John Scottus Secondary School
Dublin
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 211 smaller than the median Irish post-primary school (585 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 97 girls, 114 boys
- Ethos
- Inter Denominational
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects taught through Irish
- Roll number
- 68071G the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
John Scottus Secondary School is an independent, co-educational day school on Ferndale Road in Dublin, enrolling 211 students. The school is inter-denominational and welcomes pupils of all faiths and none. Its ethos draws on the philosophical traditions of Plato, Christianity and Advaita Vedanta, with regular practice of meditation and mindfulness. The curriculum follows the standard secondary school programme with a strong emphasis on Philosophy, Classics and Speech. The school uses the Socratic method of discussion and holds weekly philosophy classes exploring concepts such as truth, courage and justice. The motto is 'Laetus Impraesens', meaning 'Delight in the Present'. The school is part of the John Scottus Educational Trust, which also runs schools in London, Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Johannesburg and Trinidad. The secondary school is funded in part by the Department of Education and Science and through fees.
Applying to John Scottus Secondary 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 post-primary school dates apply broadly to John Scottus Secondary 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: 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 John Scottus Secondary School
How many pupils attend John Scottus Secondary School?
John Scottus Secondary School has 211 pupils enrolled, 97 girls and 114 boys. That makes it smaller than the median Irish post-primary school, which has 585 pupils.
Is John Scottus Secondary School a DEIS school?
No. John Scottus Secondary 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 Scottus Secondary School?
John Scottus Secondary School has an Inter Denominational ethos. It is a mixed post-primary school.