Scoil Phadraig
Portarlington · Roll number 17827A
- Catholic ethos
- Not DEIS
- Ordinary with Special Classes
- Pupils in 2025/26
- 521
- −42 on 2024/25
- Over 10 years
- +33%
- Up 128 from 393 in 2015/16
- Girls and boys
- 0 / 521
- 0% 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
521 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 | 57 | 63 | 64 | 43 | 58 | 58.0 |
| Senior Infants | 56 | 60 | 56 | 68 | 66 | 45 | 58.5 |
| 1st Class | 71 | 60 | 65 | 62 | 69 | 66 | 65.5 |
| 2nd Class | 78 | 70 | 59 | 72 | 63 | 73 | 69.2 |
| 3rd Class | 69 | 80 | 76 | 64 | 74 | 66 | 71.5 |
| 4th Class | 83 | 63 | 82 | 81 | 66 | 71 | 74.3 |
| 5th Class | 62 | 84 | 63 | 83 | 79 | 62 | 72.2 |
| 6th Class | 79 | 56 | 89 | 63 | 87 | 80 | 75.7 |
JI and SI are Junior and Senior Infants.
Started Junior Infants in 2024/25
43 in Junior Infants (2024/25), 45 in Senior Infants (2025/26): 2 pupils more.
- 43Junior Infants2024/25
- 45Senior Infants2025/26
Started Junior Infants in 2023/24
64 in Junior Infants (2023/24), 66 in 1st Class (2025/26): 2 pupils more.
- 64Junior Infants2023/24
- 66Senior Infants2024/25
- 661st Class2025/26
Started Junior Infants in 2022/23
63 in Junior Infants (2022/23), 73 in 2nd Class (2025/26): 10 pupils more.
- 63Junior Infants2022/23
- 68Senior Infants2023/24
- 691st Class2024/25
- 732nd Class2025/26
Started Junior Infants in 2021/22
57 in Junior Infants (2021/22), 66 in 3rd Class (2025/26): 9 pupils more.
- 57Junior Infants2021/22
- 56Senior Infants2022/23
- 621st Class2023/24
- 632nd Class2024/25
- 663rd Class2025/26
Started Junior Infants in 2020/21
63 in Junior Infants (2020/21), 71 in 4th Class (2025/26): 8 pupils more.
- 63Junior Infants2020/21
- 60Senior Infants2021/22
- 651st Class2022/23
- 722nd Class2023/24
- 743rd Class2024/25
- 714th Class2025/26
In Senior Infants in 2020/21
56 in Senior Infants (2020/21), 62 in 5th Class (2025/26): 6 pupils more.
- 56Senior Infants2020/21
- 601st Class2021/22
- 592nd Class2022/23
- 643rd Class2023/24
- 664th Class2024/25
- 625th Class2025/26
In 1st Class in 2020/21
71 in 1st Class (2020/21), 80 in 6th Class (2025/26): 9 pupils more.
- 711st Class2020/21
- 702nd Class2021/22
- 763rd Class2022/23
- 814th Class2023/24
- 795th Class2024/25
- 806th Class2025/26
In 2nd Class in 2020/21
78 in 2nd Class (2020/21), 87 in 6th Class (2024/25): 9 pupils more.
- 782nd Class2020/21
- 803rd Class2021/22
- 824th Class2022/23
- 835th Class2023/24
- 876th Class2024/25
In 3rd Class in 2020/21
69 in 3rd Class (2020/21), 63 in 6th Class (2023/24): 6 pupils fewer.
- 693rd Class2020/21
- 634th Class2021/22
- 635th Class2022/23
- 636th Class2023/24
In 4th Class in 2020/21
83 in 4th Class (2020/21), 89 in 6th Class (2022/23): 6 pupils more.
- 834th Class2020/21
- 845th Class2021/22
- 896th Class2022/23
In 5th Class in 2020/21
62 in 5th Class (2020/21), 56 in 6th Class (2021/22): 6 pupils fewer.
- 625th Class2020/21
- 566th Class2021/22
Biggest one-year changes in a class
- +336th Class in 2022/23 (56 to 89)
- −266th Class in 2023/24 (89 to 63)
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 Scoil Phadraig, 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
36teaching posts
Our estimate: about 36 teachers.
- Class teachersOne for each of the 23 mainstream classes 23
- PrincipalRuns the school and doesn't teach a class 1
- Special education teachers225 hours of support teaching a week 9
- Special class teachersFor 3 autism classes 3
11.5 special needs assistants (SNAs) also work with pupils. 18 pupils are in special classes, which the class sizes leave out.
The NCSE has allocated 8.5 special education teachers, 4 special class teachers and 13.33 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 Scoil Phadraig, measured in a straight line. Pupil numbers are for 2025/26.
| Number on map | School | Distance | Pupils | Since 2015/16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scoil PhadraigThis school | – | 521 |
+32.6%
|
|
| 1 | Presentation Primary School0.4 km · Portarlington | 0.4 km | 496 |
−31.4%
|
| 2 | Scoil Náisiúnta Cúil an tSúdaire 21.2 km · Portarlington · Church of Ireland | 1.2 km | 84 |
−15.2%
|
| 3 | S N Naomh Eoin2.9 km · Killenard | 2.9 km | 374 |
−7.0%
|
| 4 | Emo Mixed N S6.0 km · Portlaoise | 6.0 km | 207 |
−2.8%
|
| 5 | Cloneyhurke N S6.5 km · Portarlington | 6.5 km | 18 |
−37.9%
|
| 6 | Scoil Naisiunta Naomh Pheadar7.5 km · Monasterevin · Boys | 7.5 km | 239 |
+2.6%
|
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
- Sheelagh Murphy
- Phone
- 0578623394
- [email protected]
- Address
- Canal Road, Portarlington, Co. Laois, R32 Y6K7
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
- Laois County Council
- Planning area
- Portarlington
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 | 521 | 0 | 521 | 58 | 45 | 66 | 73 | 66 | 71 | 62 | 80 |
| 2024/25 | 563 | – | 563 | 43 | 66 | 69 | 63 | 74 | 66 | 79 | 87 |
| 2023/24 | 573 | 0 | 573 | 64 | 68 | 62 | 72 | 64 | 81 | 83 | 63 |
| 2022/23 | 569 | – | 569 | 63 | 56 | 65 | 59 | 76 | 82 | 63 | 89 |
| 2021/22 | 548 | – | 548 | 57 | 60 | 60 | 70 | 80 | 63 | 84 | 56 |
| 2020/21 | 573 | – | 573 | 63 | 56 | 71 | 78 | 69 | 83 | 62 | 79 |
| 2019/20 | 522 | – | 522 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2018/19 | 437 | – | 437 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2017/18 | 437 | – | 437 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2016/17 | 407 | 0 | 407 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2015/16 | 393 | 0 | 393 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2014/15 | 352 | 0 | 352 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2013/14 | 316 | 0 | 316 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2012/13 | 323 | 0 | 323 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2011/12 | 314 | 0 | 314 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2010/11 | 315 | 0 | 315 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2009/10 | 292 | 0 | 292 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2008/09 | 280 | 0 | 280 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2007/08 | 265 | 0 | 265 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2006/07 | 233 | 0 | 233 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2005/06 | 191 | 0 | 191 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2004/05 | 166 | 0 | 166 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2003/04 | 155 | 0 | 155 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2002/03 | 149 | 0 | 149 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2001/02 | 163 | 0 | 163 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2000/01 | 158 | 0 | 158 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1999/00 | 188 | 0 | 188 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1998/99 | 201 | 0 | 201 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1997/98 | 195 | 0 | 195 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1996/97 | 202 | – | 202 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1995/96 | 199 | – | 199 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1994/95 | 200 | – | 200 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1993/94 | 202 | – | 202 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1983/84 | 261 | 0 | 261 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1982/83 | 272 | 0 | 272 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1981/82 | 267 | 0 | 267 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1980/81 | 270 | 0 | 270 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1979/80 | 265 | 0 | 265 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1978/79 | 270 | 0 | 270 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1977/78 | 269 | 0 | 269 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1976/77 | 275 | 0 | 275 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1975/76 | 289 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1974/75 | 291 | 0 | 291 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |