Enrolment Process

The enrolment process begins with submission of an application form (available on request), usually by January each year. As demand is growing, we generally recommend that parents apply 12 months in advance, especially for Kindergarten. We also recommend that families interested in enrolling come to visit the school before making an application. We do accept enrolments from children wishing to transfer from other schools; however, where children have previously attended a non-Steiner school, our teachers ideally prefer if they can spend at least one year in our Kindergarten prior to starting in Class 1, as some children can find it difficult to adjust to the very different rhythm of a Steiner classroom after attending mainstream schools. For all children transferring from other schools, we also require a report from the child’s current teacher.

Following receipt of the application form (and report, where applicable), the class teacher gets in touch to arrange a date for interview with parent and child, usually around Easter time (this is flexible for families relocating from overseas). This is mainly so the teacher has an opportunity to meet with and get a sense of the child’s readiness for the class in which they intend to enrol. After the interview, families are invited to enrol and fees are payable for 10 months of the year.

 

Enrolment Policy

The school does not have a specific catchment area for accepting applications; however, applications are prioritized by the date on which they are received and the school’s enrolment policy also applies, which gives priority to applications from the following categories:
1.         Siblings of children already enrolled in the school;
2.         Children of current school staff.
3.         Kindergarten children intending to stay for their full primary education (i.e. up to Class 6).
4.         Children from local Camphill house parents /co-workers (Camphill Communities are Steiner-based organisations working with adults with special needs – there are three in Co. Kildare)
5.         Children transferring from other Steiner Waldorf schools/kindergartens.
6.         Children enrolling for the full daily Kindergarten session (i.e. 3.5 hours)
7.         Other applicants.

The school also reserves the right in any one year to prioritize applications on the basis of enrolment needs of the primary school. Places in our primary school are also reserved for children enrolled in our Kindergarten.

Please also note that the fact that we receive no government funding means that we are extremely limited in the numbers of pupils with any type of learning / behavioural /emotional issues or other special needs that we can accommodate in any one year. It is important for us to ensure that we would be able to meet the needs of both the individual child and the other pupils in the class.