Nursery place crisis

Since the article which focused on the problems facing Waringstown mothers, the ‘MAIL’ has heard from two more mums in Moira and Derrymacash who are unable to get their children into pre-school education.

A concerned Moira mum said: “My son will be three in June. He was due for nursery in September.

“Our first choice was Maralin Village Nursery School where his brother went.”

She said she’d hoped the sibling rule would work in their favour, but because his brother moved on to St Patrick’s Primary School instead of Maralin Village Primary School she believes it has counted against them.

“We’ve tried Moira nursery and we’re on a waiting list for Rainbows playgroup. We’ve also tried Trinity Park in Maralin. There are no options left.”

She added: “Both myself and my husband are at work. We’re going to have to depend on relatives.

“He’s going to miss nursery school. When he starts school he’ll be the youngest in the class by about nine months and he’ll have no experience of the school environment.”

Alison Whitehouse from Derrymacash told the ‘MAIL’: “It’s not just the Waringstown area that is having a nursery crisis.

”I applied to St Francis for my twin boys. I have two already at that school (in P2 and P6) and one who’s been through it and is now at Lismore.

“Eamonn and Liam were three in March. They’re fine for the age criteria and they’ve got siblings at the school, but they didn’t get in.

“We’ve tried St Patrick’s in Derrymacash as well but we’ve had no joy.

“It seems unless you’re on income support or job seekers you haven’t a chance of getting into St Francis.”

She added: “My husband works, I don’t work myself. I was recently laid off. I was hoping to start looking for something new around July time but this has been stymied by the fact I’ve nowhere to send the boys.

“I’m not running down playgroups, but I’d rather have a funded place. Our budget is tight at the minute.”