Catherine Mc Auley National School
Dublin 2, Dublin
Key facts
- Special school
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 99 smaller than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 46 girls, 53 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 19705T the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Catherine McAuley National School is a specialist primary school that provides a dedicated reading environment for children with severe dyslexia. The school admits pupils who demonstrate an average or higher intelligence (FSIQ/GAI ≥ 90) but whose real‑word reading scores fall at or below the 1st‑2nd percentile, indicating a particularly severe form of dyslexia. Placements are offered for a two‑year period, allowing students to benefit from intensive, evidence‑based literacy interventions while following the same standardised school year as other Irish national schools. The school serves children aged eight and above from across the greater Dublin region, extending to Kildare and Meath, with designated bus services that utilise city‑centre bus lanes to minimise travel time. The daily timetable runs from 9.00 am to 2.40 pm and the campus operates a strict device‑free zone to safeguard focus and wellbeing. Additional provisions include a school‑based summer programme, hot lunches, and a commitment to a safe, supportive environment that promotes both academic progress and social development.
Applying to Catherine Mc Auley 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.
National term dates 2026/27
View Catherine Mc Auley 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 Catherine Mc Auley 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 Catherine Mc Auley National School
How many pupils attend Catherine Mc Auley National School?
Catherine Mc Auley National School has 99 pupils enrolled, 46 girls and 53 boys. That makes it smaller than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Catherine Mc Auley National School a DEIS school?
No. Catherine Mc Auley 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 Catherine Mc Auley National School?
Catherine Mc Auley National School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.