Loreto Community School
Donegal
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 810 larger than the median Irish post-primary school (585 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 455 girls, 355 boys
- Ethos
- Inter Denominational
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects taught through Irish
- Roll number
- 91500J the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Loreto Community School is a co-educational secondary school in Milford, County Donegal. Enrolment is approximately 810 students. The school operates under the joint trusteeship of the Loreto Sisters, Donegal ETB, and the Bishop of Raphoe. The curriculum includes the Junior Cycle, the established Leaving Certificate, the Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA), the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP), and Transition Year. Junior cycle students take nine subjects, including English, Irish, Mathematics, History, Geography, Science, French or Spanish, and two option subjects. Optional subjects include Art, Craft & Design, Woodwork, Technical Graphics, Home Economics, Business Studies, Music, Technology, and Metalwork. Senior cycle options include the established Leaving Certificate, LCVP, LCA, and Transition Year. The school provides career guidance, special education support, and religious education. Extra-curricular activities are available across a range of areas. Student voice is supported through a students' council, prefects, and a green voice group.
History
The school was established in 1966 as Loreto College by the Loreto Sisters. It was initially girls-only, becoming mixed the following year, and was also a boarding school for girls. The introduction of free secondary education in the late 1960s increased student numbers. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, facilities such as a PE hall and football pitches were added. The Sisters left in 1994. In 1996, the school became a community school when the Department of Education and Skills purchased the school and grounds from the Loreto Sisters. Construction of a new school building began in 2004, and students and staff moved in during 2006. In 2019, the Department approved a large-scale extension including 11 new classrooms, two science labs, an art room, and two special education teaching rooms.
Applying to Loreto 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
Irish schools follow a standardised school year, so these nationwide post-primary school dates apply broadly to Loreto Community 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 Loreto Community School
How many pupils attend Loreto Community School?
Loreto Community School has 810 pupils enrolled, 455 girls and 355 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish post-primary school, which has 585 pupils.
Is Loreto Community School a DEIS school?
No. Loreto 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 Loreto Community School?
Loreto Community School has an Inter Denominational ethos. It is a mixed post-primary school.