Admissions

The Education Authority (EA) manages the procedures for the enrolment of children in primary school (age 4-11 years). Whilst you are able to express an interest directly with us at Holywood Primary School, this does not constitute an application. It just means that we will add your name to our list so that we can keep in touch with you.

Primary 1 Intake Application Process

All children who are 4 years old on or before the 1st July should begin their primary education from the beginning of the school year following their 4th birthday. The application procedure for primary education allows parents to express a preference for the primary school they wish their child to attend. Please refer to EA regarding details on deferral of a Primary 1 school place.

Due to the new School Age (NI) Act which became law in Northern Ireland on 28 April 2022, ‘compulsory school age’ includes those children who deferred commencing Primary 1 in September 2022 within the date of birth parameters as set out in the School age bill as follows:-

Children born on or between 1 April 2020 and 1 July 2021. 

Any child who was born before 1 April 2019 but who was due to be born on or after 1 April 2019 if born at term.

NB:        Both ‘deferred September 2024’ and ‘compulsory school age children September 2025’ are to be considered equally.

***FULL DETAILS OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS AND COMPLETION OF AN ONLINE  APPLICATION FOR SEPTEMEBER 2024 PRIMARY 1 PLACES, CAN BE ACCESSED ON THE  Education Authority  website.***

1. Registration and completion of the P1 application form is via this Admissions Online Resource Hub portal on the Education Authority website. Please click here to begin the process.The EA Portal opens on Friday 10 January at 12 noon.

During the admissions procedure when applying the criteria punctual applications will be considered before late applications are considered. When the application procedure opens and an application is submitted by the closing date, it will be treated as a punctual application. An application received after the closing date will be treated as a late application.

It is the responsibility of parents and carers to ensure that all relevant information is included on the enrolment application.

1. IF YOU HAVE CHOSEN HOLYWOOD PRIMARY SCHOOL AS YOUR FIRST CHOICE, PLEASE ENSURE YOUR CHILD’S FULL / LONG BIRTH CERTIFICATE IS SUBMITTED ON THE EA ONLINE PORTAL WITH THE APPLICATION DETAILS FOR YOUR CHILD / CHILDREN.  

   In addition we ask all applicants to …

2. DOWNLOAD, COMPLETE AND UPLOAD THE HOLYWOOD PRIMARY SCHOOL data collection form ONTO THE SCHOOL PORTAL TO ENSURE THE FINAL ADMISSION PROCESS CAN BE COMPLETED FOR YOUR CHILD. 

   N.B. If for any reason you are unable to complete and upload the Data Collection Form by Friday 26th January 2024 at 12 noon on the EA portal, please email it directly to Holywood Primary School info account info@holywoodprimary.org.uk by 4.00 p.m. on WEDNESDAY 31 January. The email should be entitled P1 Enrolment September 2025 Data Collection Form. Holywood Primary School Office Staff will electronically receipt each School Data Collection From received via email.

Admissions Criteria 2024

(N.B. ADMISSIONS CRITERIA TBC FOR SEPTEMBER 2025)

The Principal will apply the following P1 intake criteria on behalf of the Board of Governors. Only children of compulsory school age (i.e. children who are 4 years old on or before the 1st July in the year they start P1) will be considered for acceptance into Primary 1.

a)    This is a statement of the criteria agreed by the Board of Governors for the admission of pupils into P1.

b)    Only children of compulsory school age will be admitted.

c)     The criteria will be applied in the order set down in points 1 to 3. Preference will be given to:

Preference will be given to:-

1. Children who have a brother(s) or sister(s)* presently enrolled at the school. (Applicants must state the family currently   in attendance at Holywood Primary School on the application form)

2. Children whose brother(s) or sister(s)* is a former pupil of the school. (Applicants must state the family member and dates of when they attended Holywood Primary School on the application form)

3.  Geographical location

Priority will be given to children who live closest to the school.  Distance will be determined on the basis of measurements taken from the child’s home address as stated on the application form to either of the two entrance gates to the school at Church Road or Hillview Place whichever is closest, using the RAC Route Finder.

*Includes half brother/sister, step brother/sister, adopted or foster brother/sister

Tie – breaker 

In the event of a tie for last place at criterion 3, pupils will be selected for admission on the basis of initial letter of surname (as entered on birth certificate) in order set out below;

P  K  W  H  S  L  B  N  Mac  Y  R  U  Z  F  J  D  G  O  E  V Mc  X  C  T  I  A  M  Q

This order was determined by a randomised selection of the letters. In the event of the surnames beginning with the same letter the subsequent letters of the surname will be used. In the event of two identical surnames the first initial of the forename will be used. If only one place remains, twins or multiples will be treated as one applicant. 

Duty to Verify

In order to verify the age of a child, parents must provide a copy of their child’s full / long birth certificate. This should be uploaded onto the online portal at the time of application. 

The Board of Governors reserves the right to require such supplementary evidence as it may determine to support or verify information on any application form.

If the requested evidence is not provided to the Board of Governors by the deadline given, this will result in the withdrawal of an offer of a place. Similarly, if information is supplied which appears to be false or misleading in any material way, the offer of a place will be withdrawn.

If your child is in another primary school and you wish to move him or her to Holywood Primary School we suggest you contact us for information. If a place is available in the year group you are requesting, we will ask you to make a formal application as follows:

Download and complete the Education Authority AP1 form

Download and complete the Holywood Primary School data collection form

Return the completed forms with a copy of your child's  full / long birth certificate. 

Waiting List

When a vacancy becomes available we treat all applications equally, including late applications, applications that were initially refused and applications where new information has been provided. We also apply the same criteria published above.

This waiting list for P1- P7 pupils will be in place until the end of the academic year. The school will contact a parent or carer in writing if their child gains a place in the school by this method. A child’s name will be automatically added to a waiting list.

Parents or carers are asked to contact the school if they wish their child’s name to be removed from the waiting list.