Ballapousta NS
Ballapousta, Ardee, Co. Louth · A92 XD53 · Roll number 01554B
Ballapousta NS is one of 4 primary schools in or within 3 km of Ardee. Every school in and around Ardee →
What stands out about Ballapousta NS
- 186 pupils, near the middle for primary schools in Ireland (the median is 131).
- About as many pupils as in 2019/20 (−14%).
- Teaches through English, with Irish as a subject.
- Has special classes for children who need more support.
- Its patron is the Archbishop of Armagh; its ethos is Catholic.
- Outside Ardee’s outline, 2.4 km away; listed with Ardee, the nearest town in its county.
Pupils over time
2015/16 to 2025/26Ballapousta NS had 186 pupils in 2025/26, down from 243 in 2015/16 (−23%). Girls are 52% of them. Its roll rose in 3 of the 10 years.
Department of Education enrolments at 30 September each year; girls and boys where the lists give them.
No letter for Ballapousta NS
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 Ballapousta NS 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 Ballapousta NS
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 Ballapousta NS
Every school admits under its own published admission policy; no admissions numbers are published.
Families apply to Ballapousta NS 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: Ballapousta NS has shrunk by 14% since 2019/20. All the schools around Ardee together changed by +19%.
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, 2 have more pupils than Ballapousta NS. Since 2019/20 its roll has changed by −14%; 5 of the 6 grew faster.
| School | Pupils | Since 2019/20 | Ethos | Language | DEIS | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballapousta NS | 186 | −14% | Catholic | English | ||
| Newtown N.S. | 60 | −28% | Catholic | English | 3.3 km | |
| Ardee Monastery | 244 | −5% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 3.6 km |
| S N Mhuire na Trocaire | 339 | +15% | Catholic | English | 3.8 km | |
| Ardee Educate Together NS | 177 | +17% | Multi-denominational | English | ✓ | 4.7 km |
| S.N. Chaoimhin Naofa | 148 | +16% | Catholic | English | 5.7 km | |
| S.N. Mhuire | 84 | +6% | Catholic | English | 6.2 km |
The other 64 primary schools in Co. Louth
| School | Pupils | Since 2019/20 | Ethos | Language | DEIS | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scoil Naomh Fainche | 190 | −14% | Catholic | English | 7 km | |
| Dromin N.S. | 97 | −2% | Catholic | English | 7.8 km | |
| S.N. San Nioclas | 49 | −49% | Catholic | English | 9.1 km | |
| S N Tigh an Lubhair | 192 | −9% | Catholic | English | 9.8 km | |
| Scoil Bhride Mixed N.S. | 202 | −3% | Catholic | English | 10 km | |
| Tallonstown N.S. | 276 | −15% | Catholic | English | 11 km | |
| S.N. Tulach Aluinn | 411 | −17% | Catholic | English | 13 km | |
| S.N. Chill Sarain | 161 | −15% | Catholic | English | 13 km | |
| Scoil Dairbhre Mixed | 71 | −26% | Catholic | English | 13 km | |
| St. Mochta's National School | 181 | +20% | Catholic | English | 14 km | |
| S.N. Padraig | 172 | −13% | Catholic | English | 14 km | |
| S.N. Naomh Fhionain | 100 | +1% | Catholic | English | 15 km | |
| S.N. Columcille | 151 | −13% | Catholic | English | 15 km | |
| Dromiskin Mixed N.S. | 234 | −1% | Catholic | English | 15 km | |
| Naomh Seosamh | 293 | +0% | Catholic | English | 17 km | |
| Walshestown N.S. | 95 | −19% | Catholic | English | 17 km | |
| Scoil Oilibhéir Naofa | 353 | −20% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 17 km |
| Rathmullan N.S. | 373 | −9% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 17 km |
| St Pauls Senior N.S. | 466 | −4% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 17 km |
| S.N. Muire Gan Smal | 201 | −18% | Catholic | English | 17 km | |
| Presentation Convent | 385 | +37% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 17 km |
| Knockbridge Mixed N.S. | 285 | −5% | Catholic | English | 17 km | |
| St Brigid's and St Patrick's National School | 575 | +8% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 18 km |
| S.N. Naomh Peadar | 92 | −2% | Church of Ireland | English | 18 km | |
| Scoil na mBraithre Sn | 359 | +25% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 18 km |
| S.N. Ard Mhuire C | 315 | +5% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 18 km |
| S.N. Aonghusa | 147 | −27% | Catholic | All in Irish | 18 km | |
| Aston Village Educate Together National School | 375 | −11% | Multi-denominational | English | 18 km | |
| Scoil Fhursa | 229 | −8% | Catholic | English | 19 km | |
| St Marys Parish Primary School | 967 | −13% | Catholic | English | 19 km | |
| St. Francis National School | 441 | +53% | Catholic | English | 20 km | |
| Scoil na gCreagacha Dubha | 503 | +13% | Catholic | English | 20 km | |
| Scoil Náisíunta Naomh Feichín | 307 | +5% | Catholic | English | 20 km | |
| Le Cheile Educate Together NS | 383 | −12% | Multi-denominational | English | 20 km | |
| Callystown Mixed N.S. | 261 | −18% | Catholic | English | 21 km | |
| Scoil Mhuire Gan Smál | 189 | −10% | Catholic | English | 21 km | |
| Gaelscoil Dhun Dealgan | 214 | −4% | Catholic | All in Irish | ✓ | 22 km |
| St Josephs N.S. | 574 | −2% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 22 km |
| S.N. N Maolmhaodhagh C | 233 | −16% | Catholic | English | 22 km | |
| S.N. N Maolmhaodhagh N | 220 | −15% | Catholic | English | 22 km | |
| S.N. N Maolmhaodhagh B | 246 | +7% | Catholic | English | 22 km | |
| S.N. an Tslanaitheora B | 169 | +61% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 23 km |
| S.N. an Tslanaitheora C | 160 | +62% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 23 km |
| Scoil Mhuire na nGael | 624 | −8% | Catholic | English | 23 km | |
| Dun Dealgan N.S. | 84 | −2% | Presbyterian | English | 23 km | |
| C.b.s. Primary | 524 | +13% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 23 km |
| St Nicholas Monastery NS | 164 | −3% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 23 km |
| Castletown Rd Convent | 191 | −1% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 23 km |
| Réalt na Mara School | 467 | +0% | Catholic | English | 23 km | |
| S.N. San Nioclas | 148 | −3% | Church of Ireland | English | ✓ | 23 km |
| S.N. Eoin Baiste | 164 | −11% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 23 km |
| Scoil Bhride | 82 | +173% | Catholic | English | 24 km | |
| Scoil Phadraig Naofa | 206 | +2% | Catholic | English | 26 km | |
| Bellurgan N.S. | 112 | −13% | Catholic | English | 27 km | |
| Faughart Community National School | 102 | +122% | Multi-denominational | English | 27 km | |
| S.N. Muire | 187 | +10% | Catholic | English | 28 km | |
| Dulargy Mixed N.S. | 150 | −23% | Catholic | English | 29 km | |
| S.N. Rath Corr | 56 | −16% | Catholic | English | 30 km | |
| S.N. Mullach Bui | 62 | −2% | Catholic | English | 31 km | |
| S N Talamh na Manach | 139 | +7% | Catholic | English | 32 km | |
| S.N. Bhride | 67 | −25% | Catholic | English | 34 km | |
| St Olivers N.S. | 120 | −28% | Catholic | English | 34 km | |
| S.N. Mhuire | 89 | −28% | Catholic | English | 35 km | |
| S.N. Naomh Lorcan | 69 | −13% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 35 km |
Living in Ardee
The town’s figures, not this street’s.
Homes in the A92 Eircode area
Housing in Ardee →The median sale price rose from €333,500 in 2023 to €380,000 in 2025 (+14%).
New against second-hand, 2023 to 2025
Property Price Register sales in the A92 Eircode routing area, 2023 to 2025.
Renting in Ardee
Cost of living in Ardee →New tenancies in Ardee averaged €1,269 a month in 2025, against €1,177 in 2024 (+8%).
Residential Tenancies Board rent index, new tenancies, 2024 and 2025.
Location
Directions ↗near Ardee, A92 XD53
Primary schools near Ballapousta NS
Nearest first, as the crow flies, up to 25 km. Each school’s own admission policy decides who gets a place.
Questions about Ballapousta NS
Is Ballapousta NS 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 Ballapousta NS have?
186 pupils in 2025/26. That is −14% since 2019/20.
Does Ballapousta NS teach through Irish?
No: Ballapousta NS teaches in English, with Irish as a subject.
Who runs Ballapousta NS?
Ballapousta NS has a Catholic ethos. Its patron is Archbishop of Armagh.
How do pupils get a place at Ballapousta NS?
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 Ballapousta NS?
The nearest are Newtown N.S. (3.3 km), Ardee Monastery (3.6 km) and S N Mhuire na Trocaire (3.8 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 Ardee; 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).