History

Our History

The first of July 1968, was a bright summers day and the school children of Waterford were looking forward expectantly to their holidays. While that day was for some an end to their academic school year, for others it was an exciting new beginning. In the newly built western suburb of the city there was a flurry of activity as young mothers brought their very young children to be registered in a new school.

From the humble beginnings of 71 boys and four teachers in rented rooms in the Manor of St. John, St. Paul’s Boys National School was born. Mr. John Griffin was Principal and Very Rev. Canon Leahy was Manager.

The first home of the new school, the Manor of St. John was built by the Wyse family whose Waterford connections date back to the 12th century and extend to the Bonapartes of France. This stately mansion did not have all the facilities required in a modern school but it was a boon to the fast developing suburb. It was indeed fitting, that the land being made available by the corporation for the new school, had been acquired by the corporation during the Mayoralty of Mr. John Griffin, who was now to make a further contribution to his adopted city as Principal of the new boys school. Out of the mud rose new classrooms, into them streamed new teachers and new pupils and with this successful expansion grew new confidence – a new identity – St. Paul’s.

We become a junior and a senior school

The numbers grew rapidly with the increase in house-building and population. In 1976 with a total of 25 members of staff it was decided to divide the school into a Junior School and a Senior school. Even at this stage the population was still growing. At its peak St. Paul’s Junior and Senior schools had a combined teaching staff of 31.

The Amalgamation

Many changes took place in Irish education and in St. Paul’s over the next three decades.Enrolment numbers decreased as the population matured and in the new millennium St. Paul’s had a total of 18 teachers on staff including two teaching principals. On the first of September 2005, St. Paul’s Junior and Senior schools amalgamated under the Principalship of Mr. James Moriarty to become St. Paul’s B.N.S. A new millennium, a revised curriculum and thirty seven years later St. Paul’s is entering a new and exciting era.

The Present

Forty years from its conception St. Paul’s B.N.S opened its brand new doors to a beautiful new state of the art building; which houses, 14 classrooms, 5 resource rooms, a computer room, a well stocked library, a general purpose hall.

St. Paul’s B.N.S. is situated in the western suburbs of Waterford city. At Present there are 250 pupils on the roll with 19 teachers, 5 Special Needs Assistants, 2 pre-school teachers, 1 secretary and 1 care-taker on staff. The “Early Days” Pre-School attached to St. Paul’s is also on the campus.

Ag Pól an siol.
Ag Dia an borradh.