Offaly

Name: Primary schools in County Offaly, 2025/26
Creator: Department of Education

67 primary schools and 9,295 pupils in 2025/26.

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Pupils in 2025/26: 9,295; −179 on 2024/25
Schools: 67; No change on 2024/25
Average school size: 138.7; −2.7 on 2024/25
Average class size: 20.89; −0.52 on 2024/25

Trends in Offaly

Counts every school that reported in each year, including schools that have since closed. Dotted lines bridge 1983/84 to 1992/93. 1974/75 is left out because that year's source file is missing five counties.

Pupils

9,295

−179 on 2024/25

1975/762025/26

Schools

72 in 1975/76

1975/762025/26

Average pupils per school

138.7

138.9 in 1975/76

1975/762025/26

Average class size

20.89

−0.52 on 2024/25

2006/072025/26

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

66 schools with figures for both years

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

28fell by 10% or more

24within 10%

14grew by 10% or more

Down 25% or more · 12Down 10 to 25% · 16Within 10% · 24Up 10 to 25% · 6Up 25% or more · 8

Average class size in these schools went from 24.2 in 2015/16 to 20.9 in 2025/26. 21 of the 28 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

Grown most

Pupils in 2015/16 and 2025/26

1 Charleville N STullamore, Co. Offaly 99 → 173 +74.7%
2 S N SeosamhMoneygall, Co. Offaly 70 → 108 +54.3%
3 Arden Boys NSTullamore, Co. Offaly 140 → 215 +53.6%
4 S N Mhuire BainrioghanBirr, Co. Offaly 51 → 76 +49.0%
5 S N Naomh EoinBirr, Co. Offaly 109 → 148 +35.8%

Fallen most

Pupils in 2015/16 and 2025/26

1 S N Mhuire NaofaRhode, Co. Offaly 174 → 91 −47.7%
2 Gaelscoil Éadan DoireÉadan Doire, Co. Offaly 131 → 69 −47.3%
3 Castlejordan Central NSTullamore, Co. Offaly 116 → 79 −31.9%
4 S N Muire NaofaPullough, Co. Offaly 94 → 64 −31.9%
5 Scoil MhuireTullamore, Co. Offaly 357 → 249 −30.3%

Ranked by percentage change. Only schools with 50 or more pupils in 2015/16 are ranked, leaving out any still filling their classes then, because a few pupils make a big percentage in a small or new school. An amalgamation, a new school nearby or smaller classes can also explain a big rise or fall.

Newer schools

1 school still filling its classes in 2015/16 or opened since, with 45 pupils. It isn’t in the figures above.

Gaelscoil na LaochraBirr · opened 2015/16 45

Break Offaly down

Select a group to see its schools, pupils and class sizes.

Planning areas

Change over


Tullamore–Killina	20	3,765	188.2	20.85	170	−0.4%	+22.8%
Edenderry	8	1,512	189.0	21.03	69	−14.5%	+23.5%
Birr	9	1,165	129.4	21.84	51	+3.2%	+6.5%
Clara	4	652	163.0	21.03	29	−10.2%	+2.7%
Ferbane	6	511	85.2	20.96	23	−6.4%	+36.6%
Roscrea	5	417	83.4	19.70	20	−12.2%	−18.9%
Banagher	3	414	138.0	23.65	17	−3.9%	−3.0%
Kilcormac	4	274	68.5	18.71	14	+7.9%	+53.9%
Portarlington	3	225	75.0	19.36	11	−9.6%	+6.1%
Rathangan	2	156	78.0	18.88	8	−19.6%	−13.8%
Nenagh	1	108	108.0	27.00	4	+54.3%	+54.3%
Mountmellick	1	81	81.0	17.25	4	−29.6%	+30.6%
Kilbeggan	1	15	15.0	7.50	2	−40.0%	−51.6%

Changes count today's schools and any that closed from 2023/24; earlier closures aren't in any planning area, so changes run high, more so since 2005/06. Known data issues · All planning areas in Ireland

Patrons


Bishop of Meath	22	3,381	153.7	20.20	158
Bishop of Kildare & Leighlin	17	2,811	165.4	21.29	126
Bishop of Killaloe	11	1,340	121.8	21.30	60
Bishop of Ardagh & Clonmacnoise	9	963	107.0	21.81	42
Educate Together	1	236	236.0	22.40	10
Bishop of Meath & Kildare COI	2	221	110.5	20.90	10
An Foras Pátrúnachta	2	114	57.0	16.00	6
Bishop of Limerick, Killaloe & Ardfert COI	1	86	86.0	21.50	4
Bishop of Clonfert	1	72	72.0	22.00	3
Bishop of Ossory	1	71	71.0	21.67	3

Local authorities


Offaly County Council	65	9,135	140.5	20.93	414
Laois County Council	1	81	81.0	17.25	4
Meath County Council	1	79	79.0	19.75	4

Class sizes

Mainstream class groups only. The source does not identify which standard/year group each class group belongs to. Figures for 2025/26: 8,815 pupils in mainstream classes.

Average class size: 20.89
Mainstream classes: 422
Largest class: 35
Classes of 30 or more: 24
Schools with a class of 30+: 14

Teachers

Teachers in the 67 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: 422; Up 70 since 2006/07, while pupils rose 6%
Teaching posts in 2025/26: about 730; Estimate: 422 class teachers, 37 principals and deputies, 192 special education and 79 special class teachers
Teachers in 2015/16: 589; The Department's last count of every teacher
Since 2024/25: 6 / 5; 6 schools gained a class teacher, 5 lost one

Class teachers since 2006/07

One for each mainstream class, every school year

Special schools and special classes

1 special school in Offaly, and the special classes in its 67 mainstream schools. Special schools aren't counted in the pupils, class sizes or teachers above.

All special schools

Pupils in special schools: 42; In 1 school, up from 19 in 2015/16
Special classes in 2025/26: 79; In 40 of 67 schools. 53 in 2020/21
Allocated for 2026/27: 88; In 44 schools: 9 new classes, 4 schools with their first
Autism classes: 63; 80% of special classes

Special classes since 2020/21

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

2020/21 53
2021/22 61
2022/23 67
2023/24 71
2024/25 77
2025/26 79
2026/27 88

2026/27, dashed: allocated for next year.

Special schools in Offaly
Special school	Pupils	Since 2015/16	Teaching posts	SNAs
Offaly School of Special EducationTullamore · Severe or profound general learning disability	42	+121.1%	7	25.5

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

What parents would prefer

2,278 of the 6,289 households with children at the 66 schools here answered the Department of Education and Youth's Primary School Survey, November–December 2025. 1 more school had too few answers for its own results. These are preferences, not applications.

About these figures

The Department's own results: School reports for Co. Offaly (PDF)Interactive map Summary report with county figures (PDF)

Prefer a multi-denominational patron: 32%; Parents of children at school · Ireland 44%
Prefer teaching through Irish: 15%; Parents of children at school · Ireland 20%
Prefer single-sex: 4%; Parents of children at school · Ireland 5%

By school planning area

The Department publishes the answers of parents of children not yet at school by planning area only, so these are whole areas, including any part in another county.

Compare all 314 areas

Share of parents who would prefer each, by planning area, for children at school and not yet at school
Planning area	Schools here	Households answered	Multi-denominational		Through Irish		Single-sex
Planning area	Schools here	Households answered	At school	Not yet	At school	Not yet	At school	Not yet
Tullamore–Killina	20	1,186 (40%)	36%	36%	14%	25%	4%	5%
BirrAlso in Co. Tipperary	9	447 (42%)	36%	38%	15%	18%	10%	5%
EdenderryAlso in Co. Kildare	8	643 (35%)	31%	36%	14%	26%	2%	5%
FerbaneAlso in Co. Westmeath	6	261 (54%)	22%	28%	18%	25%	1%	0%
RoscreaAlso in Co. Tipperary	5	320 (34%)	33%	38%	12%	18%	2%	0%
Clara	4	252 (45%)	32%	44%	15%	20%	11%	6%
Kilcormac	4	114 (41%)	33%	26%	18%	22%	2%	0%
BanagherAlso in Co. Galway	3	210 (46%)	30%	30%	10%	23%	0%	0%
PortarlingtonAlso in Co. Laois	3	658 (42%)	41%	42%	16%	20%	13%	9%
RathanganAlso in Co. Kildare	2	406 (50%)	42%	39%	19%	25%	10%	24%
KilbegganAlso in Co. Westmeath	1	278 (54%)	40%	33%	19%	20%	1%	0%
MountmellickAlso in Co. Laois	1	373 (44%)	33%	28%	19%	26%	10%	9%
NenaghAlso in Co. Tipperary	1	793 (37%)	40%	48%	21%	23%	2%	3%

Grey: fewer than 60 parents of children not yet at school answered in that area, so a handful of answers moves the figure a long way.

Each count opens those schools in Find schools, with each school's figures.

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 in Offaly

67 schools with 2025/26 figures, largest first.

Every school in Offaly (CSV)

Change over

Select a column heading to sort

	Roll number
Scoil Bhríde Primary SchoolEdenderry	20267F	480	−13.0%	–	21	21.10	27	0
Edenderry Convent N SEdenderry	16013V	429	+1.2%	−20.0%	17	24.53	28	0
St. Joseph's N.S.Tullamore	18797W	360	−12.6%	+11.5%	20	16.90	19	0
Scoil Colmain NaofaTullamore	17746A	322	+6.3%	+46.4%	13	23.38	32	2
Shinchill N SKilleigh	17031F	286	+7.9%	+36.2%	12	22.83	30	2
Daingean N SDaingean	16620T	261	+17.0%	+21.4%	11	22.64	30	2
Scoil MhuireTullamore	18057F	249	−30.3%	−39.7%	14	16.43	24	0
St Rynaghs N SBirr	18157J	249	−9.5%	−11.1%	10	24.30	32	3
Croinchoill N SBirr	18267Q	243	+19.1%	+32.1%	8	29.75	33	5
Tullamore Educate Together NSTullamore	20189L	236	+14.0%	–	10	22.40	29	0
Arden Boys NSTullamore	19713S	215	+53.6%	+49.3%	9	23.22	27	0
Ballykilmurry N STullamore	15656M	199	−6.6%	−16.7%	8	22.62	25	0
S N Naomh CholumchilleTullamore	17508H	197	−6.2%	+26.3%	8	23.88	30	1
S N Sheosaimh NaofaTullamore	17637S	193	+4.9%	+17.7%	8	22.62	29	0
St Patrick's Primary SchoolCo.Offaly	18364O	192	+1.1%	−2.0%	10	19.20	29	0
St. Cynoc's National SchoolFerbane	20289P	189	−4.1%	–	8	22.25	33	1
S N Phroinsiais NaofaClara	18406E	186	−19.8%	−7.5%	8	21.00	27	0
Gaelscoil an Eiscir RiadaAn Tulach Mhor	19990V	185	−10.6%	−8.0%	8	23.12	26	0
Clara Convent N SClara	13118U	180	−4.3%	−14.3%	9	18.67	22	0
St Brendans MonasteryBirr	12370C	178	−18.7%	−12.7%	9	17.33	24	0
S N MhanachainMoate	17540D	176	−5.9%	+46.7%	7	25.14	32	1
Charleville N STullamore	10353P	173	+74.7%	+154.4%	7	23.00	27	0
S N Cronain NaofaRoscrea	17523D	171	−23.0%	−29.6%	8	19.88	27	0
S N Naomh PhilomenaTullamore	16928B	164	+7.2%	+41.4%	8	19.88	26	0
S N Naomh EoinBirr	02413L	148	+35.8%	+29.8%	6	24.67	35	1
S N Chartaigh NaofaTullamore	20273A	147	−26.5%	–	7	16.71	27	0
Mercy Primary SchoolBirr	03220F	141	−18.5%	−37.1%	8	16.88	21	0
Ceann Eitigh N SBirr	16802C	132	+14.8%	+45.1%	6	22.00	27	0
Geashill 1 N SGeashill	09191I	126	+5.0%	+38.5%	6	18.67	27	0
S N MhuireTullamore	18115Q	124	0.0%	+34.8%	5	23.60	30	2
S N PhadraigRhode	18328K	124	+6.0%	+4.2%	5	24.80	32	1
Shinrone Mixed N SBirr	12343W	121	−14.8%	−1.6%	5	23.00	27	0
S N Naomh Brighde BuachTullamore	18524K	116	−24.7%	−34.5%	6	17.50	23	0
S N BhrideKilcormac	18399K	111	+26.1%	+19.4%	5	22.20	29	0
St Ciarans Mixed N SBallycumber	16435B	110	−7.6%	+5.8%	5	19.60	25	0
Scoil Mhuire Agus ChormaicKilcormac	20387P	109	−0.9%	–	5	19.40	24	0
S N SeosamhMoneygall	17003A	108	+54.3%	+54.3%	4	27.00	30	1
S N SeosamhTullamore	07191V	97	+34.7%	+36.6%	4	21.25	27	0
St Colmans N STullamore	19354Q	97	−11.0%	+14.1%	4	24.25	28	0
St Marys National SchoolBirr	20068W	93	+4.5%	+43.1%	4	23.25	29	0
S N Mhuire NaofaRhode	18335H	91	−47.7%	−39.7%	5	18.20	26	0
S N OsmannBirr	07949I	86	−1.1%	+19.4%	4	21.50	22	0
Clonbullogue N SClonbullogue	15325M	84	−19.2%	−22.2%	4	21.00	28	0
Naomh Mhuire N SGeashill	17616K	83	−13.5%	+15.3%	4	19.25	25	0
S N Chiarain NaofaClonmacnoise	17188P	83	+9.2%	−8.8%	4	20.75	26	0
Coolderry Central NSBirr	19638H	82	−10.9%	−18.8%	4	20.50	21	0
Clonaghadoo N SGeashill	16160L	81	−29.6%	+30.6%	4	17.25	23	0
Castlejordan Central NSTullamore	19300Q	79	−31.9%	−49.4%	4	19.75	25	0
S N Mhuire BainrioghanBirr	17336E	76	+49.0%	+18.8%	3	21.67	28	0
High St Mixed N SBelmont	13191H	73	+9.0%	+25.9%	3	24.33	29	0
S N MhuireBlueball	18795S	72	+18.0%	+33.3%	3	24.00	31	1
S N Naomh BrogainRathanagan	15983E	72	−20.0%	−1.4%	4	16.75	19	0
St Cronans Mixed N SBirr	12294M	72	+7.5%	−12.2%	3	22.00	23	0
Seir Kierans N SBirr	11203B	71	+20.3%	−13.4%	3	21.67	25	0
Scoil BhrideRhode	18690E	70	−23.9%	−23.1%	4	17.50	26	0
Gaelscoil Éadan DoireÉadan Doire	20332N	69	−47.3%	–	4	14.25	17	0
S N Naomh CallinBallinahowen	16990G	69	+7.8%	+16.9%	3	23.00	25	0
S N Caoimhin NaofaBirr	18331W	67	−23.9%	−19.3%	3	22.33	30	1
S N Muire NaofaPullough	17069H	64	−31.9%	−26.4%	3	19.33	22	0
Edenderry 2 N SEdenderry	15638K	48	−25.0%	−27.3%	3	16.00	17	0
Gaelscoil na LaochraBirr	20461B	45	–	–	2	19.50	21	0
S N LomchluanaBirr	18777Q	33	−31.2%	−58.2%	2	10.50	13	0
S N Chiarain NaofaBirr	17753U	29	+52.6%	−35.6%	2	14.50	18	0
Mount Bolus N STullamore	15395K	25	−32.4%	−37.5%	2	12.50	14	0
S N Ros Com RuaRoscrea	18537T	21	−4.5%	−8.7%	2	10.50	11	0
Cloneyhurke N SPortarlington	15923J	18	−37.9%	−62.5%	2	9.00	12	0
S N Peadar agus PolMoate	18068K	15	−40.0%	−51.6%	2	7.50	9	0