John Paul Ii National School
Malahide, Dublin
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 663 larger than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 320 girls, 343 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 19627C the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
John Paul II National School is a co‑educational primary school situated on Sea Road in Malahide, County Dublin. The school provides a warm, friendly and nourishing environment for children from junior infants to sixth class, with a strong emphasis on wellbeing, fitness and inclusive learning. Daily routines follow Department of Education guidelines, offering ten‑minute snack breaks and thirty‑minute recreational periods, including a DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) session that encourages a love of reading and outdoor fresh‑air time. The campus comprises a single‑storey building originally constructed in a quadrangular layout, expanded in 2004 and again in 2015 to deliver 26 bright, spacious mainstream classrooms, each equipped with its own toilet, tiled art area and drinking water supply. Specialist provision includes eight SEN rooms, a purpose‑built hall for physical education, mass and extracurricular activities, a sensory room and corridor, and a fully equipped kitchen that supports cooking experiences and community events. Technology is integrated throughout, with interactive touch‑screens in every classroom, school‑wide iPad use, and laptops for senior classes, ensuring pupils develop digital literacy alongside traditional academic skills.
History
The earliest recorded school in Malahide dates to 1704. In 1831 Father Carey of Swords opened a school in a derelict mill at Barrack Bridge, which closed in 1841; he re‑established a school behind St Sylvester’s Church in 1846. Malahide Girls School opened in 1863 on Yellow Walls Road, a name derived from historic vegetable‑dyed woollen fabrics. The infant and girls schools operated separately but under one roof, with a new infant school built in 1956 and renamed St Sylvester’s Infant School. In 1959 the girls’ school became St Sylvester’s Girls National School and turned co‑educational in 1976. The school moved to its present site in September 1980, occupying a brand‑new 16‑classroom building and was renamed Pope John Paul II School to commemorate the papal visit of September 1979. Extensions added in 2004 and 2015 increased the capacity to 26 mainstream classrooms, providing modern facilities for the school community.
Applying to John Paul Ii 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 John Paul Ii 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 John Paul Ii 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 John Paul Ii National School
How many pupils attend John Paul Ii National School?
John Paul Ii National School has 663 pupils enrolled, 320 girls and 343 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is John Paul Ii National School a DEIS school?
No. John Paul Ii 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 John Paul Ii National School?
John Paul Ii National School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.