1. These Regulations may be cited as the Primary Schools (Admissions Criteria) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997 and shall come into operation on 2nd October 1997.
2. In these Regulations—
“the 1997 Order” means the Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1997;
“the criteria” means the criteria to be drawn up under Article 16(1) of the 1997 Order.
3. These Regulations shall apply in relation to the admission of children to grant-aided primary schools commencing with admissions in the school year ending on 31st July 1999.
4. The criteria to be applied in selecting children for admission to a school shall include the following matters—
(a)the order of priority in which children in the relevant age group shall be admitted to the school at the beginning of the school year, where the number of applications for admission exceeds the school’s admissions number for that school year;
(b)the order of priority in which children in the relevant age group shall be admitted to the school at any later time in the school year, where the number of applications for admission exceeds the number of vacant places;
(c)the order of priority in which children not in the relevant age group shall be admitted to the school, where the number of applications for admission exceeds the number of vacant places;
(d)provision to give priority to children who will have attained the lower limit of compulsory school age at the time of their proposed admission over those who will not have attained the lower limit of compulsory school age at the time of their proposed admission.
5. The criteria to be applied in selecting children for admission to a school shall not include provision for such selection of children by reference to ability or aptitude, or the performance of any child in a test or examination held by, or on behalf of, the Board of Governors.
6.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the Primary Schools (Admissions Criteria) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1991(1) are hereby revoked
(2) The Primary Schools (Admissions Criteria) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1991 shall continue to apply in relation to the admission of pupils to grant-aided primary schools in the school year ending on 31st July 1998 as if these Regulations had not been made.
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Education on
L.S.
J. S. Smith
Assistant Secretary
2nd October 1997.