Photo: Harold Strong · CC BY-SA 2.0Most post-primaries around Ongar take girls and boys: 8% are single-sex, below Co. Dublin’s towns and Irish towns
Set beside other towns, Ongar comes out below both Co. Dublin’s towns (40%) and Irish towns (39%). Its primary schools are big ones: 407 pupils each on average, against 175 across Ireland. Ireland publishes no school results, and the Education Act 1998 restricts comparing them, so these schools are described here, never graded or ranked.
Every school in the town or within 3 km of its outline, from the Department of Education’s lists for 2025/26; Ireland’s figures are every school in the lists.
What stands out about Ongar’s schools
A choice beyond the church schools
Most schools in Ireland have a church patron; here more of them are multi- or inter-denominational than in most places (14% across Ireland). They are Castleknock Community College (1,318), St Peter's College (1,214), Hartstown Community School (1,120) and Coláiste Pobail Setanta (1,079), and 15 more. Who runs them ↓
A wide choice at twelve
Within 10 km of the town there are 41 post-primary schools to choose from, of different kinds; each sets its own admission policy, and many families apply to several. The nearest: Coláiste Pobail Setanta (0.3 km), Hansfield ETSS (0.7 km) and Eriu Community College (0.9 km). Post-primary choices ↓
From the Department of Education’s school lists: facts, not judgements of how well a school teaches.
Who runs Ongar’s schools
Ethos as listed for 2025/26: each bar splits the schools by who runs them.
21 of Ongar’s 42 schools have a Catholic ethos, against 80% across Ireland. The patrons with most schools here: Archbishop of Dublin (18), Dublin & Dún Laoghaire ETB (8) and Educate Together (4). 9 of the 42 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 42 schools in and around Ongar
Each school in or within 3 km of Ongar links to a page of its own. No letters and no results: Ireland publishes none school by school.
Show all 29 primary schools
Where the 42 schools in and around Ongar 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 Ongar’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 Ongar
How many schools teach through each language; the tick marks Ireland’s share.
3 of Ongar’s 42 schools teach every subject through Irish: S.N. Oilibheir, Gaelscoil Thulach na nÓg and Gaelscoil an Chuilinn.
Who Ongar’s schools serve
How the area’s pupils divide, against 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 Ongar | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at DEIS schools | 14% | 28% | 27% |
| Pupils at all-Irish schools | 4% | 6% | 6% |
| Girls | 50% | 49% | 49% |
| Post-primary pupils at single-sex schools | 9% | 38% | 29% |
| Post-primary pupils at fee-paying schools | 0% | 18% | 6% |
14% of the pupils around Ongar are at a DEIS school, fewer than the 27% across Ireland (28% in Co. Dublin). Set beside Ireland, post-primary pupils at single-sex schools stand out most: 9% against 29%. The largest DEIS school here is Scoil Choilm Community NS, with 698 pupils.
Each of the 42 schools
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.
The 13 patrons of Ongar’s schools
Patrons own the schools and set their ethos; boards of management run them day to day.
The schools around Ongar answer to 13 patrons, and Archbishop of Dublin leads with 18 of the 42 schools and 32% of their pupils. Education and Training Boards run 13 of them. Educate Together runs 4.
| Patron | Ethos | Schools | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archbishop of DublinS.N. Naomh Mochta, Sacred Heart, St Benedicts, Scoil Mhuire, St Ciarans, Lucan B, Ladyswell, Mary Mother of Hope Senior NS, St Francis Xavier Senior, St Francis Xavier J, Mary Mother of Hope Junior, San Carlo Senior, S.N. Oilibheir, San Carlo Junior, St Philips Senior, Scoil Mhuire Sin, St Philip the Apostle Junior, Scoil Nais Mhuire Sois | Catholic | 18 | 7,247 |
| Dublin & Dún Laoghaire ETBCastleknock, Coláiste Pobail Setanta, Luttrellstown, Scoil Choilm Community NS, Scoil Ghrainne Community, Rath Dara, Eriu, Danu Community Special School | Multi-denominational, Inter-denominational | 8 | 5,266 |
| Educate TogetherHansfield ETSS, Hansfield Educate Together, Castaheany Educate Together NS, Powerstown Educate Together | Multi-denominational | 4 | 2,153 |
| Bishop of MeathDunboyne Senior, Dunboyne Junior | Catholic | 2 | 867 |
| An Foras PátrúnachtaGaelscoil Thulach na nÓg, Gaelscoil an Chuilinn | Inter-denominational | 2 | 642 |
| Louth & Meath ETBSt Peter's College | Inter-denominational | 1 | 1,214 |
| Dublin & Dún Laoghaire ETB & Archbishop of DublinHartstown | Inter-denominational | 1 | 1,120 |
| Dublin & Dún Laoghaire ETB & Congregation of the Missions (Vincentians)Scoil Phobail Chuil Mhin | Inter-denominational | 1 | 1,014 |
| Kildare & Wicklow ETBConfey | Inter-denominational | 1 | 934 |
| CEISTSt Joseph's College | Catholic | 1 | 934 |
| Dublin & Dún Laoghaire ETB & Sisters of St LouisBlakestown | Inter-denominational | 1 | 563 |
| Archbishop of Dublin & Bishop of Glendalough COISt Andrews | Church of Ireland | 1 | 374 |
| Bishop of Meath & Kildare COISt Peters | Church of Ireland | 1 | 97 |
Department of Education school lists: patron 2024/25, ethos 2025/26.
How children get a place in Ongar
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.
Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018; each school’s admission policy and notice are on its own website.
Which schools are growing
12 schools here have grown by 5% or more since 2019/20, 19 have shrunk by as much, out of 40; across Ireland: +5%.
All 40 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 Ongar’s schools
The Inspectorate’s published reports for each school, linked, without ratings
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 42 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 Ongar
Every post-primary school within 10 km of the town; families choose and apply to each, at about twelve
Within 10 km of Ongar there are 41 post-primary schools: 18 ETB schools, 17 voluntary secondary schools and 6 community schools. Of these, 10 are single-sex: 5 for girls and 5 for boys. Fees are charged at 3 of them. Every subject is taught through Irish at 3 of them.
| School | Takes | Also | Pupils | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coláiste Pobail SetantaETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,079 | 0.3 km |
| Hansfield ETSSVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 867 | 0.7 km |
| Eriu Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 193 | 0.9 km |
| Hartstown Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,120 | 1.5 km |
| Blakestown Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 563 | 2.4 km |
| Scoil Phobail Chuil MhinCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,014 | 3 km |
| Luttrellstown Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,027 | 3.1 km |
| St Peter's CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,214 | 3.2 km |
| Rath Dara Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 323 | 4 km |
| Castleknock Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,318 | 4.2 km |
| St Joseph's CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 934 | 4.2 km |
| Coláiste Phádraig CBSVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 745 | 4.4 km |
All 41 post-primary schools within reach
| School | Takes | Also | Pupils | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Le Cheile Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | – | 944 | 4.5 km |
| Confey Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 934 | 4.7 km |
| Coláiste Cois LifeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste | 592 | 5.2 km |
| St. Kevin's Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 525 | 5.3 km |
| Coláiste ChiaráinCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 676 | 5.4 km |
| Lucan Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 966 | 5.4 km |
| The Kings HospitalVoluntary secondary · Church of Ireland | Girls and boys | Fee-paying, Boarding | 732 | 5.4 km |
| Castleknock CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 771 | 5.6 km |
| Edmund Rice CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | – | 912 | 6.3 km |
| Kishoge Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 937 | 6.7 km |
| Griffeen Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 576 | 6.7 km |
| Phobailscoil IosoldeCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 764 | 6.7 km |
| Collinstown Park Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 630 | 6.7 km |
| Mount Sackville Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 636 | 6.8 km |
| Adamstown Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 981 | 6.8 km |
| New Cross CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 417 | 7.7 km |
| St. Seton's Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Other | Girls and boys | DEIS | 741 | 8 km |
| Deansrath Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 425 | 8.1 km |
| Kylemore CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 479 | 8.1 km |
| Celbridge Community SchoolCommunity school · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 712 | 8.4 km |
| Coláiste ChilliainETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste | 400 | 8.4 km |
| Salesian CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 880 | 8.6 km |
| Coláiste EoinETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 257 | 8.7 km |
| Moyle Park CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 763 | 8.9 km |
| St Michaels Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 646 | 9.2 km |
| St Dominics CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 790 | 9.2 km |
| Coláiste BrídeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 993 | 9.3 km |
| St Declan's CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 651 | 9.6 km |
| Coláiste MhuireVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste, DEIS | 272 | 9.7 km |
Department of Education post-primary list 2025/26; straight-line distances from the town’s centre point.
Special schools and classes around Ongar
Danu Community Special School is the special school here, with 43 pupils. 25 of the 29 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.
Ongar beside the 82 other Irish towns of 9,400 to 18,100 people
Schools in or within 3 km of each town, by population; none is ranked, as Ireland publishes no results
| Town | People | Schools | Pupils | All-Irish | DEIS schools | Nearest post-primary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Templeogue | 18,076 | 118 | 40,646 | 8 | 34% | 0.5 km |
| … | ||||||
| Deansrath | 13,743 | 64 | 26,713 | 6 | 34% | 0.3 km |
| Whitehall | 13,675 | 132 | 37,232 | 12 | 61% | 0.2 km |
| Mallow | 13,456 | 11 | 4,357 | 1 | 18% | 0.6 km |
| Arklow | 13,399 | 9 | 3,343 | 2 | 33% | 0.3 km |
| Ongar | 13,390 | 42 | 22,425 | 3 | 21% | 0.3 km |
| Sallynoggin | 13,245 | 51 | 15,036 | 2 | 24% | 0.6 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 |
| … | ||||||
| Trim | 9,563 | 7 | 3,065 | 1 | 14% | 0.5 km |
Among the 82 other towns, 37 have more pupils at their schools than Ongar does. Every one of them has an all-Irish school within 3 km.
Department of Education school lists 2025/26 (preliminary); CSO Census 2022 populations.
Pupil numbers around Ongar
Pupils every September at the schools in or within 3 km of the town, each counted at today’s site.
The schools in and around Ongar had 21,459 pupils in 2015/16 and 22,425 in 2025/26. Hansfield ETSS grew most: +34% since 2019/20.
Pupils at schools in and around Ongar
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 Ongar
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ongar | 42 | 22,425 | 3 | 21% | 0.3 km |
| Clonsilla 1 km | 56 | 29,411 | 3 | 21% | 0.6 km |
| Clonee 1.4 km | 25 | 12,320 | 2 | 28% | 1.3 km |
| Mulhuddart 3.1 km | 50 | 26,364 | 3 | 24% | 0.9 km |
| Dunboyne 3.2 km | 14 | 7,600 | 1 | 7% | 0.3 km |
| Blanchardstown 3.7 km | 91 | 36,302 | 5 | 44% | 0.7 km |
| Carpenterstown 4.3 km | 102 | 40,675 | 5 | 40% | 0.3 km |
Blanchardstown has the most schools teaching through Irish nearby: 5. The roll around Ongar moved −2% since 2019/20; nearby, Blanchardstown grew most (+1%) and Clonee least (−4%).
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Which schools count. Every school in Ongar 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 Ongar
How many schools are there in Ongar?
In Ongar or within 3 km of it: 29 primary schools, 12 secondary schools and 1 special school, with 22,425 pupils between them.
Are there schools in Ongar that teach through Irish?
Yes, 3: S.N. Oilibheir, Gaelscoil Thulach na nÓg and Gaelscoil an Chuilinn teach every subject through Irish.
Are there fee-paying secondary schools near Ongar?
No: all 12 secondary schools here are free.
What is the best school in Ongar?
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 Ongar?
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).