St Coens Primary School
School Details
Location
About
St. Coen’s National School, situated in Rathnew, County Wicklow, provides a broad, balanced curriculum that seeks to develop pupils holistically – academically, spiritually, socially, emotionally, physically and creatively. The school offers a safe, nurturing environment for children of all abilities, with sixteen mainstream classrooms and two specialist classes for pupils diagnosed with autism. As a DEIS Urban Band 1 school it benefits from a full‑time Home School Community Liaison Teacher, class sizes averaging below twenty, free hot meals for every student and participation in the School Completion Programme, all of which support attendance and retention, particularly for the most vulnerable learners. The school’s ethos is rooted in its Catholic patronage under the Archbishop of Dublin, emphasising partnership with parents, respect, honesty and integrity. It aims to empower children with the knowledge, skills and confidence to reach their full potential, encouraging pride in both school and community. Modern facilities are housed in a purpose‑built building at Merrymeeting, opened in December 2016, providing contemporary learning spaces for both mainstream and special‑needs education.
History
St. Coen’s National School opened its doors in the 2016/2017 academic year following the amalgamation of St. Joseph’s GNS and St. Ernan’s BNS. The new purpose‑built premises in Merrymeeting were officially opened in December 2016. The school is named after St Coen, a derivation of the old Irish name Caoimhín (Kevin), and is located in an area historically known as Droim Coen, the “Ridge of Kevin”.