Photo: Sarah777 · Public domainStepaside has 5 fee-paying secondary schools in and around it
14% of the schools around Stepaside are DEIS schools, below both Co. Dublin’s towns (40%) and Irish towns (35%). Families in Stepaside have 50 primary schools, 18 secondary schools and 5 special schools within 3 km, teaching 25,639 pupils. Nothing here grades or ranks these schools: Ireland publishes no results school by school, and the Education Act 1998 restricts comparing them.
Schools in the town or within 3 km of its outline, Department of Education lists for 2025/26; the Ireland figures cover all schools listed.
What stands out about Stepaside’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: Wesley College (942), Mount Anville Secondary School (726), Loreto College Foxrock (660), St Columba's College (357) and Rosemont School (307). Every school ↓
One school growing fast
Of the schools here, Stepaside Educate Together Secondary School has grown fastest, from 214 in 2019/20 to 741. Getting a place ↓
A wide choice at twelve
Within 10 km of the town there are 79 post-primary schools to choose from, of different kinds; each sets its own admission policy, and many families apply to several. The nearest: Stepaside Educate Together Secondary School (0.9 km), Rosemont School (1.5 km) and Loreto College Foxrock (2.5 km). Post-primary choices ↓
Few schools in DEIS
Just 10 of the 73 schools here get DEIS support for disadvantaged areas; 30% do across Ireland. In DEIS: Cabinteely Community School (512), Ballinteer Community School (415), St. Tiernan's Community School (368) and St Laurence College (302), and 6 more. Who goes there ↓
Drawn from the Department of Education’s lists; none of it judges how well a school teaches.
The 73 schools in and around Stepaside
Every school in Stepaside or within 3 km of its outline, each linked to its own page. Ireland doesn’t publish results for individual schools, so none of these carries a letter.
Show all 50 primary schools
Where the 73 schools in and around Stepaside 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 Stepaside’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 Stepaside
Schools by the language they teach in; the black tick is Ireland’s share.
5 of Stepaside’s 73 schools teach every subject through Irish: Gaelscoil Thaobh na Coille, Gaelscoil Shliabh Rua and Scoil Naithi.
Who Stepaside’s schools serve
The pupils at the area’s schools by share, 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 Stepaside | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at DEIS schools | 10% | 28% | 27% |
| Pupils at all-Irish schools | 6% | 6% | 6% |
| Girls | 50% | 49% | 49% |
| Post-primary pupils at single-sex schools | 48% | 38% | 29% |
| Post-primary pupils at fee-paying schools | 30% | 18% | 6% |
Around Stepaside, 10% of pupils attend a school in DEIS; across Ireland it is 27%, and 28% in Co. Dublin. Where this area differs most from Ireland is post-primary pupils at fee-paying schools, at 30% against 6%. Cabinteely Community School, with 512 pupils, is the largest school here in DEIS.
Each of the 73 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.
Who runs Stepaside’s schools
Who runs each school, as listed for 2025/26; the bars give the share of schools of each kind.
45 of Stepaside’s 73 schools have a Catholic ethos, against 80% across Ireland. The patrons with most schools here: Archbishop of Dublin (33), Educate Together (9) and Archbishop of Dublin & Bishop of Glendalough COI (7). 10 of the 73 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 21 patrons of Stepaside’s schools
Each school has a patron that owns it and sets its ethos; its board of management runs it.
21 patrons run the 73 schools around Stepaside; the largest, Archbishop of Dublin, has 33 of them and 42% of the pupils. 4 are ETB schools. Educate Together runs 10.
| Patron | Ethos | Schools | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archbishop of DublinST Olaf's, Holy Trinity, Carysfort, St Brigids Girls, Scoil Padraig Naofa B, St Patricks GNS, Marley Grange, S.N. Cnoc Ainbhil, S.N. San Treasa, Oatlands Primary School, An Edmund Rice School, Scoil na nAingeal, St Brigids Boys, Our Lady Good Counsel GNS, S.N. Naomh Lorcan, Our Lady of Good Counsel Boys, St Raphaelas, St Attractas Senior, St Attractas Junior, Our Lady of the Wayside NS, Holy Cross, St. Mary's, Scoil Naithi, Queen of Angels Primary School, Na Maighdine Muire Girl, Scoil Mhuire, S.N. Padraig Naofa, Scoil an Maighdine Mhuire Boys, St Johns, St Augustines School, Holy Family School, Scoil Colmcille Senior, Scoil Cholmcille Junior, S.N. Bhaile Eamonn | Catholic | 33 | 10,879 |
| Educate TogetherStepaside Educate Together, Stepaside Educate Together, Ballinteer Educate Together, Goatstown Educate Together, Blackrock Educate Together, Cherrywood Educate Together, Rathfarnham Educate Together, Dun Laoghaire ETNS, Goatstown Stillorgan Primary School | Multi-denominational | 9 | 3,039 |
| Archbishop of Dublin & Bishop of Glendalough COITaney, Kill-O'-The-Grange, Kilternan Church of Ireland, Whitechurch Nat School, St Brigids, Booterstown, All Saints | Church of Ireland | 7 | 1,228 |
| An Foras PátrúnachtaGaelscoil na Fuinseoige, Gaelscoil Thaobh na Coille, Gaelscoil Shliabh Rua, Gaelscoil Laighean | Multi-denominational, Catholic | 4 | 1,332 |
| Edmund Rice Schools TrustClonkeen College, Oatlands College | Catholic | 2 | 1,258 |
| Le Chéile Schools TrustSt Benildus College, St Laurence College | Catholic | 2 | 1,251 |
| Dublin & Dún Laoghaire ETB & Carmelite Order (Irish Province)Ballinteer, St. Tiernan's | Inter-denominational | 2 | 783 |
| Conference of the Methodist Church in IrelandWesley College | Methodist | 1 | 942 |
| 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 |
| Dublin & Dún Laoghaire ETB & Archbishop of DublinCabinteely | Inter-denominational | 1 | 512 |
| The Dalkey School Project & Educate TogetherMonkstown Eucate Together NS | Multi-denominational | 1 | 415 |
| Body of Fellows of St Columba's CollegeSt Columba's College | Church of Ireland | 1 | 357 |
| FamedRosemont School | Catholic | 1 | 307 |
| CEISTRockford Manor | Catholic | 1 | 273 |
| St Michael's HouseSt Michaels Hse Spec Sc | Catholic | 1 | 68 |
| Health Service ExecutiveBallyowen Meadows | Catholic | 1 | 53 |
| 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 Stepaside
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 5 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
Of these 63 schools, 16 have grown by at least 5% since 2019/20 and 28 have lost as much; Ireland’s pupils changed by +5%.
All 63 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 Stepaside’s schools
Reports from the Department of Education’s Inspectorate, every school’s linked and none rated
Inspectors visit every kind of school. Whole-school evaluations look at teaching and learning, leadership and management; subject inspections look at one subject; follow-through inspections check whether earlier advice was taken. Each report is published 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 73 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 Stepaside
Every post-primary school within 10 km of the town; families choose and apply to each, at about twelve
Families in Stepaside have 79 post-primary schools within 10 km: 65 voluntary secondary schools, 7 community schools, 6 ETB schools and one comprehensive school. 37 teach girls and boys apart: 21 girls’ and 16 boys’ schools. Fees are charged at 30 of them. Every subject is taught through Irish at 4 of them.
| School | Takes | Also | Pupils | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stepaside Educate Together Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 741 | 0.9 km |
| Rosemont SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 307 | 1.5 km |
| Loreto College FoxrockVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 660 | 2.5 km |
| St Raphaela's Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 637 | 2.6 km |
| St Benildus CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 949 | 2.9 km |
| Wesley CollegeVoluntary secondary · Methodist | Girls and boys | Fee-paying, Boarding | 942 | 3.1 km |
| St. Tiernan's Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 368 | 3.2 km |
| Clonkeen CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 635 | 3.5 km |
| Oatlands CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 623 | 3.7 km |
| Blackrock Educate Together Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 236 | 3.8 km |
| Mount Anville Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 726 | 3.9 km |
| Newpark Comprehensive SchoolComprehensive · Church of Ireland | Girls and boys | – | 884 | 4 km |
All 79 post-primary schools within reach
| School | Takes | Also | Pupils | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabinteely Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 512 | 4.1 km |
| St Columba's CollegeVoluntary secondary · Church of Ireland | Girls and boys | Fee-paying, Boarding | 357 | 4.2 km |
| Rockford Manor Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 273 | 4.2 km |
| Goatstown Educate Together Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 366 | 4.3 km |
| Ballinteer Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 415 | 4.3 km |
| St Laurence CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 302 | 4.7 km |
| Coláiste ÍosagáinVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Gaelcholáiste | 488 | 4.8 km |
| Coláiste EoinVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Gaelcholáiste | 517 | 4.8 km |
| Dominican CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 521 | 4.8 km |
| Our Lady's Grove Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 295 | 4.9 km |
| Blackrock CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying, Boarding | 1,041 | 5 km |
| Holy Child Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 275 | 5 km |
| St Kilian's Deutsche SchuleVoluntary secondary · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | Fee-paying | 475 | 5.1 km |
| St Andrews CollegeVoluntary secondary · Presbyterian | Girls and boys | Fee-paying | 1,011 | 5.1 km |
| Christian Brothers CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 549 | 5.2 km |
| Willow Park SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying, Boarding | 206 | 5.2 km |
| Rathdown SchoolVoluntary secondary · Church of Ireland | Girls and boys | Fee-paying, Boarding | 364 | 5.5 km |
| De La Salle CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | – | 463 | 5.6 km |
| St Joseph Of Cluny Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | Fee-paying | 270 | 5.7 km |
| Gaelcholáiste an PhiarsaighVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste | 296 | 6 km |
| Holy Child KillineyVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 382 | 6.2 km |
| Rockbrook Park SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 186 | 6.2 km |
| Loreto High SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 625 | 6.3 km |
| The Teresian SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 230 | 6.3 km |
| Alexandra CollegeVoluntary secondary · Church of Ireland | Girls | Fee-paying, Boarding | 664 | 6.3 km |
| John Scottus Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | Fee-paying | 211 | 6.6 km |
| St Michaels CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 731 | 6.7 km |
| The High SchoolVoluntary secondary · Church of Ireland | Girls and boys | Fee-paying | 811 | 6.8 km |
| Coláiste ÉannaVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 618 | 6.8 km |
| Gonzaga CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 576 | 6.9 km |
| Sancta Maria CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 577 | 7 km |
| Stratford CollegeVoluntary secondary · Jewish | Girls and boys | Fee-paying | 189 | 7.1 km |
| Muckross Park CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 709 | 7.3 km |
| Our Ladys SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 799 | 7.4 km |
| St. Colmcille's Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 727 | 7.5 km |
| Loreto Abbey Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 757 | 7.5 km |
| Sandford Park School LtdVoluntary secondary · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | Fee-paying | 437 | 7.5 km |
| Woodbrook CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 623 | 7.6 km |
| Terenure CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 800 | 7.8 km |
| Presentation Community CollegeETB · Catholic | Girls and boys | – | 443 | 7.8 km |
| St. Gerard's SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | Fee-paying | 623 | 7.9 km |
| St Conleths CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | Fee-paying | 339 | 7.9 km |
| St Louis High SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 690 | 8 km |
| Sandymount Park Educate Together Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 437 | 8.2 km |
| Marian CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 319 | 8.3 km |
| Firhouse Educate Together Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 411 | 8.4 km |
| North Wicklow Educate Together Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 324 | 8.5 km |
| St. Mary's College C.S.Sp., RathminesVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 500 | 8.5 km |
| Harolds Cross Educate Together Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 437 | 8.5 km |
| Templeogue CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 637 | 8.5 km |
| Coláiste RaithínETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste | 326 | 8.6 km |
| Catholic University SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 544 | 9 km |
| St Mac Dara's Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 915 | 9 km |
| Christian Brothers, Synge St.Voluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | DEIS | 256 | 9.2 km |
| Loreto CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 588 | 9.2 km |
| Rosary CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 250 | 9.4 km |
| Ringsend CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 191 | 9.4 km |
| Clogher Road Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 297 | 9.5 km |
| Tallaght Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 840 | 9.6 km |
| Firhouse Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 825 | 9.6 km |
| C.B.S. Westland RowVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 205 | 9.7 km |
| Loreto Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 747 | 9.7 km |
| Presentation CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 262 | 9.7 km |
| St Patricks Cathedral Grammar SchoolVoluntary secondary · Church of Ireland | Girls and boys | – | 302 | 9.8 km |
| Loreto CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 320 | 9.8 km |
| St. Kilian's Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 427 | 9.9 km |
| St Pauls Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 466 | 9.9 km |
Department of Education post-primary list 2025/26; straight-line distances from the town’s centre point.
Special schools and classes around Stepaside
5 special schools serve the area: St Michaels Hse Spec Sc, St Augustines School, Our Lady of Lourdes School, Red Door Special School and Ballyowen Meadows, 313 pupils between them. 17 of the 50 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.
Stepaside beside the 49 other Irish towns of 16,000 to 30,800 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ennis | 27,923 | 18 | 7,595 | 1 | 33% | 0.3 km |
| … | ||||||
| Portlaoise | 23,494 | 13 | 6,518 | 1 | 15% | 0.6 km |
| Jobstown | 23,437 | 53 | 19,772 | 5 | 45% | 0.1 km |
| Lucan | 23,033 | 74 | 34,600 | 5 | 28% | 0.4 km |
| Athlone | 22,869 | 17 | 6,365 | 1 | 35% | 1.1 km |
| Stepaside | 22,796 | 73 | 25,639 | 5 | 14% | 0.9 km |
| Clondalkin | 22,788 | 120 | 39,367 | 6 | 54% | 0.2 km |
| Mullingar | 22,667 | 18 | 6,384 | 2 | 33% | 0.4 km |
| Rathmines West | 22,667 | 136 | 39,314 | 9 | 38% | 0 km |
| Letterkenny | 22,549 | 15 | 6,825 | 2 | 20% | 0.4 km |
| … | ||||||
| Ballinteer | 16,038 | 72 | 28,624 | 5 | 8% | 0.5 km |
Of the other 49 towns, 22 have more pupils at the schools around them than Stepaside. 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 Stepaside
Each September’s pupils at every school in or within 3 km of the town, counted where the school stands today.
The schools in and around Stepaside had 22,810 pupils in 2015/16 and 25,639 in 2025/26. Stepaside Educate Together Secondary School grew most: +246% since 2019/20.
Pupils at schools in and around Stepaside
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 Stepaside
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stepaside | 73 | 25,639 | 5 | 14% | 0.9 km |
| Sandyford 2.1 km | 67 | 27,808 | 8 | 8% | 0.9 km |
| Foxrock 2.7 km | 80 | 28,450 | 7 | 18% | 0.8 km |
| Stillorgan 3 km | 81 | 32,574 | 8 | 7% | 0.4 km |
| Dundrum 3.6 km | 89 | 35,482 | 10 | 7% | 0.4 km |
| Cabinteely 3.7 km | 67 | 21,279 | 4 | 21% | 0.6 km |
| Ballinteer 3.9 km | 72 | 28,624 | 5 | 8% | 0.5 km |
Dundrum has the most schools teaching through Irish nearby: 10. Of Stepaside’s neighbours, Cabinteely saw the most growth in pupils since 2019/20 (+8%) and Ballinteer the least (+3%); Stepaside itself: +8%.
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Which schools count. Every school in Stepaside 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 Stepaside
How many schools are there in Stepaside?
In Stepaside or within 3 km of it: 50 primary schools, 18 secondary schools and 5 special schools, with 25,639 pupils between them.
Are there schools in Stepaside that teach through Irish?
Yes, 5: Gaelscoil Thaobh na Coille, Gaelscoil Shliabh Rua and Scoil Naithi teach every subject through Irish.
Are there fee-paying secondary schools near Stepaside?
5 of the 18: Rosemont School, Loreto College Foxrock, St Columba's College and Wesley College. The others are free.
What is the best school in Stepaside?
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 Stepaside?
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).