Pre-School Standardisation Programme – Cohort Three, Tranche Three Consultation

Pre-school Settings Requesting Transition from September 2027 

The settings listed below have requested changes to deliver new or additional full-time (22.5 hours per week) funded pre-school education from September 2027, or as soon as possible thereafter. 

This list comprises a total of 36 settings and is the third tranche of settings to be considered to implement the standardised pre-school session length from September 2027. In line with previous years, we do not anticipate bringing forward another tranche of settings for Cohort three.

The EA has confirmed that all proposed changes can be implemented while maintaining the overall objective of the Pre-School Education Programme to provide a funded pre-school education place for every target aged child whose parents want it. 

The EA considers that all the settings listed can be fully prepared to deliver full-time pre-school education places for at least 22.5 hours per week from September 2027, that any necessary resources have been secured and any changes required can be completed before this date. 

The leadership of each pre-school have formally requested the changes.  In making their requests, they have each confirmed that the proposed changes are deliverable within the existing provision available in the setting (including any provision that has already been agreed with the EA but not yet in place) and are not dependent on any other new or additional capital or other investment. It is the view of the leadership of each setting that the requested provision is sustainable.

Stakeholders are invited to provide comments on why the proposed changes should or should not be approved.  Comments should be sent to preschoolstandardisation@education-ni.gov.uk by 5.00pm on Friday 20 November 2026.

Requests for Amalgamation for Standardisation

The settings below have requested a reduction in admissions and enrolment to be applied at the same time as a change in session length.  More information on Amalgamation for Standardisation can be found here. 

If approved, each setting would offer full-time (22.5 hours per week) funded pre-school places, as outlined on the table below, after the date of implementation. The number of places that would be offered is different to the current number and is again shown on the table below.

DE Ref	Setting Name	Local Government District (LGD)	Current Pattern FT	Current Pattern PT	Proposed Pattern FT	Proposed Pattern PT
3150037	Ballymena Integrated Nursery School	Mid and East Antrim	0	104	26	52
4013023	Bloomfield PS NU (Bangor)	North Down	0	52	26	0

Requests for Standardisation

The settings below have requested a change in session length only. 

For statutory settings, if approved, the number of places offered would not change. The approved admissions number would be as it currently is, but the places at each setting that are currently part-time (12.5 hours per week) would move to being full time (22.5 hours per week) after the date of implementation. Any full-time provision that is already in place at a setting would also continue. 

For non-statutory settings, the number of places would, as currently, be set via the annual EA PAN allocation. If approved, each setting would offer only full time (22.5 hours per week) funded places after the date of implementation.

DENI	Setting Name	Setting type	Local Government District (LGD)
5CA0673	Bluebell Childcare	Non-Statutory	Mid Ulster
3013310	Broughshane PS NU (Ballymena)	Statutory	Mid and East Antrim
2CA0621	Buddies Childtime Centre Ltd PG (Omagh)	Non-Statutory	Fermanagh and Omagh
5CA0596	Childs Play Pre School PG (Banbridge)	Non-Statutory	Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon
5AB0399	Clady Tiny Tots PG (Mowhan)	Non-Statutory	Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon
1BB0491 (*1056535)	Forge Integrated PG (Belfast)	Non-Statutory	Belfast
3AB0245	Jack Horner Community Pre School PG	Non-Statutory	Causeway Coast and Glens
5CA0195	Jolly Jesters Nursery PG (Dromore)	Non-Statutory	Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon
3BB0090	Kenbaan Community Pre School PG	Non-Statutory	Mid and East Antrim
3AB0104	Kiddies Castle Early Years PG (Castledawson)	Non-Statutory	Mid Ulster
5AB0415	Kids R Us Cross Community PG (Fivemiletown)	Non-Statutory	Mid Ulster
5AB0400	Kilkeel PG	Non-Statutory	Newry, Mourne and Down
5AB0504	Little Oaks Pre School PG (Portadown)	Non-Statutory	Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon
5AB0329	Meigh Community Pre School PG	Non-Statutory	Newry, Mourne and Down
5AB0395	Naiscoil an Chreagain PG	Non-Statutory	Newry, Mourne and Down
2AB0671	Naiscoil an Phiarsaigh PG (Derry)	Non-Statutory	Derry City and Strabane
2AB0569	Naiscoil na Deirge PG (Castlederg)	Non-Statutory	Derry City and Strabane
5046692	Naiscoil na mBeann PS NU (Kilkeel)	Statutory	Newry, Mourne and Down
1046671	Naiscoil na Mona PS NU (Belfast)	Statutory	Belfast
5AB0186	Newmills PG (Dungannon)	Non-Statutory	Mid Ulster
2066558	Oakgrove Integrated PS NU	Statutory	Derry City and Strabane
2AB0029	Orchard Community PG (Ballykelly)	Non-Statutory	Causeway Coast and Glens
1BB0013	Play and Learn PG (Belfast)	Non-Statutory	Belfast
5AB0330	Poyntzpass Community PG	Non-Statutory	Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon
5AB0227	Rascals 'n' Ruffians PG	Non-Statutory	Newry, Mourne and Down
4BB0277	Rathkeltair Cross Com Pre School PG	Non-Statutory	Newry, Mourne and Down
4036036	St Malachys PS NU (Kilcoo)	Statutory	Newry, Mourne and Down
4036530	St Mary's PS NU (Portaferry)	Statutory	Ards and North Down
5036504	St Patrick's PS NU (Dungannon)	Statutory	Mid Ulster
1AB0425	Stepping Stones Pre-School PG (Belfast)	Non-Statutory	Belfast
2AB0347	Sugar & Spice Early Years Centre PG (Drumquin)	Non-Statutory	Fermanagh and Omagh
5CA0501	The Old Station Day Care Nursery PG	Non-Statutory	Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon
5AB0465	Tiny Tots Corner PG (Killylea)	Non-Statutory	Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon
2AB0446	Tiny Tots Cross Comm Play Centre PG (M'mesker)	Non-Statutory	Fermanagh and Omagh

To note: *1056535 - as approved under DP 464