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Planning area in Dublin

Portmarnock

Schools in County Dublin in this planning area.

All planning areas in Ireland

Other planning areas in Dublin Lucan · 17 Killester–Raheny–Clontarf · 26 Cabra–Phibsboro–D7 · 22 Ballinteer–Stepaside–DLR · 16 Swords · 15 Tallaght · 18 Drumcondra–Marino–Dublin1 · 25 Donaghmede–Howth–D13 · 16 Firhouse–Oldbawn · 16 Dunlaoghaire · 14 Sallynoggin–Killiney–DLR · 15 Rathfarnham · 11 Clondalkin–D22 · 12 Dolphin's Barn–D12 · 17 Blanchardstown–West–D15 · 7 BlanchardstownVge–D15 · 11 Balbriggan · 11 Dublin–8 · 16 Dublin6–Clonskeagh · 13 Newcastle–Rathcoole · 8 Goatstown–Stillorgan–DLR · 10 Beaumont–CoolockD5 · 10 Dublin–6w · 7 Dublin2–Dublin4 · 12 Ballyfermot–D10 · 11 Rush&Lusk · 8 FinglasEast–BallymunD11 · 10 Mulhuddart–Tyrrelstown–D15 · 7 Malahide–Nevinstown · 5 Whitehall–SantryD9 · 10 Carpenterstown–D15 · 3 Booterstown–Blackrock · 6 Skerries · 8 Castleknock–D15 · 4 Scribblestown–FinglasWest · 10 Donabate · 4 Palmerstown–Ronanstown–D20–22 · 6 Ballybrack–Shankill–DLR · 5 Darndale–D17 · 5 Kilternan · 3 Ashbourne · 3 Blessington · 1
Schools
5
of 459 in Dublin
Pupils
1,895
1% of Dublin's pupils
Since 2015/16
+46.9%
1,290 pupils in 2015/16
Average school size
379.0
Dublin: 289.6
Average class size
24.43
Dublin: 22.23

Each year counts the schools in this planning area today, plus any that closed from 2023/24. Dotted lines bridge 1983/84 to 1992/93. 1974/75 is left out because that year's source file is missing five counties.

Earlier years are incomplete

The Department's files only record planning areas from 2023/24, so schools that closed or amalgamated before then aren't counted in any area. The further back you go, the more pupils are missing, and an amalgamation can look like a sudden rise. Across County Dublin, schools with no planning area had 1.5% of pupils in 2015/16, 5.3% in 2005/06 and 36.8% in 1975/76. Known data issues

Pupils

1,895

−9 on 2024/25

1975/762025/26

Schools

5

2 in 1975/76

1975/762025/26

Average pupils per school

379.0

577.5 in 1975/76

1975/762025/26

Average class size

24.43

+0.18 on 2024/25

2006/072025/26

Pupils in these schools

Junior infants, girls and boys, and Irish-medium schools over time, for the same schools as the trends above.

Area figures by year (CSV) Each school by year (CSV)

Junior infants

Pupils starting school each year. Class-by-class figures start in 2020/21. 203 in 2025/26, −21 on 2024/25.

Girls and boys

From 1976/77: earlier files don't split every school's pupils into girls and boys.

Irish-medium schools

No school in this area teaches all subjects through Irish.

Growing and falling since 2015/16

Each school's change in pupils over 10 years, from 2015/16 to 2025/26. A change of 10% or more either way counts as growing or falling.

Every school's change

4 schools with figures for both years

Schools still filling their classes in 2015/16, and schools opened since, are listed separately.

0fell by 10% or more
1within 10%
3grew by 10% or more
Down 25% or more · 0Down 10 to 25% · 0Within 10% · 1Up 10 to 25% · 1Up 25% or more · 2

Average class size in these schools went from 27.3 in 2015/16 to 24.7 in 2025/26. A fall in pupils can mean smaller classes rather than fewer children wanting places. Smaller classes

Sort the table below by the change column to see which schools grew or fell most.

Newer schools

1 school still filling its classes in 2015/16 or opened since, with 377 pupils. It isn’t in the figures above.

Class sizes

Mainstream class groups only. The source does not identify which standard/year group each class group belongs to.

Average class size
24.43
Mainstream classes
76
Classes of 30 or more
4
Schools with a class of 30+
2

Teachers

Teachers in the 5 mainstream primary schools here, 2006/07 to 2025/26. Class teachers are counted every year; all teaching posts where they're known.

How we count teachers
Class teachers in 2025/26
76
Up 44 since 2006/07, while pupils rose 120%
Teaching posts in 2025/26
about 115
Estimate: 76 class teachers, 6 principals and deputies, 25 special education and 8 special class teachers
Teachers in 2015/16
70
The Department's last count of every teacher
Since 2024/25
0 / 1
0 schools gained a class teacher, 1 lost one

Class teachers since 2006/07

One for each mainstream class, every school year

Special schools and special classes

0 special schools in Portmarnock, and the special classes in the 5 mainstream schools. Special schools aren't counted in the pupils, class sizes or teachers above.

All special schools
Pupils in special schools
0
No special school here
Special classes in 2025/26
8
In 3 of 5 schools. 1 in 2020/21
Allocated for 2026/27
8
In 3 schools
Autism classes
6
75% of special classes

Special classes since 2020/21

In Portmarnock's mainstream schools, from the NCSE's yearly lists

  • 2020/21 1
  • 2021/22 4
  • 2022/23 5
  • 2023/24 6
  • 2024/25 6
  • 2025/26 8
  • 2026/27 8

2026/27, dashed: allocated for next year.

Sources: Department of Education enrolment lists; NCSE special class lists and special school allocations (CC BY 4.0).

What parents would prefer

752 households answered the Department of Education and Youth's Primary School Survey for the Portmarnock planning area: 434 with children at its schools and 318 with children not yet at school. Each said whether they would prefer co-educational or single-sex schooling, a denominational or multi-denominational patron, and teaching through Irish or English.

Compare with other areas
The Department's own results: All 314 areas (Excel)Interactive mapSummary report with county figures (PDF)
Households that answered
752
47% of households asked
Prefer a multi-denominational patron
53% / 62%
Children at school / not yet at school
Prefer teaching through Irish
17% / 21%
Children at school / not yet at school
Prefer single-sex
3% / 3%
Children at school / not yet at school

Preferences beside what the schools offer now

Share of pupils in schools of each kind in the area, and share of parents who would prefer it

  • Pupils in such schools now
  • Parents: children at school
  • Parents: children not yet at school

Multi-denominational patron

377 pupils (20%) in 1 school

  • 20%
  • 53%
  • 62%

Teaching through Irish

No school here now

  • 0%
  • 17%
  • 21%

Single-sex

No school here now

  • 0%
  • 3%
  • 3%

Bars run from 0 to 100%.

Each school's parents

Parents of children at each school. Bold marks the school's set-up now.
Scoil Naomh MearnogPortmarnock 638 183 of 464 ±6 55%15%1% 178 answered
St Helens Senior N SPortmarnock 381 116 of 316 ±7.5 53%15%0% –
Malahide / Portmarnock Educate Together National SchoolDublin 17 377 98 of 287 ±8.2 85%11%6% 35 answered
St Helens Junior N SPortmarnock 319 127 of 268 ±7.2 49%11%2% 49 answered
San Nioclas MyraDublin 17 180 50 of 138 ±11.3 38%18%2% –

Grey margins of error are 15 points or more: so few parents answered that the figures could be well off. “Too few to publish”: the Department held back the school's results, but its parents' answers still count in the area figures. Not yet at school: how many parents of children not yet at school chose the school, shown where 30 or more did. Special schools in the area are counted in the area figures above.

Source: Department of Education and Youth, Primary School Survey results, published 23 June 2026. The area figures count each household once, including parents at schools too small for their own results, so they aren't the school figures added up. About these figures

Schools

5 schools, largest first.

Change over

Select a column heading to sort

Roll number
Scoil Naomh MearnogPortmarnock 10296G 638
+28.4%
+150.2%
24 26.29 29 0
St Helens Senior N SPortmarnock 19762I 381
+42.7%
+32.8%
15 24.53 30 3
Malahide / Portmarnock Educate Together National SchoolDublin 17 20445D 377 – – 16 23.56 27 0
St Helens Junior N SPortmarnock 19578P 319
−6.2%
+42.4%
13 23.15 30 1
San Nioclas MyraDublin 17 17785K 180
+20.0%
+91.5%
8 22.50 26 0