ABACAS School
Louth
Key facts
- Special school
- Some Irish-medium
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 31 smaller than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 6 girls, 25 boys
- Ethos
- Multi Denominational
- Teaching through Irish
- Some subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 20374G the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Drogheda ABACAS Special School, founded in 2003 by a group of parents associated with Autism Support Louth & Meath, provides a specialist, autism‑specific education for up to 30 children with complex needs aged three to eighteen. The school follows the Irish National Curriculum but adapts it through highly individualised programmes that respond to each pupil’s strengths and challenges. A core element of the teaching approach is the use of evidence‑based methodologies such as Positive Behaviour Support (PBS), the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), the TEACCH framework and Floortime, allowing staff to tailor communication, social interaction and learning strategies to the needs of each child. The school’s ethos is built around four guiding principles: inclusiveness, ensuring children with disabilities have full access to education; equality of participation; parental choice in enrolment and involvement; and respect for diversity of values, beliefs and traditions. Small class sizes and a low student‑to‑staff ratio enable intensive, personalised support, while the environment is designed to be calm and structured, promoting both academic progress and social development.
Applying to ABACAS School
For a September 2027 place, a school's formal admissions process cannot begin before 1 October 2026. The school sets its own opening and closing dates in its annual admission notice.
National term dates 2026/27
Irish schools follow a standardised school year, so these nationwide primary school dates apply broadly to ABACAS School. Individual schools set their own discretionary closure days, confirm exact dates with the school.
- October Mid-Term Break: Mon 26 Oct – Fri 30 Oct 2026
- Christmas Holidays: Wed 23 Dec 2026 – Tue 5 Jan 2027
- February Mid-Term Break: Thu 18 Feb – Fri 19 Feb 2027 (post-primary schools: Mon 15 Feb – Fri 19 Feb 2027)
- Easter Holidays: Mon 22 Mar – Sun 4 Apr 2027
Primary schools close for the last two days of the February mid-term week and may use discretionary days to take the full week, so their break can be shorter than post-primary schools'.
Frequently asked questions about ABACAS School
How many pupils attend ABACAS School?
ABACAS School has 31 pupils enrolled, 6 girls and 25 boys. That makes it smaller than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is ABACAS School a DEIS school?
No. ABACAS School is not part of DEIS, the Department of Education programme of additional supports for schools serving communities at risk of educational disadvantage. Not holding DEIS status says nothing about how good a school is, only about the profile of the community it serves.
Does ABACAS School teach through Irish?
Partly. ABACAS School teaches some subjects through Irish.