Planning area in Meath

Oldcastle

Schools in County Meath in this planning area.

This planning area also covers 1 school in Cavan. See the whole planning area

Schools
3
of 113 in Meath
Pupils
418
2% of Meath's pupils
Since 2015/16
−10.7%
468 pupils in 2015/16
Average school size
139.3
Meath: 227.1
Average class size
22.89
Meath: 23.04

Each year counts the schools in this planning area today, plus any that closed from 2023/24. Dotted lines bridge 1983/84 to 1992/93. 1974/75 is left out because that year's source file is missing five counties.

Earlier years are incomplete

The Department's files only record planning areas from 2023/24, so schools that closed or amalgamated before then aren't counted in any area. The further back you go, the more pupils are missing, and an amalgamation can look like a sudden rise. Across County Meath, schools with no planning area had 0.1% of pupils in 2015/16, 0.3% in 2005/06 and 12.7% in 1975/76. Known data issues

Pupils

418

+10 on 2024/25

1975/762025/26

Schools

3

3 in 1975/76

1975/762025/26

Average pupils per school

139.3

108.7 in 1975/76

1975/762025/26

Average class size

22.89

+0.22 on 2024/25

2006/072025/26

Pupils in these schools

Junior infants, girls and boys, and Irish-medium schools over time, for the same schools as the trends above.

Junior infants

Pupils starting school each year. Class-by-class figures start in 2020/21. 55 in 2025/26, +13 on 2024/25.

Girls and boys

From 1976/77: earlier files don't split every school's pupils into girls and boys.

Irish-medium schools

No school in this area teaches all subjects through Irish.

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

3 schools with figures for both years

1fell by 10% or more
2within 10%
0grew by 10% or more
Down 25% or more · 0Down 10 to 25% · 1Within 10% · 2Up 10 to 25% · 0Up 25% or more · 0

Sort the table below by the change column to see which schools grew or fell most.

Class sizes

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

Average class size
22.89
Mainstream classes
18
Classes of 30 or more
1
Schools with a class of 30+
1

Teachers

Teachers in the 3 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
18
Up 1 since 2006/07, while pupils fell 8%
Teaching posts in 2025/26
about 26
Estimate: 18 class teachers, 1 principals and deputies, 6 special education and 1 special class teachers
Teachers in 2015/16
24
The Department's last count of every teacher
Since 2024/25
1 / 1
1 school gained a class teacher, 1 lost one

Class teachers since 2006/07

One for each mainstream class, every school year

Special schools and special classes

0 special schools in Oldcastle, and the special classes in the 3 mainstream schools. Special schools aren't counted in the pupils, class sizes or teachers above.

All special schools
Pupils in special schools
0
No special school here
Special classes in 2025/26
1
In 1 of 3 schools
Allocated for 2026/27
1
In 1 school
Autism classes
1
100% of special classes

Special classes since 2025/26

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

  • 2025/26 1
  • 2026/27 1

2026/27, dashed: allocated for next year.

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

Schools

3 schools, largest first.

Change over

Select a column heading to sort

Roll number
Gilson National SchoolOldcastle 12488C 222
−21.6%
9 24.00 30 1
S N FiachOldcastle 18358T 102
+7.4%
5 20.40 26 0
Scoil Mhuire NSOldcastle 11978O 94
+4.4%
4 23.50 28 0