Principal News
Dear Parent and Caregivers,
I wouldn’t mind a dollar for every enrolment interview I have done over the years. What you surely cannot put a price on is the privilege it is to sit and talk with families about the hopes and dreams they hold for their children. Priceless too is the infectious energy that young children bring to such moments. They are excited. They are also nervous.
In the first week of Term 2, we will host our 2023 Prep interviews with prospective students and their families. Later in the term we will interview for Yr 1 – 6 placements for 2023.
Perhaps current parents will recall such interviews years ago. This moment arrives for families often after years of conversation and deliberation around the ‘kitchen table’.
These conversations are always future focused and overwhelmingly framed with a positive perspective. There are untold and unforeseen educational opportunities ahead for your child/children.
From a school perspective, they are about ensuring places for the next generation of students. Sustaining enrolments ensures the future viability of the school.
It is obvious then that the enrolment decisions that we will make in the coming weeks have ramifications for the future of many children and their families but also for the school itself.
St Saviour’s Primary School has much to offer as a holistic Catholic school in the Sisters of Mercy tradition and consequently the school continues to build strong numbers for future years. Currently, it is also the case that demand outstrips supply and we have growing waitlists for 2022 and 2023. While this is a fortunate position it does make the enrolment process a pressured one for families and for the school. Making choices about families is no easy task.
A combination of the following factors, in no particular order, are all taken into consideration when prioritising a prospective student and the subsequent offer of a place:
- Siblings of students already attending the school;
- Baptised Catholic children who:
- Attend a Catholic school; or
- Are members of the local parish community;
- Catholic family;
- A student enrolled in another Catholic school;
- A son or daughter of a St Saviour’s Primary old girl or boy;
- Application date;
- A family connection to the school, e.g. cousin, aunt, uncle, grandfather or grandmother.
- Academic Record;
- Co-Curricular participation and achievement;
- Students whose parent(s)/guardian(s) desire and are committed to Catholic education.
When a place is not offered in the first round then applicants are placed on a waiting list. In truth, this is more a waiting ‘pool’ of applicants than a list which implies that the child at the top is the next in line for a place. Enrolment is then considered as vacancies become available. Every effort is made to enrol students from the waiting list, however, this may not be possible if changes do not occur. If an offer of enrolment cannot be made for the immediate year or desired intake year, the application will be transferred to subsequent years. For every child and family who is delighted to be offered a place there are also families who suffer disappointment when this is not the case. We are mindful of this delicate situation and continue to focus on supporting families whatever the outcome of the enrolment process.
Obviously, the management and leadership of the enrolment process is a complex and vital role within the school. I thank our school administration team for their diligent stewardship of the future enrolments.
Some brief points to close on:
- Our 2023 Prep Information Session took place today in the Mercy Centre with close to 50 parents attending.
- Next week, I will be taking long service leave and Mr Sam Hannant will step in as Acting Principal.
- We are experiencing an increase in staff and student positive Covid-19 cases and we urge you to be mindful of our staff here at SSPS in keeping them well and safe so that your children’s learning can continue with little interruption. If your child has any symptoms of illness please keep them home to protect all of us.
With every best wish for the week ahead.
Madonna Sleba
Principal