Local Primary school for JI then transfer to Gaelscoil J1.. thoughts???

SlinkyL

Hoping for a little advice..

My three older children attend a gaelscoil in our area that is over-subscribed but does have a sibling policy.
My 4rd child is going to be currently doing the ECCE year and turns 4 at the start of April. I went into the gaelscoil last week to make sure her name was down for next year whereupon I was informed that the cut off for enrolment was 01 March of the year of entry.. I always thought it was end of June.. so she is one month too young to start and there is zero flexibility on this. It wasn't an issue with my older children being autumn babies so somehow I simply wasn't aware of this..I always assumed she would start at 4 and a half and she is very 'together' early talker, very bright etc.. more so than her siblings at same age.

This presents a big problem for me, mostly financially.. I've really reduced my working hours over the past few years to be with the children plus most of my earnings would have gone to childcare anyways so we've made lots of sacrifices and spent savings we had from when I worked full-time to facilitate this. We have used up more or less all savings at this point - we have actually even had to take credit union loans to make ends meet over the past year.. however with much reduced childcare costs this year as all kids in school/free pre-school year, I have been able to take on more hours in work..and things we starting to ease up a little on the financials..
Until next year..when it looks like I will have to pay again approx 25e per day to get my 4.5 year old minded in another pre-school when I feel she is ready to go to school... this is 500 per month and this is a lot of money to me... working part time my take home pay is approx 700 per month and my husband is not on big money either..
I am now considering the option of sending her to local english speaking national school for one year and then taking up her place in the gaelscoil the following year, back into JI...she would get into this local school no problem..they are actually trying to increase numbers..

However I am worried if the gaelscoil find out about this, they will refuse her entry to the school on the basis that she already has a place elsewhere and they are over-subscribed. I've looked at the enrolment policy and there is no specific references to anything like this in the policy... I feel that the requirement to be 4 yrs and 6 months to start in the gaelscoil makes it very difficult for lower income families who struggle to make ends meet access this education for their children as it does mean an extra year of childcare costs and this to me contravenes all children's right to equal access to education but I suppose that's a debate for another day..

Having said that,I really do like the gaelscoil, my older kids are very happy there and i want all my children to get educated through irish but I just can't afford another year of childcare

Does anyone know if I would be breaking any rules/risking my child's place in the gaelscoil if i opted to send her to local school for the year?

Any advice appreciated and apologies for long post... this situation is causing much anxiety!!!

Thoughts or comments much appreciated!

byhookorbycrook

Be aware that the school may not be allowed to accept a "repeat"infant as the DES is very against children repeating any class, unless there is a specific learning difficulty.So it may not come down to the school saying yea or nay. I think you need to up front with the school and see what they say.

pwurple

I would talk to the schools involved as well. My child has a march birthday, and started school this year age 4 1/2. However, since starting, we are still getting letters in the door about enrolling her for next year in the other schools where I had turned down a place this year.

You could write to the board of management of the school about this application.

There is a second preschool year, announced in the budget recently, have you checked the terms on whether she qualifies for that?

And on your finances, with 4 children, have you applied for family income supplement? You may qualify, even short term to help towards an extra years childcare, if it comes to it.

katydid

SlinkyL wrote: »

Hoping for a little advice..

My three older children attend a gaelscoil in our area that is over-subscribed but does have a sibling policy.
My 4rd child is going to be currently doing the ECCE year and turns 4 at the start of April. I went into the gaelscoil last week to make sure her name was down for next year whereupon I was informed that the cut off for enrolment was 01 March of the year of entry.. I always thought it was end of June.. so she is one month too young to start and there is zero flexibility on this. It wasn't an issue with my older children being autumn babies so somehow I simply wasn't aware of this..I always assumed she would start at 4 and a half and she is very 'together' early talker, very bright etc.. more so than her siblings at same age.

This presents a big problem for me, mostly financially.. I've really reduced my working hours over the past few years to be with the children plus most of my earnings would have gone to childcare anyways so we've made lots of sacrifices and spent savings we had from when I worked full-time to facilitate this. We have used up more or less all savings at this point - we have actually even had to take credit union loans to make ends meet over the past year.. however with much reduced childcare costs this year as all kids in school/free pre-school year, I have been able to take on more hours in work..and things we starting to ease up a little on the financials..
Until next year..when it looks like I will have to pay again approx 25e per day to get my 4.5 year old minded in another pre-school when I feel she is ready to go to school... this is 500 per month and this is a lot of money to me... working part time my take home pay is approx 700 per month and my husband is not on big money either..
I am now considering the option of sending her to local english speaking national school for one year and then taking up her place in the gaelscoil the following year, back into JI...she would get into this local school no problem..they are actually trying to increase numbers..

However I am worried if the gaelscoil find out about this, they will refuse her entry to the school on the basis that she already has a place elsewhere and they are over-subscribed. I've looked at the enrolment policy and there is no specific references to anything like this in the policy... I feel that the requirement to be 4 yrs and 6 months to start in the gaelscoil makes it very difficult for lower income families who struggle to make ends meet access this education for their children as it does mean an extra year of childcare costs and this to me contravenes all children's right to equal access to education but I suppose that's a debate for another day..

Having said that,I really do like the gaelscoil, my older kids are very happy there and i want all my children to get educated through irish but I just can't afford another year of childcare

Does anyone know if I would be breaking any rules/risking my child's place in the gaelscoil if i opted to send her to local school for the year?

Any advice appreciated and apologies for long post... this situation is causing much anxiety!!!

Thoughts or comments much appreciated!

If your other children are in school and only one is in need of childcare, why not up your working hours?

byhookorbycrook

PM-ing you

SlinkyL

katydid wrote: »

If your other children are in school and only one is in need of childcare, why not up your working hours?

Thanks for the input however even though 3 of my children are in school, they still need to collected and taken care of in the afternoon. I currently have 3 different collection times and afterschool care and collection costs are not cheap, especially for 3 children. Add cost of a pre-school 5 days a week to this and believe me, there is not much money left over even if I did do more hours. In addition, It actually makes more financial sense to work less and keep childcare costs down when you have more than 2 kids if you are not a high earner..that's been my experience anyway..

It's just a little frustrating as I thought the worst of the childcare costs were finally behind us.
Anyway, thanks again for input on this, I appreciate it.
SL

katydid

SlinkyL wrote: »

Thanks for the input however even though 3 of my children are in school, they still need to collected and taken care of in the afternoon. I currently have 3 different collection times and afterschool care and collection costs are not cheap, especially for 3 children. Add cost of a pre-school 5 days a week to this and believe me, there is not much money left over even if I did do more hours. In addition, It actually makes more financial sense to work less and keep childcare costs down when you have more than 2 kids if you are not a high earner..that's been my experience anyway..

It's just a little frustrating as I thought the worst of the childcare costs were finally behind us.
Anyway, thanks again for input on this, I appreciate it.
SL

No problem. I just wondered if the others being in school would have freed you up a bit.

Different collection times is a bit annoying.

koriko

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Be aware that the school may not be allowed to accept a "repeat"infant as the DES is very against children repeating any class, unless there is a specific learning difficulty.So it may not come down to the school saying yea or nay. I think you need to up front with the school and see what they say.

Could you explain this- I'm confused that you say the department of education and science don't like children repeating any class. I'm teaching for years in a primary school and never experienced this- maybe you have a circular to refer to out is this your first experience? Genuinely curious!

byhookorbycrook

koriko wrote: »

Could you explain this- I'm confused that you say the department of education and science don't like children repeating any class. I'm teaching for years in a primary school and never experienced this- maybe you have a circular to refer to out is this your first experience? Genuinely curious!

Circular is here:

http://www.sess.ie/documents-and-publications/des-circular/retention-pupils-same-grade-primary-schools

SlinkyL

It has just occured to me that a friend recently transfered her daughter to a gaelscoil into 4th class and she repeated 4th class to give her an opportunity to catch up on the gaeilge. There was a house move involved... I will ask her the schools involved take on repeating the year and if needing to learn the language was deemed an acceptable educational reason.
Thanks for posting link.

koriko

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Circular is here:

http://www.sess.ie/documents-and-publications/des-circular/retention-pupils-same-grade-primary-schools

Thanks for linking that circular- I never saw it before. In relation to it I wonder could the 'exceptional circumstances' referred within be related to the op's situation and the fact that she has no other option but to send her child to a non Gaelscoil for junior infants?
The circular is 12 years old- is there anything issued by the DES on the matter since then do you know?

koriko

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Circular is here:

http://www.sess.ie/documents-and-publications/des-circular/retention-pupils-same-grade-primary-schools

Thanks for linking that circular- I never saw it before. In relation to it I wonder could the 'exceptional circumstances' referred within be related to the op's situation and the fact that she has no other option but to send her child to a non Gaelscoil for junior infants?
The circular is 12 years old- is there anything issued by the DES on the matter since then do you know?

lazygal

koriko wrote: »

Thanks for linking that circular- I never saw it before. In relation to it I wonder could the 'exceptional circumstances' referred within be related to the op's situation and the fact that she has no other option but to send her child to a non Gaelscoil for junior infants?
The circular is 12 years old- is there anything issued by the DES on the matter since then do you know?

She does have options-she can keep the child at home for a year. The dept won't help to secure a school place until a child is near the maximum age for enrolment and won't entertain the idea of a child doing two junior infant years in two different schools because of the parent's wishes to do this. You're not entitled to a place in any school of your choice, just a place in a school which doesn't have to be convenient or of your choosing. Loads of parents around me have to send their children to schools not of their first choice.

byhookorbycrook

A child does not legally have to be in school until they are 6 so the DES may well sit on its figurative hands until then.