Saplings Special School
Dublin 16 · Roll number 20372C
- Special school
- Autism
- Multi Denominational ethos
- Not DEIS
- Pupils in 2025/26
- 30
- No change on 2024/25
- Over 10 years
- +43%
- Up 9 from 21 in 2015/16. Opened in 2010/11, so it was still adding classes
- Girls and boys
- 8 / 22
- 27% 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 2010
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 Saplings Special School, 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
6teaching posts
The NCSE's allocation: about 5 pupils per teaching post.
- Teaching postsTeachers for the school's classes, allocated by the NCSE 6
25 special needs assistants (SNAs) also work with pupils.
The NCSE has allocated 5 teaching posts, a principal and a deputy principal who don't teach a class, and 25 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 Saplings Special School, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saplings Special SchoolThis school | – | 30 |
+42.9%
|
|
| 1 | Cheeverstown SP SCH1.3 km · Dublin 6w · Severe or profound general learning disability | 1.3 km | 29 |
+26.1%
|
| 2 | Libermann Spiritan School2.3 km · Dublin 6 · Community special school | 2.3 km | 51 | – |
| 3 | St Josephs Special SCH2.8 km · Dublin 24 · Mild general learning disability | 2.8 km | 86 |
0.0%
|
| 4 | St Roses Special School2.9 km · Dublin 24 · Specific learning disability | 2.9 km | 63 |
0.0%
|
| 5 | St Peters Special SCH3.6 km · Dublin 6 · Emotional and behavioural difficulties | 3.6 km | 70 |
+18.6%
|
Special classes within 10 km248 classes in 141 mainstream schools in 2025/26, from the NCSE
| Number on map | School | Distance | Classes | 2026/27 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | St Patrick GNS0.2 km · An autism class | 0.2 km | 1 | 1 |
| 7 | Scoil Colmcille Naofa1.0 km · An autism classA new class in 2026/27 | 1.0 km | 1 | 2 |
| 8 | Scoil Mhuire1.0 km · 2 autism classes and an early intervention class | 1.0 km | 3 | 3 |
| 9 | Scoil Mhuire Boys1.6 km · An autism class | 1.6 km | 1 | 1 |
| 10 | Clochar Loreto N S1.7 km · 2 autism classes | 1.7 km | 2 | 2 |
| 11 | Gaelscoil Chnoc Liamhna1.7 km · An autism classFirst special class opens in 2026/27 | 1.7 km | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | Bishop Galvin NS1.8 km · An autism class | 1.8 km | 1 | 1 |
| 13 | Bishop Shanahan NS1.9 km · An autism class | 1.9 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
- Roman Przewoznik
- Phone
- 014951620
- [email protected]
- Address
- Ballyroan Crescent, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16, D16 YK88
School
- Ethos
- Multi Denominational
- NCSE designation
- Autism
- Patron
- Sapling School Company Limited by Guarantee
- 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
- Dun Laoghaire Rathdown
- Planning area
- Rathfarnham
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
16 school years from 2010/11 to 2025/26.
| Year | Total | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 | 30 | 8 | 22 |
| 2024/25 | 30 | 7 | 23 |
| 2023/24 | 29 | 5 | 24 |
| 2022/23 | 29 | 5 | 24 |
| 2021/22 | 30 | 5 | 25 |
| 2020/21 | 29 | 5 | 24 |
| 2019/20 | 30 | 5 | 25 |
| 2018/19 | 26 | 3 | 23 |
| 2017/18 | 24 | 4 | 20 |
| 2016/17 | 24 | 3 | 21 |
| 2015/16 | 21 | 3 | 18 |
| 2014/15 | 21 | 4 | 17 |
| 2013/14 | 16 | 4 | 12 |
| 2012/13 | 19 | 5 | 14 |
| 2011/12 | 21 | 5 | 16 |
| 2010/11 | 23 | 5 | 18 |