Ard Scoil Na Mara
Tramore, Waterford
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 1,227 larger than the median Irish post-primary school (585 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 590 girls, 637 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects taught through Irish
- Roll number
- 68141B the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Ard Scoil Na Mara is a Catholic secondary school in Tramore, Co. Waterford, operating under the Edmund Rice Schools trust. The school is co-educational and has an enrolment of approximately 1227 students. Its stated motto is "Every student, Every Class, Every day," reflecting a shared goal of respecting each student's right to learn. The curriculum includes the Junior Cycle, Transition Year, Leaving Certificate, and Leaving Certificate Applied programmes. SPHE and RSE are taught within a Christian understanding of human development, in keeping with the school's ethos. The school provides an ASD special class, with a separate application process for enrolment. A range of extracurricular activities is available, including sport, choir, drama, music, a science club, and a peace and justice group. The school holds Amber Flag and School of Sanctuary designations. A student leadership team, including head boy, head girl, and prefects, represents the student body and works with school management and staff.
Applying to Ard Scoil Na Mara
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 post-primary school dates apply broadly to Ard Scoil Na Mara. 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: Mon 15 Feb – Fri 19 Feb 2027 (primary schools: Thu 18 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 Ard Scoil Na Mara
How many pupils attend Ard Scoil Na Mara?
Ard Scoil Na Mara has 1,227 pupils enrolled, 590 girls and 637 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish post-primary school, which has 585 pupils.
Is Ard Scoil Na Mara a DEIS school?
No. Ard Scoil Na Mara 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.
What is the ethos of Ard Scoil Na Mara?
Ard Scoil Na Mara has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed post-primary school.