St John's Ballisodare
Sligo
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 226 larger than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 114 girls, 112 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 17838F the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
St John’s National School is a co‑educational primary school located in the heart of Ballisodare, County Sligo. The school promotes a happy, inclusive and caring learning environment where every child is encouraged to reach their full potential. Its ethos centres on inspiration, motivation and encouragement, with a curriculum that balances academic development, physical activity and personal wellbeing. The school’s enthusiastic staff work collaboratively to deliver a varied programme that includes active‑schools challenges, green‑school initiatives and multicultural celebrations, fostering a sense of community and belonging. The campus has evolved considerably since its opening in 1954. Modern facilities now comprise a range of permanent classrooms, a purpose‑built room, a learning‑support room, a staffroom and two additional support rooms added in recent extensions. Refurbishments have provided a new roof and upgraded amenities, while the school currently employs 14 teachers, three special‑needs assistants, a secretary and a cleaner, ensuring robust support for both mainstream and additional learning needs. These resources enable St John’s to offer a well‑rounded primary education that prepares pupils for the next stage of their academic journey.
History
St John’s National School was completed in 1954 on a site donated by the Polloxfen family, replacing separate boys’ and girls’ schools that had stood opposite Carty’s yard. The original building housed three classrooms, separate toilets and cloakrooms for boys and girls, and a staff toilet. Over the decades the school expanded: prefabricated classrooms were added in the 1970s and replaced by permanent rooms in 1995; two new classrooms and a purpose room were built in 1998 alongside a full refurbishment of the original structure; an extension with one classroom and two support rooms was completed in 2007; further extensions in 2011 and 2013 added additional classrooms to accommodate growing enrolments. Today the school employs 14 teachers, three special‑needs assistants, a secretary and a cleaner.
Applying to St John's Ballisodare
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 St John's Ballisodare's own calendar (2026/2027 school year)
Irish schools follow a standardised school year, so these nationwide primary school dates apply broadly to St John's Ballisodare. 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 St John's Ballisodare
How many pupils attend St John's Ballisodare?
St John's Ballisodare has 226 pupils enrolled, 114 girls and 112 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is St John's Ballisodare a DEIS school?
No. St John's Ballisodare 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 John's Ballisodare?
St John's Ballisodare has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.