ABACAS School
Drogheda · Roll number 20374G
- Special school
- Autism
- Multi Denominational ethos
- Not DEIS
- Some subjects through Irish
- Pupils in 2025/26
- 31
- No change on 2024/25
- Over 10 years
- +3%
- Up 1 from 30 in 2015/16. Opened in 2010/11, so it was still adding classes
- Girls and boys
- 6 / 25
- 19% 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 ABACAS 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
7teaching posts
The NCSE's allocation: about 4.4 pupils per teaching post.
- Teaching postsTeachers for the school's classes, allocated by the NCSE 7
23 special needs assistants (SNAs) also work with pupils.
The NCSE has allocated 6 teaching posts and 1 exceptional post, a principal and a deputy principal who don't teach a class, and 23 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 ABACAS 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABACAS SchoolThis school | – | 31 |
+3.3%
|
|
| 1 | St Itas Special School1.4 km · Drogheda, Co. Louth · Mild general learning disability | 1.4 km | 207 |
+54.5%
|
| 2 | St Marys Special SCH17.1 km · Drumcar, Co. Louth · Moderate general learning disability | 17.1 km | 111 |
+56.3%
|
| 3 | St Marys Special School21.0 km · Navan, Co. Meath · Moderate general learning disability | 21.0 km | 83 |
−2.4%
|
| 4 | St Ultans Special SCH22.3 km · Navan, Co. Meath · Mild general learning disability | 22.3 km | 122 |
+4.3%
|
| 5 | St Michaels Spec SCH22.6 km · Skerries, Co. Dublin · Moderate general learning disability | 22.6 km | 30 |
0.0%
|
Special classes within 10 km47 classes in 21 mainstream schools in 2025/26, from the NCSE
| Number on map | School | Distance | Classes | 2026/27 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | S N Ard Mhuire C0.5 km · An autism classA new class in 2026/27 | 0.5 km | 1 | 2 |
| 7 | S N Naomh Peadar0.8 km · An autism class | 0.8 km | 1 | 1 |
| 8 | S N Aonghusa0.9 km · An autism classFirst special class opens in 2026/27 | 0.9 km | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | Scoil na mBraithre Sn0.9 km · An autism class | 0.9 km | 1 | 1 |
| 10 | St Brigid's and St Patrick's National School1.3 km · An autism class | 1.3 km | 1 | 1 |
| 11 | Rathmullan N S1.4 km · A speech and language class | 1.4 km | 1 | 1 |
| 12 | St Pauls Senior NS1.4 km · A specific learning disability class and an emotional disturbance class | 1.4 km | 2 | 2 |
| 13 | Scoil Oilibhéir Naofa2.5 km · 2 autism classes | 2.5 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
- Michelle Mc Hugh
- Phone
- 0419803366
- [email protected]
- Address
- Drogheda ABACAS Special School, Congress Avenue, Drogheda, Co. Louth, A92 TK52
School
- Ethos
- Multi Denominational
- NCSE designation
- Autism
- Patron
- Irish Autism Action
- School type
- Special school
- DEIS
- Not DEIS
Language and area
- Irish classification
- Some subjects through Irish
- Gaeltacht
- Non-Gaeltacht
- Island
- Not on an island
- Local authority
- Louth County Council
- Planning area
- Drogheda
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 | 31 | 6 | 25 |
| 2024/25 | 31 | 6 | 25 |
| 2023/24 | 31 | 6 | 25 |
| 2022/23 | 31 | 6 | 25 |
| 2021/22 | 31 | 4 | 27 |
| 2020/21 | 30 | 4 | 26 |
| 2019/20 | 29 | 4 | 25 |
| 2018/19 | 30 | 4 | 26 |
| 2017/18 | 30 | 3 | 27 |
| 2016/17 | 30 | 4 | 26 |
| 2015/16 | 30 | 5 | 25 |
| 2014/15 | 30 | 6 | 24 |
| 2013/14 | 18 | 4 | 14 |
| 2012/13 | 18 | 4 | 14 |
| 2011/12 | 18 | 4 | 14 |
| 2010/11 | 18 | 4 | 14 |