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Laois

63 primary schools and 10,814 pupils in 2025/26.

Pupils in 2025/26
10,814
−76 on 2024/25
Schools
63
No change on 2024/25
Average school size
171.7
−1.2 on 2024/25
Average class size
21.65
−0.41 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

10,814

−76 on 2024/25

1975/762025/26

Schools

63

73 in 1975/76

1975/762025/26

Average pupils per school

171.7

111.2 in 1975/76

1975/762025/26

Average class size

21.65

−0.41 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

59 schools with figures for both years

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

22fell by 10% or more
19within 10%
18grew by 10% or more
Down 25% or more · 12Down 10 to 25% · 10Within 10% · 19Up 10 to 25% · 9Up 25% or more · 9

Grown most

Pupils in 2015/16 and 2025/26

  1. 1 Tobar an LeinnAbbeyleix, Co. Laois 108 → 167 +54.6%
  2. 2 Barr na Sruthan N SMountmellick, Co. Laois 64 → 91 +42.2%
  3. 3 St Fintans N SMountrath, Co. Laois 79 → 108 +36.7%
  4. 4 Scoil PhadraigPortarlington, Co. Laois 393 → 521 +32.6%
  5. 5 Kiladooley Mixed N SBorris-in-Ossory, Co. Laois 104 → 132 +26.9%

Fallen most

Pupils in 2015/16 and 2025/26

  1. 1 Cloch an Tsionnaigh N SAbbeyleix, Co. Laois 106 → 64 −39.6%
  2. 2 Presentation Primary SchoolPortarlington, Co. Laois 723 → 496 −31.4%
  3. 3 Mountmellick Boys N SMountmellick, Co. Laois 272 → 187 −31.2%
  4. 4 Scoil Mhuire Naofa CastlecuffeClonaslee, Co. Laois 77 → 53 −31.2%
  5. 5 S N Fionntan NaofaPortlaoise, Co. Laois 85 → 60 −29.4%

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

4 schools still filling their classes in 2015/16 or opened since, with 1,877 pupils between them. They aren’t in the figures above.

Break Laois down

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

Planning areas

Change over
Portlaoise 12 4,091 340.9 22.72 176
+54.7%
Portarlington 4 1,475 368.8 22.39 64
−8.8%
Ballinakill 11 1,291 117.4 21.60 57
+7.0%
Mountmellick 7 1,046 149.4 20.37 49
−9.4%
Mountrath 9 726 80.7 19.71 35
−0.3%
Rathdowney 6 655 109.2 22.00 28
+7.2%
Carlow 6 637 106.2 19.84 31
+1.4%
Athy 4 444 111.0 20.70 20
−20.1%
Clonaslee 3 255 85.0 18.23 13
−8.6%
Monasterevin 1 194 194.0 22.75 8
−6.7%

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 40 8,027 200.7 21.72 356
Bishop of Ossory 13 1,355 104.2 21.00 62
Educate Together 1 457 457.0 23.42 19
An Foras Pátrúnachta 1 369 369.0 22.69 16
Bishop of Cashel, Ferns & Ossory COI 3 269 89.7 21.42 12
Bishop of Meath & Kildare COI 2 125 62.5 20.83 6
Archbishop of Dublin 1 106 106.0 18.80 5
Bishop of Limerick, Killaloe & Ardfert COI 1 57 57.0 19.00 3
Joint patronage between Bishop of Killaloe and the Bishop of Limerick, Killaloe & Ardfert COI 1 49 49.0 19.50 2

Local authorities
Laois County Council 63 10,814 171.7 21.65 481

Class sizes

Mainstream class groups only. The source does not identify which standard/year group each class group belongs to. Figures for 2025/26: 10,415 pupils in mainstream classes.

Average class size
21.65
Mainstream classes
481
Largest class
32
Classes of 30 or more
12
Schools with a class of 30+
9

Teachers

Teachers in the 63 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
481
Up 155 since 2006/07, while pupils rose 31%
Teaching posts in 2025/26
about 787
Estimate: 481 class teachers, 37 principals and deputies, 202 special education and 67 special class teachers
Teachers in 2015/16
620
The Department's last count of every teacher
Since 2024/25
6 / 3
6 schools gained a class teacher, 3 lost one

Class teachers since 2006/07

One for each mainstream class, every school year

Special schools and special classes

2 special schools in Laois, and the special classes in its 63 mainstream schools. Special schools aren't counted in the pupils, class sizes or teachers above.

All special schools
Pupils in special schools
170
In 2 schools, up from 125 in 2015/16
Special classes in 2025/26
67
In 36 of 63 schools. 35 in 2020/21
Allocated for 2026/27
78
In 39 schools: 11 new classes, 3 schools with their first
Autism classes
60
90% of special classes

Special classes since 2020/21

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

  • 2020/21 35
  • 2021/22 41
  • 2022/23 46
  • 2023/24 51
  • 2024/25 59
  • 2025/26 67
  • 2026/27 78

2026/27, dashed: allocated for next year.

Special school Pupils Since 2015/16 Teaching posts SNAs
St Francis S SPortlaoise · Mild general learning disability 121
+28.7%
19 33
The Kolbe Special SchoolPortlaoise · Severe or profound general learning disability 49
+58.1%
8 32

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

Schools in Laois

63 schools with 2025/26 figures, largest first.

Every school in Laois (CSV)
Change over

Select a column heading to sort

Roll number
Scoil Bhride NSPortlaoise 19747M 727
−3.8%
36 19.86 23 0
Holy Family Senior SchoolPortlaoise 20480F 644 – 27 23.41 26 0
Holy Family Junior SchoolPortlaoise 20270R 599 – 25 23.40 26 0
Scoil PhadraigPortarlington 17827A 521
+32.6%
23 21.87 26 0
Presentation Primary SchoolPortarlington 15556I 496
−31.4%
21 22.48 29 0
Portlaoise Educate Together NSPortlaoise 20347D 457
+29.1%
19 23.42 27 0
Scoil Chomhgain NaofaCarlow 17617M 380
+9.5%
16 23.12 27 0
S N Naomh EoinKillenard 18641O 374
−7.0%
16 23.38 28 0
Gaelscoil Phort LaoisePortlaoise 20081O 369
+24.2%
16 22.69 28 0
St Coleman's National SchoolStradbally 20353V 318
+24.7%
13 23.54 30 1
Scoil MhuireAbbeyleix 19750B 269
−28.8%
11 22.27 31 1
Scoil BhrideRathdowney 20071L 244
+19.0%
10 23.20 30 1
St Josephs Girls N.S.Mountmellick 07183W 230
−7.6%
12 19.17 26 0
Scoil PadraigBallylinan 17064U 218
−20.1%
9 23.56 30 1
Fraoch Mor N SLaois 18150S 212
−6.6%
8 26.50 31 1
Raithin an Uisce N SStradbally 17604D 211
−9.4%
8 25.62 31 1
S N Baile FinnPortlaoise 15537E 208
−8.4%
9 22.44 27 0
Emo Mixed N SPortlaoise 13643Q 207
−2.8%
8 24.38 27 0
Na Carraige N SMountmellick 18206T 204
−8.1%
8 24.75 28 0
Rath Mixed N SPortlaoise 13741Q 194
−6.7%
8 22.75 24 0
Mhuire Fatima N SPortlaoise 18368W 193
+21.4%
8 22.62 26 0
Our Ladys Meadow National SchooDurrow 20065Q 192
−1.0%
8 22.50 29 0
Mountmellick Boys N SMountmellick 16070K 187
−31.2%
11 15.91 24 0
Ballyroan Primary SchoolBallyroan 20485P 177 – 7 24.43 29 0
Tobar an LeinnAbbeyleix 16667W 167
+54.6%
6 25.83 32 3
Camross N SPortlaoise 15933M 156
+17.3%
6 26.00 29 0
Kiladooley Mixed N SBorris-in-Ossory 12692B 132
+26.9%
5 26.40 32 2
Scoil BhrideClonaslee 20118L 127
+16.5%
6 21.17 27 0
Ballyadams N SVia ATHY 16617H 111
−21.8%
4 24.75 26 0
Castletown N.SCastletown 20169F 111
−27.0%
5 19.80 25 0
St Fintans N SMountrath 07636K 108
+36.7%
5 19.20 22 0
Scoil Tíghearnach NaofaRathdowney 19791P 108
−9.2%
6 18.00 24 0
Shanganamore N SAthy 00892Q 106
−11.7%
5 18.80 23 0
Scoil Abbain CillinMaganey 17557U 99
+4.2%
5 19.80 31 1
Ballinakill Mixed N SPortlaoise 00895W 98
+18.1%
4 24.50 29 0
Maryboro N SPortlaoise 14838N 96
−1.0%
4 24.00 28 0
Scoil BhrideMountrath 13343E 95
−7.8%
5 19.00 23 0
St Josephs National SchoolBorrin-in-Ossory 07442U 95
−2.1%
4 19.50 27 0
Barr na Sruthan N SMountmellick 18294T 91
+42.2%
4 19.75 24 0
Cluain Eidhneach N SMountrath 18166K 89
+18.7%
4 19.25 20 0
Naomh Padraig N SRosenallis 18513F 86
−22.5%
4 20.00 22 0
Abbeyleix STH N SAbbeyleix 14260F 84
−14.3%
4 21.00 24 0
Scoil Náisiúnta Cúil an tSúdaire 2Portarlington 18203N 84
−15.2%
4 21.00 27 0
Paddock N SMountrath 13173F 80
+6.7%
4 20.00 23 0
Rosenallis N SRosenallis 17493U 75
−19.4%
4 15.75 23 0
Scoil Naomh AbbanCrettyard 17555Q 73
+21.7%
3 22.33 23 0
S N Naomh ColmcillePortlaoise 18780F 71
+7.6%
4 17.75 22 0
Cloch an Tsionnaigh N SAbbeyleix 15562D 64
−39.6%
3 21.33 25 0
S N Fionntan NaofaPortlaoise 17489G 60
−29.4%
3 18.00 26 0
S N MolaiseAbbeyleix 17695J 58
−21.6%
3 19.33 23 0
Cosby N SStradbally 10544W 57
+46.2%
3 19.00 29 0
Scoil Mhuire Naofa CastlecuffeClonaslee 17883K 53
−31.2%
3 15.67 18 0
Ardlios N SBallickmoyler 18532J 50
−26.5%
3 14.67 21 0
Gaelscoil an Tsli DalaAn Bealach Mór 20224K 49
+48.5%
2 19.50 22 0
Naomh Pius X N SPortlaoise 18433H 49
+53.1%
3 16.33 19 0
St Pauls N SMountmellick 19369G 41
+70.8%
2 20.50 24 0
Trummera N SMaighean Rátha 15446B 34
−15.0%
2 17.00 19 0
Rushall N SMountrath 12231L 30
−9.1%
2 15.00 16 0
Scoil an Chroi Ro Naofavia Athy 18014K 29
−19.4%
2 14.50 17 0
Cill an Iubhair N SMountrath 17084D 23
−39.5%
2 11.50 12 0
Scoil Mhuire MuigheoCrettyard 17271C 22
−43.6%
2 11.00 13 0
Bhride N SCarlow 18265M 13
−31.6%
2 6.50 8 0
Scoil MhuireAthy 17441B 9
−57.1%
2 4.50 5 0