Saplings Special School
Mullingar · Roll number 20373E
- Special school
- Autism
- Multi Denominational ethos
- Not DEIS
- Pupils in 2025/26
- 36
- No change on 2024/25
- Over 10 years
- +44%
- Up 11 from 25 in 2015/16. Opened in 2010/11, so it was still adding classes
- Girls and boys
- 5 / 31
- 14% 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 6 pupils per teaching post.
- Teaching postsTeachers for the school's classes, allocated by the NCSE 6
22 special needs assistants (SNAs) also work with pupils.
The NCSE has allocated 6 teaching posts, a principal and a deputy principal who don't teach a class, and 22 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 | – | 36 |
+44.0%
|
|
| 1 | St Brigids Spec SCH1.2 km · Mullingar, Co. Westmeath · Mild general learning disability | 1.2 km | 93 |
+8.1%
|
| 2 | Sacred Heart School2.6 km · Mullingar, Co. Westmeath · Moderate general learning disability | 2.6 km | 46 |
+170.6%
|
| 3 | Offaly School of Special Education29.5 km · Tullamore, Co. Offaly · Severe or profound general learning disability | 29.5 km | 42 |
+121.1%
|
| 4 | Cara Community Special School35.9 km · Meath · Community special school | 35.9 km | 28 | – |
| 5 | St Christophers S S38.6 km · Longford · Moderate general learning disability | 38.6 km | 49 |
+81.5%
|
Special classes within 10 km18 classes in 8 mainstream schools in 2025/26, from the NCSE
| Number on map | School | Distance | Classes | 2026/27 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Gaelscoil An Choillín0.1 km · 2 autism classes | 0.1 km | 2 | 2 |
| 7 | Scoil na mBraithre0.9 km · 2 early intervention classes and an autism class | 0.9 km | 3 | 3 |
| 8 | Presentation Convent (JNR)1.1 km · An autism class and a speech and language class | 1.1 km | 2 | 2 |
| 9 | Scoil na Maighdine Mhuire1.1 km · An autism class | 1.1 km | 1 | 1 |
| 10 | Scoil Cholmain Naofa1.5 km · 2 autism classesFirst special classes open in 2026/27 | 1.5 km | 0 | 2 |
| 11 | Holy Family Primary School1.7 km · 2 autism classes | 1.7 km | 2 | 2 |
| 12 | Mullingar Educate Together NS1.7 km · 4 autism classes and an early intervention class | 1.7 km | 5 | 5 |
| 13 | St. Colmcille's N.S.4.1 km · 2 autism classes | 4.1 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
- Siobhan Burley
- Phone
- 0449384853
- [email protected]
- Address
- Lynn Road, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, N91 V5TF
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
- Westmeath County Council
- Planning area
- Mullingar
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 | 36 | 5 | 31 |
| 2024/25 | 36 | 4 | 32 |
| 2023/24 | 36 | 5 | 31 |
| 2022/23 | 36 | 4 | 32 |
| 2021/22 | 36 | 4 | 32 |
| 2020/21 | 36 | 4 | 32 |
| 2019/20 | 30 | 3 | 27 |
| 2018/19 | 30 | 5 | 25 |
| 2017/18 | 30 | 5 | 25 |
| 2016/17 | 29 | 5 | 24 |
| 2015/16 | 25 | 6 | 19 |
| 2014/15 | 24 | 6 | 18 |
| 2013/14 | 18 | 5 | 13 |
| 2012/13 | 12 | 4 | 8 |
| 2011/12 | 12 | 4 | 8 |
| 2010/11 | 12 | 3 | 9 |