A fresh start for early years

NICVA welcomes Education Minister Angela Smith's announcement that pre-school education provision here will be more integrated and family friendly.

Speaking during a visit to Edenderry Nursery School, the Minister said:

“The value of getting children ready to start school is well recognised and research tells us clearly that children benefit from the experiences they have in a high quality pre-school environment.

“There is already a wealth of good practice in pre-school across Northern Ireland and we must ensure those benefits are available to all our children.”

Changes and recommendations

• From 2007, the Sure Start programme will move from the Department of Health to Education.
• The new arrangements arising from the Review of Public Administration will also provide more coordinated services in this area.
• action to ensure that the learning and development settings available for children are those most suitable for their age; and
• action to address key issues including facilities and resources, training and support and special educational needs.

More Information

• The outcomes from the Review of Pre-school Education in Northern Ireland can be viewed at www.deni.gov.uk/index/pre-school-education_pg.htm
• The Effective Pre-School Provision in Northern Ireland (EPPNI) research is available here