Mercy Convent Primary School
Naas · Roll number 15040T
- Catholic ethos
- Not DEIS
- Ordinary with Special Classes
- Pupils in 2025/26
- 607
- +9 on 2024/25
- Over 10 years
- −14%
- Down 97 from 704 in 2015/16
- Girls and boys
- 560 / 47
- 92% 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
607 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 | 63 | 73 | 83 | 60 | 88 | 89 | 76.0 |
| Senior Infants | 76 | 60 | 72 | 93 | 68 | 84 | 75.5 |
| 1st Class | 73 | 68 | 53 | 70 | 92 | 58 | 69.0 |
| 2nd Class | 55 | 73 | 71 | 54 | 70 | 92 | 69.2 |
| 3rd Class | 54 | 58 | 78 | 75 | 56 | 71 | 65.3 |
| 4th Class | 69 | 56 | 55 | 81 | 80 | 56 | 66.2 |
| 5th Class | 70 | 74 | 56 | 58 | 81 | 79 | 69.7 |
| 6th Class | 74 | 76 | 72 | 60 | 63 | 78 | 70.5 |
JI and SI are Junior and Senior Infants.
Started Junior Infants in 2024/25
88 in Junior Infants (2024/25), 84 in Senior Infants (2025/26): 4 pupils fewer.
- 88Junior Infants2024/25
- 84Senior Infants2025/26
Started Junior Infants in 2023/24
60 in Junior Infants (2023/24), 58 in 1st Class (2025/26): 2 pupils fewer.
- 60Junior Infants2023/24
- 68Senior Infants2024/25
- 581st Class2025/26
Started Junior Infants in 2022/23
83 in Junior Infants (2022/23), 92 in 2nd Class (2025/26): 9 pupils more.
- 83Junior Infants2022/23
- 93Senior Infants2023/24
- 921st Class2024/25
- 922nd Class2025/26
Started Junior Infants in 2021/22
73 in Junior Infants (2021/22), 71 in 3rd Class (2025/26): 2 pupils fewer.
- 73Junior Infants2021/22
- 72Senior Infants2022/23
- 701st Class2023/24
- 702nd Class2024/25
- 713rd Class2025/26
Started Junior Infants in 2020/21
63 in Junior Infants (2020/21), 56 in 4th Class (2025/26): 7 pupils fewer.
- 63Junior Infants2020/21
- 60Senior Infants2021/22
- 531st Class2022/23
- 542nd Class2023/24
- 563rd Class2024/25
- 564th Class2025/26
In Senior Infants in 2020/21
76 in Senior Infants (2020/21), 79 in 5th Class (2025/26): 3 pupils more.
- 76Senior Infants2020/21
- 681st Class2021/22
- 712nd Class2022/23
- 753rd Class2023/24
- 804th Class2024/25
- 795th Class2025/26
In 1st Class in 2020/21
73 in 1st Class (2020/21), 78 in 6th Class (2025/26): 5 pupils more.
- 731st Class2020/21
- 732nd Class2021/22
- 783rd Class2022/23
- 814th Class2023/24
- 815th Class2024/25
- 786th Class2025/26
In 2nd Class in 2020/21
55 in 2nd Class (2020/21), 63 in 6th Class (2024/25): 8 pupils more.
- 552nd Class2020/21
- 583rd Class2021/22
- 554th Class2022/23
- 585th Class2023/24
- 636th Class2024/25
In 3rd Class in 2020/21
54 in 3rd Class (2020/21), 60 in 6th Class (2023/24): 6 pupils more.
- 543rd Class2020/21
- 564th Class2021/22
- 565th Class2022/23
- 606th Class2023/24
In 4th Class in 2020/21
69 in 4th Class (2020/21), 72 in 6th Class (2022/23): 3 pupils more.
- 694th Class2020/21
- 745th Class2021/22
- 726th Class2022/23
In 5th Class in 2020/21
70 in 5th Class (2020/21), 76 in 6th Class (2021/22): 6 pupils more.
- 705th Class2020/21
- 766th Class2021/22
Biggest one-year changes in a class
- +28Junior Infants in 2024/25 (60 to 88)
- −341st Class in 2025/26 (92 to 58)
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 Mercy Convent Primary School, 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
35.6teaching posts
Our estimate: about 36 teachers.
- Class teachersOne for each of the 25 mainstream classes 25
- PrincipalRuns the school and doesn't teach a class 1
- Deputy principalDoesn't teach a class either, as larger schools and those with five or more special classes have one 1
- Special education teachers165 hours of support teaching a week 6.6
- Special class teachersFor 2 autism classes 2
7.66 special needs assistants (SNAs) also work with pupils. 12 pupils are in special classes, which the class sizes leave out.
The NCSE has allocated 6.7 special education teachers, 2 special class teachers and 7.66 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 Mercy Convent Primary School, measured in a straight line. Pupil numbers are for 2025/26.
| Number on map | School | Distance | Pupils | Since 2015/16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercy Convent Primary SchoolThis school | – | 607 |
−13.8%
|
|
| 1 | Scoil Chorbain0.7 km · Naas · Boys | 0.7 km | 460 |
+4.1%
|
| 2 | Scoil Bríd1.1 km · Naas | 1.1 km | 612 |
−13.6%
|
| 3 | An Linbh Iosa1.2 km · Naas | 1.2 km | 401 |
−2.7%
|
| 4 | Naas Community National School1.8 km · Naas · Multi-denominational | 1.8 km | 364 |
+48.6%
|
| 5 | Gaelscoil Nas na Riogh2.8 km · An Nás · Gaelscoil · Inter-denominational | 2.8 km | 385 |
−4.0%
|
| 6 | St Davids NS3.0 km · Naas · Church of Ireland | 3.0 km | 98 |
+3.2%
|
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
- Cathal Ruane
- Phone
- 045876410
- [email protected]
- Address
- Sallins Road, Naas, Co. Kildare, W91 XC94
School
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Patron
- Bishop of Kildare & Leighlin
- 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
- Kildare County Council
- Planning area
- Naas
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 | 607 | 560 | 47 | 89 | 84 | 58 | 92 | 71 | 56 | 79 | 78 |
| 2024/25 | 598 | 571 | 27 | 88 | 68 | 92 | 70 | 56 | 80 | 81 | 63 |
| 2023/24 | 551 | 534 | 17 | 60 | 93 | 70 | 54 | 75 | 81 | 58 | 60 |
| 2022/23 | 540 | 524 | 16 | 83 | 72 | 53 | 71 | 78 | 55 | 56 | 72 |
| 2021/22 | 538 | 525 | 13 | 73 | 60 | 68 | 73 | 58 | 56 | 74 | 76 |
| 2020/21 | 534 | 517 | 17 | 63 | 76 | 73 | 55 | 54 | 69 | 70 | 74 |
| 2019/20 | 559 | 544 | 15 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2018/19 | 579 | 560 | 19 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2017/18 | 586 | 556 | 30 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2016/17 | 665 | 600 | 65 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2015/16 | 704 | 625 | 79 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2014/15 | 705 | 642 | 63 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2013/14 | 733 | 656 | 77 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2012/13 | 750 | 668 | 82 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2011/12 | 755 | 670 | 85 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2010/11 | 754 | 679 | 75 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2009/10 | 787 | 710 | 77 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2008/09 | 806 | 718 | 88 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2007/08 | 811 | 730 | 81 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2006/07 | 831 | 739 | 92 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2005/06 | 849 | 757 | 92 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2004/05 | 847 | 752 | 95 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2003/04 | 851 | 748 | 103 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2002/03 | 854 | 727 | 127 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2001/02 | 838 | 717 | 121 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2000/01 | 805 | 698 | 107 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1999/00 | 821 | 717 | 104 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1998/99 | 820 | 720 | 100 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1997/98 | 788 | 700 | 88 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1996/97 | 760 | 679 | 81 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1995/96 | 723 | 648 | 75 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1994/95 | 675 | 615 | 60 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1993/94 | 696 | 632 | 64 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1983/84 | 681 | 587 | 94 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1982/83 | 692 | 596 | 96 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1981/82 | 746 | 634 | 112 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1980/81 | 771 | 647 | 124 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1979/80 | 887 | 718 | 169 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1978/79 | 896 | 695 | 201 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1977/78 | 848 | 666 | 182 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1976/77 | 851 | 648 | 203 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1975/76 | 819 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1974/75 | 734 | 597 | 137 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |