ENROLMENT

Children whose fifth birthday occurs on or before 31 July are eligible for enrolment for Kindergarten that year. By law, all children must be enrolled in school by their sixth birthday.

A new Enrolment Policy for Parramatta Diocesan Catholic schools has been introduced which offers Catholic families greater choice by allowing them to apply for enrolment at a Catholic school anywhere in the Diocese.

Where places are limited, priority will be given in order to:

• children of Catholic families in the local parish
• children of Catholic families who live outside the parish geographic boundaries but regularly attend the school's local parish
• children of Catholic families who are parishioners of another parish
• children of families who actively participate in the life of the school and local parish community
• children of Orthodox families
• children whose families belong to other Christian churches who, with their parents, respect and agree to support the Catholic mission of the school including the faith education it offers for their children
• children of non-Christian faiths who, with their parents, respect and agree to support the Catholic mission of the school including the faith education it offers for their children
• children who, with their parents, respect and agree to support the Catholic mission of the school including the faith education it offers for their children provided that:
  • siblings of presently enrolled children will have preference over applicants who have no sibling in the school within each category in the priority list
  • a child who has completed primary education in a Catholic parish-based primary school will usually be offered continuity of enrolment in a Catholic secondary school.

Catholic schools have a strong religious dimension and people of other faiths who wish to enrol in Catholic schools should be willing to participate in the religious activities of the school. Check with the principal of the school you are applying to.

Siblings

Siblings of children already enrolled in the school are considered by the same criteria above. However, within each of these categories, a sibling of a child already enrolled will have preference over an applicant who does not have a sibling enrolled in the school.

What if my child already attends a Catholic primary school in the Diocese?

A child who has completed primary education in a Catholic parish-based primary school will usually be offered continuity of enrolment in a Catholic secondary school. If no places exist at the chosen school, Catholic Education's Director System Performance will assist families to enrol in another Catholic secondary school in the Diocese.

While enrolment applications for all grades are taken at any time of the year, the main Year 7 enrolment period opens 18 months prior to the commencement of Year 7 and closes in March the year before the child will attend high school.

Each primary and secondary Catholic school looks after its own enrolment process so it is best to contact the school you are interested in to find out what you need to do. Most schools conduct an enrolment interview.

The following documents are required as part of the enrolment application. A copy of the original documents must be provided with a completed enrolment form. The original documents will need to be sighted by the school at the enrolment interview or as arranged.

• Passport size photograph of student
• Proof of residential address (e.g. council rates notice, current driver’s licence)
• Birth Certificate
• Citizenship/Residency/Visa (country of birth other than Australia)
• Parent and Child Passport and Visa (if student is not Australian)
• Latest school report from previous school
• NAPLAN results (Years 3, 5, 7, 9 only)
• Sacrament certificates (Baptism and Confirmation if applicable)
• Approved Immunisation Certificate
• Special needs and assessments reports for speech, hearing, cognitive, occupational therapy or others (if applicable)
• Medical Action Plan e.g. Asthma, Anaphylaxis (if applicable)
• Medical Plan e.g. Mental Health plan, Medication plan (if applicable)
• Family Court Orders / Parenting Agreements / AVO/DVO / other documents relevant to student (if applicable)

Secondary schools may also require:

• school reports with academic records for (at least) the previous two years

The school will let you know what documentation is needed at the time of application.

Catholic schools welcome students with diverse needs and aim to provide appropriate educational opportunities and support for students with additional needs. Once the school has evaluated whether the prospective student meets the general enrolment criteria, the additional needs of the student and the school’s capacity to meet them must also be evaluated.

Additional needs are varied and sometimes complex to identify and evaluate. Close partnership with parents is important to support the prospective student in finding what may be their best interests. In some instances a school placement may not be available at the desired school or be in the best interests of the student. The Principal and Catholic Education's Director System Performance may seek a way forward by working with the family, if the family would like assistance.

Parents of children with additional needs are advised to approach the desired school more than a year in advance.

Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese welcomes enrolment applications from students from overseas or whose families may be seeking asylum. These applications will be considered in accordance with the Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese enrolment policy.

Please note that students who are not Australian citizens cannot be enrolled in preference to an eligible local student. Applicants who are not Australian citizens must have a valid visa with the exception of subclass 500 (further details below). Further considerations include:

• capacity exists within the school in the relevant year group
• the student's language and academic needs can be catered for within the existing school structure, or the school can otherwise provide the additional requirements
• preference in enrolment is given to overseas students from practising Catholic families
• non-Catholic students enrolled and their carers make a commitment to respect and agree to support the Catholic mission of the school including the faith education it offers for their children
• The Diocese of Parramatta is registered as a CRICOS (Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students) provider, No 03340M, to enrol overseas senior secondary school students who are on a subclass 500 visa in the following five schools only:
  • Bede Polding College South Windsor
  • Caroline Chisholm College Glenmore Park
  • Cerdon College Merrylands
  • Delany College Granville
  • St John XXIII Catholic College Stanhope Gardens.

The Diocese is not currently registered to enrol overseas primary students or junior secondary students who are on a subclass 500 visa unless they are a dependant of a subclass 500 visa holder.

Families are encouraged to contact the school in which they are seeking enrolment directly to arrange an enrolment interview. Original documentation is also required to validate the student’s current visa status so that the fees payable can be determined.

Please note that the fees payable will depend on the visa subclass that has been issued by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA). Students holding a bridging visa who have applied for a non funded visa are required to pay fees at the level of Full Fee Paying Overseas Students. However, the Catholic Church is committed to ensuring that no student is denied an education because of a families’ inability to pay school fees.

Students with visas granting temporary residency can be offered enrolment only until the expiry date of the current visa. Continuing enrolment will be dependent on evidence that a new visa subclass has been issued by DHA. Parents/carers of students who are not Australian citizens must ensure that the school is provided with evidence of any change to the student’s visa status throughout their enrolment period.

Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese does not actively recruit students from overseas and does not enter into any arrangements with education agents or pay any commissions in relation to any prospective student enrolment.

A child who has completed primary education in a Catholic Diocesan primary school will usually be offered continuity of enrolment in a Catholic Diocesan secondary school. If no places exist at the school of choice, contact other Catholic schools in your area or for further advice you could contact the Enterprise Service Desk on 9840 5600 and communityliaison@parra.catholic.edu.au.

Yes, subject to the enrolment criteria and availability of places within each school.