Pre-School Standardisation Programme – Cohort Three, Tranche Two 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 33 settings and is the second tranche of settings to be considered to implement the standardised pre-school session length from September 2027.  Details about other settings will be published for consultation as soon as possible. 

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 6 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 only offer full-time (22.5 hours per week) funded pre-school places after the date of implementation. The number of places that would be offered is different to the current number and is 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
2036094	St Patrick's PS NU (Castlederg)	Derry City and Strabane	0	52	26	0
5116640	Tandragee Nursery School	Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon	26	52	52	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)
3CB0567	Apple Tree Childcare PG (Garvagh)	Non-Statutory	Causeway Coast and Glens
4AB0275	Ballyholme Presbyterian Church Pre School PG	Non-Statutory	Ards and North Down
2AB0299	Banagher Community PG (Feeney)	Non-Statutory	Causeway Coast and Glens
3066551	Braidside Integrated PS NU (Ballymena)	Statutory	Mid and East Antrim
4AB0508	Busy Bees PG (Hillsborough)	Non-Statutory	Lisburn and Castlereagh
2AB0066	Carebears Community PG (Newtownstewart)	Non-Statutory	Derry City and Strabane
4AB0435	Castlewellan Community PG	Non-Statutory	Newry, Mourne and Down
4010788	Dunmurry PS NU	Statutory	Belfast
3010794	Gracehill PS NU (Ballymena)	Statutory	Mid and East Antrim
4CA0671	Home from Home Dundrum PG	Non-Statutory	Newry, Mourne and Down
4AB0176	Kids Kabin Cross Community PG (Castlewellan)	Non-Statutory	Newry, Mourne and Down
5AB0419	Killyman Community PG (Dungannon)	Non-Statutory	Mid Ulster
5CA0558	Ladybird Lane Pre School PG (Banbridge)	Non-Statutory	Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon
3CA0641	Ladybirds PG (Ballymena)	Non-Statutory	Mid and East Antrim
5AB0630	Little Acorns Cross Community PG (Coagh)	Non-Statutory	Mid Ulster
3BB0269	Little Amps Early Years PG (Maghera)	Non-Statutory	Mid Ulster
3AB0117	Muckamore Pre School PG (Antrim)	Non-Statutory	Antrim and Newtownabbey
4046648	Naiscoil Bheanna Boirche PS NU (Castlewellan)	Statutory	Newry, Mourne and Down
3AB0661	Naiscoil na Fiobha PG (Toomebridge)	Non-Statutory	Antrim and Newtownabbey
5AB0561	Naiscoil Shliabh gCuilinn PG (Newry)	Non-Statutory	Newry, Mourne and Down
2BB0454	Nippers Alley PG (Loughmacrory)	Non-Statutory	Fermanagh and Omagh
2AB0313	Park Community PG (Claudy)	Non-Statutory	Derry City and Strabane
5AB0396	Peatlands PG (Portadown)	Non-Statutory	Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon
2CB0294	Playtime Day Nursery & PG (Eskra)	Non-Statutory	Fermanagh and Omagh
5AB0335	Rainbow PG (Dungannon)	Non-Statutory	Mid Ulster
2AB0457	Small Fry Community PG (Maguiresbridge)	Non-Statutory	Fermanagh and Omagh
4AB0381	St Bernard's Pre School Ed Centre PG (Belfast)	Non-Statutory	Belfast
2BB0593	St Brigid's Play School PG (Mountfield)	Non-Statutory	Fermanagh and Omagh
2BB0346	St Mary's Pre School Centre PG (Cloughcor)	Non-Statutory	Derry City and Strabane
5BB0334	St Peter's PG (Collegelands)	Non-Statutory	Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon
2012711	Woodlands Area Nursery, Donemana	Statutory	Derry City and Strabane