Irish Times feeder schools data highlights consistently high progression rates across schools in Newbridge, Maynooth and Athy
The Irish Times has published its 2025 Feeder Schools supplement which provides new insights into the pathways taken by graduates of Irish second-level schools into third-level education.
According to the data, former students who completed their second-level education in the State secured 44,507 undergraduate places across Irish third-level institutions included in this year’s supplement.
The information in the list is compiled from two sources: the State Examinations Commission Leaving Cert sits list, which tells us the number of students that sat the Leaving Cert in each post-primary school this year; and lists provided by each of the higher education institutions, which tell us the school of origin of the full-time, first-year undergraduate cohort.
However, the figures are not yet fully complete. Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin) has not provided progression details for an estimated 1,300 to 1,500 students currently enrolled in first-year undergraduate programmes. As a result, final progression totals for individual schools will not be confirmed until this data is received, expected in March or April 2026.
In addition, funding for approximately 2,500 extra undergraduate places was announced in 2025 by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and Kildare North TD James Lawless. This means the overall number of places secured by graduates of Irish second-level schools is expected to rise to around 46,000. Updated figures will be published online once the outstanding TU Dublin data becomes available.
Post primary schools in county Kildare have recorded strong progression into third level. The table below displays the school name, the number of students for sat their Leaving Cert and the third column denotes the progression rate to third level.
Below is the list of post-primary schools in Kildare based on figures from the Irish Times. * Denotes fee paying school.
| School Name | LC Sits | Progression rate % |
| *Dominican College, Newbridge | 159 | 98 |
| Maynooth Post Primary School, Moyglare Road, Maynooth | 167 | 90 |
| Holy Family, Newbridge | 110 | 87 |
| Ardscoil na Trionóide, Rathstewart, Athy | 135 | 86 |
| *Clongowes Wood College, Clane | 81 | 85 |
| Confey Community College, Confey | 128 | 84 |
| Cross and Passion College, Kilcullen | 117 | 82 |
| Ardscoil Rath Iomgháin, Rathangan, | 102 | 81 |
| CBS Naas | 168 | 77 |
| Patrician Secondary School, Newbridge | 134 | 77 |
| Piper's Hill College, Killashee, Naas | 162 | 77 |
| Naas Community College, Naas | 111 | 76 |
| Maynooth Community College, Maynooth | 122 | 71 |
| Scoil Mhuire Community School, Clane | 180 | 71 |
| Salesian College, Celbridge | 115 | 70 |
| Celbridge Community School, Celbridge | 105 | 66 |
| Kildare Town Community School, Kildare | 165 | 64 |
| St Paul's Secondary School, Monasterevin | 86 | 60 |
| Athy Community College, Athy | 66 | 55 |
| St. Farnan's Post Primary Sch., Prosperous | 66 | 55 |
| Coláiste Lorcain, Castledermot | 62 | 48 |
| St Conleth's Community College, Newbridge | 98 | 44 |
| Curragh Community College, Curragh | 31 | 35 |
| Scoil Dara, Kilcock | 137 | 73 |
| Gael-Cholaiste Chill Dara, Naas | 51 | 78 |
| Confey Community College, Confey | 128 | 84 |
| St Wolstan's Community School, Celbridge | 107 | 103 |
| St. Mary’s College, Naas | 184 | 93 |
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