St. Peter’s National School is a mixed Catholic primary school under the patronage of the Archdiocese of Armagh. The school is governed by a Board of Management and supported by a Parents’ Committee affiliated with the National Parents’ Council. It operates a vertical structure from Junior Infants to Sixth Class and currently includes three autism classes. The school implements the Primary School Curriculum as outlined by the Department of Education and actively engages in School Self-Evaluation processes.
As of September 2025, there are 233 pupils enrolled. The school is staffed by fifteen teachers, including nine mainstream classroom teachers, three Special Education Teachers, three autism class teachers and an administrative principal. The leadership team also includes a Deputy Principal, one Assistant Principal I and four Assistant Principal II post holders. Ancillary staff consist of thirteen Additional Needs Assistants (ANAs), a school secretary, a part-time caretaker and cleaning staff.
The school promotes participation across all curricular areas and encourages engagement in a range of extracurricular activities, including Gaelic games, soccer, rugby, basketball, cross-country running, quizzes, feiseanna, a cross-border choir, poetry and essay competitions, and art competitions. After-school activities such as fiddle and sewing lessons are also available.
St. Peter’s places a strong emphasis on digital learning and integrates technology into teaching and learning. All classrooms, including special education settings, are equipped with interactive smart boards and Chromeboxes. The school also has access to a mobile trolley containing 44 Chromebooks, 12 iPads and 12 Lenovo tablets. Pupils are timetabled for regular computer use, supported by high-speed fibre broadband and wireless internet access throughout the school.
The wider school community – including staff, ancillary staff, the Board of Management and the Parents’ Committee — works collaboratively to create a supportive and inclusive environment where pupils are encouraged to develop academically, socially and emotionally.
The school campus includes extensive outdoor facilities such as green play areas, a basketball court and a range of environmental and learning spaces including an outdoor classroom, butterfly garden, insect village and intergenerational garden. Over the years, the school grounds have been further developed through initiatives such as the Dreamtime Garden, a sculpture trail and the Incredible Edible Garden.
St. Peter’s has received numerous environmental awards in recognition of its sustainability initiatives. The school has been awarded multiple Green Flags through the An Taisce Green Schools programme and has also received Platinum Awards from Louth County Council for maintaining high environmental standards. In addition, the school has received recognition in local environmental competitions and national initiatives such as the Big Travel Challenge.
History of the School
The current school building opened in 1976. The school site also includes the former school building opened in 1927, which now houses a pre-school service, and an earlier school building dating from approximately 1830. This long-standing educational presence contributes to a strong sense of history within the school community.
Following several years of growth, an extension project began in March 2014 and was completed for the 2014–2015 school year. This development included a new classroom, additional resource rooms, upgraded office accommodation and improvements to heating and other facilities. Planning permission was subsequently granted in 2016 for two additional classrooms and a third resource room, which were completed in September 2018. Additional refurbishment works were also undertaken in 2018 under the Summer Works Scheme, including the upgrading of toilet facilities in several classrooms and the replacement of ceiling tiles throughout the building.
The school also marked the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising in 2016 through a series of commemorative events involving pupils, staff and the wider community. These celebrations included a Proclamation Day ceremony and a large-scale performance titled March to Glory, which involved pupils from across the school.