If you would like your child to attend our school, please see full details of our admission arrangements below.

RESPECTIVE FUNCTIONS OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS AND PRINCIPAL IN RELATION TO ADMISSIONS

The Principal will be responsible for the oversight of the school’s admission policy, in consultation with the Board of Governors if required.

When considering which children should be selected for admission, the Board of Governors will only take into account information which is detailed on the application or provided directly to the school. Parents should therefore ensure that all information pertaining to their child and relevant to the school’s admissions criteria is stated on the application or provided directly to the school.

ADMISSIONS CRITERIA   

During the admissions procedure when applying the criteria punctual applications will be considered before late applications are considered.   Please see the key dates bekow -

COMPULSORY SCHOOL AGE

If your child was born between 2 July 2021 and 1 July 2022, they are due to start P1 in September 2026 as they will be of Compulsory School Age and you must apply for a place in a Primary School.

Children born on or between 1 April 2021 and 1 July 2021 (inclusive) and children born before 1 April 2021 but with a due date on or after 1 April 2021 whose parents deferred their admission to primary school in September 2025 must also now apply for a place in a Primary School for September 2026.

Children born on or between 1 April 2022 and 1 July 2022 (inclusive) and children born before 1 April 2022 but whose due date was on or after this date may submit a request to defer P1 admission for September 2026. For more information visit ‘Deferral of School Starting Age’ 

Priority will be given to children resident in Northern Ireland at the time of their proposed admission to the school before those who are not so resident.

Admissions criteria to be used in the event of the school being oversubscribed.  The criteria are listed in order of priority.

In the event of the number of such children seeking admission being greater than the admissions number, priority of admission will be given in the following order:

1. Children whose sibling attends the school.
2. Children whose older sibling* living at the same residence previously attended Magherafelt Primary School (minimum 1 year attendance). Verification will be sought.
3. Children who have a parent or grandparent on the teaching, auxiliary or ancillary staff of the school.
4. Children who live nearest to the school as decided by a straight line digital measurement using the postcode address of their normal residence to the postcode address of Magherafelt Primary School. Magherafelt Primary School will use the Northern Ireland portal for Geographical Information (GI) decision making tool, Spatial NI, to determine distances.
5. In the event of two or more children living the same distance from school, rank order will be determined by using a tie breaker to distinguish applicants to the last available place.

*Sibling includes brother/sister/half-brother/half-sister.

DUTY TO VERIFY

The Board of Governors reserves the right to require such supplementary evidence as it may determine to support or verify information on any application.  The provision of false or incorrect information or the failure to provide information within the deadlines set by primary schools can result in the withdrawal of a place and the inability to offer a place on the part of any school nominated on the applicant’s application.

WAITING LIST POLICY

The school does not currently maintain a Waiting List.

Pupils will be admitted to Year One following the beginning of the school year, in order of application, provided that such admission does not cause the school to exceed either the admission number or the enrolment number. In addition no class will exceed the statutory maximum of 30 pupils.

ADMISSION TO P2 – P7

1. To a child whose brother or sister attends the school.
2. To a child whose older sibling* living at the same residence previously attended Magherafelt Primary School (minimum 1 year attendance). Verification will be sought.
3. To a child who has a parent or grandparent on the teaching, auxiliary or ancillary staff of the school.
4. To a child who lives nearest to the school as decided by a straight line digital measurement using the postcode address of their normal residence to the postcode address of Magherafelt Primary School. Magherafelt Primary School will use the Northern Ireland portal for Geographical Information (GI) decision making tool, Spatial NI, to determine distances.

*Sibling includes brother/sister/half-brother/half-sister.

Applications and Admissions to Primary 1