St Pauls Junior National School
Ard na Gréine, Dublin
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 206 larger than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 102 girls, 104 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 19471U the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Ayrfield in Dublin 13 is the setting for St Paul's J.N.S., a Catholic co-educational primary school taking children from Junior Infants through to Second Class. Enrolment stands at 206 pupils, taught in classes spread across numbered rooms, and pupils move on to the senior school that shares the campus. Green space to the rear of the building is used for games and sport, and the school holds both Green-Schools and Active School Flag status. Environmental work runs through the school year by way of an elected Green Team drawn from first and second classes, a costume swap, herb growing, bug hotels and energy-saving actions. Physical education covers running, dance, games, athletics, gymnastics and outdoor activities, with GAA taught in blocks and a tarmac walkway around the pitch used for laps. Water safety is taught through the Land PAWS programme, and pupils take part in hands-on science and maths work. Most pupils come from the parish of Ayrfield, with others from surrounding parishes. The school states that it aims to provide a secure and friendly learning environment.
History
Established in 1974, the school began in a temporary building on the grounds of St. Paul's Church in Ayrfield. It moved to a permanent building on Clonrosse Drive in 1976 and has stayed on that site since. The senior school, St. Paul's SNS, joined it on the same campus in 1978 once construction finished. Numbers peaked during the 1980s, when almost 600 pupils were on the rolls and prefabs were used to house them. Enrolment later settled as the surrounding area matured. The first principal worked alongside the parish clergy in setting the school up, and a successor appointed in 1980 led it for 24 years, a period in which the teaching staff grew to 22.
Applying to St Pauls Junior 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 Pauls Junior 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 Pauls Junior National School
How many pupils attend St Pauls Junior National School?
St Pauls Junior National School has 206 pupils enrolled, 102 girls and 104 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is St Pauls Junior National School a DEIS school?
No. St Pauls Junior 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 Pauls Junior National School?
St Pauls Junior National School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.