The Kolbe Special School
Portlaoise, Laois
Key facts
- Special school
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 49 smaller than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 14 girls, 35 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 20100P the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
The Kolbe Special School is a primary school on the Block Road in Portlaoise, Co. Laois. It caters for children aged 4 to 18 who are on the severe to profound learning disability spectrum and/or have autism. Enrolment currently stands at 49 pupils. A psychological assessment must be provided before a child can be enrolled, and the school requires that children fall within the severe to profound learning disability category. In some cases, children with moderate learning disabilities may be admitted for a programme addressing very specific needs, subject to agreement from the SENO, the Board of Management and the Patron Body, with the child's dependency needs also considered. The school operates under a Catholic ethos.
History
The service was established in 1978 by the Laois Association of Parents & Friends of the Mentally Handicapped, initially in Portlaoise Town before moving to Ballyroan, Co Laois. In 1983 it relocated to a purpose-built building on the Block Road, Portlaoise and was named the Kolbe Centre, after Fr Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish priest who died in Auschwitz. Management transferred from the Parents and Friends to the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary Services in 1992. Since 2000, the Department of Education and Science has been responsible for the education of children with severe or profound intellectual disabilities aged five to eighteen within the centre, which then became known as Kolbe Special School.
Applying to The Kolbe Special 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 The Kolbe Special 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 The Kolbe Special School
How many pupils attend The Kolbe Special School?
The Kolbe Special School has 49 pupils enrolled, 14 girls and 35 boys. That makes it smaller than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is The Kolbe Special School a DEIS school?
No. The Kolbe Special 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 The Kolbe Special School?
The Kolbe Special School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.