Fountain one of many nurseries with empty seats across city area

At the end of the first stage of the allocation process there were 67 target age children unplaced and 135 places still available across Londonderry. These included both statutory nursery, voluntary and private pre-school places. In all - a slim majority (23) of nurseries and play schools - were refusing applications due to oversubscription.

But places remained available in 18 nurseries and play schools, largely in feeders to the controlled and Irish language sectors as well as in rural areas. Education Minister John O’Dowd said places remained available in 18 settings for the 2013/14 year.

Of several nursery facilities in the city one in Eglinton was undersubscribed with two places left out of 26.

The Academy nursery also recorded an undersubscription of 14 but this was related to unfilled places at an afternoon session at its Rosemount facility. For the Academy’s morning sessions 120 families applied for just 78 places. The nursery unit at the Fountain Primary was amongst several feeders directly connected to primaries that had surplus places. At the end of stage one there were four places left out of 26 at the Fountain unit.

Elsewhere, there were 10 places left out of 26 at Glendermott Primary’s unit; 11 places left out of 52 at Hollybush; three places left out of 52 at the Holy Child; six places left out of 26 at St Paul’s in Slievemore.

In the Irish language sector there were 10 places left out of 26 at Naíscoil Doire; and two places left out of 26 at Naíscoil Éadain Mhóir.

Several play schools also recorded deficits. At Craigbrack pre-school there were eight places left out of 16; at Drumahoe Community group there were 11 places left out of 22; at Eglinton Community pre-school there were five places left out of 24; at Little Acorns pre-school there were seven places left out of 10; at Little Diamond Community group there were six places left out of 16; at the Mullabuoy Pre-School there were seven places left out of 17; at the Rainbow Child and Family centre there were 10 places left out of 21; at St Bernadette’s there were 18 places left out of 24; and at Straidarran there was one place left out of 23.