Holy Name Scouts
Admission Policy (formulated February 2012)
Holy Name Scout Group (now comprising Beavers, Cubs and Scouts) was founded over 50 years ago by parishioners of Holy Name Catholic Church, primarily to benefit the Catholic children from within the parish. However the group welcomes applications from children who do not fall within this category. The group meets in the Church Hall and is generously sponsored by the parish, which does not charge for use of the facilities. Whenever there are more applications than places available priority will normally be given to Catholic children living within the Holy Name Church boundary, in accordance with the oversubscription criteria listed below.
In wishing for a child to join Holy Name Scout Group, all parents or guardians are assumed to be declaring their respect and support for the aims and catholic ethos of the group.
In most cases, admission to the group as a whole begins with Beaver Scouts (aged 6-8) and takes place at 3 points in the year, corresponding with the school term times i.e. one intake at the beginning of each term, usually September, January and April (dates will vary slightly each year). Beavers can normally join at the next start date after they have reached 6 years old.
To meet the ratio of children to adults in Beavers we require a parent or guardian to help at each meeting, so parents or guardians will be required to assist at least one meeting per term. A parent helper rota is produced at the beginning of each term. This also means the parent helpers have to complete a CRB form in order to attend. We may also from time to time require additional help at Cubs and Scouts.
The Beaver section is limited to 24 places at any one time (except in very exceptional circumstances when numbers can go up to 25, at the discretion of the Group Scout Leader). As a rule, spaces become available when older Beavers move up to Cubs at the beginning of each term.
Beavers can formally apply for a place once they have reached 5 years and 9 months. Prior to this, parents can ask to be placed on a register of interest, but an application can only be considered after the child is 5 years 9 months. To register interest, complete the form, which can be downloaded from the website. Once the child reaches the required age of 5 years 9 months, their name will be moved to the joining list for the next intake day and ranked along with all other qualifying applications for any available places, according to the admissions criteria set out below. If a place has not been offered in a suitable timeframe, the child’s name will either be moved to the joining list for the next section or removed from the list as requested by their parents or guardian.
Oversubscription Criteria
At any time where there are more applications for places than the number of places available, places will be offered according to the following order of priority:
1. Children of existing Uniformed Leaders or those willing to undertake Uniformed Leadership training and commit to remaining in a leadership role for the duration of their child’s membership through at least one section of scouts at Holy Name (i.e. Beavers, Cubs or Scouts). Leaders should be committed to the catholic ethos and principles of the Holy Name Scout Group.
2. Children with a sibling who is already a member of one of the three Holy Name Scout sections (Beavers, Cubs or Scouts) at the time the new applicant would join.
3. Baptised Catholic children who live within the boundary of Holy Name Church as defined by the official boundary map.
4. Children currently attending or who have attended Holy Name Catholic Primary School who do not fall within category 3.
5. Other children whose parents or guardians wish them to join Holy Name Scout Group
Tie-break
Where the offer of places to all the applicants in any of the categories listed above would still lead to oversubscription, the places available will be offered in date order to those who have been on the joining list longest.
Children with additional needs or disabilities
Holy Name Scouts welcome the opportunity to talk to parents or guardians of children with additional needs or disabilities and will do their utmost to meet the individual needs of the child and successfully integrate them into the group, as long as health and safety can be maintained for everyone concerned. Priority for allocation of available places will be according to the admissions criteria above.
Moving up (Beavers to Cubs or Cubs to Scouts)
Beavers move up to Cubs at the beginning of the term after their 8th birthday.
Cubs move up to Scouts at the beginning of the term after they reach 10 years 6 months.
For moving into Cubs or Scouts, first priority (over and above all the criteria listed above) is always given to those moving up within the Holy Name Scout Group at each intake date, ie. for places available in Holy Name Cubs, first priority is given to Holy Name Beavers moving up, and for Holy Name Scouts, first priority is given to Holy Name Cubs moving up.
Children aged 6 or over wishing to join Beavers, Cubs or Scouts
Any child who wishes to join any of the Holy Name Scout units can apply once they have reached the appropriate age for the section in question. Their application will be considered along with all other applicants for the next intake and any places remaining after ‘moving up’ will be allocated according to the admissions criteria above. If spaces become available mid-term in any section (due to children leaving etc) leaders may, at their discretion, offer these mid-term to the next child on the appropriate joining list
Transfers due to relocation
A child who has already been invested into Cubs, Beavers or Scouts in another district and, due to relocation, wishes to join the corresponding Holy Name Scout will be given priority within each of the categories above at the next available intake date.
NOTE: Numbers for Holy Name Cubs are normally limited to 30 and Scouts to 24, however at times these limits may vary to take into account Leader numbers and fluctuations in numbers due to move up in the coming months from Beavers or Cubs.
The Group Secretary together leaders and GSL will review the waiting list, decide and inform parents who’s children will be joining prior to the next intake date.
On all matters relating to admissions, the final decision on admission to the Holy Name Scout Group rests with The Group Scout Leader.
