Funded Pre-school Education

Funded pre-school education is available in nursery schools, primary schools with nursery classes and some voluntary and private playgroups and day nurseries.

Who can apply?

It is designed for children in the year immediately before they enter Primary 1. For September 2012, that means children who reach their third birthday on or before 1 July 2012.

Free places are available for over 90 per cent of children in their immediate pre-school year. All parents of children who will be entering their immediate pre-school year in September are encouraged to apply.

However, pre-school education is a non-compulsory phase of education and whilst it is the Department of Education's aim to provide a funded place for all children in their final pre-school year, whose parents wish it, there is no guarantee that your child will receive a funded place.

Most places are available for at least two and a half hours per day, five days per week for at least 38 weeks during the period September to June.

Information about pre-school education, closing date for applications and free places in your area is available from your local education and library board.

Education and Library Boards (contacts section)

Parents should list their preferences on an application form that can be obtained from any pre-school education centre or your local education and library board. The form should be completed and returned with a copy of your child's birth certificate to your first preference centre.

If a centre has enough free places, all eligible children whose parents apply will receive them. Centres will write out with offers of places on, or in, the first week of May.

If centres have more applications than free places, they are bound by published admissions criteria to give priority to:

children from socially disadvantaged circumstances (whose parents receive Income Support or income-based Jobseekers' Allowance)
children whose fourth birthday falls between 2 July and 31 August

This is because research has shown that children from socially disadvantaged background tend to experience more difficulty at school than other children. Children with July and August birthdays are given priority because they might not otherwise receive any education until after they are five.

From September 2006, all parents seeking free places for their children must complete an official application form, even if your child's name is already on a list for admission to pre-school education.

Funded pre-school education centres must:

follow curricular guiadance to plan and organise the children's learning
meet minimum standards for staff qualifications and staffing levels
have expert support form an early years specialist
be inspected regularly by the Education and Training Inspectorate
make inspection findings available to parents

Some centres may give priority to children with special educational needs.

Education and library boards may, where appropriate, place children with statements of special educational needs in pre-school which meets their particular needs.