Ballapousta National School
School Details
Location
About
Ballapousta National School is a primary school situated about 4 km from Ardee, operating under a Catholic ethos while welcoming children of all faiths and none. The school currently educates roughly 175 pupils and is staffed by a team of teachers and specialist support assistants, including dedicated provision for autism and special education. Recent European Union funding under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan has enabled the purchase of Chromebooks, helping to bridge the digital divide and enhance classroom learning with modern technology. The school offers a broad, balanced curriculum complemented by a rich programme of extra‑curricular activities. Pupils benefit from strong sporting traditions and the school has been awarded the “Active School” flag, reflecting its commitment to health and physical education. A focus on partnership with parents and the Board of Management underpins a collaborative approach to learning, and the new school building provides contemporary facilities for both academic and community use.
History
The origins of Ballapousta NS date back to October 1823 when John Taaffe applied to the Kildare Place Society for a grant to construct the school, receiving £40 towards the £130 building cost. The first master, John O’Neill, opened the school in a two‑room, 16 ft × 16 ft premises that initially enrolled 46 children, assisted by a second teacher, Rose O’Neill. The Kildare Society, established to provide primary education for the poor, funded the school’s furnishings, books and upkeep until 1828. Ballapousta was one of four chapel schools in the county, built on church land, and became the first school in the parish to affiliate with the National Board of Education on 23 December 1836, with Edward Matthews as its first recognised teacher. From its inception the school has been mixed‑gender.