Stepping Stones Special School
Maynooth · Roll number 20379Q
- Special school
- Autism
- Multi Denominational ethos
- Not DEIS
- Some subjects through Irish
- Pupils in 2025/26
- 42
- No change on 2024/25
- Over 10 years
- +40%
- Up 12 from 30 in 2015/16. Opened in 2010/11, so it was still adding classes
- Girls and boys
- 3 / 39
- 7% 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 Stepping Stones 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
8.4teaching posts
The NCSE's allocation: about 5 pupils per teaching post.
- Teaching postsTeachers for the school's classes, allocated by the NCSE 8.4
33 special needs assistants (SNAs) also work with pupils.
The NCSE has allocated 7 teaching posts and 1.4 exceptional posts, a principal and a deputy principal who don't teach a class, and 33 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 Stepping Stones 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stepping Stones Special SchoolThis school | – | 42 |
+40.0%
|
|
| 1 | St Raphaels Special SCH6.2 km · Celbridge, Co. Kildare · Moderate general learning disability | 6.2 km | 96 |
+50.0%
|
| 2 | Stewarts School12.7 km · Lucan, Co. Dublin · Moderate general learning disability | 12.7 km | 145 |
+16.9%
|
| 3 | Ballydowd High Support Special School13.0 km · Palmerstown, Co. Dublin | 13.0 km | 7 |
−22.2%
|
| 4 | Scoil Mochua13.6 km · Dublin 22 · Physical disability | 13.6 km | 69 |
+9.5%
|
| 5 | Danu Community Special School14.5 km · Dublin 15 · Community special school | 14.5 km | 43 | – |
Special classes within 10 km39 classes in 24 mainstream schools in 2025/26, from the NCSE
| Number on map | School | Distance | Classes | 2026/27 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Maynooth B N S0.1 km · 2 autism classes | 0.1 km | 2 | 2 |
| 7 | Presentation Girls Primary School0.6 km · An autism class | 0.6 km | 1 | 1 |
| 8 | Gaelscoil Ruairí1.1 km · An autism class | 1.1 km | 1 | 1 |
| 9 | Maynooth Educate Together National School1.9 km · 2 autism classes | 1.9 km | 2 | 2 |
| 10 | Scoil Ui Fhiaich1.9 km · An autism classFirst special class opens in 2026/27 | 1.9 km | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Aghards N S5.1 km · 2 autism classesFirst special classes open in 2026/27 | 5.1 km | 0 | 2 |
| 12 | Scoil Chóca Naofa5.1 km · An autism classA new class in 2026/27 | 5.1 km | 1 | 2 |
| 13 | St Josephs NS5.3 km · 2 autism classes | 5.3 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
- Dolores Cullinane
- Phone
- 016856498
- [email protected]
- Address
- Stepping Stones Special School, Moyglare Road, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, W23 HC66
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
- Kildare County Council
- Planning area
- Maynooth
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 | 42 | 3 | 39 |
| 2024/25 | 42 | 2 | 40 |
| 2023/24 | 30 | 2 | 28 |
| 2022/23 | 30 | 1 | 29 |
| 2021/22 | 29 | 1 | 28 |
| 2020/21 | 30 | 2 | 28 |
| 2019/20 | 30 | 3 | 27 |
| 2018/19 | 30 | 3 | 27 |
| 2017/18 | 30 | 3 | 27 |
| 2016/17 | 30 | 5 | 25 |
| 2015/16 | 30 | 4 | 26 |
| 2014/15 | 30 | 3 | 27 |
| 2013/14 | 30 | 6 | 24 |
| 2012/13 | 29 | 4 | 25 |
| 2011/12 | 30 | 4 | 26 |
| 2010/11 | 29 | 4 | 25 |