St. Felims National School The Vale
Bailieborough, Cavan
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 187 larger than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 92 girls, 95 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 18564W the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
St Felim’s National School (The Vale) is a co‑educational primary school situated in the townland of Leiter, about two miles from Bailieborough in County Cavan. The school serves a community of roughly 208 pupils and provides a broad curriculum underpinned by a Catholic ethos that recognises the family as the child’s primary educator. Emphasis is placed on the holistic development of each learner – intellectual, moral, physical, social, cultural and spiritual – with particular attention to supporting disadvantaged pupils and those from diverse backgrounds. The campus has been expanded repeatedly to meet growing enrolment. Current facilities include seven mainstream classrooms, two dedicated support‑teaching rooms, a large multipurpose hall (converted from a former classroom in 2011), a traditional halla mór assembly space, a tarmac basketball court, an upgraded disabled toilet, and an extended playground. Recent extensions have added a principal’s office, a secretary’s office and modernised staff amenities. The school’s vision focuses on nurturing confident, respectful citizens who enjoy learning, value their heritage and are prepared for further education and future vocational roles.
History
The original school building was erected in 1961 following the closure of two local schools, featuring a three‑classroom design typical of the era, play‑shelters and a water‑tower. In 1967, after the amalgamation with Drumanespic N.S., a prefabricated classroom was added. An extensive building programme in 1982‑83 introduced a large classroom, the halla mór assembly room, new toilets, a kitchen and a tarmac basketball court. Further growth saw an extra classroom in 2008, which was converted into a large hall in 2011; the original halla mór was split into two classrooms, toilets were upgraded and the whole building was repainted. A major 2014 extension added two classrooms, a principal’s office, a disabled toilet, a corridor and a learning‑support room. By 2016 the school comprised seven mainstream classrooms, two support rooms, upgraded facilities and an application for additional expansion was submitted to the Department of Education.
Applying to St. Felims National School The Vale
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. Felims National School The Vale. 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. Felims National School The Vale
How many pupils attend St. Felims National School The Vale?
St. Felims National School The Vale has 187 pupils enrolled, 92 girls and 95 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is St. Felims National School The Vale a DEIS school?
No. St. Felims National School The Vale 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. Felims National School The Vale?
St. Felims National School The Vale has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.