Consultation on the establishment of an Exceptional Circumstances Body
On 18 September 2009 the Department of Education published the School Admissions (Exceptional Circumstances) Regulations 2010 for consultation. The regulations were accompanied by a consultation booklet and respondents were invited to make comments on both documents.
Under Section 75 the Department is required to have due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity and have regard to the desirability of promoting good relations between persons of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group.
As the equality screening of the regulations indicated neither significant/major implications for equality of opportunity, nor any additional measures to promote good relations, they were assessed as not requiring a full Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA). As part of the consultation the Department also welcomed comments on the Equality and Human Rights screening document associated with the regulations.
The consultation was advertised in the media, and members of the Department of Education; the five Education and Library Boards (ELBs); Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS); Council for Integrated Education; Comhairle na Gaelscolaiochta (CnaG); all schools; and equality and human rights stakeholders were also invited to submit comments. By the closing date of 14 October 2009 the Department had received a total of 16 responses to this consultation.
The Department has produced two documents following the consultation. The first is the ‘Report of the Responses to the Consultation on the School Admissions (Exceptional Circumstances) Regulations 2010’ which is a brief summation of the responses received. The second is the ‘Response to Consultation Respondents on the School Admissions (Exceptional Circumstances) Regulations 2010’. This document is more detailed and represents the Department’s response to the main questions and queries raised by consultation respondents.
Both of these documents can be viewed below;
Report of the Responses to the Consultation on the School Admissions (Exceptional Circumstances) Regulations 2010 PDF 127KB - English Version
Report of the Responses to the Consultation on the School Admissions (Exceptional Circumstances) Regulations 2010 PDF 103KB - Irish Version
Response to Consultation Respondents on the School Admissions (Exceptional Circumstances) Regulations 2010 PDF 219KB - English Version
Response to Consultation Respondents on the School Admissions (Exceptional Circumstances) Regulations 2010 PDF 141KB - Irish Version
If you require these documents in other formats (such as large print, Braille, on audio cassette, easy read or on computer disk) and/or other languages, or have any other queries, please contact School Access Team using any of the following methods;
By e-mail to: alison.thompson@deni.gov.uk
By writing to:
School Access Team
Department of Education
Rathgael House
Balloo Road
BANGOR
Co. Down
BT19 7PR
By telephone: 028 9127 9605
By text phone: 028 9127 9472
By fax: 028 9127 9417
The Department is inviting comments on the draft School Admissions (Exceptional Circumstances) Regulations 2010. The draft regulations relate to post primary school admissions.
Exceptional Circumstances Tribunals will consider cases where parents feel that for exceptional reasons, there is only one post primary school that their child must attend and where their application to that post primary school using the normal route has not been successful. The Tribunals will be able to consider cases relating to applications for admission to post-primary school, where admission is to take place after July 2010. The draft regulations provide for the definition of exceptional circumstances that will be used by the Tribunals to consider cases and for the procedure and constitution of the Exceptional Circumstances Tribunals.
Under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 the Department is required to have due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity and have regard to the desirability of promoting good relations between persons of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group.
As the equality screening of the regulations indicated neither significant/major implications for equality of opportunity, nor any additional measures to promote good relations, they have been assessed as not requiring a full Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA). We would therefore welcome your comments on the Screening document.
The draft regulations, the consultation document, and the Equality and Human Rights Screening document can be viewed using the links below.
Draft School Admissions (Exceptional Circumstances) Regulations 2010 PDF26KB
Consultation Document - Draft School Admissions (Exceptional Circumstances) Regulations 2010 PDF 222KB
Consultation Document (Irish) - Draft School Admissions (Exceptional Circumstances) Regulations 2010 PDF 224KB
Equality and Human Rights Screening Document - Draft School Admissions (Exceptional Circumstances) Regulations 2010 PDF 587KB
Equality and Human Rights Screening Document (Irish) - Draft School Admissions (Exceptional Circumstances) Regulations 2010 PDF 602KB
Comments on all these documents may be submitted:
By e-mail to: alison.thompson@deni.gov.uk
By writing to:
School Access Team
Department of Education
Rathgael House
Balloo Road
BANGOR
Co. Down
BT19 7PR
In line with the Freedom of Information Act, we may publish the information you provide. A summary of contributions and the Department’s response to these will be published when the consultation period has concluded.
If you require these documents in other formats (such as large print, Braille, on audio cassette, easy read or on computer disk) and/or other languages, or have any other queries, please contact School Access Team using the address or e-mail address above or by any of the following methods;
By telephone: 028 9127 9605
By text phone: 028 9127 9472
By fax: 028 9127 9417
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