Applying for pre-school places for September 2027 – what you need to know
If you’re considering pre-school education for your child in September 2027, the Education Authority (EA) wants you to be aware of a number of changes to the process for applying.
The aim of the Pre-School Education Programme is to provide one year of high quality, funded pre-school education, for every child whose parents want it.
It isn’t compulsory and parents can apply if they want to, by listing in their order of preference, the pre-school settings to which they would be happy to send their child to.
Last month, the Minister for Education, Paul Givan MLA, announced an important change to the way in which pre-school applications will be considered for the 2027-28 academic year.
The Socially Disadvantaged Circumstances (SDC) criterion will now relate only to the two benefits named in regulations namely, Income Support and Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance.
Other important changes to this year’s admissions procedure, which is administered by the EA, are:
- Parents of target-age children should apply in Stage One of the pre-school admissions process. It is important they apply before the deadline.
- There will be no late application timeframe.
- Applications for children in their penultimate pre-school year can be made in Stage Two only.
- Parents who have deferred their child’s entry to P1 and are considered as ‘late deferrals’ can also apply in Stage Two only.
Further details on the pre-school admissions procedure will be shared in due course, but some key dates to note are:
- Admissions criteria published on EA website on 9 December 2026.
Criteria are set by the Board of Governors/Management Committees of pre-school settings, although legislation requires settings to give priority to children in their final pre-school year who are from Socially Disadvantaged Circumstances (SDC), as set out above.
Stage One – For target-age applications only
- Applications open on 6 January 2027 at 12 noon.
- Applications close on 20 January 2027 at 12 noon.
- Outcomes issued on 18 March 2027.
Stage Two – For target-age, late deferral and penultimate age applications
- A list of pre-schools with funded places remaining available will be published by EA on 18 March 2027. From this list, penultimate age applicants can only apply to a statutory Nursery School or Nursery Unit. Target age and late deferral applicants can apply to any setting with places still available.
- Applications open on 18 March 2027.
- Applications close on 12 May 2027 at 4pm.
- Outcomes issued on 11 June 2027.
Further information on the procedure for pre-school admissions will be shared with parents, schools and settings in coming weeks.
Key dates will also be communicated for applying for Primary One, Year 8 post primary and Senior High School places.
Updates will be published on and on the EA’s social media channels. Go to:
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