St Catherines Special School
Newcastle, Wicklow
Key facts
- Special school
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 89 smaller than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 26 girls, 63 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 19522L the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
About
St Catherine's Special School is a Catholic primary school in Newcastle, Co. Wicklow, with mixed enrolment of 89 pupils. It provides specialist education for students aged 4 to 18 years who have moderate, severe or profound learning abilities, many of whom have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and complex needs. The school offers the Primary curriculum, Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle programmes. Personalised learning programmes are designed in partnership with families to support academic growth and life skills development. The curriculum at Junior Cycle level follows NCCA Level 1 Learning Programmes (L1LP), which are tailored to individual student needs. The school community works alongside clinical professionals, nursing staff and community members. Staff include a teaching team that supports communication, independence, social skills and life skills development. The school participates in initiatives including Curious Minds, Green Schools and Creative Schools. A student council gives pupils a voice in school life. The school aims to provide a safe, supportive environment where each student is challenged and encouraged to achieve their potential.
Applying to St Catherines 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 St Catherines 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 St Catherines Special School
How many pupils attend St Catherines Special School?
St Catherines Special School has 89 pupils enrolled, 26 girls and 63 boys. That makes it smaller than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is St Catherines Special School a DEIS school?
No. St Catherines 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 St Catherines Special School?
St Catherines Special School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.