St Baoithin National School
School Details
Location
About
St. Baoithín’s National School is a co‑educational primary school situated in the village of Loughanavally, County Westmeath. It provides a full junior, middle and senior programme within a close‑knit rural community of roughly 300 residents. The school places a strong emphasis on holistic development, encouraging pupils to engage in a wide range of extracurricular activities such as talent shows, community singing, art competitions and fundraising events. These initiatives foster confidence, creativity and a sense of belonging, while the curriculum follows the Irish primary syllabus, supporting literacy, numeracy and personal development. The campus has been progressively expanded to meet growing enrolments. An original building opened in the early 1960s, with a dedicated junior classroom added in 2005 and a further standalone classroom and resource room completed in 2012. Additional provisions include a learning‑support/staff room, a safe set‑down area for parents and staff parking, and modern teaching facilities across the three classroom clusters. The school’s active participation in programmes such as Active Schools Week highlights its commitment to health, wellbeing and community partnership.
History
Construction of the school began in 1957 and the building was first occupied in 1962. In 1999 the school was dedicated to St Baoithín, a 7th‑century saint who founded one of the first monasteries in the area. An extension added a junior classroom in 2003/04, officially opened on 8 June 2005 by Ms Síle De Valera TD. A third mainstream teacher was appointed in September 2006, prompting the addition of a prefab classroom. Following safety concerns, a Summer Works grant secured a dedicated parking and set‑down zone in the 2009/10 academic year. A new standalone classroom and resource room replaced the prefab in 2012, opened by Bishop Michael Smith in June 2012.