Your education questions answered

My daughter will be four years of age in February 2003. I am hoping she can start school in September 2003. This should be straightforward. However, as a single, working mother, I have not been able to afford to purchase a property within the catchment area of the schools I would like my daughter to attend, an area where I am renting, and have been for the last two to three years. I have now bought a property in a reasonable area, but the only local school has a very poor reputation and I am horrified at the thought of sending my child there.

I need advice on what my rights are regarding my daughter's education. Do we have any choice where our children go to school? I feel that primary education is fundamental to a child's learning and development and I am seriously panicking!

The issue of access to primary schools is a complex one. The 1998 Education Act laid down the principle of equality of access for all children to the State's primary schools. Following on from this, most schools formulated enrolment policies in which this principal is enshrined. Where schools have more applications than places, they have a priority system. This system is available for inspection by all prospective parents, and must conform to the principal of equality of access as outlined in the 1998 Act.

As most schools are parish-based, the criteria they use relates to parish membership and geographical area - although a potential area of conflict was raised recently by a cleric who suggested that religious practice should be a factor in the criteria used for any admissions policy.

Below is an example of the criteria used by a primary school of my acquaintance.

A) Community (including children of current staff)

1) Applicants from the previous year's parish/siblings list who were not accommodated in that year or who transferred to the current parish/siblings list

2) Applicants from the parish who have siblings currently enrolled in the school

3) Applicants resident in the parish and applicants who have siblings currently enrolled in the school (applications must be received before the previous September).

B) External

4) Applicants from outside the parish but resident in the traditional catchment area of the school, whose home address is closest to the school (as measured by a straight line an Ordinance Survey map)

5) Applicants from outside the catchment area who have difficulty in finding accommodation on their local national school list. If the Community list is oversubscribed, priority will be given to the oldest children.

My advice to you would be to maintain residency in the parish area where you are currently living in rented accommodation, until your child starts school. After September 2003, you are perfectly entitled to move to your purchased property and your child can continue to receive her education in the original school, if, of course, you are able to get your child to school from your new address.

Brian Mooney is president of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors. You can e-mail him your questions to bmooney@irish-times.ie