Beacan Mixed National School
Claremorris, Mayo
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 177 larger than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 84 girls, 93 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 13659I the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
St Joseph’s National School, commonly known as Bekan NS, is a rural, co‑educational primary school serving the village of Bekan in County Mayo. The school caters for approximately 164 pupils and employs a team of ten full‑time teachers, including mainstream, special‑education and support staff, to provide a balanced curriculum that nurtures academic, social and emotional development. A strong emphasis is placed on creating a safe and inclusive environment, with policies that promote physical, emotional, social and intellectual wellbeing for pupils, staff and families. The school’s facilities have recently been upgraded to enhance play and learning opportunities. The junior playground now features a climbing wall, basketball hoops and various game boards, while a new picnic bench serves the senior yard. A student council assists peers in inclusive play, and a dedicated counselling programme supports pupils experiencing anxiety. The curriculum highlights include a focus on comprehension within literacy and a new, play‑based maths programme that encourages creativity, problem‑solving and real‑life reasoning. Standardised testing results show the school performing at or above national norms in both literacy and numeracy. Extracurricular provision is vibrant, with regular sport, music and cultural activities such as handball, quizzes, museum trips and a junior Christmas concert. These events reinforce the school’s commitment to holistic education and the development of well‑rounded, confident young people.
Applying to Beacan Mixed National 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.
School-published admissions links
These links come from the school's published admissions material. Check the school year shown before relying on dates or place numbers.
National term dates 2026/27
View Beacan Mixed National School's own calendar (2026/2027 school year)
Irish schools follow a standardised school year, so these nationwide primary school dates apply broadly to Beacan Mixed National School. The school publishes its own calendar, linked above, and that is the authoritative source for its reopening date and discretionary closure days.
- 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 Beacan Mixed National School
How many pupils attend Beacan Mixed National School?
Beacan Mixed National School has 177 pupils enrolled, 84 girls and 93 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Beacan Mixed National School a DEIS school?
No. Beacan Mixed National 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.
What is the ethos of Beacan Mixed National School?
Beacan Mixed National School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.