Pre-school education

Publication of the review of Pre-school education in Northern Ireland

The Department of Education has published the outcomes of the Review of Pre-school Education in Northern Ireland.

Review of pre-school education

The Pre-School Education Expansion Programme, which is an important element both of the Department of Education’s strategy for tackling low and under-achievement and of the Government’s Childcare Strategy, is designed as a partnership between the statutory and voluntary/private sectors.

This incorporates a number of features designed to promote high quality pre-school provision, including adherence to a common curriculum in all settings, in line with the Curricular Guidance for Pre-School Education published by the Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA).

Funded pre-school education is available in statutory nursery settings and in those voluntary playgroups and private day nurseries participating in the Pre-School Education Expansion Programme.  

Pre-school places are allocated to children on the basis of a school’s (or playgroup’s) admissions criteria, combined with the parents’ stated order of preference for the setting they wish their child to attend. However, both statutory and voluntary sector providers are required to give priority in their admissions criteria to children from socially disadvantaged circumstances – who, research shows, benefit most from pre-school education – and to the oldest 4-year olds (those with July and August birthdays).

Pre-school education is a non-compulsory phase of education which is designed for children who are in the year immediately before they enter Primary 1.  Most pre-school places are available on a part-time basis (at least 2 ½ hours per day) however some nursery schools and classes may offer full-time places (around 4 hours, with lunch available).