Enrolment Policy


 

Nazareth Catholic Primary School is a school which operates with the consent of the Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne and is owned, operated and governed by Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools Ltd (MACS).

Nazareth Catholic Primary School is a MACS school in which:

  • prayer and liturgy are vital aspects of religious life in the school
  • the pastoral care and support programs for students, families and staff are based on the teachings of the Catholic Church
  • the teachings and values of the Catholic Church are paramount.

Principles

Inclusiveness

MACS schools are established primarily for Catholic children. Nazareth Catholic Primary School strives to be open and welcoming to all Catholic students, regardless of their background, and does everything reasonable to accommodate each student’s individual needs.

Nazareth Catholic Primary School is open to the enrolment of children of other Christian traditions and faiths, however, priority will be given to children from non-Catholic Eastern churches. Children from other religious traditions or of no religion are provided with an opportunity to enrol in MACS schools, should they choose to apply and there is sufficient capacity within the school.

Partnership between parents/guardians/carers and Nazareth Catholic Primary School

Parents/guardians/carers are the first educators of their children. By enrolling a child in Nazareth, parents/guardians/carers are entering into a partnership to promote and support their child’s education, in particular their education in faith. While the school promotes access to a Catholic education through the school enrolment policy, it is the parent/guardian/carers’ responsibility to support the school in furthering the spiritual and academic life of their child.

Exercise of pastoral discretion in enrolment decisions

Local pastoral discretion is an important element of decision-making with regard to enrolment at Nazareth Catholic Primary School. While the first priority of the principal is to enrol the children of Catholic parents/guardians/carers, pastoral discretion may be exercised in enrolment decisions where deemed appropriate. The local school enrolment committee will formally endorse all enrolment decisions to ensure transparency and equity in decision-making.

This Enrolment Policy applies to the four Catholic schools within the Nazareth parish:

St Therese School Catholic Primary School, Torquay; Lisieux Catholic Primary School, Torquay North; Nazareth Catholic Primary School, Grovedale, and St Catherine of Siena, Armstrong Creek

Enrolment applications for Catholic education within the parish boundary are invited before the end of April each year, at which time applications will be assessed centrally against the priority list below. Offers of placement will be made to families in May.

Priority enrolment

There is an agreed order of priority for enrolment in MACS schools, which must be followed in the enrolment policy and procedures. As systemic Catholic schools, the first priority of MACS schools is the provision of a Catholic education for Catholic children.

The order of priority for MACS primary schools is:

  1. Catholic children who are residents of the parish
  2. Siblings of children already enrolled in the school
  3. Catholic children who are not residents of the parish but are recognised as parishioners by the parish priest
  4. Catholic children from other parishes (for pastoral reasons)
  5. Children from non-Catholic Eastern churches (i.e. Greek Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Ukrainian Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox and other Orthodox) who are residents of the parish
  6. Children from non-Catholic Eastern churches (i.e. Greek Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Ukrainian Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox and other Orthodox) who reside outside the parish
  7. Other Christian children who are residents of the parish
  8. Other Christian children who reside outside the parish
  9. Non-Christian children who are residents of the parish
  10. Non-Christian children who reside outside the parish

Catchment Area

Nazareth Catholic Primary School is located in Grovedale. Our catchment area is in the north-west corridor of the Nazareth Parish.



Definitions

Catholic child

For the purpose of enrolment in a Catholic school, a child is considered to be Catholic if they are a member of the Catholic Church, usually established by a Certificate of Baptism and have fully participated in a sacramental program or, there is evidence of an intention to complete their sacramental journey.

Enrolment catchment area

The enrolment catchment area is a defined area from which a school enrols students as officially designated to a school by MACS. The parish for Nazareth Catholic Primary School is The Nazareth Parish. In parishes with more than one primary school, the catchment for each school is determined by the parish in consultation with MACS.

Enrolment is subject to the maximum capacity of the school.

Orthodox child

For the purpose of enrolment in a Catholic school, a child is considered to be Orthodox if they are a member of a non-Catholic Eastern church, including Greek Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Ukrainian Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox and other Orthodox.

Parish

‘Parish’ refers to the local parish as defined by its geographical boundaries and student location is based on home address.

Parental Responsibilities

At the time of enrolment at Nazareth Catholic Primary School, parents/guardians/carers make a commitment to provide ongoing support for their child’s Catholic education. In particular, parents/guardians/carers are asked to make an explicit commitment to the following responsibilities:

  • complete the school’s enrolment form and ensure it is returned by the due date. This does not guarantee enrolment in the school
  • be prepared to support the school in the Catholic education of their child and involve themselves as much as possible as well as committing to adhering to the expected standards of parental/guardian/carer behaviour as outlined in the school’s Parent/Guardian/Carer Code of Conduct
  • acknowledge and commit to meeting the financial responsibilities arising from the ongoing enrolment of their child at Nazareth Catholic Primary School. Any difficulties in meeting this commitment should be discussed with the principal
  • advise the principal of any court order, parenting or custodial arrangement/s that may exist in relation to their child, or any changes to such order/s, and provide a copy of the court order/s and any subsequent changes for the child’s school file
  • provide the school with an immunisation history statement.

Information to Be Collected

Nazareth Catholic Primary School is required to collect particular information about parents/guardians/carers and their child. Parents/guardians/carers are required to provide particular information about their child during the enrolment process in order for MACS and the school to meet the duty of care obligations and to satisfy government requirements. Lodging an enrolment form does not guarantee enrolment at Nazareth Catholic Primary School. 

Parents are required to complete the Application for Enrolment form before enrolment into a school can be considered.

The following documentation is required for enrolment:

  • Birth certificate
  • Baptism certificate
  • Immunisation certificate
  • Relevant Visa and Passport (if applies)

Enrolment applications forms can be downloaded below.

 

Please return the enrolment form via email principal@nsgrovedale.catholic.edu.au

or

send to:

 

c/o Reuben Johnson – Principal

Nazareth Catholic Primary School

14-16 Griffith Street

Grovedale VIC 3216

Waiting List

In the event of a school in the Parish being unable to offer a place to a Catholic child resident in Nazareth Parish catchment areas, the Parish will make every effort to support enrolment in another school.

 

Enrolment Agreement

Download Application for Enrolment