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School patron in Laois

Bishop of Kildare & Leighlin

Schools in County Laois under this patron.

Other patrons in Laois Bishop of Ossory · 13 Educate Together · 1 An Foras Pátrúnachta · 1 Bishop of Cashel, Ferns & Ossory COI · 3 Bishop of Meath & Kildare COI · 2 Archbishop of Dublin · 1 Bishop of Limerick, Killaloe & Ardfert COI · 1 Joint patronage between Bishop of Killaloe and the Bishop of Limerick, Killaloe & Ardfert COI · 1
Schools
40
of 63 in Laois
Pupils
8,027
74% of Laois's pupils
Average school size
200.7
Laois: 171.7
Average class size
21.72
Laois: 21.65

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

37 schools with figures for both years

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

16fell by 10% or more
12within 10%
9grew by 10% or more
Down 25% or more · 9Down 10 to 25% · 7Within 10% · 12Up 10 to 25% · 5Up 25% or more · 4

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 St Coleman's National SchoolStradbally, Co. Laois 255 → 318 +24.7%

Fallen most

Pupils in 2015/16 and 2025/26

  1. 1 Presentation Primary SchoolPortarlington, Co. Laois 723 → 496 −31.4%
  2. 2 Mountmellick Boys N SMountmellick, Co. Laois 272 → 187 −31.2%
  3. 3 Scoil Mhuire Naofa CastlecuffeClonaslee, Co. Laois 77 → 53 −31.2%
  4. 4 S N Fionntan NaofaPortlaoise, Co. Laois 85 → 60 −29.4%
  5. 5 Scoil MhuireAbbeyleix, Co. Laois 378 → 269 −28.8%

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

3 schools still filling their classes in 2015/16 or opened since, with 1,420 pupils between them. They aren’t in the figures above.

Class sizes

Mainstream class groups only. The source does not identify which standard/year group each class group belongs to.

Average class size
21.72
Mainstream classes
356
Classes of 30 or more
9
Schools with a class of 30+
7

Teachers

Teachers in the 40 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
356
Up 159 since 2006/07, while pupils rose 58%
Teaching posts in 2025/26
about 583
Estimate: 356 class teachers, 28 principals and deputies, 150 special education and 49 special class teachers
Teachers in 2015/16
394
The Department's last count of every teacher
Since 2024/25
2 / 3
2 schools gained a class teacher, 3 lost one

Class teachers since 2006/07

One for each mainstream class, every school year

Schools

40 schools, largest first.

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
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
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
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
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
Scoil BhrideClonaslee 20118L 127
+16.5%
6 21.17 27 0
Ballyadams N SVia ATHY 16617H 111
−21.8%
4 24.75 26 0
St Fintans N SMountrath 07636K 108
+36.7%
5 19.20 22 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
Scoil BhrideMountrath 13343E 95
−7.8%
5 19.00 23 0
Barr na Sruthan N SMountmellick 18294T 91
+42.2%
4 19.75 24 0
Naomh Padraig N SRosenallis 18513F 86
−22.5%
4 20.00 22 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 Fionntan NaofaPortlaoise 17489G 60
−29.4%
3 18.00 26 0
S N MolaiseAbbeyleix 17695J 58
−21.6%
3 19.33 23 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
Trummera N SMaighean Rátha 15446B 34
−15.0%
2 17.00 19 0
Scoil an Chroi Ro Naofavia Athy 18014K 29
−19.4%
2 14.50 17 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