S N na bhForbacha
Co.na Gaillimhe · Roll number 17668G
- Catholic ethos
- Not DEIS
- All subjects through Irish
- Gaeltacht
- Pupils in 2025/26
- 229
- −7 on 2024/25
- Over 10 years
- +27%
- Up 49 from 180 in 2015/16
- Girls and boys
- 118 / 111
- 52% girls
Pupils since 1975
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
229 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 | 29 | 30 | 25 | 31 | 31 | 23 | 28.2 |
| Senior Infants | 30 | 29 | 29 | 26 | 30 | 31 | 29.2 |
| 1st Class | 26 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 26 | 30 | 28.8 |
| 2nd Class | 32 | 27 | 30 | 31 | 30 | 26 | 29.3 |
| 3rd Class | 16 | 32 | 26 | 30 | 30 | 32 | 27.7 |
| 4th Class | 18 | 17 | 32 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 25.5 |
| 5th Class | 16 | 18 | 17 | 32 | 27 | 30 | 23.3 |
| 6th Class | 19 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 32 | 28 | 21.7 |
JI and SI are Junior and Senior Infants.
Started Junior Infants in 2024/25
31 in Junior Infants (2024/25), 31 in Senior Infants (2025/26): no change.
- 31Junior Infants2024/25
- 31Senior Infants2025/26
Started Junior Infants in 2023/24
31 in Junior Infants (2023/24), 30 in 1st Class (2025/26): 1 pupil fewer.
- 31Junior Infants2023/24
- 30Senior Infants2024/25
- 301st Class2025/26
Started Junior Infants in 2022/23
25 in Junior Infants (2022/23), 26 in 2nd Class (2025/26): 1 pupil more.
- 25Junior Infants2022/23
- 26Senior Infants2023/24
- 261st Class2024/25
- 262nd Class2025/26
Started Junior Infants in 2021/22
30 in Junior Infants (2021/22), 32 in 3rd Class (2025/26): 2 pupils more.
- 30Junior Infants2021/22
- 29Senior Infants2022/23
- 301st Class2023/24
- 302nd Class2024/25
- 323rd Class2025/26
Started Junior Infants in 2020/21
29 in Junior Infants (2020/21), 29 in 4th Class (2025/26): no change.
- 29Junior Infants2020/21
- 29Senior Infants2021/22
- 301st Class2022/23
- 312nd Class2023/24
- 303rd Class2024/25
- 294th Class2025/26
In Senior Infants in 2020/21
30 in Senior Infants (2020/21), 30 in 5th Class (2025/26): no change.
- 30Senior Infants2020/21
- 311st Class2021/22
- 302nd Class2022/23
- 303rd Class2023/24
- 304th Class2024/25
- 305th Class2025/26
In 1st Class in 2020/21
26 in 1st Class (2020/21), 28 in 6th Class (2025/26): 2 pupils more.
- 261st Class2020/21
- 272nd Class2021/22
- 263rd Class2022/23
- 274th Class2023/24
- 275th Class2024/25
- 286th Class2025/26
In 2nd Class in 2020/21
32 in 2nd Class (2020/21), 32 in 6th Class (2024/25): no change.
- 322nd Class2020/21
- 323rd Class2021/22
- 324th Class2022/23
- 325th Class2023/24
- 326th Class2024/25
In 3rd Class in 2020/21
16 in 3rd Class (2020/21), 17 in 6th Class (2023/24): 1 pupil more.
- 163rd Class2020/21
- 174th Class2021/22
- 175th Class2022/23
- 176th Class2023/24
In 4th Class in 2020/21
18 in 4th Class (2020/21), 18 in 6th Class (2022/23): no change.
- 184th Class2020/21
- 185th Class2021/22
- 186th Class2022/23
In 5th Class in 2020/21
16 in 5th Class (2020/21), 16 in 6th Class (2021/22): no change.
- 165th Class2020/21
- 166th Class2021/22
Biggest one-year changes in a class
- +163rd Class in 2021/22 (16 to 32)
- −8Junior Infants in 2025/26 (31 to 23)
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 S N na bhForbacha, 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
12teaching posts
Our estimate: about 12 teachers.
- Class teachersOne for each of the 8 mainstream classes 8
- PrincipalRuns the school and doesn't teach a class 1
- Special education teachers75 hours of support teaching a week 3
3.83 special needs assistants (SNAs) also work with pupils.
The NCSE has allocated 3 special education teachers and 4 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. Where there's no principal bar, the principal also taught a class. 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 S N na bhForbacha, measured in a straight line. Pupil numbers are for 2025/26.
| Number on map | School | Distance | Pupils | Since 2015/16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S N na bhForbachaThis school | – | 229 |
+27.2%
|
|
| 1 | S N Seamus Naofa3.9 km · Bearna · Gaelscoil · Gaeltacht | 3.9 km | 221 |
−21.1%
|
| 2 | Cuan na Gaillimhe Community National School5.6 km · Knocknacarra · Multi-denominational · Gaeltacht | 5.6 km | 112 |
+1,020.0%
|
| 3 | Knocknacarra Educate Together NS5.6 km · Knocknacarra · Multi-denominational · Gaeltacht | 5.6 km | 207 |
+314.0%
|
| 4 | Scoil Naomh Iosef6.2 km · Bearna · Some subjects through Irish · Gaeltacht | 6.2 km | 183 |
−4.7%
|
| 5 | Scoil Einne6.5 km · An Spidéal · Gaelscoil · Gaeltacht | 6.5 km | 171 |
−21.2%
|
| 6 | St. John the Apostle, Knocknacarra NS7.1 km · Galway | 7.1 km | 400 |
−9.9%
|
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
- Áine Ní Thuathail
- Phone
- 091592244
- [email protected]
- Address
- Bóthrín Cheap na bhFaochan, na Forbacha, Co.na Gaillimhe, H91 RR60
School
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Patron
- Bishop of Galway, Kilmacduagh & Kilfenora
- School type
- Ordinary
- School level
- All Through
- DEIS
- Not DEIS
Language and area
- Irish classification
- All subjects through Irish
- Gaeltacht
- Gaeltacht
- Island
- Not on an island
- Local authority
- Galway County Council
- Planning area
- Galway City
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 1975/76 to 2025/26. Class figures start in 2020/21.
| Year | Total | Girls | Boys | JI | SI | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 | 229 | 118 | 111 | 23 | 31 | 30 | 26 | 32 | 29 | 30 | 28 |
| 2024/25 | 236 | 118 | 118 | 31 | 30 | 26 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 27 | 32 |
| 2023/24 | 224 | 105 | 119 | 31 | 26 | 30 | 31 | 30 | 27 | 32 | 17 |
| 2022/23 | 207 | 94 | 113 | 25 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 26 | 32 | 17 | 18 |
| 2021/22 | 200 | 93 | 107 | 30 | 29 | 31 | 27 | 32 | 17 | 18 | 16 |
| 2020/21 | 186 | 86 | 100 | 29 | 30 | 26 | 32 | 16 | 18 | 16 | 19 |
| 2019/20 | 180 | 86 | 94 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2018/19 | 177 | 86 | 91 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2017/18 | 177 | 80 | 97 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2016/17 | 172 | 78 | 94 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2015/16 | 180 | 85 | 95 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2014/15 | 184 | 81 | 103 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2013/14 | 189 | 86 | 103 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2012/13 | 193 | 86 | 107 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2011/12 | 186 | 86 | 100 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2010/11 | 182 | 80 | 102 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2009/10 | 186 | 80 | 106 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2008/09 | 167 | 69 | 98 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2007/08 | 156 | 67 | 89 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2006/07 | 152 | 68 | 84 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2005/06 | 146 | 67 | 79 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2004/05 | 137 | 69 | 68 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2003/04 | 133 | 67 | 66 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2002/03 | 138 | 68 | 70 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2001/02 | 121 | 62 | 59 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2000/01 | 121 | 61 | 60 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1999/00 | 121 | 61 | 60 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1998/99 | 125 | 55 | 70 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1997/98 | 119 | 53 | 66 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1996/97 | 108 | 45 | 63 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1995/96 | 103 | 40 | 63 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1994/95 | 97 | 38 | 59 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1993/94 | 99 | 39 | 60 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1983/84 | 124 | 67 | 57 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1982/83 | 117 | 64 | 53 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1981/82 | 115 | 67 | 48 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1980/81 | 116 | 58 | 58 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1979/80 | 114 | 61 | 53 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1978/79 | 103 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1977/78 | 93 | 52 | 41 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1976/77 | 85 | 46 | 39 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1975/76 | 77 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |