St Patricks N S
Lifford · Roll number 16054M
- Catholic ethos
- DEIS
- Ordinary with Special Classes
- Pupils in 2025/26
- 162
- +2 on 2024/25
- Over 10 years
- −11%
- Down 20 from 182 in 2015/16
- Girls and boys
- 71 / 91
- 44% 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
162 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 | 25 | 20 | 16 | 20 | 26 | 16 | 20.5 |
| Senior Infants | 13 | 25 | 20 | 16 | 21 | 26 | 20.2 |
| 1st Class | 19 | 11 | 24 | 20 | 17 | 25 | 19.3 |
| 2nd Class | 15 | 19 | 11 | 24 | 20 | 19 | 18.0 |
| 3rd Class | 23 | 17 | 20 | 11 | 23 | 22 | 19.3 |
| 4th Class | 30 | 25 | 15 | 19 | 12 | 24 | 20.8 |
| 5th Class | 27 | 29 | 23 | 14 | 20 | 11 | 20.7 |
| 6th Class | 24 | 26 | 28 | 22 | 15 | 19 | 22.3 |
JI and SI are Junior and Senior Infants.
Started Junior Infants in 2024/25
26 in Junior Infants (2024/25), 26 in Senior Infants (2025/26): no change.
- 26Junior Infants2024/25
- 26Senior Infants2025/26
Started Junior Infants in 2023/24
20 in Junior Infants (2023/24), 25 in 1st Class (2025/26): 5 pupils more.
- 20Junior Infants2023/24
- 21Senior Infants2024/25
- 251st Class2025/26
Started Junior Infants in 2022/23
16 in Junior Infants (2022/23), 19 in 2nd Class (2025/26): 3 pupils more.
- 16Junior Infants2022/23
- 16Senior Infants2023/24
- 171st Class2024/25
- 192nd Class2025/26
Started Junior Infants in 2021/22
20 in Junior Infants (2021/22), 22 in 3rd Class (2025/26): 2 pupils more.
- 20Junior Infants2021/22
- 20Senior Infants2022/23
- 201st Class2023/24
- 202nd Class2024/25
- 223rd Class2025/26
Started Junior Infants in 2020/21
25 in Junior Infants (2020/21), 24 in 4th Class (2025/26): 1 pupil fewer.
- 25Junior Infants2020/21
- 25Senior Infants2021/22
- 241st Class2022/23
- 242nd Class2023/24
- 233rd Class2024/25
- 244th Class2025/26
In Senior Infants in 2020/21
13 in Senior Infants (2020/21), 11 in 5th Class (2025/26): 2 pupils fewer.
- 13Senior Infants2020/21
- 111st Class2021/22
- 112nd Class2022/23
- 113rd Class2023/24
- 124th Class2024/25
- 115th Class2025/26
In 1st Class in 2020/21
19 in 1st Class (2020/21), 19 in 6th Class (2025/26): no change.
- 191st Class2020/21
- 192nd Class2021/22
- 203rd Class2022/23
- 194th Class2023/24
- 205th Class2024/25
- 196th Class2025/26
In 2nd Class in 2020/21
15 in 2nd Class (2020/21), 15 in 6th Class (2024/25): no change.
- 152nd Class2020/21
- 173rd Class2021/22
- 154th Class2022/23
- 145th Class2023/24
- 156th Class2024/25
In 3rd Class in 2020/21
23 in 3rd Class (2020/21), 22 in 6th Class (2023/24): 1 pupil fewer.
- 233rd Class2020/21
- 254th Class2021/22
- 235th Class2022/23
- 226th Class2023/24
In 4th Class in 2020/21
30 in 4th Class (2020/21), 28 in 6th Class (2022/23): 2 pupils fewer.
- 304th Class2020/21
- 295th Class2021/22
- 286th Class2022/23
In 5th Class in 2020/21
27 in 5th Class (2020/21), 26 in 6th Class (2021/22): 1 pupil fewer.
- 275th Class2020/21
- 266th Class2021/22
Biggest one-year changes in a class
- +131st Class in 2022/23 (11 to 24)
- −104th Class in 2022/23 (25 to 15)
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 St Patricks N S, 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
12.6teaching posts
Our estimate: about 13 teachers.
- Class teachersOne for each of the 6 mainstream classes 6
- PrincipalRuns the school and doesn't teach a class 1
- Special education teachers115 hours of support teaching a week 4.6
- Special class teachersFor an autism class 1
6 special needs assistants (SNAs) also work with pupils. 6 pupils are in special classes, which the class sizes leave out.
The NCSE has allocated 4.7 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 St Patricks N S, measured in a straight line. Pupil numbers are for 2025/26.
| Number on map | School | Distance | Pupils | Since 2015/16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Patricks N SThis school | – | 162 |
−11.0%
|
|
| 1 | Scoil Náisiúnta Muire gan Smál1.8 km · Lifford · DEIS | 1.8 km | 124 |
+30.5%
|
| 2 | Scoil Cuilm Cille4.1 km · Lifford · DEIS | 4.1 km | 38 |
+5.6%
|
| 3 | Scoil Cholmcille Naofa4.8 km · Castlefin · DEIS | 4.8 km | 17 |
−63.8%
|
| 4 | Raphoe Central N S7.2 km · Lifford · Church of Ireland · DEIS | 7.2 km | 185 |
+0.5%
|
| 5 | Scoil Adhamhnain7.3 km · Raphoe · DEIS | 7.3 km | 158 |
−1.2%
|
| 6 | St Mary's National School7.4 km · Lifford · DEIS | 7.4 km | 155 |
+1.3%
|
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
- Michael Odhrán Harvey
- Phone
- 0749141450
- [email protected]
- Address
- Murlog, Lifford, Co Donegal, F93 AP93
School
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Patron
- Bishop of Derry
- School type
- Ordinary with Special Classes
- School level
- All Through
- DEIS
- DEIS
Language and area
- Irish classification
- No subjects through Irish
- Gaeltacht
- Non-Gaeltacht
- Island
- Not on an island
- Local authority
- Donegal County Council
- Planning area
- Raphoe
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
42 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 | 162 | 71 | 91 | 16 | 26 | 25 | 19 | 22 | 24 | 11 | 19 |
| 2024/25 | 160 | 74 | 86 | 26 | 21 | 17 | 20 | 23 | 12 | 20 | 15 |
| 2023/24 | 152 | 75 | 77 | 20 | 16 | 20 | 24 | 11 | 19 | 14 | 22 |
| 2022/23 | 162 | 78 | 84 | 16 | 20 | 24 | 11 | 20 | 15 | 23 | 28 |
| 2021/22 | 175 | 85 | 90 | 20 | 25 | 11 | 19 | 17 | 25 | 29 | 26 |
| 2020/21 | 179 | 83 | 96 | 25 | 13 | 19 | 15 | 23 | 30 | 27 | 24 |
| 2019/20 | 172 | 81 | 91 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2018/19 | 190 | 87 | 103 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2017/18 | 198 | 91 | 107 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2016/17 | 203 | 88 | 115 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2015/16 | 182 | 74 | 108 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2014/15 | 176 | 70 | 106 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2013/14 | 176 | 73 | 103 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2012/13 | 162 | 63 | 99 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2011/12 | 164 | 66 | 98 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2010/11 | 153 | 66 | 87 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2009/10 | 141 | 63 | 78 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2008/09 | 132 | 64 | 68 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2007/08 | 128 | 66 | 62 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2006/07 | 126 | 62 | 64 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2005/06 | 124 | 57 | 67 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2004/05 | 129 | 62 | 67 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2003/04 | 129 | 62 | 67 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2002/03 | 129 | 61 | 68 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2001/02 | 136 | 66 | 70 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2000/01 | 145 | 68 | 77 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1999/00 | 150 | 66 | 84 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1998/99 | 158 | 75 | 83 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1997/98 | 145 | 71 | 74 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1996/97 | 157 | 78 | 79 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1995/96 | 174 | 87 | 87 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1994/95 | 205 | 100 | 105 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1993/94 | 205 | 98 | 107 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1982/83 | 254 | 122 | 132 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1981/82 | 261 | 125 | 136 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1980/81 | 238 | 113 | 125 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1979/80 | 240 | 110 | 130 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1978/79 | 224 | 103 | 121 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1977/78 | 225 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1976/77 | 198 | 78 | 120 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1975/76 | 187 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1974/75 | 189 | 78 | 111 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |