Local children miss out on in nursery places after rise in applications

The SEELB have said they had 5166 applications - seven per cent up on last year's total.

One parent who has been left disappointed, Neil Rollins from Rose Gardens off Queensway, has now appealed to the board after his daughter Eva was refused a place at Harmony Hill and Dunmurry Primary.

He received a letter from the SEELB to say that the only placements available were Stoneyford, Dromara and a play group in Thiepval Barracks.

"We were told that it was a freak year for nursery placements," he said. "We are really struggling to get her into a school. I tried to phone Thiepval Barracks and I think they have just been inundated with calls because I was unable to get through. Dromara and Stoneyford are just too far away for us. We are doing what we can and I have rang practically every primary school in Lisburn to get us onto a waiting list."

He said he even contacted Carryduff Primary - his wife who is currently on maternity leave would pass the school on her way into work - but it too proved unsuccessful.

"I am a former pupil of Harmony Hill and I have lived in Lambeg all my life," he said. "It just seems so unfair.

"We have been told that we have just ten days to appeal. We just do not know what we are going to do."

Councillor Brian Heading said several people had contacted him about access to nursery schools for their children.

"Many parents work hard and access to childcare is vital" he said. "Working parents should not be given less favourable treatment when trying to access childcare.

"It is unacceptable that parents are struggling to find childcare places for their children."

A spokesperson for the SEELB said the number of applications they received was up by seven per cent on last year.

"The total number of children who have not been offered a nursery school place this year in the SEELB area is 308 pre-school age children," he said.

"The total number of applications received this year was 5166, 4572 applications on behalf of children in their pre-school year and 594 applications on behalf of children in their penultimate pre-school year.

"The number of applications is up by 7% on last year's total.

"There are 64 nursery schools/units and 74 voluntary/private pre-school settings within the South Eastern Education and Library Board area."