St Peters National School Snr
School Details
Location
About
St. Peter’s National School Senior (Snr) is a Catholic primary school serving girls aged 7‑13 in classes 2nd to 6th, together with a dedicated special‑needs class for boys and girls with mild learning disabilities. The school provides a holistic, inclusive education to a multicultural community, emphasising personal and academic development within a caring, secure and challenging environment. With a staff complement of 13 teachers, the school operates seven mainstream classes and two special‑needs classes, supported by a full‑time and two part‑time special‑education teachers and a shared Home‑School Liaison Officer. The school benefits from a historic, architecturally significant building designed by Ralph Byrne in the 1930s, which is listed as a preserved structure. Modern facilities include a breakfast club each morning (08:30‑09:00) and a homework club each evening (14:50‑18:00), providing pupils with nutritious meals and supervised study time. Environmental stewardship is a key feature: the Green School Committee has earned five An Taisce Green Flags for excellence in waste, energy, water, transport and biodiversity management, and the school maintains an active garden. A wide range of extracurricular activities – from Gaelic football and music to the “Big Sister” mentorship programme – enriches pupil life and fosters community spirit.
History
St Peter’s Girls’ National School opened in 1934 after the Sisters of Mercy acquired the site in 1930 and commissioned a new modern school. The building, designed by architect Ralph Byrne, has been described as “perhaps the finest school building in Athlone” and is now listed as a preserved building. Original 1933 drawings show a two‑storey, seven‑bay structure with two rear wings, and the turret is modelled on the steeple of the old Priory of Saints Peter and Paul. The school’s official Irish name is “An Scoil Chluineach ar choimirce NN Peadar agus Pól”.