School Numbers
Menu
Find schools Counties Irish-medium Special schools About the data

Offaly

67 primary schools and 9,295 pupils in 2025/26.

Pupils in 2025/26
9,295
−179 on 2024/25
Schools
67
No change on 2024/25
Average school size
138.7
−2.7 on 2024/25
Average class size
20.89
−0.52 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

9,295

−179 on 2024/25

1975/762025/26

Schools

67

72 in 1975/76

1975/762025/26

Average pupils per school

138.7

138.9 in 1975/76

1975/762025/26

Average class size

20.89

−0.52 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

66 schools with figures for both years

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

28fell by 10% or more
24within 10%
14grew by 10% or more
Down 25% or more · 12Down 10 to 25% · 16Within 10% · 24Up 10 to 25% · 6Up 25% or more · 8

Grown most

Pupils in 2015/16 and 2025/26

  1. 1 Charleville N STullamore, Co. Offaly 99 → 173 +74.7%
  2. 2 S N SeosamhMoneygall, Co. Offaly 70 → 108 +54.3%
  3. 3 Arden Boys NSTullamore, Co. Offaly 140 → 215 +53.6%
  4. 4 S N Mhuire BainrioghanBirr, Co. Offaly 51 → 76 +49.0%
  5. 5 S N Naomh EoinBirr, Co. Offaly 109 → 148 +35.8%

Fallen most

Pupils in 2015/16 and 2025/26

  1. 1 S N Mhuire NaofaRhode, Co. Offaly 174 → 91 −47.7%
  2. 2 Gaelscoil Éadan DoireÉadan Doire, Co. Offaly 131 → 69 −47.3%
  3. 3 Castlejordan Central NSTullamore, Co. Offaly 116 → 79 −31.9%
  4. 4 S N Muire NaofaPullough, Co. Offaly 94 → 64 −31.9%
  5. 5 Scoil MhuireTullamore, Co. Offaly 357 → 249 −30.3%

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 45 pupils. It isn’t in the figures above.

Break Offaly down

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

Planning areas

Change over
Tullamore–Killina 20 3,765 188.2 20.85 170
−0.4%
Edenderry 8 1,512 189.0 21.03 69
−14.5%
Birr 9 1,165 129.4 21.84 51
+3.2%
Clara 4 652 163.0 21.03 29
−10.2%
Ferbane 6 511 85.2 20.96 23
−6.4%
Roscrea 5 417 83.4 19.70 20
−12.2%
Banagher 3 414 138.0 23.65 17
−3.9%
Kilcormac 4 274 68.5 18.71 14
+7.9%
Portarlington 3 225 75.0 19.36 11
−9.6%
Rathangan 2 156 78.0 18.88 8
−19.6%
Nenagh 1 108 108.0 27.00 4
+54.3%
Mountmellick 1 81 81.0 17.25 4
−29.6%
Kilbeggan 1 15 15.0 7.50 2
−40.0%

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 Meath 22 3,381 153.7 20.20 158
Bishop of Kildare & Leighlin 17 2,811 165.4 21.29 126
Bishop of Killaloe 11 1,340 121.8 21.30 60
Bishop of Ardagh & Clonmacnoise 9 963 107.0 21.81 42
Educate Together 1 236 236.0 22.40 10
Bishop of Meath & Kildare COI 2 221 110.5 20.90 10
An Foras Pátrúnachta 2 114 57.0 16.00 6
Bishop of Limerick, Killaloe & Ardfert COI 1 86 86.0 21.50 4
Bishop of Clonfert 1 72 72.0 22.00 3
Bishop of Ossory 1 71 71.0 21.67 3

Local authorities
Offaly County Council 65 9,135 140.5 20.93 414
Laois County Council 1 81 81.0 17.25 4
Meath County Council 1 79 79.0 19.75 4

Class sizes

Mainstream class groups only. The source does not identify which standard/year group each class group belongs to. Figures for 2025/26: 8,815 pupils in mainstream classes.

Average class size
20.89
Mainstream classes
422
Largest class
35
Classes of 30 or more
24
Schools with a class of 30+
14

Teachers

Teachers in the 67 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
422
Up 70 since 2006/07, while pupils rose 6%
Teaching posts in 2025/26
about 730
Estimate: 422 class teachers, 37 principals and deputies, 192 special education and 79 special class teachers
Teachers in 2015/16
589
The Department's last count of every teacher
Since 2024/25
6 / 5
6 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

1 special school in Offaly, and the special classes in its 67 mainstream schools. Special schools aren't counted in the pupils, class sizes or teachers above.

All special schools
Pupils in special schools
42
In 1 school, up from 19 in 2015/16
Special classes in 2025/26
79
In 40 of 67 schools. 53 in 2020/21
Allocated for 2026/27
88
In 44 schools: 9 new classes, 4 schools with their first
Autism classes
63
80% of special classes

Special classes since 2020/21

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

  • 2020/21 53
  • 2021/22 61
  • 2022/23 67
  • 2023/24 71
  • 2024/25 77
  • 2025/26 79
  • 2026/27 88

2026/27, dashed: allocated for next year.

Special school Pupils Since 2015/16 Teaching posts SNAs
Offaly School of Special EducationTullamore · Severe or profound general learning disability 42
+121.1%
7 25.5

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

Schools in Offaly

67 schools with 2025/26 figures, largest first.

Every school in Offaly (CSV)
Change over

Select a column heading to sort

Roll number
Scoil Bhríde Primary SchoolEdenderry 20267F 480
−13.0%
21 21.10 27 0
Edenderry Convent N SEdenderry 16013V 429
+1.2%
17 24.53 28 0
St. Joseph's N.S.Tullamore 18797W 360
−12.6%
20 16.90 19 0
Scoil Colmain NaofaTullamore 17746A 322
+6.3%
13 23.38 32 2
Shinchill N SKilleigh 17031F 286
+7.9%
12 22.83 30 2
Daingean N SDaingean 16620T 261
+17.0%
11 22.64 30 2
Scoil MhuireTullamore 18057F 249
−30.3%
14 16.43 24 0
St Rynaghs N SBirr 18157J 249
−9.5%
10 24.30 32 3
Croinchoill N SBirr 18267Q 243
+19.1%
8 29.75 33 5
Tullamore Educate Together NSTullamore 20189L 236
+14.0%
10 22.40 29 0
Arden Boys NSTullamore 19713S 215
+53.6%
9 23.22 27 0
Ballykilmurry N STullamore 15656M 199
−6.6%
8 22.62 25 0
S N Naomh CholumchilleTullamore 17508H 197
−6.2%
8 23.88 30 1
S N Sheosaimh NaofaTullamore 17637S 193
+4.9%
8 22.62 29 0
St Patrick's Primary SchoolCo.Offaly 18364O 192
+1.1%
10 19.20 29 0
St. Cynoc's National SchoolFerbane 20289P 189
−4.1%
8 22.25 33 1
S N Phroinsiais NaofaClara 18406E 186
−19.8%
8 21.00 27 0
Gaelscoil an Eiscir RiadaAn Tulach Mhor 19990V 185
−10.6%
8 23.12 26 0
Clara Convent N SClara 13118U 180
−4.3%
9 18.67 22 0
St Brendans MonasteryBirr 12370C 178
−18.7%
9 17.33 24 0
S N MhanachainMoate 17540D 176
−5.9%
7 25.14 32 1
Charleville N STullamore 10353P 173
+74.7%
7 23.00 27 0
S N Cronain NaofaRoscrea 17523D 171
−23.0%
8 19.88 27 0
S N Naomh PhilomenaTullamore 16928B 164
+7.2%
8 19.88 26 0
S N Naomh EoinBirr 02413L 148
+35.8%
6 24.67 35 1
S N Chartaigh NaofaTullamore 20273A 147
−26.5%
7 16.71 27 0
Mercy Primary SchoolBirr 03220F 141
−18.5%
8 16.88 21 0
Ceann Eitigh N SBirr 16802C 132
+14.8%
6 22.00 27 0
Geashill 1 N SGeashill 09191I 126
+5.0%
6 18.67 27 0
S N MhuireTullamore 18115Q 124
0.0%
5 23.60 30 2
S N PhadraigRhode 18328K 124
+6.0%
5 24.80 32 1
Shinrone Mixed N SBirr 12343W 121
−14.8%
5 23.00 27 0
S N Naomh Brighde BuachTullamore 18524K 116
−24.7%
6 17.50 23 0
S N BhrideKilcormac 18399K 111
+26.1%
5 22.20 29 0
St Ciarans Mixed N SBallycumber 16435B 110
−7.6%
5 19.60 25 0
Scoil Mhuire Agus ChormaicKilcormac 20387P 109
−0.9%
5 19.40 24 0
S N SeosamhMoneygall 17003A 108
+54.3%
4 27.00 30 1
S N SeosamhTullamore 07191V 97
+34.7%
4 21.25 27 0
St Colmans N STullamore 19354Q 97
−11.0%
4 24.25 28 0
St Marys National SchoolBirr 20068W 93
+4.5%
4 23.25 29 0
S N Mhuire NaofaRhode 18335H 91
−47.7%
5 18.20 26 0
S N OsmannBirr 07949I 86
−1.1%
4 21.50 22 0
Clonbullogue N SClonbullogue 15325M 84
−19.2%
4 21.00 28 0
Naomh Mhuire N SGeashill 17616K 83
−13.5%
4 19.25 25 0
S N Chiarain NaofaClonmacnoise 17188P 83
+9.2%
4 20.75 26 0
Coolderry Central NSBirr 19638H 82
−10.9%
4 20.50 21 0
Clonaghadoo N SGeashill 16160L 81
−29.6%
4 17.25 23 0
Castlejordan Central NSTullamore 19300Q 79
−31.9%
4 19.75 25 0
S N Mhuire BainrioghanBirr 17336E 76
+49.0%
3 21.67 28 0
High St Mixed N SBelmont 13191H 73
+9.0%
3 24.33 29 0
S N MhuireBlueball 18795S 72
+18.0%
3 24.00 31 1
S N Naomh BrogainRathanagan 15983E 72
−20.0%
4 16.75 19 0
St Cronans Mixed N SBirr 12294M 72
+7.5%
3 22.00 23 0
Seir Kierans N SBirr 11203B 71
+20.3%
3 21.67 25 0
Scoil BhrideRhode 18690E 70
−23.9%
4 17.50 26 0
Gaelscoil Éadan DoireÉadan Doire 20332N 69
−47.3%
4 14.25 17 0
S N Naomh CallinBallinahowen 16990G 69
+7.8%
3 23.00 25 0
S N Caoimhin NaofaBirr 18331W 67
−23.9%
3 22.33 30 1
S N Muire NaofaPullough 17069H 64
−31.9%
3 19.33 22 0
Edenderry 2 N SEdenderry 15638K 48
−25.0%
3 16.00 17 0
Gaelscoil na LaochraBirr 20461B 45
+114.3%
2 19.50 21 0
S N LomchluanaBirr 18777Q 33
−31.2%
2 10.50 13 0
S N Chiarain NaofaBirr 17753U 29
+52.6%
2 14.50 18 0
Mount Bolus N STullamore 15395K 25
−32.4%
2 12.50 14 0
S N Ros Com RuaRoscrea 18537T 21
−4.5%
2 10.50 11 0
Cloneyhurke N SPortarlington 15923J 18
−37.9%
2 9.00 12 0
S N Peadar agus PolMoate 18068K 15
−40.0%
2 7.50 9 0