St Francis N.S.
Church Lane, Newcastle, Greystones · A63 YX22 · Roll number 19734D
St Francis N.S. is one of 3 primary schools in or within 3 km of Newcastle. Every school in and around Newcastle →
What stands out about St Francis N.S.
- 90 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.
- The smallest of the 3 primary schools around Newcastle.
- Its patron is the Archbishop of Dublin & Bishop of Glendalough COI; its ethos is Church of Ireland.
Pupils over time
2015/16 to 2025/26St Francis N.S. had 90 pupils in 2025/26, down from 101 in 2015/16 (−11%). Girls are 47% of them. Its largest roll was 107, in 2016/17. 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 St Francis 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 Francis 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 Francis 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 Francis N.S.
Every school admits under its own published admission policy; no admissions numbers are published.
Families apply to St Francis 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.
No figures on applications are published, but the roll shows demand: St Francis N.S. has shrunk by 14% since 2019/20. All the schools around Newcastle together changed by +12%.
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.
Each of the 6 nearest primary schools has more pupils than St Francis N.S.. Since 2019/20 its roll has changed by −14%; 4 of the 5 grew faster.
| School | Pupils | Since 2019/20 | Ethos | Language | DEIS | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Francis N.S. | 90 | −14% | Church of Ireland | English | ||
| Woodstock Educate Together N.S. | 150 | – | Multi-denominational | English | 3.2 km | |
| Newtownmountkennedy Primary School | 368 | +1% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 3.3 km |
| Kilcoole Primary School | 553 | −9% | Catholic | English | 4.2 km | |
| Greystones Community NS | 412 | +91% | Multi-denominational | English | 5.8 km | |
| Delgany N.S. | 209 | −8% | Church of Ireland | English | 6.7 km | |
| Scoil na Coróine Mhuire | 309 | −16% | Catholic | English | 6.7 km |
The other 75 primary schools in Co. Wicklow
| School | Pupils | Since 2019/20 | Ethos | Language | DEIS | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nuns Cross N.S. | 194 | +23% | Church of Ireland | English | 7 km | |
| St Laurences N.S. | 666 | −3% | Catholic | English | 7.6 km | |
| St Brigids School | 396 | −20% | Catholic | English | 8.3 km | |
| St Patrick's National School | 385 | +41% | Church of Ireland | English | 8.4 km | |
| Scoil Naomh Caoimhghin | 459 | −9% | Catholic | English | 8.4 km | |
| Greystones Educate Together National School | 440 | −5% | Multi-denominational | English | 8.8 km | |
| Gaelscoil na gCloch Liath | 227 | −48% | Inter-denominational | All in Irish | 8.8 km | |
| Gaelscoil Chill Mhantáin | 285 | +7% | Inter-denominational | All in Irish | 9.4 km | |
| St Coen's National School | 328 | +19% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 9.5 km |
| St Laurence O'Toole's N.S. | 254 | −18% | Catholic | English | 10 km | |
| Glebe N.S. | 210 | +3% | Church of Ireland | English | 10 km | |
| Wicklow Educate Together NS | 377 | −8% | Multi-denominational | English | 10 km | |
| Padraig Naofa N.S. | 377 | +25% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 11 km |
| Scoil an Choroin Mhuire | 432 | −6% | Catholic | English | 11 km | |
| Moneystown N.S. | 108 | −7% | Catholic | English | 11 km | |
| Kilmacanogue N.S. | 204 | −17% | Catholic | English | 11 km | |
| St Andrews N.S. | 204 | −4% | Church of Ireland | English | 13 km | |
| St Fergal's National School | 373 | −11% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 13 km |
| Bray School Project N.S. | 223 | −7% | Multi-denominational | English | 13 km | |
| Glenealy 1 N.S. | 116 | −3% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 13 km |
| Scoil Chualann | 185 | −19% | Catholic | All in Irish | 13 km | |
| Cronan Naofa N.S. | 388 | −24% | Catholic | English | 14 km | |
| Gaelscoil Ui Cheadaigh | 166 | −27% | Catholic | All in Irish | 14 km | |
| Powerscourt N.S. | 114 | +24% | Church of Ireland | English | 14 km | |
| Scoil Padraig Naofa | 680 | −13% | Catholic | English | 14 km | |
| S.N. Muire Is Gearard | 206 | +4% | Catholic | English | 15 km | |
| St. Peter's Primary School | 156 | −7% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 15 km |
| Ravenswell Primary School | 468 | +16% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 15 km |
| S.N. Padraig Naofa | 47 | −32% | Catholic | English | 16 km | |
| Caoimhin Naofa N.S. | 123 | −5% | Catholic | English | 17 km | |
| S.N. Muire Mxd | 37 | −8% | Catholic | English | 18 km | |
| Clochar Muire N.S. | 176 | +23% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 19 km |
| St Saviours N.S. | 124 | +17% | Church of Ireland | English | 19 km | |
| Rathdrum Boys N.S. | 172 | +20% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 19 km |
| Brittas Bay Mxd N.S. | 129 | −9% | Catholic | English | 19 km | |
| Scoil San Eoin | 37 | +12% | Catholic | English | 21 km | |
| Padraig Naofa N.S. | 172 | −7% | Catholic | English | 26 km | |
| Lacken Mxd N.S. | 91 | −13% | Catholic | English | 29 km | |
| An Chroi Ro Naofa N.S. | 204 | −22% | Catholic | English | 29 km | |
| Kilbride N.S. | 97 | −2% | Catholic | English | 30 km | |
| St Josephs N.S. | 500 | −20% | Catholic | English | 30 km | |
| St Kevin's Ballycoog N.S. | 21 | −9% | Catholic | English | 30 km | |
| Moin an Bhealaigh N.S. | 110 | +2% | Catholic | English | 30 km | |
| Blessington Educate Together NS | 95 | +79% | Multi-denominational | English | 31 km | |
| St John's Senior School | 323 | −24% | Catholic | Some subjects in Irish | ✓ | 31 km |
| St Michael's and St Peter's Junior School | 250 | −31% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 31 km |
| Annacurra N.S. | 122 | −10% | Catholic | English | 32 km | |
| Gaelscoil an Inbhir Mhoir | 242 | −33% | Inter-denominational | All in Irish | 32 km | |
| Carysfort Mxd N.S. | 197 | −7% | Church of Ireland | English | 32 km | |
| S.N. Muire | 237 | −13% | Catholic | English | 32 km | |
| S.N. Mhuire Senior School | 296 | −12% | Catholic | English | 32 km | |
| S.N. Naomh Padraig | 76 | −22% | Catholic | English | 33 km | |
| Blessington 1 N.S. | 195 | −9% | Church of Ireland | English | 33 km | |
| Gaelscoil na Lochanna | 151 | −24% | Inter-denominational | All in Irish | 33 km | |
| Rathcoyle N.S. | 50 | −32% | Catholic | English | 35 km | |
| Hollywood N.S. | 126 | −15% | Catholic | English | 35 km | |
| Naomh Brid N.S. | 63 | −5% | Catholic | English | 36 km | |
| Donard N.S. | 188 | +27% | Catholic | English | 37 km | |
| Donaghmore N.S. | 25 | −31% | Church of Ireland | English | 38 km | |
| Tinahely N.S. | 133 | +15% | Catholic | English | 40 km | |
| Kiltegan N.S. | 9 | – | Church of Ireland | English | 40 km | |
| Crossbridge N.S. | 45 | −21% | Catholic | English | 40 km | |
| Kilcommon N.S. | 94 | +2% | Church of Ireland | English | 40 km | |
| S.N. Naomh Brid | 77 | +8% | Catholic | English | 41 km | |
| S.N. Muire | 67 | −8% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 41 km |
| S N Nicolais Naofa | 250 | +7% | Catholic | English | 42 km | |
| Coolfancy N.S. | 68 | −23% | Catholic | English | 42 km | |
| Jonathan Swift N.S. | 24 | −43% | Church of Ireland | English | 42 km | |
| Scoil Naomh Iosaf | 393 | +12% | Catholic | English | 45 km | |
| Stratford Lodge N.S. | 67 | −11% | Church of Ireland | English | 45 km | |
| Grange Con N.S. | 23 | −26% | Catholic | English | 46 km | |
| Scoil Mhuire na nAird | 73 | −14% | Catholic | English | 46 km | |
| Shillelagh No 1 N.S. | 23 | −23% | Church of Ireland | English | 47 km | |
| Carnew N.S. | 185 | −9% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 49 km |
| All Saints National School | 23 | +10% | Church of Ireland | English | ✓ | 49 km |
Living in Newcastle
The town’s figures, not this street’s.
Homes in the A63 Eircode area
Housing in Newcastle →The median sale price rose from €540,800 in 2023 to €573,700 in 2025 (+6%).
New against second-hand, 2023 to 2025
Property Price Register sales in the A63 Eircode routing area, 2023 to 2025.
Renting in Co. Wicklow
Cost of living in Newcastle →New tenancies in Co. Wicklow averaged €1,730 a month in 2025, against €1,635 in 2024 (+6%).
Residential Tenancies Board rent index, new tenancies, 2024 and 2025.
Location
Directions ↗Newcastle, A63 YX22
Primary schools near St Francis 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 Francis N.S.
Is St Francis 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 Francis N.S. have?
90 pupils in 2025/26. That is −14% since 2019/20.
Does St Francis N.S. teach through Irish?
No: St Francis N.S. teaches in English, with Irish as a subject.
Who runs St Francis N.S.?
St Francis N.S. has a Church of Ireland ethos. Its patron is Archbishop of Dublin & Bishop of Glendalough COI.
How do pupils get a place at St Francis 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 Francis N.S.?
The nearest are Woodstock Educate Together N.S. (3.2 km), Newtownmountkennedy Primary School (3.3 km) and Kilcoole Primary School (4.2 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 Newcastle; 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).