Scoil Náisiúnta Padraig Naofa
Whitechurch, Cork
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 324 larger than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 152 girls, 172 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 17667E the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
St. Pádraig Naofa is a vertical, co‑educational primary school operating under the patronage of the Catholic Bishop of Cloyne. The school embraces the Irish motto *Ar scáth a chéile a mhairimid* (“In the shelter of each other we live”), reflecting a community‑focused ethos that underpins its teaching and pastoral care. With an enrolment of 332 pupils, the school provides a supportive environment where children from different year groups share learning spaces, fostering peer mentorship and collaborative learning. The current school building, completed in 2012, offers modern classrooms and facilities designed to meet contemporary educational standards. The school’s infrastructure supports a broad curriculum, integrating both academic and holistic development, and it benefits from dedicated spaces such as a sensory garden that enhance experiential learning for younger children. As a Catholic national school, St. Pádraig Naofa places emphasis on spiritual development alongside academic achievement, encouraging students to grow in knowledge, character and social responsibility.
Applying to Scoil Náisiúnta Padraig Naofa
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 Scoil Náisiúnta Padraig Naofa's own calendar (2026/2027 school year)
Irish schools follow a standardised school year, so these nationwide primary school dates apply broadly to Scoil Náisiúnta Padraig Naofa. 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 Scoil Náisiúnta Padraig Naofa
How many pupils attend Scoil Náisiúnta Padraig Naofa?
Scoil Náisiúnta Padraig Naofa has 324 pupils enrolled, 152 girls and 172 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Scoil Náisiúnta Padraig Naofa a DEIS school?
No. Scoil Náisiúnta Padraig Naofa 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 Scoil Náisiúnta Padraig Naofa?
Scoil Náisiúnta Padraig Naofa has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.