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Waterford

73 primary schools and 13,577 pupils in 2025/26.

Pupils in 2025/26
13,577
−194 on 2024/25
Schools
73
No change on 2024/25
Average school size
186.0
−2.6 on 2024/25
Average class size
21.63
−0.43 on 2024/25

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

13,577

−194 on 2024/25

1975/762025/26

Schools

73

17 in 1975/76

1975/762025/26

Average pupils per school

186.0

390.2 in 1975/76

1975/762025/26

Average class size

21.63

−0.43 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

71 schools with figures for both years

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

34fell by 10% or more
27within 10%
10grew by 10% or more
Down 25% or more · 9Down 10 to 25% · 25Within 10% · 27Up 10 to 25% · 7Up 25% or more · 3

Average class size in these schools went from 25.7 in 2015/16 to 21.6 in 2025/26. 27 of the 34 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. 1 Waterford Educate Together NSCarrickphierish Road, Co. Waterford 227 → 386 +70.0%
  2. 2 Knockanore N STallow, Co. Waterford 75 → 105 +40.0%
  3. 3 Scoil Naomh SeosamhDungarvan, Co. Waterford 121 → 151 +24.8%
  4. 4 Scoil GearbhainDún Garbhán, Co. Waterford 250 → 310 +24.0%
  5. 5 Mount Sion CBS N SWaterford, Co. Waterford 295 → 360 +22.0%

Fallen most

Pupils in 2015/16 and 2025/26

  1. 1 S N Muire Magh DeilgeDungarvan, Co. Waterford 82 → 51 −37.8%
  2. 2 S N na CilleKilmacthomas, Co. Waterford 162 → 105 −35.2%
  3. 3 S N Dun AillVia Tramore, Co. Waterford 131 → 87 −33.6%
  4. 4 Ballymacarberry N SVia Clonmel, Co. Waterford 207 → 155 −25.1%
  5. 5 Scoil Naomh GobnaitDungarbhan, Co. Waterford 142 → 107 −24.6%

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

2 schools still filling their classes in 2015/16 or opened since, with 376 pupils between them. They aren’t in the figures above.

Break Waterford down

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

Planning areas

Change over
Waterford 24 6,944 289.3 21.83 311
+1.3%
+17.4%
Dungarvan 11 1,953 177.5 21.38 89
+2.5%
+15.6%
Tramore 6 1,581 263.5 23.32 66
−6.7%
+12.1%
Lismore 11 1,168 106.2 21.32 53
−8.7%
+2.3%
Kilmacthomas 8 714 89.2 19.91 35
−14.5%
+15.7%
Carrick-on-Suir 4 504 126.0 20.50 24
−16.7%
−5.6%
Youghal 5 327 65.4 19.12 17
−13.5%
+1.9%
Ring 3 231 77.0 21.00 11
−0.4%
−4.1%
Clonmel 1 155 155.0 22.14 7
−25.1%
−8.3%

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 Waterford & Lismore 65 12,339 189.8 21.59 558
Educate Together 2 566 283.0 23.57 23
Bishop of Ossory 2 399 199.5 23.47 17
Bishop of Cashel, Ferns & Ossory COI 3 161 53.7 17.89 9
Friends Patron Company clg 1 112 112.0 18.67 6

Local authorities
Waterford County Council 54 7,480 138.5 21.60 338
Waterford City Council 19 6,097 320.9 21.67 275

Class sizes

Mainstream class groups only. The source does not identify which standard/year group each class group belongs to. Figures for 2025/26: 13,260 pupils in mainstream classes.

Average class size
21.63
Mainstream classes
613
Largest class
33
Classes of 30 or more
26
Schools with a class of 30+
13

Teachers

Teachers in the 73 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
613
Up 114 since 2006/07, while pupils rose 7%
Teaching posts in 2025/26
about 951
Estimate: 613 class teachers, 44 principals and deputies, 231 special education and 63 special class teachers
Teachers in 2015/16
782
The Department's last count of every teacher
Since 2024/25
8 / 7
8 schools gained a class teacher, 7 lost one

Class teachers since 2006/07

One for each mainstream class, every school year

Special schools and special classes

3 special schools in Waterford, and the special classes in its 73 mainstream schools. Special schools aren't counted in the pupils, class sizes or teachers above.

All special schools
Pupils in special schools
281
In 3 schools, up from 208 in 2015/16
Special classes in 2025/26
56
In 31 of 73 schools. 26 in 2020/21
Allocated for 2026/27
67
In 35 schools: 11 new classes, 4 schools with their first
Autism classes
52
93% of special classes

Special classes since 2020/21

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

  • 2020/21 26
  • 2021/22 31
  • 2022/23 33
  • 2023/24 37
  • 2024/25 44
  • 2025/26 56
  • 2026/27 67

2026/27, dashed: allocated for next year.

Special school Pupils Since 2015/16 Teaching posts SNAs
St Martins Special SCHWaterford · Moderate general learning disability 100
+42.9%
16 46.75
St Josephs Special SCHWaterford · Mild general learning disability 96
+7.9%
13.6 23.41
St Johns Special SCHDungarvan · Mild general learning disability 85
+73.5%
16 36

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

What parents would prefer

3,581 of the 9,763 households with children at the 70 schools here answered the Department of Education and Youth's Primary School Survey, November–December 2025. 3 more schools had too few answers for their own results. These are preferences, not applications.

About these figures
The Department's own results: School reports for Co. Waterford (PDF)Interactive mapSummary report with county figures (PDF)
Prefer a multi-denominational patron
48%
Parents of children at school · Ireland 44%
Prefer teaching through Irish
18%
Parents of children at school · Ireland 20%
Prefer single-sex
11%
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
Planning area Schools here Households answered Multi-denominationalThrough IrishSingle-sex
At schoolNot yetAt schoolNot yetAt schoolNot yet
WaterfordAlso in Co. Kilkenny 24 2,800 (39%) 49% 51% 13% 20% 15% 17%
Dungarvan 11 652 (40%) 44% 47% 28% 30% 5% 3%
LismoreAlso in Co. Cork 11 432 (47%) 47% 46% 20% 24% 1% 2%
Kilmacthomas 8 369 (52%) 44% 51% 15% 18% 3% 2%
Tramore 6 587 (46%) 57% 63% 17% 27% 2% 4%
YoughalAlso in Co. Cork 5 638 (38%) 45% 54% 26% 30% 0% 2%
Carrick-on-SuirAlso in Co. Kilkenny, Co. Tipperary 4 610 (37%) 39% 45% 19% 30% 5% 6%
Ring 3 107 (47%) 39% 46% 75% 74% 0% 3%
ClonmelAlso in Co. Tipperary 1 1,050 (42%) 41% 45% 23% 30% 12% 10%

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 Waterford

73 schools with 2025/26 figures, largest first.

Every school in Waterford (CSV)
Change over

Select a column heading to sort

Roll number
S N Naomh MhuireWaterford 17351A 641
−6.6%
+23.0%
24 26.21 29 0
S N Ursula NaofaWaterford 12535I 620
−11.8%
+28.1%
26 23.38 26 0
Holy Cross SchoolTramore 19629G 567
−19.2%
+7.0%
24 23.38 29 0
S N Dun na MainistreachDungarvan 18094L 455
−3.8%
+5.6%
18 24.61 33 5
Presentation Primary SchoolWaterford 19955T 446
+8.5%
−2.8%
24 18.04 22 0
S N DeaglanWaterford 16976M 396
−9.2%
−16.6%
16 24.75 29 0
Waterford Educate Together NSCarrickphierish Road 20160K 386
+70.0%
– 16 23.38 26 0
Glor na Mara NSTramore 20116H 381
−11.0%
−15.5%
16 23.44 29 0
St Stephens N SWaterford 15046I 363
−14.6%
−11.9%
18 19.83 25 0
Mount Sion CBS N SWaterford 19947U 360
+22.0%
+7.1%
16 21.38 23 0
Scoil Lorcain BNSWaterford 18462O 345
−5.0%
+13.1%
16 20.06 23 0
St Saviours NSWaterford 19511G 330
+17.9%
+1.2%
16 19.88 24 0
Scoil GearbhainDún Garbhán 19814B 310
+24.0%
+58.2%
13 23.85 32 3
Our Lady of Mercy Senior P.S.Waterford 18689T 292
−3.9%
+4.3%
14 20.71 24 0
Bunscoil Bhothar na NaomhLismore 20076V 284
−1.4%
+2.5%
12 23.17 29 0
St Pauls B N SWaterford 20219R 267
+20.8%
−1.5%
16 15.94 20 0
S N Baile an BhuitléirighButlerstown 14679T 242
−4.3%
+27.4%
10 23.60 31 1
St Marys NSDungarvan 19953P 237
−20.7%
−13.2%
15 15.20 20 0
Scoil Naomh Eoin le DiaWaterford 18793O 237
−10.9%
−19.9%
9 26.33 31 3
Waterpark N SWaterford 20143K 235
−0.4%
– 10 23.50 30 5
An Teaghlaigh Naofa Girls Junior National SchoolWaterford 18509O 234
−22.5%
−18.8%
14 16.50 20 0
Gaelscoil na nDeisePort Láirge 20050D 225
−3.0%
+35.5%
10 21.30 29 0
S N an Garrain BhainDungarvan 17159I 225
+13.6%
+15.4%
8 27.38 30 2
Ballyduff N SKilmeaden 13635R 214
−3.6%
+46.6%
8 24.62 28 0
Portlaw N.S.Portlaw 19970P 214
−21.0%
−4.0%
11 18.36 26 0
S N Muire an Port MorWaterford 18235D 212
−1.4%
+35.0%
9 23.56 29 0
Gaelscoil Phort LairgePort Láirge 19853L 207
−5.5%
+21.8%
8 25.88 30 1
Réalt na Mara National SchoolDunmore East 20556M 196 – – 8 24.50 28 0
S N Faiche LiagFaithlegg 18380M 196
−3.4%
+59.3%
8 24.50 28 0
Gaelscoil Philib BarúnAn Trá Mhór 19885B 194
−10.6%
+12.8%
8 23.50 29 0
Bunscoil Gleann SidheainCappoquin 20157V 189
−4.5%
−3.1%
8 22.12 26 0
Our Lady of Good Counsel GNSFerrybank 12007G 187
−13.8%
+12.7%
8 23.38 27 0
Tramore Educate Together National SchoolTramore 20446F 180 – – 7 24.00 28 0
Fionnabhair N STramore 17535K 172
−15.3%
+55.0%
7 22.86 27 0
Ballymacarberry N SVia Clonmel 19345P 155
−25.1%
−8.3%
7 22.14 30 1
Scoil Naomh SeosamhDungarvan 16732H 151
+24.8%
−4.4%
8 18.88 21 0
Scoil MhuireTallow 19616U 150
+0.7%
+15.4%
6 23.00 28 0
Glenbeg N SDungarvan 15318P 143
+3.6%
+11.7%
6 21.83 24 0
Scoil Choill Mhic ThomaisinKilmacthomas 20170N 133
−10.7%
−8.9%
6 22.17 25 0
S N na RinneDún Garbhán 17295Q 131
+7.4%
+40.9%
6 21.83 25 0
Rathgormack B N SCarrick-on-Suir 15963V 118
−10.6%
−2.5%
5 23.60 31 1
Christ Church N SWaterford 18681D 114
−18.0%
+1.8%
5 22.80 26 0
Newtown Junior SchoolWaterford City 20261Q 112
−8.2%
– 6 18.67 29 0
Our Lady of Mercy N SStradbally 13020D 110
+124.5%
+93.0%
5 22.00 27 0
Ballyduff B 2 N SBallyduff 15540Q 108
−22.3%
−11.5%
5 21.60 25 0
Scoil Naomh GobnaitDungarbhan 18488J 107
−24.6%
+84.5%
5 19.20 30 1
Carrickbeg N SCarick-on-Suir 11969N 106
−12.4%
+1.0%
5 21.20 25 0
Knockanore N STallow 17522B 105
+40.0%
+14.1%
4 26.25 31 1
S N na CilleKilmacthomas 16748W 105
−35.2%
0.0%
5 21.00 24 0
Whitechurch N S CeapachDungarvan 18108T 104
+3.0%
−2.8%
4 24.00 27 0
S N Cill RosantaKilmacthomas 01711O 102
−14.3%
+21.4%
5 20.40 23 0
Passage East N SPassage East 14989L 101
+3.1%
+32.9%
4 22.25 27 0
S N an Baile NuaKilmacthomas 17133N 99
−3.9%
+19.3%
5 19.80 24 0
S N an Carraig LiathDungarvan 16950R 98
+3.2%
+36.1%
4 24.50 31 1
S N Naomh DeaglanArdmore 18048E 94
−6.9%
−6.9%
4 23.00 32 1
S N Dun AillVia Tramore 17536M 87
−33.6%
−40.4%
4 21.75 28 0
Aglish N SCappoquin 01395H 82
−24.1%
+82.2%
4 20.50 23 0
S N an Chlais MhorClashmore 02889O 76
−19.1%
+16.9%
4 19.00 23 0
S N Aine Nfa SeafieldBonmahon 18167M 75
+10.3%
+56.2%
4 18.75 24 0
Clonea NSCarrick-on-Suir 19443P 66
−18.5%
−22.4%
3 22.00 27 0
St Marys N S Grangevia Youghal 17997C 60
−16.7%
−14.3%
3 20.00 21 0
S N na bhFiodhKilmacthomas 17570M 58
−13.4%
+52.6%
3 19.33 23 0
SN Baile Mhic AirtDún Garbhán 05548D 58
−12.1%
−10.8%
3 19.33 22 0
St. Marys NS TouraneenaClonmel 18779U 55
−5.2%
−6.8%
3 18.33 22 0
S N Naomh ParthalanNr YOUGHAL 18318H 53
−15.9%
−1.9%
3 17.67 23 0
S N Muire Magh DeilgeDungarvan 18321T 51
−37.8%
−5.6%
3 17.00 22 0
Ballycurrane N Svia Youghal 07441S 44
−8.3%
+41.9%
3 14.67 18 0
S N na LeanaiDun Garbhan 16818R 42
−4.5%
−49.4%
2 21.00 21 0
Stradbally C. of Ire. NSStradbally 19726E 24
−41.5%
−17.2%
2 12.00 15 0
S N Lios Mor MochudaLismore 14164J 23
−36.1%
−37.8%
2 11.50 12 0
Villierstown N SCappoquin 07737Q 17
−62.2%
−29.2%
2 8.50 10 0
S N Cill BhriainClonmel 17643N 15
−31.8%
−60.5%
2 7.50 9 0
S N Cnoc MachanBunmahon 18077L 6
−73.9%
−72.7%
2 3.00 5 0