Burnchurch National School
BURNCHURCH, CUFFESGRANGE KILKENNY, CO KILKENNY · R95 RT02 · Roll number 17675D
Burnchurch National School is the only one of the primary schools in or within 3 km of Kells. Every school in and around Kells →
What stands out about Burnchurch National School
- A small primary school: 44 pupils, against a typical 131.
- Teaches through English, with Irish as a subject.
- Smaller than it was: 44 pupils, 28% fewer than the 61 of 2019/20.
- Has special classes for children who need more support.
- Its patron is the Bishop of Ossory; its ethos is Catholic.
- Outside Kells’s outline, 4 km away; listed with Kells, the nearest town in its county.
Pupils over time
2015/16 to 2025/26Burnchurch National School had 44 pupils in 2025/26, down from 72 in 2015/16 (−39%). Girls are 41% of them. Its largest roll was 78, in 2016/17. Its roll rose in 4 of the 10 years.
Department of Education enrolments at 30 September each year; girls and boys where the lists give them.
No letter for Burnchurch National School
Ireland publishes no exam results school by school, and section 53 of the Education Act 1998 restricts comparing schools by them, so this school has no letter and nothing here ranks it. Its facts are the Department of Education’s; its inspection reports are linked below.
What the Department of Education does publish for Burnchurch National School is on this page: its pupils each September since 2015/16, girls and boys, its patron and ethos, whether it teaches through Irish, whether it is in DEIS, and its inspection reports.
Newspapers print lists of how many of a school’s leavers go on to college. Those count destinations, not exam results, and depend on who a school takes in; we don’t use them.
Inspection reports on Burnchurch National School
The Department of Education’s Inspectorate visits schools and publishes its reports. The reports describe what inspectors saw; they give no overall grade, and we don’t make one. Reports for this school on gov.ie ↗
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.
Getting a place at Burnchurch National School
Every school admits under its own published admission policy; no admissions numbers are published.
Families apply to Burnchurch National School directly. Children can start once they are four and must be in school by six; the school’s yearly admission notice gives the dates for applying and for its decisions.
A school with more applicants than places admits on the criteria in its admission policy, often brothers and sisters, the area it serves and, for post-primary schools, its feeder primaries. A family refused a place can appeal.
Places in special classes and special schools are allocated with the National Council for Special Education.
No figures on applications are published, but the roll shows demand: Burnchurch National School has shrunk by 28% since 2019/20.
Pupils since 2019/20
Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018; Department of Education enrolments 2019/20 and 2025/26 (preliminary).
Side by side with the nearest primary schools
2025/26The nearest schools of the same kind, as the crow flies: their pupils, ethos and language. No results: none are published.
Of the 6 nearest primary schools, 5 have more pupils than Burnchurch National School. Since 2019/20 its roll has changed by −28%; 5 of the 5 grew faster.
| School | Pupils | Since 2019/20 | Ethos | Language | DEIS | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burnchurch National School | 44 | −28% | Catholic | English | ||
| Church Hill Mixed N.S. | 192 | +14% | Catholic | English | 2.9 km | |
| St Michaels National School | 63 | +34% | Catholic | English | 3.8 km | |
| S.N. Bhridhe | 27 | – | Catholic | English | 4.4 km | |
| Bunscoil McAuley Rice | 406 | −9% | Catholic | English | 6.8 km | |
| S.N. Chiaran Naofa | 142 | +29% | Catholic | English | 6.8 km | |
| Kilkenny School Project | 236 | +1% | Multi-denominational | English | 7.6 km |
The other 61 primary schools in Co. Kilkenny
| School | Pupils | Since 2019/20 | Ethos | Language | DEIS | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scoil San Lionard | 115 | −15% | Catholic | English | 7.9 km | |
| Gaelscoil Osrai | 438 | −5% | Catholic | All in Irish | 7.9 km | |
| Bennettsbridge National School | 206 | +7% | Catholic | English | 8 km | |
| S.N. Padraig Naofa | 331 | −15% | Catholic | English | 8.3 km | |
| Scoil Naomh Eoin Dea | 330 | −2% | Catholic | English | 8.5 km | |
| Scoil Iognaid de Ris | 278 | +37% | Catholic | English | 8.8 km | |
| Scoil Mhuire | 400 | −10% | Catholic | English | 8.9 km | |
| St Canices Central N.S. | 648 | −1% | Catholic | English | 9.8 km | |
| St Aidans N.S. | 175 | −9% | Catholic | English | 9.9 km | |
| St. John's National School | 441 | – | Catholic | English | ✓ | 9.9 km |
| Kilkenny Mixed N.S. | 198 | −4% | Church of Ireland | English | 11 km | |
| St Brendans Mixed N.S. | 50 | −17% | Catholic | English | 12 km | |
| St Mary's National School | 398 | −12% | Catholic | Some subjects in Irish | 12 km | |
| Kilmoganny Mixed N.S. | 23 | +10% | Catholic | English | 13 km | |
| S.N. Naomh Colmain | 204 | −5% | Catholic | English | 13 km | |
| S.N. Tulach Ruain | 91 | −7% | Catholic | English | 14 km | |
| S.N. Naomh Padraig Mxd | 173 | −3% | Catholic | English | 14 km | |
| S N San Nioclas | 120 | +3% | Catholic | English | 14 km | |
| S.N. Muire | 197 | −24% | Catholic | English | 16 km | |
| S.N. Tobair Eoin Baisde | 45 | −34% | Catholic | English | 17 km | |
| S.N. Moin Ruadh Mixed | 56 | +0% | Catholic | English | 17 km | |
| Scoil Naomh Ioseph | 127 | +37% | Catholic | English | 18 km | |
| S.N. Cholmcille | 104 | −27% | Catholic | English | 18 km | |
| Scoil Lachtain | 201 | +6% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 19 km |
| Skeaghvastheen N.S. | 85 | −13% | Catholic | English | 20 km | |
| S.N. Colmain | 20 | – | Catholic | English | 21 km | |
| S.N. Lisnafunchin | 32 | −32% | Catholic | English | 21 km | |
| Owning National School | 100 | +0% | Catholic | English | 21 km | |
| Goresbridge N.S. | 68 | −23% | Catholic | English | 21 km | |
| Templeorum N.S. | 38 | −32% | Catholic | English | 21 km | |
| Clontubrid Mixed N.S. | 43 | −26% | Catholic | English | 22 km | |
| S.N. Bhreandain Naofa | 192 | −11% | Catholic | English | 22 km | |
| Scoil Bhride B7C | 217 | −15% | Catholic | English | 22 km | |
| S.N. Muire Gan Smal | 148 | −8% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 23 km |
| Ballyragget National School | 163 | +20% | Catholic | English | 24 km | |
| Graig na Manach Buac | 68 | −9% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 24 km |
| Scoil Mholainge Listerlin | 148 | +9% | Catholic | English | 24 km | |
| St Beacons N.S. | 175 | −5% | Catholic | English | 24 km | |
| Lisdowney N.S. | 96 | +1% | Catholic | English | 25 km | |
| S.N. Chrion Choill | 28 | −24% | Catholic | English | 25 km | |
| S.N. Baile an Phiull | 254 | −23% | Catholic | English | 25 km | |
| Scoil an Chroí Ró-Naofa | 223 | −15% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 25 km |
| Scoil Íosagáin | 121 | – | Catholic | English | ✓ | 26 km |
| Wandesforde Mixed N.S. | 52 | −10% | Church of Ireland | English | 26 km | |
| S.N. Naomh Chiarain | 90 | +6% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 26 km |
| The Rower Mixed N.S. | 115 | −33% | Catholic | English | 26 km | |
| S.N. Bhrighde | 46 | −12% | Catholic | English | 27 km | |
| S.N. Baile an Fhasaigh | 54 | −10% | Catholic | English | 27 km | |
| Colmcille Mixed N.S. | 20 | −29% | Catholic | English | 29 km | |
| Holycross N.S. | 72 | −23% | Catholic | English | 30 km | |
| St. Senan's National School | 176 | +2% | Catholic | English | 30 km | |
| Scoil Mhichil Naofa | 14 | −56% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 30 km |
| S.N. Mhichil Naofa | 62 | +3% | Catholic | English | 30 km | |
| S.N. Seamus Naofa | 91 | −13% | Catholic | English | 31 km | |
| S.N. an Moinin Rua | 127 | +2% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 31 km |
| Scoil Mhuire | 261 | −6% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 31 km |
| St Patricks N.S. | 57 | −25% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 33 km |
| S.N. Naomh Padraigh | 202 | +3% | Catholic | English | 33 km | |
| Carigeen N.S. | 123 | −23% | Catholic | English | 34 km | |
| Ringville National School | 35 | −31% | Catholic | English | 36 km | |
| Slieverue Mixed N.S. | 208 | −8% | Catholic | English | 36 km |
Living in Kells
The town’s figures, not this street’s.
Homes in the R95 Eircode area
Housing in Kells →The median sale price rose from €289,400 in 2023 to €351,700 in 2025 (+22%).
New against second-hand, 2023 to 2025
Property Price Register sales in the R95 Eircode routing area, 2023 to 2025.
Renting in Co. Kilkenny
Cost of living in Kells →New tenancies in Co. Kilkenny averaged €1,207 a month in 2025, against €1,119 in 2024 (+8%).
Residential Tenancies Board rent index, new tenancies, 2024 and 2025.
Location
Directions ↗near Kells, R95 RT02
Primary schools near Burnchurch National School
Nearest first, as the crow flies, up to 25 km. Each school’s own admission policy decides who gets a place.
Questions about Burnchurch National School
Is Burnchurch National School a good school?
We don’t grade it: Ireland publishes no exam results school by school, and section 53 of the Education Act 1998 restricts comparing them. Its inspection reports on gov.ie, a visit and a talk with the principal will tell you more than any table could.
How many pupils does Burnchurch National School have?
44 pupils in 2025/26. That is −28% since 2019/20.
Does Burnchurch National School teach through Irish?
No: Burnchurch National School teaches in English, with Irish as a subject.
Who runs Burnchurch National School?
Burnchurch National School has a Catholic ethos. Its patron is Bishop of Ossory.
How do pupils get a place at Burnchurch National School?
Apply to the school directly. It publishes an admission policy and a yearly admission notice with its dates; if more children apply than it has places, it admits on the criteria in its policy.
Which schools of the same kind are near Burnchurch National School?
The nearest are Church Hill Mixed N.S. (2.9 km), St Michaels National School (3.8 km) and S.N. Bhridhe (4.4 km).
Sources: Department of Education, school lists 2025/26 (preliminary) and enrolments since 2015/16, CC BY 4.0 · inspection reports on gov.ie, linked by roll number. Under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).
Facts from the Department of Education’s school lists. Listed with Kells; nothing here rates the school.
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).