St Laurence O Toole National School
School Details
Location
About
St Laurence O’Toole’s National School is a co‑educational Catholic primary school serving the Roundwood community in County Wicklow. The school provides a child‑centred, inclusive education for pupils from Junior Infants to 6th class, including two dedicated classes for children with autism. Guided by the locally‑developed “Tochar Values” – Teamwork, Championing Others, Cinéaltas, Honour, Engagement in Learning and Resilience – the school aims to foster high expectations, personal wellbeing and active pupil voice within a caring, safe environment. The campus combines modern facilities with a strong sense of community. It comprises eight classrooms, a purpose‑built P.E. hall, a staff room and separate gender‑specific toilets for pupils and adults. Extensions added in 2011 and 2014 have expanded learning spaces, and a new purpose‑built ASD unit is under construction. A broad range of extracurricular activities, such as guitar, sewing and student‑led events, complement the curriculum and support the holistic development of each child.
History
In the early 1800s Roundwood had four small schools; St Laurence O’Toole’s National School opened on the main street in 1923, replacing the earlier back‑road school. The original building later became a private residence. As the village grew, a new school was planned in the late 1970s on the former Fair Green site. Construction was completed in five years and the new premises opened in 1984 with eight classrooms, a P.E. hall and dedicated facilities. Since then the pupil roll has tripled, and further extensions were added in 2011 and 2014, with plans for an additional ASD unit.