North Kildare Educate Together School
School Details
Location
About
North Kildare Educate Together National School (NKETNS) is a vibrant, child‑centred primary school situated in the heart of Celbridge, County Kildare. The school follows the Educate Together ethos, offering a co‑educational, equality‑based and democratically run environment where every child is welcomed regardless of socio‑economic, cultural or religious background. Learning is delivered through the “Learn Together” programme, which integrates Ethical Education with the Social, Personal and Health Education curriculum, encouraging curiosity, confidence and kindness while fostering respect for diverse belief systems and the natural world. The campus includes modern facilities such as digitally equipped classrooms with projectors and interactive whiteboards, a dedicated unit for children with autism, and extensive outdoor spaces that support a strong athletics tradition linked to the nearby Celbridge Athletics Club. Since expanding to a two‑stream model in 2022, the school now accommodates around 435 pupils and 45 staff members, providing a supportive community that promotes democratic participation, active parental involvement and a broad range of extracurricular activities.
History
The North Kildare National School Project was founded in 1990 by local advocates of multi‑denominational education and opened its doors in September 1994 at Ballymakealy Lower, Celbridge. Permanent recognition was granted by the Department of Education in 1995. After securing a new site and funding in 1998‑1999, the school moved to its present premises in June 2003, which includes a specialised unit for children with autism. Outreach classes for autism began in the 2006/2007 school year, and a major IT upgrade equipped each classroom with digital projectors and interactive whiteboards in 2010. A second stream was introduced in 2014, and the school became fully two‑stream in September 2022, now serving 435 pupils. The school celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2024.