St Josephs for Blind National School
VISUALLY IMPAIRED BOYS, Dublin
Key facts
- Special school
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 48 smaller than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 21 girls, 27 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 18417J the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
St. Joseph’s Primary School for Children with Visual Impairment is a Special National School that provides a broad, balanced and appropriately challenging curriculum for pupils who are blind or have a significant visual impairment. The school’s ethos is Catholic yet inclusive, welcoming families of any faith or none, and it places the child’s ability at the centre of learning rather than the disability. Small class sizes and a specialised environment enable personalised teaching, while additional curriculum opportunities such as touch‑typing, computer skills, individual and group music lessons, orientation and mobility training, tactile art, pottery and swimming are delivered by staff funded by the City of Dublin Education and Training Board, which also funds a part‑time music therapist. The school is situated beside ChildVision on Gracepark Road, Drumcondra, and works closely with the range of therapeutic services offered there, including occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, nursing support, low‑vision clinics and orientation‑and‑mobility training. Pupils benefit from shared facilities such as a sensory garden, pet farm and library, enhancing sensory development and social interaction. All children are day pupils, travelling to and from school by bus from across Dublin and surrounding counties.
History
In 1955 the Rosminian Fathers joined the Carmelite Brothers on the Gracepark Road campus in Drumcondra and began delivering training workshops for men who were blind. St Joseph’s School for Blind Boys was subsequently opened by the Department of Education in 1960 as a special national school under the patronage of the Archbishop of Dublin.
Applying to St Josephs for Blind 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
Irish schools follow a standardised school year, so these nationwide primary school dates apply broadly to St Josephs for Blind National 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 Josephs for Blind National School
How many pupils attend St Josephs for Blind National School?
St Josephs for Blind National School has 48 pupils enrolled, 21 girls and 27 boys. That makes it smaller than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is St Josephs for Blind National School a DEIS school?
No. St Josephs for Blind 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 St Josephs for Blind National School?
St Josephs for Blind National School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.