Our Lady Good Counsel Girls National School
Johnstown, Dublin
Key facts
- Girls
- Pupils enrolled
- 398 larger than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 385 girls, 13 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 19321B the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Our Lady of Good Counsel Girls National School is a Catholic primary school situated in Johnstown, offering education to girls from Junior Infants to Sixth Class. The school operates a two‑class per level structure, providing a balanced pupil‑to‑teacher ratio and fostering a close‑knit learning community. In addition to its mainstream provision, the school runs three specialist classes for children with autism, housed in a purpose‑built facility known as “The Meadow”, which includes pre‑school, junior and senior settings. The school’s educational philosophy centres on a whole‑school approach to learning through play, guided by the Aistear framework and the new Primary Curriculum Framework. This model aims to develop confidence, wellbeing, language, literacy and numeracy by encouraging curiosity and active involvement. A strong emphasis is placed on the wellbeing of every pupil, with a caring, happy and secure atmosphere that respects cultural backgrounds and individual strengths. The school works collaboratively with parents, the Parents Association, and its partner boys’ school to ensure a supportive environment that nurtures each child’s full potential.
History
The school opened its doors in September 1967 and has since grown to include a range of mainstream and specialist provisions, reflecting its commitment to equality, diversity and the Catholic ethos under the patronage of the Archbishop of Dublin and the Department of Education and Skills.
Applying to Our Lady Good Counsel Girls 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 Our Lady Good Counsel Girls 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 Our Lady Good Counsel Girls National School
How many pupils attend Our Lady Good Counsel Girls National School?
Our Lady Good Counsel Girls National School has 398 pupils enrolled, 385 girls and 13 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Our Lady Good Counsel Girls National School a DEIS school?
No. Our Lady Good Counsel Girls 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 Our Lady Good Counsel Girls National School?
Our Lady Good Counsel Girls National School has a Catholic ethos. It is a girls' primary school.