Photo: William Murphy · CC BY-SA 2.09 of the secondary schools in and around Blackrock charge fees
Girls and boys are taught apart at 70% of the post-primaries around Blackrock, above both Co. Dublin’s towns (40%) and Irish towns (39%). 16 of its 23 secondary schools take only boys or only girls. Ireland publishes no school results, and the Education Act 1998 restricts comparing them, so these schools are described here, never graded or ranked.
Counted from the Department of Education’s 2025/26 lists: every school in the town or within 3 km of it, against every school in Ireland.
What stands out about Blackrock’s schools
Fee-paying secondary schools
Several of the secondary schools within reach charge fees; the others are free. Fee-paying schools are listed with the rest below, each with its own page. Fee-paying: Blackrock College (1,041), St Andrews College (1,011), St Michaels College (731) and Mount Anville Secondary School (726), and 5 more. Every school ↓
Mostly single-sex at secondary
Most secondary schools here take only boys or only girls; the mixed ones are marked on the cards below. Single-sex: Blackrock College (1,041), St Benildus College (949), St Michaels College (731) and Mount Anville Secondary School (726), and 12 more. Every school ↓
A wide choice at twelve
Within 10 km of the town there are 88 post-primary schools to choose from, of different kinds; each sets its own admission policy, and many families apply to several. The nearest: Newpark Comprehensive School (0.8 km), Dominican College (1.1 km) and Oatlands College (1.2 km). Post-primary choices ↓
Few schools in DEIS
Only 7 of the 66 schools here are in DEIS, the programme of extra teachers and money for schools serving disadvantaged areas; across Ireland, 30% of schools are. In DEIS: St Josephs (370), St. Tiernan's Community School (368), Holy Child Community School (275) and St Kevins N.S. (229), and 3 more. Who goes there ↓
Drawn from the Department of Education’s lists; none of it judges how well a school teaches.
The 66 schools in and around Blackrock
Each school in or within 3 km of Blackrock links to a page of its own. Ireland publishes no school-by-school results, which is why these cards have no letters.
Show all 36 primary schools
Where the 66 schools in and around Blackrock are
Each school where the official list places it, shaded by who runs it and sized by pupils; squares are secondary schools, triangles special schools. The dashed shape is Blackrock’s outline; schools within 3 km of it count.
Places from the Department of Education’s school lists (its own coordinates for all but a handful); map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Teaching through Irish in and around Blackrock
Schools by the language they teach in; the black tick is Ireland’s share.
6 of Blackrock’s 66 schools teach every subject through Irish: Scoil Lorcáin, Coláiste Íosagáin and Coláiste Eoin.
Who Blackrock’s schools serve
Shares of the pupils at the area’s schools, beside Co. Dublin’s and Ireland’s, 2025/26
Each bar is the area’s share; the tick marks Ireland’s.
DEIS by stage: pupils at DEIS schools
| Share of pupils | Around Blackrock | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at DEIS schools | 7% | 28% | 27% |
| Pupils at all-Irish schools | 9% | 6% | 6% |
| Girls | 47% | 49% | 49% |
| Post-primary pupils at single-sex schools | 69% | 38% | 29% |
| Post-primary pupils at fee-paying schools | 43% | 18% | 6% |
7% of the pupils around Blackrock are at a DEIS school, fewer than the 27% across Ireland (28% in Co. Dublin). Furthest from Ireland’s mix is the share of post-primary pupils at single-sex schools: 69% here against 29%. The biggest school in DEIS is St Josephs (370 pupils).
Each of the 66 schools
| School | Pupils | Girls | DEIS | All-Irish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carysfort N.S.Primary | 583 | 57% | ||
| Scoil na nAingealPrimary | 410 | 48% | ||
| St Augustines SchoolSpecial | 157 | 42% | ||
| All Saints N.S.Primary | 51 | 41% | ||
| Benincasa Special SchoolSpecial | 35 | 9% | ||
| Booterstown N.S.Primary | 85 | 54% | ||
| Newpark Comprehensive SchoolPost-primary · Comprehensive | 884 | 47% | ||
| Dominican CollegePost-primary · Voluntary secondary | 521 | 100% | ||
| St Brigids N.S.Primary | 100 | 44% | ||
| Scoil LorcáinPrimary | 485 | 50% | ✓ | |
| Blackrock CollegePost-primary · Voluntary secondary | 1,041 | 0% | ||
| Scoil Padraig Naofa BPrimary | 499 | 0% | ||
| St Patricks GNSPrimary | 478 | 100% | ||
| Oatlands CollegePost-primary · Voluntary secondary | 623 | 0% | ||
| Coláiste ÍosagáinPost-primary · Voluntary secondary | 488 | 100% | ✓ | |
| Coláiste EoinPost-primary · Voluntary secondary | 517 | 0% | ✓ | |
| S.N. San TreasaPrimary | 430 | 49% | ||
| Willow Park SchoolPost-primary · Voluntary secondary | 206 | 0% | ||
| St Raphaela's Secondary SchoolPost-primary · Voluntary secondary | 637 | 100% | ||
| Rockford Manor Secondary SchoolPost-primary · Voluntary secondary | 273 | 100% | ||
| St Raphaelas N.S.Primary | 375 | 100% | ||
| Oatlands Primary School, An Edmund Rice SchoolPrimary | 428 | 33% | ||
| Our Lady of Mercy Convent SchoolPrimary | 247 | 100% | ||
| St Andrews CollegePost-primary · Voluntary secondary | 1,011 | 52% | ||
| Loreto College FoxrockPost-primary · Voluntary secondary | 660 | 100% | ||
| S.N. Naomh LorcanPrimary | 390 | 0% | ||
| St Oliver Plunkett Sp ScSpecial | 63 | 40% | ||
| Booterstown BoysPrimary | 189 | 0% | ||
| Dun Laoghaire ETNSPrimary | 177 | 51% | ||
| Red Door Special SchoolSpecial | 29 | 21% | ||
| Kill-O'-The-Grange N.S.Primary | 208 | 53% | ||
| Holy Family SchoolPrimary | 149 | 50% | ✓ | |
| Gaelscoil LaigheanPrimary | 130 | 55% | ✓ | |
| S.N. Cnoc AinbhilPrimary | 434 | 100% | ||
| Christian Brothers CollegePost-primary · Voluntary secondary | 549 | 0% | ||
| St Brigids Boys N.S.Primary | 406 | 0% | ||
| Mount Anville Secondary SchoolPost-primary · Voluntary secondary | 726 | 100% | ||
| St Michaels Hse Spec ScSpecial | 68 | 22% | ||
| St Benildus CollegePost-primary · Voluntary secondary | 949 | 0% | ||
| Monkstown Eucate Together NSPrimary | 415 | 51% | ||
| Our Lady of Lourdes SchoolSpecial | 6 | 50% | ||
| Clochar San DominicPrimary | 184 | 50% | ✓ | |
| Holy Trinity National SchoolPrimary | 586 | 46% | ||
| Stepaside Educate Together Secondary SchoolPost-primary · Voluntary secondary | 741 | 44% | ||
| St Kilian's Deutsche SchulePost-primary · Voluntary secondary | 475 | 43% | ||
| Clonkeen CollegePost-primary · Voluntary secondary | 635 | 0% | ||
| St JosephsPrimary | 370 | 45% | ✓ | |
| ST Olaf's National SchoolPrimary | 591 | 48% | ||
| Goatstown Educate Together Secondary SchoolPost-primary · Voluntary secondary | 366 | 45% | ||
| Our lady's Grove Primary SchoolPrimary | 409 | 52% | ||
| Queen of Angels Primary SchoolPrimary | 224 | 47% | ✓ | |
| Our Lady's Grove Secondary SchoolPost-primary · Voluntary secondary | 295 | 100% | ||
| Islamic National SchoolPrimary | 414 | 50% | ||
| St Brigids Girls N.S.Primary | 499 | 100% | ||
| Gaelscoil Shliabh RuaPrimary | 359 | 52% | ✓ | |
| The Teresian SchoolPost-primary · Voluntary secondary | 230 | 100% | ||
| St Michaels CollegePost-primary · Voluntary secondary | 731 | 0% | ||
| Taney N.S.Primary | 384 | 47% | ||
| Carmona Special National SchoolSpecial | 37 | 35% | ||
| St Kevins N.S.Primary | 229 | 41% | ✓ | |
| Stepaside Educate Together National SchoolPrimary | 542 | 48% | ||
| Gaelscoil Thaobh na CoillePrimary | 402 | 52% | ✓ | |
| Holy Child Community SchoolPost-primary · Community school | 275 | 44% | ✓ | |
| Holy Cross N.S.Primary | 260 | 44% | ||
| Sallynoggin Educate Together National SchoolPrimary | 46 | 33% | ||
| St. Tiernan's Community SchoolPost-primary · Community school | 368 | 42% | ✓ |
Department of Education school lists 2025/26 (preliminary): enrolments by sex and the DEIS list. Shares are of pupils, not of schools; a county’s are the schools listed with its towns.
Who runs Blackrock’s schools
Each school’s ethos, 2025/26: the bars show the share of schools of each kind.
45 of Blackrock’s 66 schools have a Catholic ethos, against 80% across Ireland. The patrons with most schools here: Archbishop of Dublin (26), Archbishop of Dublin & Bishop of Glendalough COI (5) and Edmund Rice Schools Trust (5). 7 of the 66 are in DEIS, the extra support for schools in disadvantaged areas (30% across Ireland).
Department of Education school lists: ethos 2025/26, patron 2024/25 (the 2025/26 lists don’t give it). DEIS list 2025/26.
The 23 patrons of Blackrock’s schools
The patron owns the school and sets its ethos; a board of management runs it day to day.
Archbishop of Dublin is patron of 26 of the 66 schools around Blackrock, which teach 35% of their pupils; 23 patrons run them in all. The local Education and Training Board runs 3. Educate Together runs 6.
| Patron | Ethos | Schools | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archbishop of DublinST Olaf's, Holy Trinity, Carysfort, Scoil Padraig Naofa B, St Brigids Girls, Scoil Lorcáin, St Patricks GNS, S.N. Cnoc Ainbhil, S.N. San Treasa, Oatlands Primary School, An Edmund Rice School, Scoil na nAingeal, Our lady's Grove Primary School, St Brigids Boys, S.N. Naomh Lorcan, St Raphaelas, St Josephs, Holy Cross, Our Lady of Mercy Convent School, St Kevins, Queen of Angels Primary School, Booterstown Boys, Clochar San Dominic, St Augustines School, Holy Family School, St Oliver Plunkett Sp Sc, Benincasa Special School | Catholic | 26 | 9,110 |
| Edmund Rice Schools TrustClonkeen College, Oatlands College, Christian Brothers College, Coláiste Eoin, Coláiste Íosagáin | Catholic | 5 | 2,812 |
| Educate TogetherStepaside Educate Together, Stepaside Educate Together, Goatstown Educate Together, Dun Laoghaire ETNS, Sallynoggin Educate Together | Multi-denominational | 5 | 1,872 |
| Archbishop of Dublin & Bishop of Glendalough COITaney, Kill-O'-The-Grange, St Brigids, Booterstown, All Saints | Church of Ireland | 5 | 828 |
| The Spiritan Education TrustBlackrock College, St Michaels College, Willow Park School | Catholic | 3 | 1,978 |
| Le Chéile Schools TrustSt Benildus College, Dominican College, Our Lady's Grove | Catholic | 3 | 1,765 |
| An Foras PátrúnachtaGaelscoil Thaobh na Coille, Gaelscoil Shliabh Rua, Gaelscoil Laighean | Catholic, Multi-denominational | 3 | 891 |
| Board of Governors of St Andrew's CollegeSt Andrews College | Presbyterian | 1 | 1,011 |
| Minister for EducationNewpark Comprehensive School | Church of Ireland | 1 | 884 |
| Mount Anville Sacred Heart Education TrustMount Anville | Catholic | 1 | 726 |
| Loreto Education TrustLoreto College Foxrock | Catholic | 1 | 660 |
| Handmaids of the Sacred HeartSt Raphaela's | Catholic | 1 | 637 |
| Der Deutsche SchulvereinSt Kilian's Deutsche Schule | Inter-denominational | 1 | 475 |
| The Dalkey School Project & Educate TogetherMonkstown Eucate Together NS | Multi-denominational | 1 | 415 |
| Islamic Foundation of IrelandIslamic | Muslim | 1 | 414 |
| Dublin & Dún Laoghaire ETB & Carmelite Order (Irish Province)St. Tiernan's | Inter-denominational | 1 | 368 |
| Dublin & Dún Laoghaire ETB & Society of the Holy Child JesusHoly Child | Inter-denominational | 1 | 275 |
| CEISTRockford Manor | Catholic | 1 | 273 |
| Teresian Association IrelandThe Teresian School | Catholic | 1 | 230 |
| St Michael's HouseSt Michaels Hse Spec Sc | Catholic | 1 | 68 |
| Archbishop of Dublin & St John of God Hospitaller OrderCarmona Special | Catholic | 1 | 37 |
| Irish Autism ActionRed Door Special School | Other | 1 | 29 |
| Dublin & Dún Laoghaire ETBOur Lady of Lourdes School | Multi-denominational | 1 | 6 |
Department of Education school lists: patron 2024/25, ethos 2025/26.
How children get a place in Blackrock
Starting primary school
Children can start primary school once they are four, and must be in school by six. Families apply to each school directly. Every school publishes an admission policy and a yearly admission notice; a school with more applicants than places admits on the criteria in its policy. Since the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, a Catholic or other majority-faith primary school can’t put baptised children first; a school of a minority faith still can, to keep its ethos.
Moving to secondary school
Children move to post-primary school at about twelve, after sixth class. Again, families apply to each school, usually a year or more ahead, and an oversubscribed school admits on its published criteria, often brothers and sisters and its feeder primary schools. The 9 fee-paying schools here set their own fees and admissions.
Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018; each school’s admission policy and notice are on its own website.
Which schools are growing
20 schools here have grown by 5% or more since 2019/20, 20 have shrunk by as much, out of 56; across Ireland: +5%.
All 56 schools
Department of Education enrolments at 30 September, 2019/20 and 2025/26 (preliminary). No capacity is published, so how full a school is can’t be shown.
Inspection reports for Blackrock’s schools
Reports from the Department of Education’s Inspectorate, every school’s linked and none rated
Each school is visited by inspectors from time to time, for a whole-school evaluation of teaching, learning and leadership, for one subject, or to follow up earlier advice, and every report is posted on gov.ie with the school’s response.
The reports describe what inspectors saw and what each school should do next. They give no overall grade, so none is shown here; the 66 schools below each link their own.
Department of Education Inspectorate reports on gov.ie, found by each school’s roll number.
Post-primary schools within reach of Blackrock
All post-primaries within 10 km; at about twelve, families choose and apply school by school
Within 10 km of Blackrock there are 88 post-primary schools: 74 voluntary secondary schools, 6 community schools, 6 ETB schools and 2 comprehensive schools. 43 teach girls and boys apart: 24 girls’ and 19 boys’ schools. Fees are charged at 30 of them. Every subject is taught through Irish at 3 of them.
| School | Takes | Also | Pupils | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newpark Comprehensive SchoolComprehensive · Church of Ireland | Girls and boys | – | 884 | 0.8 km |
| Dominican CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 521 | 1.1 km |
| Oatlands CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 623 | 1.2 km |
| Blackrock CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying, Boarding | 1,041 | 1.4 km |
| Rockford Manor Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 273 | 1.5 km |
| Willow Park SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying, Boarding | 206 | 1.7 km |
| St Raphaela's Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 637 | 1.7 km |
| Coláiste ÍosagáinVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Gaelcholáiste | 488 | 1.8 km |
| Coláiste EoinVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Gaelcholáiste | 517 | 1.8 km |
| St Andrews CollegeVoluntary secondary · Presbyterian | Girls and boys | Fee-paying | 1,011 | 1.9 km |
| Loreto College FoxrockVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 660 | 2.2 km |
| Christian Brothers CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 549 | 2.4 km |
All 88 post-primary schools within reach
| School | Takes | Also | Pupils | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Anville Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 726 | 2.6 km |
| St Benildus CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 949 | 2.6 km |
| Clonkeen CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 635 | 3 km |
| Goatstown Educate Together Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 366 | 3.3 km |
| St Kilian's Deutsche SchuleVoluntary secondary · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | Fee-paying | 475 | 3.3 km |
| Stepaside Educate Together Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 741 | 3.5 km |
| Our Lady's Grove Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 295 | 3.5 km |
| Holy Child Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 275 | 3.6 km |
| St Michaels CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 731 | 3.8 km |
| St. Tiernan's Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 368 | 3.9 km |
| The Teresian SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 230 | 3.9 km |
| Rathdown SchoolVoluntary secondary · Church of Ireland | Girls and boys | Fee-paying, Boarding | 364 | 4 km |
| Cabinteely Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 512 | 4.2 km |
| Wesley CollegeVoluntary secondary · Methodist | Girls and boys | Fee-paying, Boarding | 942 | 4.3 km |
| St Joseph Of Cluny Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | Fee-paying | 270 | 4.7 km |
| Rosemont SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 307 | 4.7 km |
| Alexandra CollegeVoluntary secondary · Church of Ireland | Girls | Fee-paying, Boarding | 664 | 4.9 km |
| Sandymount Park Educate Together Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 437 | 4.9 km |
| Muckross Park CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 709 | 5.1 km |
| Gonzaga CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 576 | 5.2 km |
| Ballinteer Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 415 | 5.3 km |
| De La Salle CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | – | 463 | 5.4 km |
| Marian CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 319 | 5.4 km |
| St Laurence CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 302 | 5.5 km |
| St Conleths CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | Fee-paying | 339 | 5.5 km |
| Blackrock Educate Together Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 236 | 5.5 km |
| Sandford Park School LtdVoluntary secondary · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | Fee-paying | 437 | 5.5 km |
| Loreto Abbey Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 757 | 5.7 km |
| The High SchoolVoluntary secondary · Church of Ireland | Girls and boys | Fee-paying | 811 | 6.1 km |
| Holy Child KillineyVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 382 | 6.3 km |
| Stratford CollegeVoluntary secondary · Jewish | Girls and boys | Fee-paying | 189 | 6.3 km |
| St Columba's CollegeVoluntary secondary · Church of Ireland | Girls and boys | Fee-paying, Boarding | 357 | 6.3 km |
| Ringsend CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 191 | 6.3 km |
| Gaelcholáiste an PhiarsaighVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste | 296 | 6.4 km |
| St Louis High SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 690 | 6.6 km |
| Loreto High SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 625 | 6.6 km |
| St. Mary's College C.S.Sp., RathminesVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 500 | 6.8 km |
| Catholic University SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 544 | 6.8 km |
| Loreto CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 588 | 6.9 km |
| C.B.S. Westland RowVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 205 | 7.1 km |
| Harolds Cross Educate Together Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 437 | 7.2 km |
| Presentation Community CollegeETB · Catholic | Girls and boys | – | 443 | 7.2 km |
| Christian Brothers, Synge St.Voluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | DEIS | 256 | 7.3 km |
| Our Ladys SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 799 | 7.5 km |
| Holy Faith Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 647 | 7.6 km |
| Terenure CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 800 | 7.7 km |
| Coláiste ÉannaVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 618 | 7.7 km |
| St Patricks Cathedral Grammar SchoolVoluntary secondary · Church of Ireland | Girls and boys | – | 302 | 7.8 km |
| Presentation CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 262 | 7.9 km |
| Sancta Maria CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 577 | 8 km |
| Larkin Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 403 | 8.3 km |
| Clogher Road Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 297 | 8.3 km |
| Rockbrook Park SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 186 | 8.4 km |
| O'Connell SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 222 | 8.6 km |
| Templeogue CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 637 | 8.6 km |
| St Josephs C.B.S.Voluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 310 | 8.7 km |
| Marino CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 297 | 8.7 km |
| Loreto CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 320 | 8.7 km |
| Mount Carmel Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 386 | 8.7 km |
| Rosary CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 250 | 8.7 km |
| Belvedere College S.JVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 1,011 | 8.8 km |
| John Scottus Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | Fee-paying | 211 | 8.8 km |
| St. Colmcille's Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 727 | 8.8 km |
| C.B.S. James StreetVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 251 | 8.8 km |
| Mount Temple Comprehensive SchoolComprehensive · Church of Ireland | Girls and boys | – | 903 | 8.9 km |
| St Pauls C.B.S.Voluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 244 | 8.9 km |
| St Pauls CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 650 | 9 km |
| Árdscoil RísVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 563 | 9.1 km |
| St Josephs Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 283 | 9.4 km |
| Woodbrook CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 623 | 9.5 km |
| St Mac Dara's Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 915 | 9.6 km |
| Manor House SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 652 | 9.6 km |
| St Marys Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 320 | 9.7 km |
| Rosmini Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 139 | 9.8 km |
| Maryfield CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 527 | 9.9 km |
| Our Lady Of Mercy Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 289 | 10 km |
Department of Education post-primary list 2025/26; straight-line distances from the town’s centre point.
Special schools and classes around Blackrock
7 special schools serve the area: St Augustines School, Benincasa Special School, St Oliver Plunkett Sp Sc, Red Door Special School, St Michaels Hse Spec Sc, Our Lady of Lourdes School and Carmona Special National School, 395 pupils between them. 10 of the 36 primary schools have special classes for children who need more support. Their cards ↑
Special schools and primary schools with special classes as the Department lists them; the National Council for Special Education places pupils in special classes.
Blackrock beside the 82 other Irish towns of 9,000 to 17,300 people
Towns of a similar size, with the schools in or within 3 km of each; ordered by population, never ranked
| Town | People | Schools | Pupils | All-Irish | DEIS schools | Nearest post-primary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maynooth | 17,259 | 12 | 6,742 | 3 | 0% | 0.3 km |
| … | ||||||
| Castlebar | 13,054 | 12 | 4,272 | 1 | 17% | 0.3 km |
| Fettercairn | 12,970 | 72 | 25,995 | 8 | 50% | 0.6 km |
| Wicklow | 12,957 | 11 | 4,543 | 1 | 36% | 0.6 km |
| Hollystown | 12,884 | 68 | 22,939 | 3 | 50% | 1.9 km |
| Blackrock | 12,816 | 66 | 25,764 | 6 | 11% | 0.8 km |
| Ballsbridge | 12,743 | 116 | 31,567 | 9 | 42% | 0.7 km |
| Finglas South | 12,475 | 99 | 29,161 | 9 | 57% | 0.5 km |
| Enniscorthy | 12,310 | 9 | 3,951 | 2 | 44% | 0.9 km |
| Firhouse | 12,254 | 70 | 25,224 | 5 | 34% | 0.7 km |
| … | ||||||
| Waterford City Centre | 9,031 | 33 | 12,411 | 2 | 39% | 0.5 km |
Of these 82 other towns, 32 count more pupils at their schools than Blackrock. Teaching through Irish is on offer within 3 km in 82 of the 83.
Department of Education school lists 2025/26 (preliminary); CSO Census 2022 populations.
Pupil numbers around Blackrock
Every school in or within 3 km of the town each September, counted where it stands today.
The schools in and around Blackrock had 24,267 pupils in 2015/16 and 25,764 in 2025/26. Stepaside Educate Together Secondary School grew most: +246% since 2019/20.
Pupils at schools in and around Blackrock
Department of Education enrolments at 30 September each year, 2015/16 to 2025/26 (preliminary), for every school placed in the area today; schools that have since closed or merged count where they stood.
Schools in the towns around Blackrock
Each town’s schools in or within 3 km of its outline; distances as the crow flies.
| Town | Schools | Pupils | All-Irish | DEIS schools | Nearest post-primary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackrock | 66 | 25,764 | 6 | 11% | 0.8 km |
| Monkstown 1.2 km | 57 | 22,012 | 4 | 11% | 0.3 km |
| Stillorgan 1.6 km | 81 | 32,574 | 8 | 7% | 0.4 km |
| Booterstown 1.9 km | 73 | 27,367 | 8 | 7% | 0.2 km |
| Sandyford 2.8 km | 67 | 27,808 | 8 | 8% | 0.9 km |
| Foxrock 2.9 km | 80 | 28,450 | 7 | 18% | 0.8 km |
| Sallynoggin 3.2 km | 51 | 15,036 | 2 | 24% | 0.6 km |
Stillorgan has the most schools teaching through Irish nearby: 8. The roll around Blackrock moved +7% since 2019/20; nearby, Sandyford grew most (+7%) and Monkstown least (+4%).
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Which schools count. Every school in Blackrock or within 3 km of its outline, as the Department places it: families here use them. Schools further out are on the map of each school’s own page.
- The kinds of school. Primary schools take children from junior infants to sixth class, about ages 4 to 12. Post-primary schools teach the Junior and Leaving Certificate, about ages 12 to 18: voluntary secondary schools (mostly with a religious patron), ETB schools and community colleges run by an Education and Training Board, and community and comprehensive schools. Special schools teach children with particular needs.
- Teaching through Irish. All-Irish: every subject taught through Irish, in the Gaeltacht or, outside it, a Gaelscoil or Gaelcholáiste. Partly in Irish: an Irish stream (some classes entirely through Irish) or some subjects through Irish. Every other school teaches Irish as a subject.
- DEIS. DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) gives schools serving disadvantaged areas more teachers, money and support; the Department decides which schools are in it.
- Ethos and patron. Most Irish schools are owned by a patron, mostly a church; the patron sets the school’s ethos. Multi-denominational schools (Educate Together, many ETB schools) teach children of every faith and none together.
- No grade. Section 53 of the Education Act 1998 lets the Minister refuse to release information that would allow schools’ exam results to be compared, and no results are published school by school. So Ireland’s schools have no letters and its towns no School Grade; nothing on this page ranks them.
- What isn’t here. What the UK and French pages show from results, these can’t: results charts, results against pupils’ backgrounds and towns ranked by their schools (no published results), and how full each school is (no capacity is published). Every post-primary school teaches to the Leaving Certificate, so there is no sixth-form split to show.
- Inspections. The Inspectorate’s reports are linked from each school’s page. They give no overall grade, so none is shown.
- The year. The 2025/26 lists are the Department’s preliminary release; numbers can change a little in the final lists.
Questions about schools in Blackrock
How many schools are there in Blackrock?
In Blackrock or within 3 km of it: 36 primary schools, 23 secondary schools and 7 special schools, with 25,764 pupils between them.
Are there schools in Blackrock that teach through Irish?
Yes, 6: Scoil Lorcáin, Coláiste Íosagáin and Coláiste Eoin teach every subject through Irish.
Are there fee-paying secondary schools near Blackrock?
9 of the 23: Blackrock College, Willow Park School, St Andrews College and Loreto College Foxrock. The others are free.
What is the best school in Blackrock?
We don’t say. Ireland publishes no exam results school by school, and section 53 of the Education Act 1998 restricts comparing them; a ranking would rest on guesses. Each school’s page has its own facts and a link to its inspection reports, and visiting the schools you are weighing is still the best guide.
How do I get a place at a school in Blackrock?
Apply to each school directly: every school publishes an admission policy and a yearly admission notice with its dates. If it has more applicants than places, it admits on the criteria in its policy.
Sources: Department of Education, school lists 2025/26 (preliminary) and enrolments since 2015/16, CC BY 4.0 · one school placed with OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL). Under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).
Contains Central Statistics Office (CSO) data, Census 2022, and Tailte Éireann boundaries (CSO Urban Areas, Small Areas, local electoral areas, constituencies), under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).