Education Minister Paul Givan has visited Holywood Nursery School to see how the Pre-School Inclusion Fund (PSIF) is strengthening support for young children with special educational needs (SEN).

Holywood Nursery has used PSIF to develop a new sensory room and to significantly increase classroom assistant hours for children undergoing statutory assessment, ensuring extra help is available at the earliest stage of education.

"It was a pleasure to visit Holywood Nursery School and see the real, practical difference the Pre- School Inclusion Fund is making for the children here." Education Minister Paul Givan said.

"The expansion of the Pre-School Inclusion Fund is part of my ongoing commitment to delivering SEN Reform and ensuring every child gets the right support from the very start. It recognises the growing number of children presenting with additional needs in the early years and has created genuinely equitable access to support right across the pre-school sector." he added.

In 2025/26, £4.5m has been invested through the Fund, enabling 640 pre-school settings to benefit. Part-time classes receive £3,200, while full-time classes receive £5,300. "This Fund is an absolute game changer for our children and one of the best and most impactful initiatives for our school. It has strengthened our capacity to meet the needs of pupils with diverse learning profiles. The sensory room is a valuable resource for both this academic year and in the future, we are so pleased to now offer this to our children." said Clare Majury, Principal of Holywood Nursery School.

Launched as a pilot in November 2024 with £1.14m from the Early Learning & Childcare budget, PSIF was expanded following a criteria review in October 2025. From 2025/26 it covers all Department of Education-funded pre-school providers at a standardised per-class rate.

Pre-schools have flexibility in how they use the funding to meet the needs of children who have or may have SEN, including buying in additional staff time, accessing Allied Health Professional services, or procuring specialist equipment and resources.

"What we've seen at Holywood Nursery School is proof that targeted, flexible investment works. It supports children's learning, wellbeing and development at exactly the right moment. I commend everyone at the school for their commitment to truly inclusive early education." the Minister concluded.