Rochestown Community Special School
Garryduff, Cork
Key facts
- Special school
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 66 smaller than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 12 girls, 54 boys
- Ethos
- Multi Denominational
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 20565N the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Rochestown Community Special School (RCSS) is a state‑funded, co‑educational special school operating under the Cork Education and Training Board. It caters for children and young people aged four to eighteen who have autism or complex learning needs that require the specialised support of a special school setting. The school delivers the national curriculum for Special Schools, adapting programmes and employing a range of teaching methodologies to maximise each learner’s potential. Core values such as excellence, community, care, equality and respect underpin all aspects of provision, ensuring a respectful, positive and inclusive learning environment. The ethos at RCSS centres on belonging and partnership. Every member of the school community is encouraged to feel ownership of the school, with strong emphasis placed on respectful relationships, dignity and safety. Parental involvement is regarded as essential; the school works closely with families and other care professionals to create seamless support networks. Facilities are designed to meet the sensory and accessibility requirements of students, providing specialised classrooms, therapeutic spaces and outdoor areas that promote wellbeing and holistic development.
Applying to Rochestown Community Special 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 Rochestown Community Special 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 Rochestown Community Special School
How many pupils attend Rochestown Community Special School?
Rochestown Community Special School has 66 pupils enrolled, 12 girls and 54 boys. That makes it smaller than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Rochestown Community Special School a DEIS school?
No. Rochestown Community Special 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 Rochestown Community Special School?
Rochestown Community Special School has a Multi Denominational ethos. It is a mixed primary school.