Holy Family Community School
Rathcoole, Dublin
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 998 larger than the median Irish post-primary school (585 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 482 girls, 516 boys
- Ethos
- Inter Denominational
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects taught through Irish
- Roll number
- 91301D the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
About
Holy Family Community School is a mixed secondary school serving the Rathcoole, Newcastle and Saggart communities in South Dublin. It offers a broad, balanced curriculum that blends academic rigour with a wide range of extra‑curricular activities, including sports, music, technology and wellbeing programmes. The school’s facilities support modern learning, with dedicated classrooms, science labs, a library, an iPad programme, and spaces for pastoral care and student leadership. Partnerships with local primary schools, parents and community organisations underpin a collaborative ethos, ensuring that learners benefit from a supportive network both inside and outside the classroom. The school’s educational philosophy is centred on the vision of a “community of learners” where every pupil is encouraged to develop knowledge, compassion and personal resilience. Emphasis is placed on nurturing the whole person, promoting academic excellence while fostering social, emotional and physical development. Through a strong focus on wellbeing, inclusive practice and student‑led initiatives such as the Student Council, Holy Family Community School aims to equip young people with the skills and confidence to realise their full potential.
History
Holy Family Community School opened its doors in September 1981 with 73 pupils, built to accommodate up to 510 students for the Rathcoole, Newcastle and Saggart areas. A community committee formed in 1975, representing the Newcastle and District Residents’ Association, Saggart/Rathcoole Community Council and parent representatives from local national schools, lobbied for the school’s establishment. The first Board of Management meeting took place on 17 June 1981, with trustees the Holy Ghost Fathers, the Presentation Sisters and the County Dublin Vocational Education Committee, reflecting the school’s inclusive ethos and its role in the emerging community‑school movement.
Applying to Holy Family Community 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 Holy Family Community School's own calendar (2026/2027 school year)
Irish schools follow a standardised school year, so these nationwide post-primary school dates apply broadly to Holy Family Community 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: 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 Holy Family Community School
How many pupils attend Holy Family Community School?
Holy Family Community School has 998 pupils enrolled, 482 girls and 516 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish post-primary school, which has 585 pupils.
Is Holy Family Community School a DEIS school?
No. Holy Family Community 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 Holy Family Community School?
Holy Family Community School has an Inter Denominational ethos. It is a mixed post-primary school.