St Francis S S
Portlaoise · Roll number 19337Q
- Special school
- Mild general learning disability
- Catholic ethos
- Not DEIS
- Pupils in 2025/26
- 121
- +2 on 2024/25
- Over 10 years
- +29%
- Up 27 from 94 in 2015/16
- Girls and boys
- 39 / 82
- 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 Francis S S, 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
19teaching posts
The NCSE's allocation: about 6.4 pupils per teaching post.
- Teaching postsTeachers for the school's classes, allocated by the NCSE 19
33 special needs assistants (SNAs) also work with pupils.
The NCSE has allocated 21 teaching posts, a principal and a deputy principal who don't teach a class, and 36 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 Francis S S, 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 Francis S SThis school | – | 121 |
+28.7%
|
|
| 1 | The Kolbe Special School1.3 km · Portlaoise, Co. Laois · Severe or profound general learning disability | 1.3 km | 49 |
+58.1%
|
| 2 | Saplings Carlow Special School29.0 km · Carlow · Autism | 29.0 km | 30 |
+150.0%
|
| 3 | Offaly School of Special Education29.1 km · Tullamore, Co. Offaly · Severe or profound general learning disability | 29.1 km | 42 |
+121.1%
|
| 4 | St Laserians Special SC32.8 km · Carlow · Mild general learning disability | 32.8 km | 146 |
−2.0%
|
| 5 | St Annes Special SCH33.8 km · Roscrea, Co. Tipperary · Moderate general learning disability | 33.8 km | 49 |
+4.3%
|
Special classes within 10 km20 classes in 12 mainstream schools in 2025/26, from the NCSE
| Number on map | School | Distance | Classes | 2026/27 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Gaelscoil Phort Laoise1.1 km · An autism classA new class in 2026/27 | 1.1 km | 1 | 2 |
| 7 | Portlaoise Educate Together NS1.2 km · 2 autism classes | 1.2 km | 2 | 2 |
| 8 | Holy Family Junior School1.4 km · An autism class and a speech and language classA new class in 2026/27 | 1.4 km | 2 | 3 |
| 9 | Holy Family Senior School1.5 km · 2 autism classesA new class in 2026/27 | 1.5 km | 2 | 3 |
| 10 | Scoil Bhride NS1.5 km · 2 autism classes | 1.5 km | 2 | 2 |
| 11 | Raithin an Uisce N S6.2 km · An autism class | 6.2 km | 1 | 1 |
| 12 | Barr na Sruthan N S7.2 km · 2 autism classes | 7.2 km | 2 | 2 |
| 13 | S N Baile Finn8.0 km · An autism class | 8.0 km | 1 | 1 |
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
- JOHN MORAN
- Phone
- 0578621847
- [email protected]
- Address
- Borris Road, Portlaoise, Co Laois, R32 DN24
School
- Ethos
- Catholic
- NCSE designation
- Mild general learning disability
- Patron
- Bishop of Kildare & Leighlin
- 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
- Laois County Council
- Planning area
- Portlaoise
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 | 121 | 39 | 82 |
| 2024/25 | 119 | 41 | 78 |
| 2023/24 | 117 | 33 | 84 |
| 2022/23 | 108 | 28 | 80 |
| 2021/22 | 115 | 36 | 79 |
| 2020/21 | 87 | 31 | 56 |
| 2019/20 | 83 | 31 | 52 |
| 2018/19 | 85 | 30 | 55 |
| 2017/18 | 82 | 31 | 51 |
| 2016/17 | 91 | 38 | 53 |
| 2015/16 | 94 | 34 | 60 |
| 2014/15 | 101 | 37 | 64 |
| 2013/14 | 99 | 39 | 60 |
| 2012/13 | 109 | 42 | 67 |
| 2011/12 | 92 | 40 | 52 |
| 2010/11 | 80 | 36 | 44 |
| 2009/10 | 78 | 31 | 47 |
| 2008/09 | 75 | 26 | 49 |
| 2007/08 | 74 | 30 | 44 |
| 2006/07 | 83 | 29 | 54 |
| 2005/06 | 91 | 29 | 62 |
| 2004/05 | 85 | 29 | 56 |
| 2003/04 | 85 | 26 | 59 |
| 2002/03 | 97 | 28 | 69 |
| 2001/02 | 98 | 31 | 67 |
| 2000/01 | 101 | 31 | 70 |
| 1999/00 | 102 | 34 | 68 |
| 1998/99 | 100 | 34 | 66 |
| 1997/98 | 96 | 35 | 61 |
| 1996/97 | 112 | 38 | 74 |
| 1995/96 | 115 | 38 | 77 |
| 1994/95 | 123 | 43 | 80 |
| 1993/94 | 125 | 43 | 82 |