St Fergal's National School
Ballywaltrim, Bray, Co. Wicklow · A98 A521 · Roll number 20466L
St Fergal's National School is one of 17 primary schools in or within 3 km of Bray. Every school in and around Bray →
What stands out about St Fergal's National School
- One of the larger primary schools: 373 pupils, against a typical 131.
- About as many pupils as in 2019/20 (−11%).
- Teaches through English, with Irish as a subject.
- In 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.
- Has special classes for children who need more support.
- Its patron is the Archbishop of Dublin; its ethos is Catholic.
Pupils over time
2015/16 to 2025/26St Fergal's National School had 373 pupils in 2025/26, down from 456 in 2015/16 (−18%). Girls are 50% of them. Its roll rose in 2 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 Fergal's 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 St Fergal's 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 St Fergal's 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 St Fergal's National School
Every school admits under its own published admission policy; no admissions numbers are published.
Families apply to St Fergal's 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.
It is in DEIS, so it has extra support for pupils from disadvantaged areas. 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 Fergal's National School has shrunk by 11% since 2019/20. All the schools around Bray together changed by +1%.
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 St Fergal's National School. Since 2019/20 its roll has changed by −11%; 2 of the 6 grew faster.
| School | Pupils | Since 2019/20 | Ethos | Language | DEIS | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Fergal's National School | 373 | −11% | Catholic | English | ✓ | |
| Bray School Project N.S. | 223 | −7% | Multi-denominational | English | 0.2 km | |
| Scoil Chualann | 185 | −19% | Catholic | All in Irish | 1.5 km | |
| St Andrews N.S. | 204 | −4% | Church of Ireland | English | 1.6 km | |
| Gaelscoil Ui Cheadaigh | 166 | −27% | Catholic | All in Irish | 1.7 km | |
| Cronan Naofa N.S. | 388 | −24% | Catholic | English | 1.8 km | |
| Scoil Padraig Naofa | 680 | −13% | Catholic | English | 1.8 km |
The other 75 primary schools in Co. Wicklow
| School | Pupils | Since 2019/20 | Ethos | Language | DEIS | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Peter's Primary School | 156 | −7% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 2.3 km |
| Kilmacanogue N.S. | 204 | −17% | Catholic | English | 2.3 km | |
| Ravenswell Primary School | 468 | +16% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 2.7 km |
| Powerscourt N.S. | 114 | +24% | Church of Ireland | English | 2.8 km | |
| S.N. Muire Is Gearard | 206 | +4% | Catholic | English | 3.4 km | |
| Gaelscoil na gCloch Liath | 227 | −48% | Inter-denominational | All in Irish | 4.7 km | |
| Greystones Educate Together National School | 440 | −5% | Multi-denominational | English | 4.7 km | |
| Scoil Naomh Caoimhghin | 459 | −9% | Catholic | English | 5.4 km | |
| St Patrick's National School | 385 | +41% | Church of Ireland | English | 5.6 km | |
| St Laurences N.S. | 666 | −3% | Catholic | English | 5.7 km | |
| S.N. Padraig Naofa | 47 | −32% | Catholic | English | 5.8 km | |
| St Brigids School | 396 | −20% | Catholic | English | 6 km | |
| Delgany N.S. | 209 | −8% | Church of Ireland | English | 6.5 km | |
| Greystones Community NS | 412 | +91% | Multi-denominational | English | 7.9 km | |
| Kilcoole Primary School | 553 | −9% | Catholic | English | 9.3 km | |
| Newtownmountkennedy Primary School | 368 | +1% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 11 km |
| Woodstock Educate Together N.S. | 150 | – | Multi-denominational | English | 11 km | |
| St Francis N.S. | 90 | −14% | Church of Ireland | English | 13 km | |
| St Laurence O'Toole's N.S. | 254 | −18% | Catholic | English | 15 km | |
| Nuns Cross N.S. | 194 | +23% | Church of Ireland | English | 19 km | |
| Scoil na Coróine Mhuire | 309 | −16% | Catholic | English | 19 km | |
| Moneystown N.S. | 108 | −7% | Catholic | English | 21 km | |
| Gaelscoil Chill Mhantáin | 285 | +7% | Inter-denominational | All in Irish | 22 km | |
| St Coen's National School | 328 | +19% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 22 km |
| Kilbride N.S. | 97 | −2% | Catholic | English | 23 km | |
| Caoimhin Naofa N.S. | 123 | −5% | Catholic | English | 23 km | |
| Glebe N.S. | 210 | +3% | Church of Ireland | English | 23 km | |
| Wicklow Educate Together NS | 377 | −8% | Multi-denominational | English | 23 km | |
| Padraig Naofa N.S. | 377 | +25% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 24 km |
| Scoil an Choroin Mhuire | 432 | −6% | Catholic | English | 24 km | |
| Glenealy 1 N.S. | 116 | −3% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 25 km |
| Lacken Mxd N.S. | 91 | −13% | Catholic | English | 25 km | |
| Blessington Educate Together NS | 95 | +79% | Multi-denominational | English | 25 km | |
| S.N. Muire | 237 | −13% | Catholic | English | 27 km | |
| S.N. Mhuire Senior School | 296 | −12% | Catholic | English | 27 km | |
| Blessington 1 N.S. | 195 | −9% | Church of Ireland | English | 28 km | |
| Moin an Bhealaigh N.S. | 110 | +2% | Catholic | English | 28 km | |
| Gaelscoil na Lochanna | 151 | −24% | Inter-denominational | All in Irish | 29 km | |
| Clochar Muire N.S. | 176 | +23% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 29 km |
| Rathdrum Boys N.S. | 172 | +20% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 29 km |
| St Saviours N.S. | 124 | +17% | Church of Ireland | English | 29 km | |
| S.N. Muire Mxd | 37 | −8% | Catholic | English | 30 km | |
| Brittas Bay Mxd N.S. | 129 | −9% | Catholic | English | 32 km | |
| Scoil San Eoin | 37 | +12% | Catholic | English | 33 km | |
| Hollywood N.S. | 126 | −15% | Catholic | English | 33 km | |
| Donard N.S. | 188 | +27% | Catholic | English | 37 km | |
| Padraig Naofa N.S. | 172 | −7% | Catholic | English | 38 km | |
| An Chroi Ro Naofa N.S. | 204 | −22% | Catholic | English | 39 km | |
| Donaghmore N.S. | 25 | −31% | Church of Ireland | English | 40 km | |
| Rathcoyle N.S. | 50 | −32% | Catholic | English | 40 km | |
| S N Nicolais Naofa | 250 | +7% | Catholic | English | 41 km | |
| St Kevin's Ballycoog N.S. | 21 | −9% | Catholic | English | 41 km | |
| Jonathan Swift N.S. | 24 | −43% | Church of Ireland | English | 41 km | |
| Annacurra N.S. | 122 | −10% | Catholic | English | 41 km | |
| St Josephs N.S. | 500 | −20% | Catholic | English | 42 km | |
| S.N. Muire | 67 | −8% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 43 km |
| Naomh Brid N.S. | 63 | −5% | Catholic | English | 43 km | |
| St John's Senior School | 323 | −24% | Catholic | Some subjects in Irish | ✓ | 43 km |
| St Michael's and St Peter's Junior School | 250 | −31% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 44 km |
| Gaelscoil an Inbhir Mhoir | 242 | −33% | Inter-denominational | All in Irish | 44 km | |
| Carysfort Mxd N.S. | 197 | −7% | Church of Ireland | English | 44 km | |
| S.N. Naomh Padraig | 76 | −22% | Catholic | English | 44 km | |
| S.N. Naomh Brid | 77 | +8% | Catholic | English | 45 km | |
| Kiltegan N.S. | 9 | – | Church of Ireland | English | 45 km | |
| Grange Con N.S. | 23 | −26% | Catholic | English | 46 km | |
| Scoil Naomh Iosaf | 393 | +12% | Catholic | English | 47 km | |
| Stratford Lodge N.S. | 67 | −11% | Church of Ireland | English | 48 km | |
| Crossbridge N.S. | 45 | −21% | Catholic | English | 48 km | |
| Tinahely N.S. | 133 | +15% | Catholic | English | 49 km | |
| Kilcommon N.S. | 94 | +2% | Church of Ireland | English | 49 km | |
| Coolfancy N.S. | 68 | −23% | Catholic | English | 51 km | |
| Scoil Mhuire na nAird | 73 | −14% | Catholic | English | 54 km | |
| Shillelagh No 1 N.S. | 23 | −23% | Church of Ireland | English | 56 km | |
| Carnew N.S. | 185 | −9% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 59 km |
| All Saints National School | 23 | +10% | Church of Ireland | English | ✓ | 59 km |
Living in Bray
The town’s figures, not this street’s.
Homes in the A98 Eircode area
Housing in Bray →The median sale price rose from €460,000 in 2023 to €550,000 in 2025 (+20%).
New against second-hand, 2023 to 2025
Property Price Register sales in the A98 Eircode routing area, 2023 to 2025.
Renting in Bray
Cost of living in Bray →New tenancies in Bray averaged €1,617 a month in 2025, against €1,509 in 2024 (+7%).
Residential Tenancies Board rent index, new tenancies, 2024 and 2025.
Location
Directions ↗Bray, A98 A521
Primary schools near St Fergal's 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 St Fergal's National School
Is St Fergal's 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 St Fergal's National School have?
373 pupils in 2025/26. That is −11% since 2019/20.
Does St Fergal's National School teach through Irish?
No: St Fergal's National School teaches in English, with Irish as a subject.
Who runs St Fergal's National School?
St Fergal's National School has a Catholic ethos. Its patron is Archbishop of Dublin.
How do pupils get a place at St Fergal's 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 St Fergal's National School?
The nearest are Bray School Project N.S. (0.2 km), Scoil Chualann (1.5 km) and St Andrews N.S. (1.6 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 Bray; 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).