Holy Family Senior National School
River Valley, Dublin
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 624 larger than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 319 girls, 305 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 19877C the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Holy Family Senior National School is a mixed primary school for pupils from 3rd to 6th class, situated in the River Valley area of Swords, Co. Dublin. The school shares a spacious campus with Holy Family Junior National School and benefits from a range of purpose‑built facilities that have been expanded over three building phases, including modern classrooms, a dedicated reading unit and outdoor play areas. With a staff complement of over 40 teachers and additional support personnel, the school provides a well‑resourced learning environment that supports both mainstream and specialised instruction. A distinctive feature of the school is its two Specific Learning Difference (S.L.D.) dyslexia classes, known as the Reading Classes. These small‑group settings aim to boost confidence and literacy skills for pupils with dyslexia while maintaining links to their mainstream classes, and all children in the programme receive free transport. The school’s ethos centres on delivering high‑quality education in a supportive, friendly and equal‑opportunity setting, encouraging personal development, wellbeing and community involvement among its pupils.
History
Holy Family Senior National School opened in 1985 within the premises of the present junior school, initially under the leadership of its first principal. In the 1986/87 academic year the school operated a dual‑day system with the junior school, before moving into its own metal‑clad building in 1987, constructed by Soldek Ltd. The first cohort of six‑class pupils graduated that summer, with a confirmation ceremony conducted by Bishop Dermot O’Mahony. Rapid growth saw enrolments reach 725 pupils by September 1997, prompting Phase Two and Phase Three extensions, including a brick façade matching the junior school. After a period of declining numbers, new housing developments and an influx of international pupils stabilised the roll, which stood at 728 pupils in January 2020.
Applying to Holy Family Senior 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
Irish schools follow a standardised school year, so these nationwide primary school dates apply broadly to Holy Family Senior National 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 Holy Family Senior National School
How many pupils attend Holy Family Senior National School?
Holy Family Senior National School has 624 pupils enrolled, 319 girls and 305 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Holy Family Senior National School a DEIS school?
No. Holy Family Senior 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 Holy Family Senior National School?
Holy Family Senior National School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.