

The school welcomes parents/guardians who wish to enrol a child with special needs and will do

everything possible to accommodate the child’s needs, provided that an understanding has

been reached between the school and parents/guardians prior to enrolment regarding:

a) the nature of any diagnosed or suspected medical condition/disability, or any other

circumstances that are relevant to the child’s additional learning needs (for example, giftedness

or an experience of trauma);

b) the nature of any additional assistance that is recommended/appropriate to be provided

to the child (for example, medical or specialist equipment, specialist referrals; specific welfare

support;

c) modifications to the classroom environment or curriculum, aide assistance, individualised

educational programs, behaviour support plans or other educational interventions as may be

relevant);

d) the individual physical, functional, emotional or educational goals that are appropriate to

the child, and how the parents/guardians and the school will work in partnership to achieve

these goals;

e) and any limitations on the school’s ability to provide the additional assistance requested.

10.2 The process for enrolling students with special needs is otherwise the same as for

enrolling any student.

10.3 As every child’s educational needs can change over time, it will often be necessary for

the school to review any additional assistance that is being provided to the child, in consultation

with parents/guardians and the child’s treating medical/allied health professionals, in order to

assess:

a) whether the additional assistance remains necessary and/or appropriate to the child’s

needs;

b) whether the additional assistance is having the anticipated positive effect on the child’s

individual physical, functional, emotional or educational goals; and

c) whether it remains within the school’s ability to continue to provide the additional

assistance, given any limitations that may exist.

Privacy – Release of Information

The School collects personal information, including sensitive information about pupils and

parents or guardians before and during the course of a pupil’s enrolment at the School. This

may be in writing or in the course of conversations. The primary purpose of collecting this

information is to enable the School to provide schooling to the pupil and to enable them to take

part in all the activities of the School.

Some of the information we collect is to satisfy the School’s legal obligations, particularly to

enable the School to discharge its duty of care. Laws governing or relating to the operation of a

school require certain information to be collected and disclosed. These include relevant

Education Acts, and Public Health and Child Protection laws.

Health information about pupils is sensitive information within the terms of the Australian Privacy

Principles under the Privacy Act. We may ask you to provide medical reports about pupils from

time to time.

The School from time to time discloses personal and sensitive information to others for

administrative and educational purposes, including to facilitate the transfer of a pupil to another

school. This includes to other schools, government departments, Catholic Education Office, the

Catholic Education Commission, the School’s local diocese and the parish, Schools within other

Dioceses/other Dioceses, medical practitioners, and people providing services to the School,

including specialist visiting teachers, sports coaches, volunteers and counsellors.

Personal information collected from pupils is regularly disclosed to their parents or guardians.

The School may store personal information in the ‘cloud’ which may mean that it resides on

servers which are situated outside Australia. The School’s Privacy Policy sets out how parents

or pupils may seek access to personal information collected about them. However, there will be

occasions when access is denied. Such occasions would include where access would have an

unreasonable impact on the privacy of others, where access may result in a breach of the

School’s duty of care to the pupil, or where pupils have provided information in confidence.

The School Privacy Policy also sets out how you may complain about a breach of privacy and

how the School will deal with such a complaint. The School from time to time engages in

fundraising activities. Information received from you may be used to make an appeal to you. It

may also be disclosed to organisations that assist in the School’s fundraising activities solely for

that purpose. We will not disclose your personal information to third parties for their own

marketing purposes without your consent.

On occasions information such as academic and sporting achievements, pupil activities and

similar news is published in School newsletters and magazines and on our website.

Photographs of pupil activities such as sporting events, school camps and school excursions

may be taken for publication in School newsletters and magazines and on our intranet. The

School will obtain separate permissions from the pupils’ parent or guardian prior to publication if

we would like to include photographs or other identifying material in promotional material for the

school.

If you provide the School with the personal information of others, such as doctors or emergency

contacts, we encourage you to inform them that you are disclosing that information to the

School and why, that they can access that information if they wish and that the School does not

usually disclose this information to third parties.

Enrolment Policy Procedures for MACS Schools 2023