St Colmcille’s PS / Bunscoil Cholmcille / Naíscoil & Nursery:

Admissions arrangements September 2024

Parents who would like to apply for places in the Nursery, Naíscoil or primary school must make the application online on the Education Authority’s (EA) website:  https://www.eani.org.uk/parents/admissions/applying-for-a-school-place

 from Tuesday 9th - Fri 26th January 2024.

Admissions arrangements 2024

Copies of the Nursery's and Naíscoil's and Year One's Admission Criteria are included below.

Remember, please upload your child's birth certificate to the EA Admissions' portal by Wednesday 31st January 2024.

Also, please send the following to the school by Wednesday 31st January 2024:

• Verification documents under 'Social disadvantage' criterion, if applicable;
• Two documents to verify address (see below);
• Medical evidence, if applicable, regarding serious long-term ilness.

Deferral of School Starting Age

Information on deferring school starting age for pre-school and primary one.

The School Age (Northern Ireland) Act 2022 became law on 28 April 2022 allowing parents/guardians of younger children in the year group a choice to defer their child starting pre-school and therefore primary school by one year should they wish to do so.

• Deferral of Primary One - September 2024: Children born on or between 1 April 2020 and 1 July 2020, or any child who was born before 1 April 2019 but who was due to be born on or after 1 April 2020 if born at term are eligible to defer from starting primary school in September 2024.  If you choose for your child to defer, they will then start primary school in September 2024 aged 5 instead of September 2023 aged 4.
• Deferral of Pre-School – September 2024: Children born on or between 1 April 2021 and 1 July 2021, or any child who was born before 1 April 2020 but who was due to be born on or after 1 April 2021 if born at term are eligible to defer from starting pre-school in September 2024.  If you choose for your child to defer pre-school, they will then start pre-school in September 2025 aged 4 and primary school in September 2026 aged 5.

Benefit Verification

Duty to Verify: Confirmation of address

We ask that you complete and return the following documents by Wednesday 31 January 2024 – by 4pm to verify your address.

Please forward any two of the following original documents in your name (dated within the past three months)

to verify the address at which the child is resident:

• Bank or building society statement;
• Utility bill (for instance electricity, gas, Television License, telephone);
• Letter awarding Child Benefit to the child or another letter relating to this benefit;
• Electoral ID card;
• Driving License;
• Addressed pay slip;
• Mortgage statement;
• Rental agreement;
• Land and Property Services rates demand.

Please cover any personal information e.g. bank balances etc.,

Upon receipt, the school will take a copy of your documents for their records and your originals will be returned. If you do not provide the requested documents by the deadline given above, then we may regrettably withdraw the place currently allocated to your child.