Bonus Pastor RC school admissions criteria

Bonus Pastor Catholic College was founded by the Catholic Church to provide education for children of Catholic families.

The governing body has responsibility for admissions to the college and intends to admit 150 students to Year 7 in September 2009.

Admissions criteria

The order of priority is as follows:

1. Looked after baptised Catholic children.
2. Committed and practising baptised Catholic children from families where one or both parents/carers are baptised Catholic and practising.
3. Baptised Catholic children who themselves are committed and practising, although the parents are not.

In interpreting commitment and practice the governors take into account frequency of regular attendance at Sunday Mass. A higher priority is given where there is a higher regular frequency of attendance at Sunday Mass.

When the college is over-subscribed with applicants whose commitment and practice has been verified by the parish priest the governors will refer to the preceding paragraph in prioritising places and will then take the following factors into account, in this order:

a) the presence of a baptised Catholic sibling on the roll of the college at the time of admission, e.g. 1 September 2009

b) pastoral or medical reasons which have been verified by an appropriate professional authority and given reasons as to why the college is the most suitable and that these reasons are accepted by the governors

c) proximity to the college.

Any places unfilled under (1), (2) and (3) will be offered in accordance with the following practice in the order of priority shown:

1. baptised Catholic children whose frequency of attendance at Sunday Mass is irregular or occasional (sub categories a), b) and c) apply in prioritising applications)
2. baptised Catholic children who may not be attending Sunday Mass at the time of application (sub categories a), b) and c) apply in prioritising applications)
3. non-baptised looked after children
4. the presence of a non-baptised sibling who has regular attendance at Sunday Mass, as verified by their nominated priest
5. non-baptised children who have regular attendance at Sunday Mass, as verified by their nominated priest
6. the presence of a baptised/dedicated sibling of other Christian denominations whose practice can be verified by a priest, minister or pastor of the denomination
7. baptised/dedicated children of other Christian denominations whose practice can be supported by a priest, minister or pastor of the denomination
8. the presence of a baptised/dedicated sibling of other Christian denominations who are not practising but whose parents have a commitment to the aims and ethos of the Catholic college
9. baptised/dedicated children of other Christian denominations who are not practising but whose parents have a commitment to the aims and ethos of the Catholic college (sub categories a), b) and c) apply in prioritising applications)
10. the presence of a sibling from other faiths whose parents are in sympathy with the aims and ethos of the Catholic college (sub categories a), b) and c) apply in prioritising applications)
11. children of other faiths where parents are in sympathy with the aims and ethos of the Catholic college (sub categories a), b) and c) apply in prioritising applications)
12. any other applicant (sub categories a), b) and c) apply in prioritising applications).

Notes

These form part of the policy and criteria.

• A Bonus Pastor Supplementary Form must be completed by parents/guardians on behalf of all prospective pupils.
• ‘Looked after children’ has the same meaning as in Section 22 of the Children’s Act 1989.
• ‘Catholic’ means a member of the Church in Communion with the See of Rome and includes the Eastern Churches in Communion with Rome.
• ‘Baptised’ means sacramental baptism in accordance with the rights of the Catholic Church. Catholic children baptised in other Christian denominations should have a certificate of reception into the Catholic Church.
• ‘Sibling’ – the older sibling must be on the roll of the college at the time of admission, e.g. 1 September 2009.
• ‘Proximity’ means priority will be given to those living the shortest distance from the college measured in a straight line from the front door to the main gate at Winlaton site. Proximity to the college is a sub category and regular attendance at Sunday Mass is a higher priority, e.g. a student with regular attendance at Sunday Mass will have higher priority.
• Register of interest – in addition to the right of appeal unsuccessful applicants will be offered the opportunity to be placed on the register of interest, which will be maintained in order of the criteria set out in this policy. The register is renewed in September each year by writing to all those on the register as at 31 August and asking whether they wish to remain on the register for the coming academic year.