St. Matthew’s Enrolment Policy

2024



Introduction


The Board of Trustees of St Matthew’s Primary School will ensure that enrolments comply with the requirements specified in the Integration Agreement and the Private Schools Conditional Integration act 1975.


Definition of Preference and Non-Preference

There are two types of enrolments at state-integrated schools like ours – “preference enrolments” and “non-preference enrolments” Only after all preference students seeking entry have been enrolled, and then only if the total roll is still less than the maximum specified in our Integration Agreement, can the Board consider non-preference students up to a maximum 5% of the total school roll.


Preference Enrolment


Applying for preference enrolment is not a guarantee of acceptance. The decision of whether to grant a preference enrolment is made by either the Parish Priest or their delegated representative, using any of the criteria below:


Preference Criteria:

  • The Family is part of a faith community and will support and abide by, and actively participate in the school’s Christian based focus which is within the Anglican tradition.


  • The child has been baptised or is being prepared for baptism within the Anglican Church.


  • At least one parent/guardian is a parishioner of an Anglican parish.


  • 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 Anglican Church.


  • One or both of a child’s non-Anglican parents/guardians is preparing to become an Anglican.


  • They accept that they will be required to pay attendance dues as set by the Proprietor and that these are not voluntary.




Non-preference Enrolment


State integrated schools may also have limited places for non-preference students as described in the Definition of Preference and Non-Preference above.


Non-Preference Criteria:

  1. The applicants accept that they will be attending a school of Anglican character and that their place in the school is conditional on their active participation in the programme and ethos of the school.
  2. The applicants accept that they will be required to pay attendance dues as set by the Proprietor and these are not voluntary.
  3. Assuming the conditions of Note A above has been met, the Board will use the following priority order for enrolling non-preference applicants:
    1. The siblings of non-preference students already in the school.
    2. Siblings of former non-preference students.
    3. The children of staff or Board members who seek to enrol their children.
    4. Non-preference students coming from another integrated school with the same Anglican character.
    5. All other applicants.


  1. Where there are more applicants than places available within the same priority category, they will be accepted in order of the date and time the pre-enrolments form was received. If pre-enrolment dates are the same, the allocation will be via ballot.


  1. Non-preference students who cannot be enrolled immediately may choose to be placed on a waiting list sorted in order of the priority conditions described above. Students on this list are waitlisted by date and number and will be contacted if places become available.


Parents and caregivers of those applicants on the waiting list will be notified when and if places become available for their child. Parents and caregivers will then have seven days to confirm their enrolment. If no confirmation is received the applicant will be removed from the waiting list and the position may be offered to the next priority student.


Enrolment information is also available in hard copy from the School Office.


The Board of Trustees delegates the authority to administer this policy to the Principal.


The process to enrol a student.

Responsibility

Action

Parent

1.

Complete an enrolment form and send it to the school. Include a copy of the student's birth certificate or passport as proof of their date of birth. Also, bring the student's immunisation certificate and completed health card.

School Office Manager

2.

Verify the student's date of birth with their birth certificate or passport.


3.

Enter the student's details into the school's student management system (SMS) on the administration computer.


4.

Enter the relevant information into the Ministry of Education's ENROL database.

Principal and teacher

5.

Organise class placement.


Attendance Dues 

As a condition of enrolment (PSCI Act, Section 36), Attendance Dues are determined by the proprietor and approved by the Minister of Education.   Please note that payments of attendance dues are agreed upon on enrolment at the school and are paid to the Diocese.

The Proprietors have the right in law to discontinue the attendance of any child if there is a default in the payment of Attendance Dues.  

Annual Attendance Dues are set at $400.00 per child per year (GST incl). A minimum of one Term’s Attendance Dues ($100.00) is required before your child starts and thereafter each term must be paid in advance.