Enrolment, Promotion and Transfer of Pupils

Enrolment, Promotion and Transfer of Pupils

Definition of Valid Enrolment

The procedures and practices governing the enrolment of pupils in national schools and the determination that an enrolment is valid are contained in the Rules for National Schools and in a number of Department of Education and Skills Circulars. In the circular which is issued to schools each year entitled Staffing Arrangements for National Schools the Department of Education and Skills refers to a number of rules as summarised below:

  • Rule 64(1) states that a child must be at least four years of age before s/he may be enrolled in a national school.
  • Rule 64(2) states that a pupil must be taken off the roll book if s/he transfers to another school, if s/he ceases to attend the school, and if s/he has been absent for 15 consecutive school days.
  • Rule 65(4) states that enrolments which are made for the purpose of creating or retaining a teaching post or determining grants shall be disallowed if these enrolments are obtained by (a) transfer, removal or attendance of a child from another school or (b) attendance of pupils under 6 years of age for periods of little or no educational value.
  • Rule 65(5) states that if the Minister is satisfied that Rule 65(4) (which relates to the canvassing of pupils) has been infringed by a teacher or any member of a board of management, the board and/or teacher will be deemed to be in direct contravention of the Rules for National Schools and will be dealt with as the Minister may determine.
  • Rule 88(7) states that where certain pupils are regularly but temporarily enrolled in any school, the enrolment of such pupils shall not be reckoned for the purpose of the recognition of a teacher.

Promotion and Retention of Pupils within the Primary School

The Ages for Learning
Department of Education Circular 27/'85 sets down guidelines for the promotion of children from infants to first class based on ages of children.

This Circular states:

The Minister for Education wishes to announce that, following consideration of submissions received in response to the document The Ages for Learning, certain revisions have been made to Rule 64 of the Rules for National Schools.

Section (7) of that Rule now reads:

7. (i) As a rule a pupil should not be retained in an infants' class beyond 30 June next following the date on which s/he has reached the age of six and a half years.

(ii) Normally, a pupil should not be admitted to first standard unless s/he has reached the age of six years by 1 September of the school year in which s/he is enrolled in that class.

The use of the word 'normally' in the new section 7(ii) of the Rule is intended to allow for a very small number of exceptional cases where the school, in consultation with the parents, considers it to be in the child's interests to be promoted through the system at a rate other than the norm.

Retention and Promotion Practice in Schools

Current Policy on Retention (taken from Circular 11/01)

The Primary School curriculum is designed as an eight year course, including a two year infant cycle followed by six years in standards from first to sixth, with children progressing to the next grade at the end of each school year. The primary curriculum is flexible and child-centred, and can be adapted to meet childrens’ needs.

Under the Department's policy, children should only repeat a year for educational reasons and under no circumstances should an additional grade level operate through the retention of all or a substantial number of pupils for a second year at a grade level.

The Department is providing considerable support for pupils with learning difficulties in schools. Learning support teachers, resource teachers, special needs assistants and a wide range of resources under the various schemes for schools in areas designated as disadvantaged are among the forms of provision allocated to schools for these pupils. The level of provision available should enable pupils to make progress in keeping with their needs and abilities and to move consecutively through the different class levels in the school in keeping with their peers.

There may be cases where a principal teacher, following consultation with the learning support teacher and class teacher and parents of the pupil, conclude that a pupil would benefit educationally by being held back for a second year. A record outlining the educational basis for the decision to retain a child in class for a second year should be kept for any pupil so retained. In addition, there should be a clear programme outlined for such a pupil that records precisely what new approach will be used for her/him and what its expected benefit will be. These records should be retained within the school and should be brought to the Inspector’s attention by the principal when s/he visits the school. A pupil should not be held back for longer than one year in a primary school.

In all cases where the proposed retention of pupils has staffing implications the Primary Payments Section of the Department of Education & Skills should be notified.

It is the practice in primary schools that from time to time children may be retained in a particular class grade for a second year for a number of reasons including immaturity, level of academic achievement and prolonged absence.

The Department of Education and Skills normally requires that the retention of pupils in a class grade for a second year is based on genuine reasons and that the numbers retained are few. Pupils can only be retained for a second year in any particular grade with parental permission.

The issue of the promotion of pupils in schools was addressed in Circular 10/'67, which states:

The normal procedure should be that a pupil is promoted to a higher standard at the end of each school year. There may be cases, however, where the principal teacher feels that a pupil would benefit educationally by being held back for a second year in a class. In regard to such cases it is felt that by reference to educational principles they should be minimal; that no pupil should be held back for longer than one year throughout her/his national school career.

Transfer of Pupils to another National School

The transfer of pupils between primary schools is now governed by the Education Welfare Act 2000. Currently discussions are ongoing in relation to the implementation of the appropriate section of the Act.

Transfer to Post-Primary School

Under the present regulations a pupil may only be recognised in a post-primary school:

        a)    if s/he is not less than 12 years of age on 1 January of the school year, and
        b)    if s/he has, as a rule, completed a full course of primary education.

There are no exceptions to the terms of a) above. An exception to the terms of b) above may be made in the case of a pupil who is 13 years or more on 1 August of the post-primary school year and who has completed Fifth Standard in primary school.

Under regulations governing enrolment in national schools, pupils will normally be at least 12 years of age when they transfer to post-primary school.