Ballapousta NS
Ardee · Roll number 01554B
- Catholic ethos
- Not DEIS
- Ordinary with Special Classes
- Pupils in 2025/26
- 186
- +11 on 2024/25
- Over 10 years
- −24%
- Down 57 from 243 in 2015/16
- Girls and boys
- 97 / 89
- 52% girls
Pupils since 1974
Total enrolment each school year
Shaded: the last 10 years, 2015/16 to 2025/26. 1983/84 is left out because its source file is incomplete, and no files exist for 1984/85 to 1992/93. Known data issues
Pupils by class
Published for each class from 2020/21.
This year, 2025/26
186 pupils across 8 classes
Every class, every year
Darker cells have more pupils. A group of pupils moves down one class and right one year.
| 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 | 2025/26 | Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior Infants | 30 | 16 | 20 | 18 | 22 | 29 | 22.5 |
| Senior Infants | 28 | 29 | 16 | 21 | 18 | 25 | 22.8 |
| 1st Class | 18 | 27 | 29 | 16 | 21 | 19 | 21.7 |
| 2nd Class | 21 | 20 | 27 | 29 | 16 | 20 | 22.2 |
| 3rd Class | 23 | 20 | 20 | 27 | 29 | 16 | 22.5 |
| 4th Class | 33 | 24 | 20 | 20 | 25 | 31 | 25.5 |
| 5th Class | 34 | 33 | 23 | 20 | 20 | 26 | 26.0 |
| 6th Class | 34 | 34 | 34 | 23 | 19 | 20 | 27.3 |
JI and SI are Junior and Senior Infants.
Started Junior Infants in 2024/25
22 in Junior Infants (2024/25), 25 in Senior Infants (2025/26): 3 pupils more.
- 22Junior Infants2024/25
- 25Senior Infants2025/26
Started Junior Infants in 2023/24
18 in Junior Infants (2023/24), 19 in 1st Class (2025/26): 1 pupil more.
- 18Junior Infants2023/24
- 18Senior Infants2024/25
- 191st Class2025/26
Started Junior Infants in 2022/23
20 in Junior Infants (2022/23), 20 in 2nd Class (2025/26): no change.
- 20Junior Infants2022/23
- 21Senior Infants2023/24
- 211st Class2024/25
- 202nd Class2025/26
Started Junior Infants in 2021/22
16 in Junior Infants (2021/22), 16 in 3rd Class (2025/26): no change.
- 16Junior Infants2021/22
- 16Senior Infants2022/23
- 161st Class2023/24
- 162nd Class2024/25
- 163rd Class2025/26
Started Junior Infants in 2020/21
30 in Junior Infants (2020/21), 31 in 4th Class (2025/26): 1 pupil more.
- 30Junior Infants2020/21
- 29Senior Infants2021/22
- 291st Class2022/23
- 292nd Class2023/24
- 293rd Class2024/25
- 314th Class2025/26
In Senior Infants in 2020/21
28 in Senior Infants (2020/21), 26 in 5th Class (2025/26): 2 pupils fewer.
- 28Senior Infants2020/21
- 271st Class2021/22
- 272nd Class2022/23
- 273rd Class2023/24
- 254th Class2024/25
- 265th Class2025/26
In 1st Class in 2020/21
18 in 1st Class (2020/21), 20 in 6th Class (2025/26): 2 pupils more.
- 181st Class2020/21
- 202nd Class2021/22
- 203rd Class2022/23
- 204th Class2023/24
- 205th Class2024/25
- 206th Class2025/26
In 2nd Class in 2020/21
21 in 2nd Class (2020/21), 19 in 6th Class (2024/25): 2 pupils fewer.
- 212nd Class2020/21
- 203rd Class2021/22
- 204th Class2022/23
- 205th Class2023/24
- 196th Class2024/25
In 3rd Class in 2020/21
23 in 3rd Class (2020/21), 23 in 6th Class (2023/24): no change.
- 233rd Class2020/21
- 244th Class2021/22
- 235th Class2022/23
- 236th Class2023/24
In 4th Class in 2020/21
33 in 4th Class (2020/21), 34 in 6th Class (2022/23): 1 pupil more.
- 334th Class2020/21
- 335th Class2021/22
- 346th Class2022/23
In 5th Class in 2020/21
34 in 5th Class (2020/21), 34 in 6th Class (2021/22): no change.
- 345th Class2020/21
- 346th Class2021/22
Biggest one-year changes in a class
- +91st Class in 2021/22 (18 to 27)
- −14Junior Infants in 2021/22 (30 to 16)
Class sizes
Mainstream class groups, 2006/07 to 2025/26.
Why these won't match pupils by class
Mainstream class groups only. The source does not identify which standard/year group each class group belongs to. So these figures won't match the pupils-by-class figures exactly.
In 2025/26. Choose a figure to chart it.
Class sizes over time
Average class size, 2006/07 to 2025/26
Teachers
Who teaches at Ballapousta NS, 2006/07 to 2025/26.
How we count teachers
Class teachers come from the Department of Education's class sizes: one for each mainstream class. Special education and special class teachers are the posts the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) allocates. We add a principal who doesn't teach a class where the Department's rules give the school one. These are posts, not people: part of a post can be a teacher shared with another school. Up to 2015/16 the Department counted every teacher itself. Known data issues
In 2025/26
13.5teaching posts
Our estimate: about 14 teachers.
- Class teachersOne for each of the 8 mainstream classes 8
- PrincipalRuns the school and doesn't teach a class 1
- Special education teachers62.5 hours of support teaching a week 2.5
- Special class teachersFor 2 autism classes 2
6.33 special needs assistants (SNAs) also work with pupils. 9 pupils are in special classes, which the class sizes leave out.
The NCSE has allocated 2.6 special education teachers, 2 special class teachers and 6.33 SNAs for next year.
Teachers since 2006/07
Teachers each school year, by role
To 2015/16: the Department of Education's count of every teacher. From 2019/20: our estimate, from class sizes and the NCSE's allocations. Dashed boxes: no special education figures were published for those years, so only class teachers and the principal are shown. Known data issues
Sources: Department of Education class sizes and teacher counts; NCSE school allocations and special classes (CC BY 4.0).
Nearby schools
The 6 primary schools closest to Ballapousta NS, measured in a straight line. Pupil numbers are for 2025/26.
| Number on map | School | Distance | Pupils | Since 2015/16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballapousta NSThis school | – | 186 |
−23.5%
|
|
| 1 | Newtown N S3.3 km · Ardee | 3.3 km | 60 |
−35.5%
|
| 2 | Ardee Monastery3.6 km · Ardee · DEIS | 3.6 km | 244 |
−8.6%
|
| 3 | S N Mhuire na Trocaire3.8 km · Ardee | 3.8 km | 339 |
+29.9%
|
| 4 | Ardee Educate Together NS4.7 km · Ardee · Multi-denominational · DEIS | 4.7 km | 177 |
+42.7%
|
| 5 | S N Chaoimhin Naofa5.7 km · Dunleer | 5.7 km | 148 |
+8.0%
|
| 6 | S N Mhuire6.2 km · Lobinstown | 6.2 km | 84 |
+68.0%
|
About this school
Inspection reports open on gov.ie, under the name the school had when it was inspected. They describe specific areas of the school's work rather than giving an overall grade. Newer schools may not have one yet.
Contact
- Principal
- Peter Dooley
- Phone
- 0416853966
- [email protected]
- Address
- Ballapousta, Ardee, Co. Louth, A92 XD53
School
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Patron
- Archbishop of Armagh
- School type
- Ordinary with Special Classes
- School level
- All Through
- DEIS
- Not DEIS
Language and area
- Irish classification
- No subjects through Irish
- Gaeltacht
- Non-Gaeltacht
- Island
- Not on an island
- Local authority
- Louth County Council
- Planning area
- Ardee
Each detail is the latest one the Department of Education has recorded for this school. If a detail was left blank in 2025/26, we show it from an earlier year, so some details may be older than the pupil numbers. Known data issues
Data by year
43 school years from 1974/75 to 2025/26. Class figures start in 2020/21.
| Year | Total | Girls | Boys | JI | SI | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 | 186 | 97 | 89 | 29 | 25 | 19 | 20 | 16 | 31 | 26 | 20 |
| 2024/25 | 175 | 89 | 86 | 22 | 18 | 21 | 16 | 29 | 25 | 20 | 19 |
| 2023/24 | 174 | 84 | 90 | 18 | 21 | 16 | 29 | 27 | 20 | 20 | 23 |
| 2022/23 | 189 | 90 | 99 | 20 | 16 | 29 | 27 | 20 | 20 | 23 | 34 |
| 2021/22 | 203 | 105 | 98 | 16 | 29 | 27 | 20 | 20 | 24 | 33 | 34 |
| 2020/21 | 221 | 117 | 104 | 30 | 28 | 18 | 21 | 23 | 33 | 34 | 34 |
| 2019/20 | 217 | 119 | 98 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2018/19 | 220 | 112 | 108 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2017/18 | 228 | 118 | 110 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2016/17 | 238 | 118 | 120 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2015/16 | 243 | 129 | 114 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2014/15 | 238 | 128 | 110 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2013/14 | 224 | 119 | 105 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2012/13 | 219 | 109 | 110 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2011/12 | 229 | 109 | 120 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2010/11 | 231 | 112 | 119 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2009/10 | 237 | 108 | 129 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2008/09 | 220 | 101 | 119 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2007/08 | 226 | 97 | 129 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2006/07 | 206 | 90 | 116 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2005/06 | 194 | 79 | 115 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2004/05 | 168 | 72 | 96 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2003/04 | 168 | 76 | 92 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2002/03 | 161 | 73 | 88 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2001/02 | 160 | 73 | 87 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2000/01 | 155 | 74 | 81 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1999/00 | 151 | 75 | 76 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1998/99 | 150 | 71 | 79 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1997/98 | 148 | 71 | 77 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1996/97 | 151 | 75 | 76 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1995/96 | 150 | 77 | 73 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1994/95 | 135 | 73 | 62 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1993/94 | 140 | 78 | 62 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1983/84 | 123 | 49 | 74 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1982/83 | 115 | 51 | 64 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1981/82 | 109 | 51 | 58 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1980/81 | 102 | 52 | 50 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1979/80 | 98 | 46 | 52 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1978/79 | 96 | 46 | 50 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1977/78 | 99 | 51 | 48 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1976/77 | 106 | 52 | 54 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1975/76 | 104 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1974/75 | 107 | 52 | 55 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |