Education Minister Paul Givan has announced interim changes to the pre-school admissions process in Northern Ireland alongside a public consultation on removing the Socially Disadvantaged Circumstances (SDC) criterion.

From next year, priority in admissions will apply only to applicants receiving the benefits explicitly named in the outgoing regulations, bringing an end to the practice of ‘reading in’ any replacement benefits.

Speaking in the Northern Ireland Assembly, Paul Givan said: “Parents, pre-school education practitioners and elected representatives from across the Assembly have been clear; the current prioritisation when applying for funded pre-school education places is now outdated, unnecessary and unfair. There are enough funded places in every area of Northern Ireland to accommodate every pre-school aged child.

“The current practice is also no longer legally defensible. The action I am taking today represents significant and immediate progress towards a fairer approach to pre-school admissions in advance of the necessary legislative change." Paul Givan concluded: “This change is about supporting hard working families and ensuring they are no longer disadvantaged. It is about placing pre-schools on an equal footing with primary and post primary schools, empowering them to select admissions criteria that best reflect their individual settings and the communities they serve. The consultation will help inform how we take the next step and I encourage everyone to respond."

The Minister also reiterated his commitment to support families with young children through the Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme (NICSS) and wider Early Learning and Childcare Strategy measures, and to ensure that a suitable full-time pre-school place is available for every child whose parents want one.

The consultation on Pre-school Admissions: Socially Disadvantaged Circumstances (SDC) criterion, which seeks views on whether new legislation or guidance is required, is now live on the Department of Education website. Responses are invited from all stakeholders and interested parties.

Access the consultation at: www.education-ni.gov.uk/consultations/pre-school-admissions-consultation-socially-disadvantaged-circumstances-sdc-criterion

Further information is available in the Oral Statement: www.education-ni.gov.uk/publications/oral-statement-pre-school-admissions-and-socially-disadvantaged-circumstances-criterion-sdc