This chapter focuses on publicly funded pre-school provision for three- to four-year-olds. It also covers provision for some disadvantaged two-year-olds. Provision, paid for by parents, is available below the age at which it is publicly funded.

This phase of education is not compulsory.

Structure and organisation 

Providers 

Publicly funded pre-school education for children aged three to four is provided in grant-aidednursery schools, nursery classes or units in primary schools, and in a wide range of voluntary and private settings (e.g. day nurseries and playgroups). These providers are funded by the Department of Education (DE) under the Pre-school Education Programme, which was introduced as the Pre-School Education Expansion Programme in 1998/99 with the aim of increasing the availability of pre-school places.

Although the Government has committed to offering a publicly funded, part-time pre-school place to the parents of all three- to four-year-olds who want one, there is no such commitment for children under the age of three. However, publicly funded programmes are available for the most disadvantaged two- to three-year-olds to help them to prepare for pre-school (see ‘Sure Start services’ below). In addition, if Pre-School Education Programme (PSEP) places are available once demand amongst three- to four-year-olds has been met, they may be offered to those under three. Many parents of children under the age of three who require childcare pay for provision offered by privately-run day nurseries, voluntary pre-schools, childminders or nannies.

Unlike the compulsory school system, which is organised along denominational lines in Northern Ireland, pre-school education in all settings is accessible to children from all backgrounds.

Curriculum and assessment 

All publicly funded pre-school settings are expected to adhere to the Curricular Guidance for Pre-School Education (2018) and to use this to review, develop and promote good practice. The guidance outlines the range of learning opportunities which children of this age should have through play and other relevant experiences. There are no statutory requirements to assess children during pre-school education, although the Curricular Guidance promotes the assessment of children’s learning through day-to-day observations of, and interactions with, children in a range of situations over a period of time. Providers are regularly inspected by the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) and provision is expected to be in line with the Curricular Guidance.

Participation 

In the 2019/20 school year, there were 23,759 pupils in funded pre-school education in Northern Ireland. The table below shows the numbers of pupils in full- and part-time funded pre-school provision by type of establishment in 2019/20:

Source: Annual Enrolments at Schools and in Funded Pre-school Education in Northern Ireland, 2019/20, Table 2a

Legal framework 

A key piece of legislation governing pre-school education in Northern Ireland is the Education Act (Northern Ireland) 2014. This established the Education Authority (EA) in April 2015, which became responsible and accountable for all pre-school education and learning services funded by the Government, including the planning of places and the coordination of pre-school admissions.

Another key piece of legislation is the Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1998. Section 22 of the Order defines the length of a full-time pre-school place as at least four- and a-half hours a day, and a part-time place as at least two- and-a half hours a day (but less than four- and a half hours a day). The Order also sets out the responsibilities of boards of governors regarding pre-school education provided in grant-aided schools.

Section 21 of The Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 includes provisions for parents to express on a single application form, in order of preference, the schools in which they wish pre-school education to be provided for their child.

The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 sets out legal requirements regarding childminding and day care for young children. Sections 125 and 126 require authorities to set limits on the number of young children being looked after in settings, as well as on the number of children in specific age groups. Private providers and childminders must be registered and inspected annually by one of the five regional Health and Social Care Trusts in Northern Ireland.

Main national policy aims and general objectives 

The Draft Programme for Government Framework 2016-2021, sets out a broad range of outcomes. These include to increase the percentage of children who are at the appropriate stage of development in their immediate pre-school year (aged two to three) by putting in place timely interventions.

Pre-School Education Programme (PSEP) 

The Government’s Pre-School Education Programme (PSEP), which was introduced as the Pre-School Education Expansion Programme in the 1998/99 school year, aims to increase the availability of publicly funded pre-school places. In the Programme for Government 2011-2015, the Government committed to ensuring that publicly funded pre-school education is available to every family that wants it in the year immediately before children start compulsory education (aged 3 to 4). The Government committed also to ensuring that this part-time provision is available for 38 weeks of the year from September to June, 5 days each week (Monday to Friday), and for at least 2.5 hours each day.

Learning to Learn Framework

Learning to Learn – A Framework for Early Years Education and Learning, published by the Department of Education (DE) in October 2013, provides the policy focus for pre-school education in Northern Ireland. The overarching aim is that ‘All children have equal opportunities to achieve their potential through high quality early years education and learning experiences’ (page 17). Policy objectives supporting this aim are to:

• ‘provide equitable access to high quality early years education and learning services;
• support personal, social and emotional development, promote positive learning dispositions, and enhance language, cognitive and physical development in young children;
• provide a positive and nurturing early learning experience, as well as a foundation for improved educational attainment and lifelong learning;
• identify and help address barriers to learning, and reduce the risk and impact of social exclusion and the need for later interventions;
• encourage and support parents in their role as first and ongoing educators’  (pages 17-18).

Sure Start services 

The other key government programme supporting early education and care is ‘Sure Start’, which provides a range of support services for parents and children under the age of four who live in disadvantaged areas across Northern Ireland. The programme varies according to local need, but there are six core services which must be provided in all Sure Start projects. These are:

• home-based support for those families who could benefit from Sure Start;
• support to families and parents;
• healthcare and advice from local healthcare professionals;
• support for good quality play, learning and childcare experiences for children both at home and together with other children in group activities;
• support for speech, language and communication;
• support for all children in the community, recognising that they have different needs.

Sure Start also offers a developmental programme to help two- to three-year-olds get ready for pre-school. This targets those children most likely to benefit from support in the year before starting pre-school. The programme aims to help their social and emotional development, improve their communication and language skills, and encourage their imagination through play.

Parental engagement 

Parental engagement is high on the education agenda in Northern Ireland. The Government Framework 2016-2021, seeks to ‘implement a parental engagement campaign aimed at developing parents’ role in education’.

In addition, the Curricular Guidance for Pre-School Education (2019), which all publicly funded pre-school settings are expected to follow, highlights the importance of pre-school staff involving parents in children’s learning, e.g. by suggesting ways for parents / guardians / carers to support their child’s learning and their transition to primary school.

The NI Direct website provides parents and carers with information about the important role that they play in their child’s learning, in particular during the period from birth to age eight, but also in the teenage years.

Childcare strategy 

The Northern Ireland Executive published the Draft Childcare Strategy 2015 to 2025 for consultation in July 2015. This sets out a plan for affordable and integrated childcare from birth to age 14, and has two main aims:

i)   developmental: to give all children the best start in life, preparing them for lifelong wellbeing and achievement, and creating the basis for a better, more prosperous future;

ii) employment-related: to enable parents to join the workforce, and so enhance prosperity, and to improve gender equality by enabling mothers to join the workforce, return to work and remain in work.