AQW 6628/10


Mrs Naomi Long
Alliance Party
East Belfast


Tabled Date: 05/05/2010
Answered On Date: 11/05/2010
Priority Written: Yes


Question:
To ask the Minister of Education whether she has any plans to increase the number of nursery school places available for the academic year 2010/11, given the oversubscription of places in the East Belfast constituency.


Answer:
Tá an próiseas iontrála le haghaidh soláthar réamhscoile don scoilbhliain 2010/11 fós ar siúl. Chuir na Boird Oideachais an próiseas tosaigh iontrála i gcrích ar 30 Aibreán 2010, nuair a fuair tuismitheoirí litir a chuir in iúl dóibh cén suíomh inar glacadh lena bpáiste réamhscoile. Cuireadh in iúl do gach tuismitheoir nár glacadh lena pháiste ina chéad rogha scoile ar 30 Aibreán 2010, cá háit a bhfuil soláthar malartach fós ar fáil.
The admissions process to pre-school provision in the 20010/11 school year is still ongoing. The initial process of admissions was completed by the Education and Library Boards on 30 April 2010, when parents received a letter notifying them of the setting for which their pre-school child has been accepted. Parents of all children, unplaced in settings of their choice at 30 April 2010, were advised where alternative provision is still available.
Education and Library Boards are now going through the re-allocation of places process for those children who were not placed at 30 April 2010. It is expected that this process will be completed by the end June 2010. Education and Library Boards will seek to extend the number of places in existing settings, where possible, or to admit to the Pre-School Education Expansion Programme new pre-school providers in the voluntary/private sector to address any shortfall.
In the 2009/10 school year the Department secured additional funding to meet demand for extra places. In order to maintain this increased level for the forthcoming school year an additional £300,000 of funding has been made available to Education and Library Boards.
The Department will continue to liaise with the Education and Library Boards to ensure that, as far as possible, demand for pre-school places is met.