Some 77 pre-schools across Northern Ireland are moving to a full time service, says the Education Minister. Paul Givan described it as an important step forward in the " largest expansion of pre-school provision in over 25 years".
Earlier this year he committed to offering the families of all kids aged 3-4 - 22.5 hours of funded pre-school education a week. Currently six in 10 youngsters get 12.5 hours a week while four in 10 get 22.5 hours.
Minister Givan announced the move that will see the 77 pre-schools up their offering from part-time hours to full-time during a visit to Brooklands Primary School Nursery Unit. He said: "In May, I announced the largest expansion of pre-school provision in over 25 years, and today we are taking an important step forward in delivering on our plan to provide every child with a full-time pre-school place.
"We want to ensure an additional 2,200 children will have a full-time funded pre-school place from September 2025. This will involve transitioning 100 pre-school settings from part-time provision to full-time.
"Having carefully considered the requests made by pre-school settings and the comments provided by stakeholders in response to the public consultation on the proposed changes, I have approved the first 77 pre-school settings to transition.
"These settings will provide additional full-time places from September 2025, providing target aged children with the best start to their education and their families with additional support too.
“It is my intention to announce a further tranche in the coming weeks. I want to ensure that all council areas and all pre-school management types will be represented within the settings proposed for transition from September 2025."
This standardisation of pre-school settings formed part of a £25million package of measures to support children, parents and providers with early learning and childcare in 2024/25.
Here's the full list of 77 pre-schools that have been approved for a full time service:
DENI
Setting Name
Decision
Constituency
3CB0352
ABC Day Nursery - Sleepy Hollow Aldergrove
Approved
South Antrim
3066568
Acorn Integrated Primary School, Carrickfergus
Approved
East Antrim
3AB0128
Aghadowey Pre School Playgroup
Approved
East Londonderry
3AB0354
Armoy Cross Community Playgroup, Ballymoney
Approved
North Antrim
5AB0233
Aughnacloy Playgroup
Approved
Fermanagh And South Tyrone
3AB0568
Ballee Pre School Playgroup, Ballymena
Approved
North Antrim
2011893
Ballinamallard Primary School
Approved
Fermanagh And South Tyrone
4016202
Ballinderry Primary School
Approved
Lagan Valley
4BB0167
Ballygowan Community Pre School & Playgroup
Approved
Strangford
4BB0173
Ballymacward Pre School Playgroup, Lisburn
Approved
South Antrim
4AB0472
Bangor Abbey Pre School Centre Playgroup
Approved
North Down
4150029
Bangor Integrated Nursery School
Approved
North Down
5016138
Bocombra Primary School, Portadown
Approved
Upper Bann
4BB0584
Bright Sparks Pre School Unit Playgroup, Bangor
Approved
North Down
5016612
Bronte Primary School, Banbridge
Approved
South Down
2AB0318
Brookeborough & District Community Playgroup
Approved
Fermanagh And South Tyrone
4016503
Brooklands Primary School, Belfast
Approved
Belfast East
3010714
Buick Memorial Primary School, Ballymena
Approved
North Antrim
2AB0445
Bunnahone Bunnies Cross Community Playgroup
Approved
Fermanagh And South Tyrone
5016391
Bush Primary School, Dungannon
Approved
Fermanagh And South Tyrone
1010282
Carr's Glen Primary School, Belfast
Approved
Belfast North
2016663
Cooley Primary School, Sixmilecross
Approved
West Tyrone
3066561
Corran Integrated Primary School, Larne
Approved
East Antrim
3BB0127
Crows Nest Community Playgroup, Coleraine
Approved
East Londonderry
3BB0573
Crumlin Integrated Pre School Playgroup
Approved
South Antrim
1010063
Currie Primary School, Belfast
Approved
Belfast North
5016616
Drumadonnell Primary School, Banbridge
Approved
South Down
2BB0448
Drumahoe Community Playgroup, Londonderry
Approved
Foyle
4066668
Drumlins Integrated Primary School
Approved
Strangford
5AB0404
Dunnaman Pre-School
Approved
South Down
2AB0051
Eglinton Community Pre-School Centre Playgroup
Approved
East Londonderry
2012245
Eglinton Primary School
Approved
East Londonderry
2116608
Enniskillen Nursery School
Approved
Fermanagh And South Tyrone
2AB0293
First Steps Community Playgroup, Castlederg
Approved
West Tyrone
5AB0401
Forkhill Pre School Playgroup
Approved
Newry And Armagh
5CA0549
Giggles Day Care Playgroup, Newry
Approved
Newry And Armagh
4053020
Glencraig Integrated Primary School & Nursery Unit, Holywood
Approved
North Down
3AB0111
Gracehill and Galgorm Community Playgroup
Approved
North Antrim
3CA0588
Greendale Day Nursery Playgroup, Newtownabbey
Approved
South Antrim
4AB0537
Groomsport Playgroup, Bangor
Approved
North Down
3BB0654
Hollybank Pre-School Playgroup, Monkstown
Approved
East Antrim
5036567
Holy Trinity Primary School, Cookstown
Approved
Mid Ulster
4CA0603
Jolly Pirates Pre School Playgroup, Lisburn
Approved
Lagan Valley
1CA0649
Kids First Daycare Playgroup, Dunmurry
Approved
Belfast South And Mid Down
5AB0497
Kidzone Playgroup, Newry
Approved
Newry And Armagh
4956709
Killyleagh Integrated Primary School, Downpatrick
Approved
Strangford
3010878
Kilmoyle Primary School, Ballymoney
Approved
North Antrim
3116215
Kylemore Nursery School, Coleraine
Approved
East Londonderry
2116233
Lisnagelvin Nursery School
Approved
Foyle
5CA0669
Little Explorers Daycare, Crossmaglen
Approved
Newry And Armagh
4CA0613
Little Rays Pre School Playgroup, Moira
Approved
Lagan Valley
3116162
Mossley Nursery School, Newtownabbey
Approved
South Antrim
2BB0062
Mullanaskea Community Pre School Centre Playgroup
Approved
Fermanagh And South Tyrone
5BB0393
Naiscoil Chois Locha Playgroup, Lurgan
Approved
Upper Bann
3AB0125
Naiscoil Mhachaire Ratha Playgroup, Maghera
Approved
Mid Ulster
5AB0663
Naiscoil na Caille Playgroup, Armagh
Approved
Newry And Armagh
3046678
Naiscoil Na Speirini NU, Draperstown
Approved
Mid Ulster
2016700
Naíscoil Neachtain, Dungiven
Approved
East Londonderry
2012261
Newbuildings Primary School
Approved
Foyle
5066657
Phoenix Integrated Primary School NU, Cookstown
Approved
Mid Ulster
3AB0260
Playhouse Activity Centre Playgroup, Coleraine
Approved
East Londonderry
5066553
Portadown Integrated Primary School
Approved
Upper Bann
5036590
Primate Dixon Primary School
Approved
Mid Ulster
4AB0515
Rhyme Times Playgroups – Sleepy Hollow Lisburn
Approved
Lagan Valley
4066682
Rowandale Integrated Nursery Unit
Approved
Lagan Valley
5AA0190
Scotwell House Playgroup, Armagh
Approved
Newry And Armagh
3036147
St Columba's Primary School, Kilrea
Approved
East Londonderry
1BB0003
St John's Pre-School Playgroup, Belfast
Approved
Belfast West
3136183
St Joseph's Nursery School, Antrim
Approved
South Antrim
2032607
St Mary's Primary School, Killyclogher
Approved
West Tyrone
2036291
St Oliver Plunkett Primary School, Beragh
Approved
West Tyrone
1BB0592
St Vincent de Paul Pre School Playgroup, Belfast
Approved
Belfast North
3116150
Sunnylands Nursery School, Carrickfergus
Approved
East Antrim
2BB0341
Tamnaherin Community Playgroup
Approved
East Londonderry
2AB0458
The Magic Roundabout Playgroup, Altamuskin
Approved
West Tyrone
4AB0513
Tiggers Palace- Sleepy Hollow Early Childhood Centre Holywood
Approved
North Down
4010885
Tonagh Primary School, Lisburn
Approved
Lagan Valley
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