St Josephs N.S.
Templerainey, Arklow, Co. Wicklow · Y14 X856 · Roll number 17181B
St Josephs N.S. is one of 5 primary schools in or within 3 km of Arklow. Every school in and around Arklow →
What stands out about St Josephs N.S.
- One of the larger primary schools: 500 pupils, against a typical 131.
- Teaches through English, with Irish as a subject.
- Smaller than it was: 500 pupils, 20% fewer than the 626 of 2019/20.
- Has special classes for children who need more support.
- The largest of the 5 primary schools around Arklow.
- Its patron is the Archbishop of Dublin; its ethos is Catholic.
- Outside Arklow’s outline, 0.1 km away; listed with Arklow, the nearest town in its county.
Pupils over time
2015/16 to 2025/26St Josephs N.S. had 500 pupils in 2025/26, down from 662 in 2015/16 (−24%). Girls are 50% of them. Its roll rose in 0 of the 10 years.
Department of Education enrolments at 30 September each year; girls and boys where the lists give them.
No letter for St Josephs N.S.
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 St Josephs N.S. 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 St Josephs N.S.
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 St Josephs N.S.
Every school admits under its own published admission policy; no admissions numbers are published.
Families apply to St Josephs N.S. 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: St Josephs N.S. has shrunk by 20% since 2019/20. All the schools around Arklow together changed by −7%.
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.
St Josephs N.S. has more pupils than any of the 6 nearest primary schools. Since 2019/20 its roll has changed by −20%; 2 of the 6 grew faster.
| School | Pupils | Since 2019/20 | Ethos | Language | DEIS | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Josephs N.S. | 500 | −20% | Catholic | English | ||
| St John's Senior School | 323 | −24% | Catholic | Some subjects in Irish | ✓ | 1.6 km |
| St Michael's and St Peter's Junior School | 250 | −31% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 1.6 km |
| Carysfort Mxd N.S. | 197 | −7% | Church of Ireland | English | 2.2 km | |
| Gaelscoil an Inbhir Mhoir | 242 | −33% | Inter-denominational | All in Irish | 2.4 km | |
| S.N. Naomh Padraig | 76 | −22% | Catholic | English | 5.8 km | |
| Padraig Naofa N.S. | 172 | −7% | Catholic | English | 6.1 km |
The other 75 primary schools in Co. Wicklow
| School | Pupils | Since 2019/20 | Ethos | Language | DEIS | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Kevin's Ballycoog N.S. | 21 | −9% | Catholic | English | 7.9 km | |
| Scoil San Eoin | 37 | +12% | Catholic | English | 8.7 km | |
| S.N. Muire Mxd | 37 | −8% | Catholic | English | 12 km | |
| Brittas Bay Mxd N.S. | 129 | −9% | Catholic | English | 12 km | |
| An Chroi Ro Naofa N.S. | 204 | −22% | Catholic | English | 13 km | |
| Annacurra N.S. | 122 | −10% | Catholic | English | 14 km | |
| St Saviours N.S. | 124 | +17% | Church of Ireland | English | 14 km | |
| Rathdrum Boys N.S. | 172 | +20% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 15 km |
| Clochar Muire N.S. | 176 | +23% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 15 km |
| Glenealy 1 N.S. | 116 | −3% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 17 km |
| Coolfancy N.S. | 68 | −23% | Catholic | English | 20 km | |
| Wicklow Educate Together NS | 377 | −8% | Multi-denominational | English | 20 km | |
| Padraig Naofa N.S. | 377 | +25% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 20 km |
| Scoil an Choroin Mhuire | 432 | −6% | Catholic | English | 20 km | |
| St Coen's National School | 328 | +19% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 21 km |
| Glebe N.S. | 210 | +3% | Church of Ireland | English | 21 km | |
| Gaelscoil Chill Mhantáin | 285 | +7% | Inter-denominational | All in Irish | 21 km | |
| Tinahely N.S. | 133 | +15% | Catholic | English | 21 km | |
| Kilcommon N.S. | 94 | +2% | Church of Ireland | English | 21 km | |
| Moneystown N.S. | 108 | −7% | Catholic | English | 22 km | |
| Crossbridge N.S. | 45 | −21% | Catholic | English | 23 km | |
| Scoil na Coróine Mhuire | 309 | −16% | Catholic | English | 23 km | |
| Nuns Cross N.S. | 194 | +23% | Church of Ireland | English | 23 km | |
| Naomh Brid N.S. | 63 | −5% | Catholic | English | 24 km | |
| Caoimhin Naofa N.S. | 123 | −5% | Catholic | English | 25 km | |
| Scoil Mhuire na nAird | 73 | −14% | Catholic | English | 26 km | |
| All Saints National School | 23 | +10% | Church of Ireland | English | ✓ | 26 km |
| Carnew N.S. | 185 | −9% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 26 km |
| Shillelagh No 1 N.S. | 23 | −23% | Church of Ireland | English | 27 km | |
| Rathcoyle N.S. | 50 | −32% | Catholic | English | 28 km | |
| St Laurence O'Toole's N.S. | 254 | −18% | Catholic | English | 29 km | |
| St Francis N.S. | 90 | −14% | Church of Ireland | English | 30 km | |
| Woodstock Educate Together N.S. | 150 | – | Multi-denominational | English | 31 km | |
| Newtownmountkennedy Primary School | 368 | +1% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 31 km |
| Kiltegan N.S. | 9 | – | Church of Ireland | English | 32 km | |
| Kilcoole Primary School | 553 | −9% | Catholic | English | 34 km | |
| S.N. Naomh Brid | 77 | +8% | Catholic | English | 35 km | |
| Greystones Community NS | 412 | +91% | Multi-denominational | English | 36 km | |
| Delgany N.S. | 209 | −8% | Church of Ireland | English | 36 km | |
| St Laurences N.S. | 666 | −3% | Catholic | English | 37 km | |
| Donaghmore N.S. | 25 | −31% | Church of Ireland | English | 38 km | |
| St Brigids School | 396 | −20% | Catholic | English | 38 km | |
| Scoil Naomh Caoimhghin | 459 | −9% | Catholic | English | 38 km | |
| St Patrick's National School | 385 | +41% | Church of Ireland | English | 38 km | |
| Gaelscoil na gCloch Liath | 227 | −48% | Inter-denominational | All in Irish | 38 km | |
| Greystones Educate Together National School | 440 | −5% | Multi-denominational | English | 38 km | |
| Donard N.S. | 188 | +27% | Catholic | English | 39 km | |
| Scoil Naomh Iosaf | 393 | +12% | Catholic | English | 40 km | |
| Kilmacanogue N.S. | 204 | −17% | Catholic | English | 40 km | |
| S.N. Muire | 67 | −8% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 40 km |
| Stratford Lodge N.S. | 67 | −11% | Church of Ireland | English | 40 km | |
| Moin an Bhealaigh N.S. | 110 | +2% | Catholic | English | 41 km | |
| St Fergal's National School | 373 | −11% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 42 km |
| S.N. Padraig Naofa | 47 | −32% | Catholic | English | 42 km | |
| Powerscourt N.S. | 114 | +24% | Church of Ireland | English | 42 km | |
| Bray School Project N.S. | 223 | −7% | Multi-denominational | English | 42 km | |
| St Andrews N.S. | 204 | −4% | Church of Ireland | English | 42 km | |
| Scoil Chualann | 185 | −19% | Catholic | All in Irish | 43 km | |
| S.N. Muire Is Gearard | 206 | +4% | Catholic | English | 43 km | |
| Lacken Mxd N.S. | 91 | −13% | Catholic | English | 43 km | |
| Cronan Naofa N.S. | 388 | −24% | Catholic | English | 43 km | |
| Gaelscoil Ui Cheadaigh | 166 | −27% | Catholic | All in Irish | 44 km | |
| Hollywood N.S. | 126 | −15% | Catholic | English | 44 km | |
| Scoil Padraig Naofa | 680 | −13% | Catholic | English | 44 km | |
| St. Peter's Primary School | 156 | −7% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 44 km |
| Ravenswell Primary School | 468 | +16% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 45 km |
| Grange Con N.S. | 23 | −26% | Catholic | English | 45 km | |
| S N Nicolais Naofa | 250 | +7% | Catholic | English | 46 km | |
| Jonathan Swift N.S. | 24 | −43% | Church of Ireland | English | 46 km | |
| Gaelscoil na Lochanna | 151 | −24% | Inter-denominational | All in Irish | 48 km | |
| Blessington Educate Together NS | 95 | +79% | Multi-denominational | English | 48 km | |
| S.N. Muire | 237 | −13% | Catholic | English | 48 km | |
| S.N. Mhuire Senior School | 296 | −12% | Catholic | English | 48 km | |
| Kilbride N.S. | 97 | −2% | Catholic | English | 48 km | |
| Blessington 1 N.S. | 195 | −9% | Church of Ireland | English | 49 km |
Living in Arklow
The town’s figures, not this street’s.
Homes in the Y14 Eircode area
Housing in Arklow →The median sale price rose from €275,000 in 2023 to €300,000 in 2025 (+9%).
New against second-hand, 2023 to 2025
Property Price Register sales in the Y14 Eircode routing area, 2023 to 2025.
Renting in Arklow
Cost of living in Arklow →New tenancies in Arklow averaged €1,359 a month in 2025, against €1,268 in 2024 (+7%).
Residential Tenancies Board rent index, new tenancies, 2024 and 2025.
Location
Directions ↗near Arklow, Y14 X856
Primary schools near St Josephs N.S.
Nearest first, as the crow flies, up to 25 km. Each school’s own admission policy decides who gets a place.
Questions about St Josephs N.S.
Is St Josephs N.S. 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 St Josephs N.S. have?
500 pupils in 2025/26. That is −20% since 2019/20.
Does St Josephs N.S. teach through Irish?
No: St Josephs N.S. teaches in English, with Irish as a subject.
Who runs St Josephs N.S.?
St Josephs N.S. has a Catholic ethos. Its patron is Archbishop of Dublin.
How do pupils get a place at St Josephs N.S.?
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 St Josephs N.S.?
The nearest are St John's Senior School (1.6 km), St Michael's and St Peter's Junior School (1.6 km) and Carysfort Mxd N.S. (2.2 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 Arklow; 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).