'There's a mismatch of children to places': NEELB

NORTH Eastern Education and Library Board has rejected claims that there are 'no pre-school places available'.

In a statement to the Times, a spokesperson explained: “There have been several stories in the press and media recently highlighting particular instances where parents have not been accommodated by their choice of pre-school setting.

“However, the position in the North East at the moment is very fluid. It would be quite wrong to say at this stage that there are no places available or that further free places will not be provided to meet the demand. What there is at present is a mismatch of children to places.

“The process is ongoing and experience in the past has shown that at the end of the day most of those seeking places in their immediate pre-school year get them. There is the opportunity for the Board to apply to the Department of Education for additional places from the private and voluntary sector, if children cannot be accommodated elsewhere. Private sector providers let the Board know if they have more applications than the free places they have been allocated.”

“The notifications of those accepted for free places by nursery schools, nursery units or with voluntary pre-school providers went out to parents just over a week ago. At that point in the whole of the Board’s area there were 5,277 children who had been given places and 99 more children in their final pre-school year than free places currently allocated to the Board by the Department of Education.”

“ There is now an appeals process to be gone through as well as attempts to match pupils in their final pre-school year to the remaining available places, whether in the statutory sector (controlled, maintained, integrated nursery schools and units) or in the voluntary/private sector (playgroups).The situation will probably remain fluid until the end of June.”

“In previous years where there has been an identifiable shortfall of places for children in their final year before starting school the Pre-school Education Advisory Group in the North East has sought approval from the Department of Education for additional free private sector places which are then allocated to particular locations.”

“Generally, the pattern in previous years has been that most of the children in their final pre-school year have been offered a place. It is too early to say what the exact situation will be come September this year,” the spokesman concluded.