Enrolment Scheme

Maximum Roll

St Mark’s School has a maximum roll, which is a number established by the Proprietor and agreed to by the Crown. Applicants should understand that section 442 of the Education Act 1989 applies, which gives the School discretion to select students whose parents have a particular or general philosophical of religious connection to the Special Character of this school.

The Board of Proprietors must be mindful of the integration agreement and the requirements of the Deed that limits the number of non-preference students who may be enrolled after all preference applicants have been enrolled. The St Marks integration agreement allows for a total roll split of 95% Preference and 5% Non-Preference (maximum) students, the School is statutorily obliged to adhere to these agreed ratios.

Each year applications for enrolment will be sought by a date which will be published in a daily or community newspaper circulating in the area served by the school.

Preference vs Non-Preference

In determining whether a child should have preference of enrolment the Proprietors may take into account any components of the Special Character, including but not limited to:

  • Children of parents who are actively involved in the local Anglican parish.
  • Children with parents who are actively involved in other Anglican parishes or churches of other Christian denominations.
  • Children with siblings who have attended or are presently attending the School.
  • Children who will benefit from the Special Character of the School and whose parents have an empathy with thecharacter and aims of the School.

Enrolment process
Once the Board or Proprietors have established whether an applicant is preference or non-preference the responsibility then sits with the Board of Trustees, through the Principal, to offer a place at the school to successful applicants. The order of priority specifies how the Board of Trustees will determine which students will be offered a place. Reasonable convenience for this enrolment scheme is defined as being the Christchurch City boundary (including Banks Peninsula) and Selwyn District boundary.

The below priority process will be followed for both preference and non-preference spaces that are available at St Marks.

Priority One: Siblings of the Applicant are currently attending St Marks School.

Priority Two: Siblings of the Applicant have attended St Mark’s School in the past.

Priority Three: Applicants whose parents are a staff member currently employed by St Marks School, including Anglican clergy.

Priority Four: Applicants whose parents attended St Marks School.

Priority Five: Ballot undertaken by independent third party.

In the event that there are insufficient spaces to cater for all Applicants within the Priority One – Four then the ballot system will be used to determine the successful Applicants within the Priorities and also to establish their position on the applicable waiting list.

The Board of Trustees will also take into consideration applicants for whom the school is reasonably convenient, which for this enrolment scheme is defined as being the Christchurch City boundary (including Banks Peninsula) and Selwyn District boundary.

Waiting List
Unsuccessful applicants will be given the option to be placed on the appropriate waiting list in their year group, based on whether they have been deemed preference or non-preference. The order of the waiting list will be determined through the ballot system. In the event of a successful Applicant withdrawing their application, the vacant position will be offered to the next Applicant in the applicable waiting list. Unsuccessful applicants will also have the option to exclude and/or remove themselves from the waiting list.

Waiting lists will remain valid for one year (1st September – 31st August), after which, a new application will need to be submitted for any vacant places that are advertised, either throughout the year and/or at the end of the school year.

No new Applications will be accepted unless a vacant space has been advertised.

Pre-enrolment
Applications for New Entrants must be received by 16:00 on 31st August of the year prior to the intended admission. Should this date fall on a weekend then the due date will be the next working day.

Deadlines for Applications for any other vacancies will be communicated with the notification of the vacancy.

Appeal

Where a decision is made in accordance with any rules or policies of the school, parents cannot seek to challenge the exercise of that decision unless it is procedurally unfair or in breach of natural justice.

19/6/2018