School patron in Laois
Bishop of Ossory
Schools in County Laois under this patron.
- Schools
- 13
- of 63 in Laois
- Pupils
- 1,355
- 13% of Laois's pupils
- Average school size
- 104.2
- Laois: 171.7
- Average class size
- 21.00
- Laois: 21.65
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.
13 schools with figures for both years
Average class size in these schools went from 24.6 in 2015/16 to 21.0 in 2025/26. 1 of the 3 schools that fell by 10% or more kept or added classes. 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.
Class sizes
Mainstream class groups only. The source does not identify which standard/year group each class group belongs to.
- Average class size
- 21.00
- Mainstream classes
- 62
- Classes of 30 or more
- 3
- Schools with a class of 30+
- 2
Teachers
Teachers in the 13 mainstream primary schools here, 2006/07 to 2025/26. Class teachers are counted every year; all teaching posts where they're known.
- Class teachers in 2025/26
- 62
- Up 13 since 2006/07, while pupils rose 14%
- Teaching posts in 2025/26
- about 99
- Estimate: 62 class teachers, 4 principals and deputies, 24 special education and 9 special class teachers
- Teachers in 2015/16
- 74
- The Department's last count of every teacher
- Since 2024/25
- 3 / 0
- 3 schools gained a class teacher, 0 lost one
Class teachers since 2006/07
One for each mainstream class, every school year
What parents would prefer
365 of the 856 households with children at the 13 schools here answered the Department of Education and Youth's Primary School Survey, November–December 2025. These are preferences, not applications.
- Prefer a multi-denominational patron
- 41%
- Parents of children at school · Ireland 44%
- Prefer teaching through Irish
- 11%
- Parents of children at school · Ireland 20%
- Prefer single-sex
- 2%
- Parents of children at school · Ireland 5%
- 3 schools where half or more of parents would prefer a multi-denominational patron
- 1 school where a quarter or more would prefer teaching through Irish
Source: Department of Education and Youth, Primary School Survey results, published 23 June 2026. Figures here add up the parents at each school with its own results.
Schools
13 schools, largest first.
Select a column heading to sort
| Roll number | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scoil BhrideRathdowney | 20071L | 244 |
+21.4%
+19.0%
+8.4%
|
+8.4%
|
10 | 23.20 | 30 | 1 |
| Our Ladys Meadow National SchooDurrow | 20065Q | 192 |
−0.5%
−1.0%
+44.4%
|
+44.4%
|
8 | 22.50 | 29 | 0 |
| Camross N SPortlaoise | 15933M | 156 |
+31.1%
+17.3%
+47.2%
|
+47.2%
|
6 | 26.00 | 29 | 0 |
| Kiladooley Mixed N SBorris-in-Ossory | 12692B | 132 |
+18.9%
+26.9%
+61.0%
|
+61.0%
|
5 | 26.40 | 32 | 2 |
| Castletown N.SCastletown | 20169F | 111 |
−1.8%
−27.0%
+26.1%
|
+26.1%
|
5 | 19.80 | 25 | 0 |
| Scoil Tíghearnach NaofaRathdowney | 19791P | 108 |
+5.9%
−9.2%
+25.6%
|
+25.6%
|
6 | 18.00 | 24 | 0 |
| St Josephs National SchoolBorrin-in-Ossory | 07442U | 95 |
+1.1%
−2.1%
−22.1%
|
−22.1%
|
4 | 19.50 | 27 | 0 |
| Paddock N SMountrath | 13173F | 80 |
0.0%
+6.7%
+9.6%
|
+9.6%
|
4 | 20.00 | 23 | 0 |
| S N Naomh ColmcillePortlaoise | 18780F | 71 |
−11.2%
+7.6%
−4.1%
|
−4.1%
|
4 | 17.75 | 22 | 0 |
| Cloch an Tsionnaigh N SAbbeyleix | 15562D | 64 |
−14.7%
−39.6%
−20.0%
|
−20.0%
|
3 | 21.33 | 25 | 0 |
| Naomh Pius X N SPortlaoise | 18433H | 49 |
+32.4%
+53.1%
+19.5%
|
+19.5%
|
3 | 16.33 | 19 | 0 |
| Rushall N SMountrath | 12231L | 30 |
−18.9%
−9.1%
−9.1%
|
−9.1%
|
2 | 15.00 | 16 | 0 |
| Cill an Iubhair N SMountrath | 17084D | 23 |
−28.1%
−39.5%
−11.5%
|
−11.5%
|
2 | 11.50 | 12 | 0 |
No schools match that filter.