Enrolment Criteria

ENROLMENT PROCEDURES FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY

Please click on the link below to download a copy of the Sydney Catholic Education Office Enrolment Policy.

CEO Sydney Enrolment Policy 2013.pdf

Extract from Enrolment Policy Document

Enrolment Criteria

In accordance with the guiding principles, the following criteria are provided to support Enrolment Committees in the discernment of the priority in which enrolment applications are accepted.

1 Baptised Catholic children of regularly worshipping Catholic families5 with strong demonstrable links to the local designated feeder parish or parishes6.

2 Siblings of children already attending the college whose families have demonstrated ongoing support for the ethos and values of the Catholic Church.

3 Children of families currently enrolled at the designated Catholic feeder schools9 who have demonstrated ongoing support for the ethos and values of the Catholic Church.

4 Children of families who have ‘special pastoral circumstances’10 as assessed by the Enrolment Committee or, where appropriate, the school Principal and/or priests of associated parishes in conjunction with the Principal.

5 Children of Catholic families not covered above or who are outside the local designated Catholic feeder schools/parishes.

6 Children of regularly worshipping Orthodox families who have strong demonstrable links to their faith community and who are prepared to support the ethos and values of the Catholic Church.

7 Children of regularly worshipping families from other Christian denominations who have strong demonstrable links to their faith community and who are prepared to support the ethos and values of the Catholic Church.

8 Children of Orthodox families who are prepared to support the ethos and values of the Catholic Church.

9 Children of families from other Christian denominations who are prepared to support the ethos and values of the Catholic Church.

10 Children of families from other faith traditions or non-religious backgrounds who are prepared to support the ethos and values of the Catholic Church.

Procedures

This section sets out the operational aspects of implementing this policy, which may be varied from time to time by the Executive Director of Catholic Schools in response to changing circumstances. Principals and Enrolment Committees are required to follow the procedures current at any point in time.

1 The Enrolment Committee will process applications received during the major enrolment intake period for any year. Individual enrolments received outside the enrolment period are delegated to the school Principal.

2 The school will advertise the closing date for the official enrolment period, so that the Enrolment Committee can assess the priority of applications. This does not preclude the Principal from accepting students to fill any vacancies after that date.

3 The Enrolment Committee Guidelines will outline the roles and responsibilities of the Committee.

4 The Principal is responsible for ensuring that the school’s Enrolment Committee is cogniscent of relevant legislation and the principles of procedural fairness.

5 Membership of the Enrolment Committee will include the Parish Priest or his representative, the school Principal or delegate, and a parent who is an active member of the local parish community.

6 When enrolling students with special needs, the student must in the first instance meet the usual eligibility requirements for enrolment.

7 Wherever possible, in situations where demand exceeds the available number of places, Principals will seek to assist students whom they are unable to accept to find a position in an alternate Catholic school.

PLEASE NOTE:

Local parishes designated as "Catholic feeder parishes" are:

St Patrick's, Sutherland

St Joseph's, Como/Oyster Bay

St Catherine Laboure, Gymea

Our Lady Star of the Sea, Miranda

Our Lady of the Way, Sylvania

Local schools designated as "Catholic feeder schools " for St Patrick's College Sutherland are:

St Patrick's Primary, Sutherland

St Joseph's Primary, Como/Oyster Bay

St Catherine Laboure Primary, Gymea

Our Lady Star of the Sea Primary, Miranda

Parish Priest Reference Form

For Catholic students attending a non-feeder primary school, a Reference Form from a Parish Priest should accompany the application.