AQW 27370/22-27


Mrs Michelle Guy
Alliance Party
Lagan Valley


Tabled Date: 19/05/2025
Answered On Date: 23/05/2025
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Education, pursuant to AQW 27069/22-27, for the data over the last five years to be broken down by constituency.


Answer:
The table below sets out the number of penultimate age children that have been placed in funded statutory pre-school places over the last five academic years, broken down by constituency:
Constituency
2020/21
2021/22
2022/23
2023/24*
2024/25
Belfast East
40
51
46
N/A
88
Belfast North
40
126
72
N/A
130
Belfast South
13
22
15
N/A
30
Belfast West
50
147
149
N/A
184
East Antrim
96
81
105
N/A
101
East Londonderry
38
53
47
N/A
76
Fermanagh And South Tyrone
47
43
76
N/A
56
Foyle
77
86
103
N/A
54
Lagan Valley
37
35
39
N/A
69
Mid Ulster
22
59
58
N/A
43
Newry And Armagh
58
42
50
N/A
76
North Antrim
117
79
133
N/A
69
North Down
8
31
46
N/A
65
South Antrim
84
82
114
N/A
76
South Down
31
57
34
N/A
42
Strangford
66
63
55
N/A
29
Upper Bann
63
81
68
N/A
122
West Tyrone
80
121
132
N/A
86
Total
967
1,259
1,342
N/A
1,396
*Data relating to 2023/24 was impacted by industrial action, due to Action Short of Strike (ASOS). Although data was received from all schools, for 25% of schools (primary, post primary and special schools) pupil level information was not received in electronic format. It also meant it was not possible to fully undertake normal validation processes.
As advised in AQW 27069/22-27, the pre-school admission process is a two-stage process.
Applications in respect of penultimate age pupils for the 2025/26 academic year will be considered during stage two of the process; decisions regarding stage two offers will be communicated to applicants on 10 June 2025.