Enrolment Scheme

Purpose
‍The primary purpose of Verdon College as a state integrated Catholic College; is to provide a Catholic secondary education for the Catholic community of Invercargill and surrounding locations consistent with the Education Act 1989 and Verdon College’s Integration Agreement.  The priority focus for enrolments at Verdon College are students currently enrolled in Catholic schooling as preference students, and those students that meet preference criteria that have attended other primary or secondary schools within the Southland region surrounding and including Invercargill.

‍Maximum Roll
‍The school’s roll will be managed within the maximum roll prescribed in the school’s Integration Agreement (currently 740 students) .  The Board may make provision for likely population movements in the general area served by the school that occur during the school year or after the end of the pre-enrolment period. As a Catholic State Integrated College, priority enrolment will be provided for preference students as defined on preference forms and as determined by local priest on behalf of the Proprietor.

‍Priority in enrolment
First priority: Preference students currently enrolled at Catholic schools. These are students who are enrolled as preference (i.e. Catholic or Catholic connection) at Catholic schools and resident in the Invercargill area or preference students with siblings currently enrolled at Verdon College.
‍Second priority: Preference students from other contributing schools and resident in the Invercargill area
‍Third priority:   Non-preference students with family currently enrolled at Verdon College  and resident in the Invercargill area.
‍Fourth priority:Non-preference students who are enrolled as non-preference at Catholic primary schools & resident in the Invercargill area.
‍Fifth priority: Non-preference students from schools other than Catholic contributing primary schools and resident in the Invercargill area.

- Any student seeking preference status will be required to complete a preference form signed by parish priest, on behalf of the Proprietor, stating that the parents have established a particular or general religious connection with the Special Character of Verdon College.

- Non-preference applicants are also required to provide a completed a non-preference form signed by parish priest, on behalf of the Proprietor.

- Non-preference students will be enrolled if the Board judges that enrolment of the non-preference students will not compromise its ability to offer places to preference students who might apply for enrolment at a later date and the total number of non-preference students does not exceed 35.
- Applicants seeking third priority status may be required to provide proof of a sibling relationship.

- If there are more applicants than there are places available, at the deadline for enrolment specified in enrolment process, places will be allocated in priority order as outlined above until a category is reached where the number of applicants in that category is unable to be accommodated by the number of available spaces.

- At this point, and for the priority category for which this occurs, an allocation order will be determined based on; the date of receipt of applications in relation to published enrolment timelines, preference status, and ballot.

- The ballot to fill the publicised enrolment allocation for the year will be undertaken for applications received prior to the closing publicised closing for application for year 7 and year 9 students as outlined in prospectus and in-line with Invercargill Secondary School Network agreed enrolment processes.  ( Ballot example scenarios below)
- Applications for students in lower priority category than the priority category at which this process is initiated will not be offered enrolment unless a vacancy occurs, but may be added to the priority waiting list based on preference status, priority criteria as outlined above and ballot order.
-The applications of unsuccessful students will be kept and numbered according to the priority order listed in this enrolment scheme. These will be used as a basis for accepting students if a vacancy occurs during the year.
-Should places become available due withdrawal of an application or place at the College, the College may contact those on the waiting list in the order on the waiting list to offer a place at the College.
-All applicants will be notified of decisions in writing of the status of their application and position on waiting list if that is relevant.

‍Pre-application process
- Each year applications for enrolment will be sought by a date that will be published in community media and included within the prospectus.
- The applications process will be consistent with any agreement of the Invercargill Secondary Schools Network and associated published timelines and processes.
- All parents of applicants will have to sign a commitment to the following declaration prior to acceptance of enrolment.

"We understand that as a condition of enrolment we will pay Attendance Dues as determined by the Proprietor from time to time and approved by the Minister of Education.  Attendance Dues may be reduced in part or whole by special arrangement with the Proprietor or his representative. Because Verdon College is an integrated College there are conditions on enrolment that we must accept.  By enrolling a student at a State integrated school, the parent is taken to have accepted as a condition of enrolment that the student is to participate in the general school programme that gives the school its Special Character.  The local Parish Priest issues preference certificates to those who can establish a religious connection with the Special Character of the College.  If this poses a difficulty for you the Principal will be happy to discuss the matter with you.  Preference of enrolment applications must be accompanied by a certificate from the Parish Priest.  The certificate of preference does not give automatic entry to the College."

Ballot Scenarios
Ballot scenario 1: If there were 100 places available and 80 “First Priorirty” student applications then those “First Priority” students would gain enrolment without ballot.  If then, 30 “Second Priority” students had applied for the now 20 available places a ballot would be held. 20 of those “Secondary Priority” students would be enrolled and 10 would not be offered places but could be added to the waiting list in ballot order.  All other applications in lower priority order would not be offered places but could be added to the waiting list.

‍Ballot scenario 2: If there were 105 places available and 80 “Frist Priority” student applications then those “First Priority” students would automatically gain enrolment without ballot.  If then, 15 “Second Priority” students had applied for the now, 25 places available, then those 15 “Second Priority” students would automatically gain enrolment without ballot.  If there were 4 “Third Priority” students applications these would also gain entry without ballot. There would now be 6 spaces available form the original 105 and there would be a ballot with firstly “Fourth Priority” and then “Fifth Priority”students’ applications until the 6 places left were filled.  Those students not selected would be added to the waiting list if appropriate.

‍Definition of the Invercargill Area
‍The “Invercargill area” is, for the purposes of this this enrolment scheme, defined as the general area bordered by Bluff – Tokanui – Edendale – Winton –Otautau – Riverton.


To apply for enrolment - please contact the Verdon College Office for a prospectus and enrolment forms.