Joining Our School
Admission to First Year 2024/2025
The Admissions period for First Year 2024 is now closed.
If you wish to be considered as a late application please apply here. We will contact you should we receive a cancellation of a place.
Please note applications for First Year 2024/25 should only be completed for students who are currently in Sixth Class.
Our Admissions Notice for 2024/25 is available here.
Please see our Admissions Policy here.
Re-locating to Dublin
Please contact the office at office@goatstownetss.ie for more information.
Transferring from another Secondary School
FAQs - Joining our School
Parents are advised to read the school Admissions Policy and Notice as well as the answers to the following FAQs.
How many places are there available?
For 2024/2025 school year, there will be a maximum of 72 places in First Year. Admissions notice for 2024/25 is available here.
The Board of Management decides each year on the number of places available in First Year.
Who decides who gets a place?
The order of priorities in allocating places has been determined by our patron, Educate Together.
Priority One offers are made to siblings of existing students of Goatstown ETSS. If there are more sibling applications than the total number of places available, then the names in this priority group are randomised numerically to determine who is allocated a place. If there are places remaining after the allocation of places in this priority group, then the process moves to the next priority.
Priority Two offers are made to students who live in the school catchment area as determined by the Department of Education. If there are more Priority Two applications than places, then these names are randomised to determine who is allocated a place. If there are places remaining after Priority Two then the process moves to Priority Three.
Priority Three offers are made to students who live outside the school catchment area. The randomising process is followed again if there are more applicants than places.
When all of the places are allocated the remaining applicants are placed on a waiting list. This waiting list is used to allocate places if any family rescinds their place or does not return their completed enrolment papers on time. When the waiting list is exhausted, the process moves to late applications received.
Are there feeder schools?
No. The concept of automatic admission to a child from any named school is not in our Admissions Policy.
Do you have a waiting list?
Children who are not offered a place in the first round will remain on the waiting list for that academic year only. If a family no longer wishes for their child to attend the school then the place will be offered to the next person on the waiting list as identified by the original random selection process.
When do I apply for a place for my child?
Applications are accepted when your child is in Sixth Class (or its international equivalent). The window for applying runs from early October for a three week period. (See Admissions Notice for relevant year)
Is there anything I can do to improve my chances of getting a place?
No. Places are offered according to the specific criteria identified in the Admissions Policy.
What happens if I accept places in a number of schools?
Your child's place may be forfeited if you accept and enrol your child in another school while retaining a place with us. We understand that parents apply to a number of schools. However, we expect that you will be fair to us and to children on the waiting list.