Enrolment Policy

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Enrolment Policy

Santa Maria is a Catholic Secondary College for girls. As a Catholic College, we are committed to establishing a community that is energised by the life and teachings of Jesus. We wish to be a place where Gospel values are lived and the Good Samaritan tradition of compassion, acceptance, openness and welcome is visible. Santa Maria College welcomes those who share these principles and wish to build on them. Our College is open to all students regardless of circumstances or ability.

The community of Santa Maria College nurtures a search for truth, a spirit of inquiry, a love of learning, critical social awareness and reverence towards all creation. We invite those who support our philosophy to join us.

Santa Maria College 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 should they choose to apply and there is sufficient capacity within the college.

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‍Partnership between parents/guardians/carers and Santa Maria College

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

Santa Maria College is guided by the cooperative enrolment practices put in place by the Melbourne Archdiocese of Catholic Schools (MACS). Hence the College has established an enrolment order for all students who apply by the closing date. It is as follows:

1. Catholic children who are residents of a designated priority parish and have attended a Catholic primary school in one of those parishes
2. Siblings of children already enrolled in the school
3. Catholic children who are residents of a designated priority parish and have not attended a Catholic primary school
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 have attended a Catholic primary school and are residents of a priority parish
6. Children from non-Catholic Eastern churches (i.e. Greek Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Ukrainian Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox and other Orthodox) who have not attended a Catholic primary school and are residents of a priority parish
7. Other Christian children who have attended a Catholic primary school and are residents of a priority parish
8. Other Christian children who have not attended a Catholic primary school and are residents of a priority parish
9. Non-Christian children who have attended a Catholic primary school and are residents of a priority parish
10. Non-Christian children who have not attended a Catholic primary school and are residents of a priority 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.

Priority parish

Priority parishes determine at which secondary colleges a child would be given enrolment priority. Priority parish refers to the student’s residential address, not the primary school attended by the student. The Santa Maria College priority parishes are:

• Alphington/Thornbury East
• Brunswick North
• Brunswick West
• Brunswick/Brunswick East
• Bundoora
• Clifton Hill/Collingwood
• Coburg East
• Heidelberg West
• Kingsbury
• Northcote
• Preston
• Preston East
• Preston West
• Reservoir
• Reservoir East
• Reservoir North
• Thomastown West (including Lalor West)
• Thornbury

Other students given high consideration for a place at the college, within the above framework, are as follows:

• Sisters of past students
• Daughters of past students
  

In accordance with the guidelines for cooperative enrolment practices:

• ‍‍The maximum enrolment at Year 7 is 168 students
• The enrolment of students from priority parishes is unrestricted
  

Places for students other than those with the Catholic faith are subject to availability. Late applications will generally be treated in the order of their arrival and will be at the Principal’s discretion.

Enrolments at Other Year Levels

Where vacancies exist, enrolments will be accepted subject to a satisfactory interview with the Principal or the Principal’s nominee. Where no vacancies exist, a waiting list will be established. Students on the waiting list will be treated in the order of their application.

The final decision on the enrolment of students at Santa Maria College is at the discretion of the Principal.

Information to Be Collected

Santa Maria College is required to collect and retain particular information about parents/guardians/carers and their child. Parents/guardians/carers are required to provide particular information about their child during the enrolment procedure in order for Santa Maria College to meet its duty of care obligations and to satisfy government requirements. Lodging an enrolment form does not guarantee enrolment at Santa Maria College.

Intended Audience: Families in the Northern Region

Related Documents: MACS Enrolment Policy - Secondary

Author: Principal

Ratified by the College Board on 25/02/2008

Reviewed: 2021