Joining Our School
Admission to First Year 2025/2026
Applications were accepted online from Tuesday, October 1st, 2024 to Monday, October 21st at 9pm.
First Round offers issued by email on Wednesday, October 23rd 2024.
It is important to contact the school should you wish to withdraw your application or your contact information has changed
Late applications will be accepted but will only be considered after the current waiting list is exhausted. To complete a late application for enrolment to First Year 2025 please click here.
Please note applications for First Year 2025/26 should only be completed for students who are currently in Sixth Class or equivalent.
Our Admissions Notice for 2025/26 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
Applications for transfer to Second, Third, Transition and Fifth Year for the academic year 2025/2026 will open on March 24th, 2025. You can read our Transfer and Repeat Policy here.
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 2025/2026 school year, there will be a maximum of 96 places in First Year.
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.