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Carlow

42 primary schools and 7,242 pupils in 2025/26.

Pupils in 2025/26
7,242
−212 on 2024/25
Schools
42
−1 on 2024/25
Average school size
172.4
−0.9 on 2024/25
Average class size
21.79
−0.71 on 2024/25

Counts every school that reported in each year, including schools that have since closed. Dotted lines bridge 1983/84 to 1992/93. 1974/75 is left out because that year's source file is missing five counties.

Pupils

7,242

−212 on 2024/25

1975/762025/26

Schools

42

45 in 1975/76

1975/762025/26

Average pupils per school

172.4

153.7 in 1975/76

1975/762025/26

Average class size

21.79

−0.71 on 2024/25

2006/072025/26

Growing and falling since 2015/16

Each school's change in pupils over 10 years, from 2015/16 to 2025/26. A change of 10% or more either way counts as growing or falling.

Every school's change

41 schools with figures for both years

Schools still filling their classes in 2015/16, and schools opened since, are listed separately.

17fell by 10% or more
16within 10%
8grew by 10% or more
Down 25% or more · 7Down 10 to 25% · 10Within 10% · 16Up 10 to 25% · 3Up 25% or more · 5

Grown most

Pupils in 2015/16 and 2025/26

  1. 1 Carlow Educate Together NSCarlow, Co. Carlow 241 → 389 +61.4%
  2. 2 Fr Cullen Memorial N STinryland, Co. Carlow 165 → 231 +40.0%
  3. 3 St Columbas N STullow, Co. Carlow 74 → 93 +25.7%
  4. 4 Ballyconnell N STullow, Co. Carlow 163 → 199 +22.1%
  5. 5 Carrigduff Nat SchoolEnniscorthy, Co. Carlow 71 → 85 +19.7%

Fallen most

Pupils in 2015/16 and 2025/26

  1. 1 Bishop Foley Memorial School Boys SNR SCHStation Road, Co. Carlow 263 → 165 −37.3%
  2. 2 Scoil Nais Iosef NaofaSt. Joseph's Road, Co. Carlow 172 → 111 −35.5%
  3. 3 S N Phadraig NaofaTullow, Co. Carlow 228 → 150 −34.2%
  4. 4 Scoil Nais MhuireBagenalstown, Co. Carlow 89 → 59 −33.7%
  5. 5 S N Treasa NaomhaKiltegan, Co. Carlow 71 → 52 −26.8%

Ranked by percentage change. Only schools with 50 or more pupils in 2015/16 are ranked, leaving out any still filling their classes then, because a few pupils make a big percentage in a small or new school. An amalgamation or a new school nearby can also explain a big rise or fall.

Newer schools

1 school still filling its classes in 2015/16 or opened since, with 592 pupils. It isn’t in the figures above.

Break Carlow down

Select a group to see its schools, pupils and class sizes.

Planning areas

Change over
Carlow 11 3,545 322.3 21.87 158
−6.1%
Tullow 11 1,696 154.2 22.15 73
−4.8%
Bagenalstown 10 1,218 121.8 21.81 52
−3.9%
Borris 4 329 82.2 21.53 15
−17.1%
Hacketstown 2 201 100.5 21.11 9
−6.1%
Bunclody 2 172 86.0 21.50 8
0.0%
Graignamanagh 2 81 40.5 16.20 5
+17.4%

Change since 2015/16 counts today's schools and any that closed from 2023/24; earlier closures aren't in any planning area. All planning areas in Ireland

Patrons
Bishop of Kildare & Leighlin 36 5,856 162.7 22.18 254
(Not reported) 1 592 592.0 17.58 33
Educate Together 1 389 389.0 23.56 16
Bishop of Cashel, Ferns & Ossory COI 3 315 105.0 23.38 13
Bishop of Limerick, Killaloe & Ardfert COI 1 90 90.0 19.50 4

Local authorities
Carlow County Council 42 7,242 172.4 21.79 320

Class sizes

Mainstream class groups only. The source does not identify which standard/year group each class group belongs to. Figures for 2025/26: 6,973 pupils in mainstream classes.

Average class size
21.79
Mainstream classes
320
Largest class
32
Classes of 30 or more
17
Schools with a class of 30+
10

Teachers

Teachers in the 42 mainstream primary schools here, 2006/07 to 2025/26. Class teachers are counted every year; all teaching posts where they're known.

How we count teachers
Class teachers in 2025/26
320
Up 82 since 2006/07, while pupils rose 18%
Teaching posts in 2025/26
about 526
Estimate: 320 class teachers, 30 principals and deputies, 129 special education and 47 special class teachers
Teachers in 2015/16
416
The Department's last count of every teacher
Since 2024/25
2 / 5
2 schools gained a class teacher, 5 lost one

Class teachers since 2006/07

One for each mainstream class, every school year

Special schools and special classes

2 special schools in Carlow, and the special classes in its 42 mainstream schools. Special schools aren't counted in the pupils, class sizes or teachers above.

All special schools
Pupils in special schools
176
In 2 schools, up from 161 in 2015/16
Special classes in 2025/26
47
In 24 of 42 schools. 25 in 2020/21
Allocated for 2026/27
50
In 23 schools: 5 new classes
Autism classes
42
89% of special classes

Special classes since 2020/21

In Carlow's mainstream schools, from the NCSE's yearly lists

  • 2020/21 25
  • 2021/22 26
  • 2022/23 28
  • 2023/24 34
  • 2024/25 38
  • 2025/26 47
  • 2026/27 50

2026/27, dashed: allocated for next year.

Special school Pupils Since 2015/16 Teaching posts SNAs
St Laserians Special SCCarlow · Mild general learning disability 146
−2.0%
22 50
Saplings Carlow Special SchoolCarlow · Autism 30
+150.0%
5 17.5

Sources: Department of Education enrolment lists; NCSE special class lists and special school allocations (CC BY 4.0).

Schools in Carlow

42 schools with 2025/26 figures, largest first.

Every school in Carlow (CSV)
Change over

Select a column heading to sort

Roll number
Holy Family National SchoolCarlow 20592Q 592 – 33 17.58 22 0
S N Naomh FhiachGraiguecullen 19958C 570
+7.8%
23 24.78 30 3
Gaelscoil Eoghain Uí ThuairiscCeatharlach 19811S 444
−7.3%
19 22.74 31 3
Carlow Educate Together NSCarlow 20295K 389
+61.4%
16 23.56 27 0
Bennekerry National SchoolBennekerry 17501Q 377
−12.9%
16 23.56 28 0
S N Muire gan SmalCarlow 18363M 345
−21.1%
16 21.56 29 0
Queen of Universe N SMuinebeagh 18183K 253
−11.2%
11 21.91 31 1
S N Peadar agus PolBallon 14837L 239
−14.9%
10 21.90 27 0
Fr Cullen Memorial N STinryland 16938E 231
+40.0%
9 24.33 32 2
St Patricks N SRathvilly 17663T 207
+1.0%
8 25.12 30 1
Ballyconnell N STullow 00977B 199
+22.1%
8 23.38 27 0
Borris MXD N SBorris 00651R 196
−7.1%
8 24.50 28 0
S N Muire LourdesTullow 13507I 195
−11.8%
9 21.67 32 1
Scoil Nais BhrideTullow 04077I 190
−2.1%
8 22.25 27 0
Ballinabranna MXD N SMilford 17756D 184
+5.1%
7 25.43 30 2
St Laserians MXD NSLeighlinbridge 19784S 182
+2.8%
7 24.29 30 2
Rathoe NSRathoe 01415K 175
−5.9%
7 22.43 31 1
Bishop Foley Memorial School Boys SNR SCHStation Road 17053P 165
−37.3%
8 19.88 27 0
S N Phadraig NaofaTullow 16080N 150
−34.2%
8 18.75 26 0
St Josephs NSHacketstown 17127S 149
+4.2%
6 23.00 29 0
S N Cluain na nGallClonegal 17514C 146
+5.8%
6 22.50 28 0
Newtown Dunleckney MXDMuinebheag 01215C 144
+5.1%
6 22.00 29 0
S N CeatharlachCarlow 18615N 137
+3.8%
5 25.20 28 0
St Bridgets Monastery Boys Senior SchoolMuinebheag 13105L 134
+1.5%
5 24.40 30 1
Baile an Chuilinn N SMuinebeag 01116A 126
+15.6%
5 25.20 28 0
Scoil Nais MolaiseOld Leighlin 02124E 123
−10.9%
5 22.20 27 0
Scoil Nais Iosef NaofaSt. Joseph's Road 18424G 111
−35.5%
6 15.50 18 0
S N Fhoirtcheirn/FhininBagenalstown 17994T 106
−6.2%
5 18.80 29 0
St Columbas N STullow 13607M 93
+25.7%
4 23.25 27 0
St Marys N SMuine Bheag 11135K 90
−5.3%
4 19.50 26 0
S N Cill DamhainVia Enniscorthy 18090D 87
−13.9%
4 21.75 25 0
Carrigduff Nat SchoolEnniscorthy 15177A 85
+19.7%
4 21.25 28 0
Scoil Muire gan SmalArdattin 18024N 61
−14.1%
3 20.33 24 0
Scoil Nais MhuireBagenalstown 09320Q 59
−33.7%
3 17.67 21 0
S N Treasa NaomhaKiltegan 17669I 52
−26.8%
3 17.33 20 0
Scoil N Moling-GlynnSaint Mulllins 17330P 51
−7.3%
3 17.00 20 0
Scoil Nais MhichilBorris 17462J 42
−16.0%
2 21.00 23 0
S N Fiontain NaofaTullow 18609S 41
+105.0%
2 20.50 23 0
S N NMH FhinginMuinebheag 17096K 34
−12.8%
2 17.00 17 0
St Patrick's National SchoolBorris 18510W 32
−31.9%
2 16.00 19 0
St Brendans N Svia Kilkenny 17481N 30
+114.3%
2 15.00 15 0
Our Lady's National SchoolCarlow 17796P 26
−39.5%
2 13.00 18 0