St Louis High School
Rathmines, Dublin
Key facts
- Girls
- Pupils enrolled
- 690 larger than the median Irish post-primary school (585 pupils)
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects taught through Irish
- Roll number
- 60890C the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
St Louis High School is a post‑primary Catholic girls’ school in Rathmines, Dublin, offering education from First Year through to the Leaving Certificate. The school describes itself as a dynamic learning community that nurtures creativity, embraces diversity and promotes inclusive values. Academic provision spans the Junior Cycle, Transition Year and Senior Cycle, with a strong emphasis on STEM subjects, extracurricular clubs such as camogie and a dedicated SRC for Education for Sustainable Development. Partnerships with Dublin City University enhance digital literacy and online safety, while the FUSE programme and UNESCO Whole‑Education Approach underpin a proactive stance on bullying prevention and student wellbeing. The campus combines historic and modern facilities. Original convent buildings have been expanded over the decades to include a concert‑hall wing, a gymnasium, multiple classrooms and a purpose‑built chapel. Recent developments provide specialist spaces for science, technology and the arts, supporting a broad curriculum and extracurricular programme. As a member of the Le Cheile Trust, the school upholds a Catholic ethos rooted in the tradition of the Sisters of St Louis, fostering spiritual, moral and emotional development alongside academic achievement.
History
St Louis High School originated as St Louis Convent School, founded by the Sisters of St Louis on 1 September 1913 in Charleville, the former residence of Sir John Grey, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. The school expanded in 1929 with the acquisition of 8 Grosvenor Road and in 1942 added 7 Grosvenor Road. A concert‑hall wing and twelve classrooms were added in 1950, followed by a gymnasium, six new classrooms and a new convent chapel in 1965‑66. The introduction of the Free Education Scheme in 1967 prompted rapid growth, leading to the construction of a new school building opened in 1982. A Board of Management was established in 1987, creating a partnership among trustees, staff, parents and students. The school celebrated its centenary in the 2013‑14 academic year. It now operates within the Le Cheile Trust, a collaborative network of Catholic congregations.
Applying to St Louis High 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 post-primary school dates apply broadly to St Louis High 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: Mon 15 Feb – Fri 19 Feb 2027 (primary schools: Thu 18 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 Louis High School
How many pupils attend St Louis High School?
St Louis High School has 690 pupils enrolled. That makes it larger than the median Irish post-primary school, which has 585 pupils.
Is St Louis High School a DEIS school?
No. St Louis High 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 Louis High School?
St Louis High School has a Catholic ethos. It is a girls' post-primary school.