Saplings Special School
Kill · Roll number 20376K
- Special school
- Autism
- Multi Denominational ethos
- Not DEIS
- Pupils in 2025/26
- 30
- +1 on 2024/25
- Over 10 years
- +30%
- Up 7 from 23 in 2015/16. Opened in 2010/11, so it was still adding classes
- Girls and boys
- 6 / 24
- 20% 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
5teaching posts
The NCSE's allocation: about 6 pupils per teaching post.
- Teaching postsTeachers for the school's classes, allocated by the NCSE 5
24 special needs assistants (SNAs) also work with pupils.
The NCSE has allocated 7 teaching posts, a principal and a deputy principal who don't teach a class, and 28 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 |
+30.4%
|
|
| 1 | Craddockstown School6.3 km · Kildare · Community special school | 6.3 km | 40 | – |
| 2 | St Raphaels Special SCH10.2 km · Celbridge, Co. Kildare · Moderate general learning disability | 10.2 km | 96 |
+50.0%
|
| 3 | Scoil Mochua13.4 km · Dublin 22 · Physical disability | 13.4 km | 69 |
+9.5%
|
| 4 | The Adelaide and Meath Hospital14.6 km · Dublin 24 | 14.6 km | 11 |
−15.4%
|
| 5 | Stepping Stones Special School15.0 km · Maynooth, Co. Kildare · Autism | 15.0 km | 42 |
+40.0%
|
Special classes within 10 km25 classes in 16 mainstream schools in 2025/26, from the NCSE
| Number on map | School | Distance | Classes | 2026/27 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | S N Brighde0.4 km · 2 autism classes | 0.4 km | 2 | 2 |
| 7 | Scoil Bríd5.4 km · 3 autism classes | 5.4 km | 3 | 3 |
| 8 | St Annes National School5.4 km · An autism classA new class in 2026/27 | 5.4 km | 1 | 2 |
| 9 | Mercy Convent Primary School6.0 km · 2 autism classes | 6.0 km | 2 | 2 |
| 10 | An Linbh Iosa6.1 km · An autism class | 6.1 km | 1 | 1 |
| 11 | Straffan N S7.4 km · An autism class | 7.4 km | 1 | 1 |
| 12 | Caisleain Nua Liamhna7.9 km · 2 autism classes | 7.9 km | 2 | 2 |
| 13 | Gaelscoil Nas na Riogh8.1 km · An autism classA new class in 2026/27 | 8.1 km | 1 | 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
- Alan Brennan
- Phone
- 045878760
- [email protected]
- Address
- Main Street, Kill, Co Kildare, W91 VF90
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
- Kildare County Council
- Planning area
- Naas
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 | 6 | 24 |
| 2024/25 | 29 | 5 | 24 |
| 2023/24 | 30 | 4 | 26 |
| 2022/23 | 27 | 4 | 23 |
| 2021/22 | 28 | 5 | 23 |
| 2020/21 | 28 | 4 | 24 |
| 2019/20 | 29 | 4 | 25 |
| 2018/19 | 29 | 5 | 24 |
| 2017/18 | 24 | 5 | 19 |
| 2016/17 | 23 | 6 | 17 |
| 2015/16 | 23 | 6 | 17 |
| 2014/15 | 24 | 7 | 17 |
| 2013/14 | 23 | 6 | 17 |
| 2012/13 | 24 | 6 | 18 |
| 2011/12 | 20 | 4 | 16 |
| 2010/11 | 23 | 5 | 18 |