St Josephs Special SCH
Waterford · Roll number 19244J
- Special school
- Mild general learning disability
- Catholic ethos
- Not DEIS
- Pupils in 2025/26
- 96
- −4 on 2024/25
- Over 10 years
- +8%
- Up 7 from 89 in 2015/16
- Girls and boys
- 31 / 65
- 32% girls
The Department of Education publishes only the number of pupils, girls and boys in each special school, not pupils by class, so this page has no class or class size figures. Pupils in special schools can be aged 4 to 18. All special schools
Pupils since 1993
Total enrolment each school year
Shaded: the last 10 years, 2015/16 to 2025/26. Until 2010/11 the Department listed special schools with mainstream schools; from 2011/12 they have their own list. Pupils on 30 September each year. Known data issues
Teachers
Teaching posts and special needs assistants (SNAs) at St Josephs Special SCH, 2018/19 to 2025/26.
Where these figures come from
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) allocates each special school its teaching posts and SNAs, and these are its figures as published each year. They're posts, not people: part of a post can be a teacher shared with another school. The NCSE published no figures for special schools for 2020/21 and 2021/22. From 2026/27 it lists a principal and deputy who don't teach a class separately; earlier files don't say how they're counted. Known data issues
In 2025/26
13.6teaching posts
The NCSE's allocation: about 7.1 pupils per teaching post.
- Teaching postsTeachers for the school's classes, allocated by the NCSE 13.6
23.41 special needs assistants (SNAs) also work with pupils.
The NCSE has allocated 14 teaching posts and 0.6 exceptional posts, a principal and a deputy principal who don't teach a class, and 23.41 SNAs for next year.
Teachers since 2018/19
Teaching posts each school year. Point at a bar for its SNAs.
Dashed boxes: the NCSE published no figures for special schools for those years. Known data issues
Source: NCSE special school allocations (CC BY 4.0).
Nearby
The special schools closest to St Josephs Special SCH, and the mainstream schools within 10 km that have special classes, measured in a straight line.
Nearest special schools
| Number on map | School | Distance | Pupils | Since 2015/16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Josephs Special SCHThis school | – | 96 |
+7.9%
|
|
| 1 | St Martins Special SCH1.5 km · Waterford · Moderate general learning disability | 1.5 km | 100 |
+42.9%
|
| 2 | Jonah Special School3.9 km · Slieverue, Co. Kilkenny · Autism | 3.9 km | 12 |
+9.1%
|
| 3 | Coláiste Shliabh na mBan38.5 km · Clonmel, Co. Tipperary | 38.5 km | 12 |
−14.3%
|
| 4 | St Johns Special SCH40.0 km · Dungarvan, Co. Waterford · Mild general learning disability | 40.0 km | 85 |
+73.5%
|
| 5 | Saplings Special School42.0 km · Goresbridge, Co. Kilkenny · Autism | 42.0 km | 12 |
0.0%
|
Special classes within 10 km29 classes in 15 mainstream schools in 2025/26, from the NCSE
| Number on map | School | Distance | Classes | 2026/27 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | St Stephens N S0.3 km · An autism class | 0.3 km | 1 | 1 |
| 7 | Mount Sion CBS N S0.6 km · 3 autism classesA new class in 2026/27 | 0.6 km | 3 | 4 |
| 8 | An Teaghlaigh Naofa Girls Junior National School1.0 km · An autism classA new class in 2026/27 | 1.0 km | 1 | 2 |
| 9 | Our Lady of Mercy Senior P.S.1.0 km · An autism class | 1.0 km | 1 | 1 |
| 10 | Presentation Primary School1.2 km · 2 speech and language classesA new class in 2026/27 | 1.2 km | 2 | 3 |
| 11 | S N Ursula Naofa1.3 km · 2 autism classes | 1.3 km | 2 | 2 |
| 12 | Scoil Lorcain BNS1.7 km · 4 autism classesA new class in 2026/27 | 1.7 km | 4 | 5 |
| 13 | St Pauls B N S1.9 km · 2 autism classes | 1.9 km | 2 | 2 |
About this school
Inspection reports open on gov.ie, under the name the school had when it was inspected. Newer schools may not have one yet.
Contact
- Principal
- Esther Moore
- Phone
- 051876530
- [email protected]
- Address
- Parnell Street, Waterford, X91 E030
School
- Ethos
- Catholic
- NCSE designation
- Mild general learning disability
- Patron
- Bishop of Waterford & Lismore
- School type
- Special school
- DEIS
- Not DEIS
Language and area
- Irish classification
- No subjects through Irish
- Gaeltacht
- Non-Gaeltacht
- Island
- Not on an island
- Local authority
- Waterford City Council
- Planning area
- Waterford
Each detail is the latest one the Department of Education has recorded for this school. The designation is the need the NCSE lists the school as set up for; many special schools now take pupils with a wider range of needs. Known data issues
Data by year
33 school years from 1993/94 to 2025/26.
| Year | Total | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 | 96 | 31 | 65 |
| 2024/25 | 100 | 31 | 69 |
| 2023/24 | 106 | 37 | 69 |
| 2022/23 | 109 | 39 | 70 |
| 2021/22 | 110 | 43 | 67 |
| 2020/21 | 98 | 39 | 59 |
| 2019/20 | 91 | 36 | 55 |
| 2018/19 | 90 | 38 | 52 |
| 2017/18 | 85 | 38 | 47 |
| 2016/17 | 92 | 41 | 51 |
| 2015/16 | 89 | 37 | 52 |
| 2014/15 | 98 | 46 | 52 |
| 2013/14 | 91 | 40 | 51 |
| 2012/13 | 95 | 40 | 55 |
| 2011/12 | 94 | 38 | 56 |
| 2010/11 | 90 | 30 | 60 |
| 2009/10 | 84 | 26 | 58 |
| 2008/09 | 84 | 26 | 58 |
| 2007/08 | 85 | 29 | 56 |
| 2006/07 | 95 | 34 | 61 |
| 2005/06 | 104 | 35 | 69 |
| 2004/05 | 97 | 34 | 63 |
| 2003/04 | 108 | 35 | 73 |
| 2002/03 | 119 | 35 | 84 |
| 2001/02 | 125 | 39 | 86 |
| 2000/01 | 134 | 44 | 90 |
| 1999/00 | 142 | 46 | 96 |
| 1998/99 | 144 | 48 | 96 |
| 1997/98 | 154 | 53 | 101 |
| 1996/97 | 166 | 62 | 104 |
| 1995/96 | 162 | 56 | 106 |
| 1994/95 | 147 | 52 | 95 |
| 1993/94 | 152 | 55 | 97 |