North Kildare Educate Together School
Celbridge, Kildare
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 432 larger than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 232 girls, 200 boys
- Ethos
- Multi Denominational
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 19995I the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
North Kildare Educate Together National School (NKETNS) is a vibrant, child‑centred primary school situated in the heart of Celbridge, County Kildare. The school follows the Educate Together ethos, offering a co‑educational, equality‑based and democratically run environment where every child is welcomed regardless of socio‑economic, cultural or religious background. Learning is delivered through the “Learn Together” programme, which integrates Ethical Education with the Social, Personal and Health Education curriculum, encouraging curiosity, confidence and kindness while fostering respect for diverse belief systems and the natural world. The campus includes modern facilities such as digitally equipped classrooms with projectors and interactive whiteboards, a dedicated unit for children with autism, and extensive outdoor spaces that support a strong athletics tradition linked to the nearby Celbridge Athletics Club. Since expanding to a two‑stream model in 2022, the school now accommodates around 435 pupils and 45 staff members, providing a supportive community that promotes democratic participation, active parental involvement and a broad range of extracurricular activities.
History
The North Kildare National School Project was founded in 1990 by local advocates of multi‑denominational education and opened its doors in September 1994 at Ballymakealy Lower, Celbridge. Permanent recognition was granted by the Department of Education in 1995. After securing a new site and funding in 1998‑1999, the school moved to its present premises in June 2003, which includes a specialised unit for children with autism. Outreach classes for autism began in the 2006/2007 school year, and a major IT upgrade equipped each classroom with digital projectors and interactive whiteboards in 2010. A second stream was introduced in 2014, and the school became fully two‑stream in September 2022, now serving 435 pupils. The school celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2024.
Applying to North Kildare Educate Together 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 North Kildare Educate Together School's own calendar (2026/2027 school year)
Irish schools follow a standardised school year, so these nationwide primary school dates apply broadly to North Kildare Educate Together 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 North Kildare Educate Together School
How many pupils attend North Kildare Educate Together School?
North Kildare Educate Together School has 432 pupils enrolled, 232 girls and 200 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is North Kildare Educate Together School a DEIS school?
No. North Kildare Educate Together 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 North Kildare Educate Together School?
North Kildare Educate Together School has a Multi Denominational ethos. It is a mixed primary school.