Scoil Ursula National School
Sligo
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 439 larger than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 216 girls, 223 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 18979F the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Strandhill Road in Sligo is where Scoil Ursula stands, a co-educational Catholic primary school with 439 pupils. Established in 1966, it continues in the Ursuline tradition of education. Classes run from Junior Infants to 6th Class, and a combined Junior Infants and First Class grouping operates alongside the single-year classes. It is counted among the largest primary schools in the town, and its 60th year of operation has been marked. A school lottery raises money towards the development of a new astro facility for pupils. The school states its aim as inclusive learning of a high standard, with weight given to a safe environment for children.
History
Scoil Ursula opened in 1966, formed by the amalgamation of two existing schools, St. Anne's and St. Vincent's, the latter previously known as Nazareth. Both had stood on the grounds of the Ursuline Convent at Finskiln. The move to the present site on the Strandhill Road followed encouragement from Bishop Hanly, who pressed the Ursuline Sisters to build where the population was going to be. Six decades on, the school remains associated with the Ursuline approach to education and with generations of local families.
Applying to Scoil Ursula 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
View Scoil Ursula National School's own calendar (2026/2027 school year)
Irish schools follow a standardised school year, so these nationwide primary school dates apply broadly to Scoil Ursula National 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 Scoil Ursula National School
How many pupils attend Scoil Ursula National School?
Scoil Ursula National School has 439 pupils enrolled, 216 girls and 223 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Scoil Ursula National School a DEIS school?
No. Scoil Ursula 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 Scoil Ursula National School?
Scoil Ursula National School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.