Admissions Criteria for intake 2024/2025

The Application procedure for Funded Pre-school Places opens on  9th January 2024 at 12.00noon (GMT) and applications submitted by the closing date of 26th January 2024 at 12noon (GMT) will be treated as a punctual application. An application received after 12noon (GMT) on 26th January 2024 will be treated as a late application.

 You will need to apply online at  www.eani.org.uk/admissions under 'Pre-School Admissions', using the the following criteria. (e.g. 1, 2a & 2e etc.)  It is important to state all your criteria to secure your funded place.


Little Acorns Pre-school Admission Criteria

Statutory Criteria
1     Children from socially disadvantaged circumstances in their final pre-school year who we
re born: 
- On or between  2 July 2020 and 1 July 2021 (inclusive) and whose parents have not exercised their right to defer their child's entry to primary school: or
- On or between 1 April 2020  and 1 July 2021 (inclusive) or were due to be born on or between those dates but were born earlier; and,                                                                                                                                              
- Have not attended or are not currently attending a funded pre-school setting under the Pre-School Education Programme as a target aged child; and,
- That child’s parent has completed a request to defer their child starting P1 until September 2025.     

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Note: Children from ‘socially disadvantaged circumstances’ means a child whose parent has an entitlement to (i) Income
Support, or (ii) Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, or (iii) Income related Employment and Support Allowance, or (iv)
Universal Credit. When parents apply for places for their child on this basis they must provide Benefit Verification to confirm that they have an entitlement. The application procedure for Pre-School will outline how Benefit Verification can be
submitted.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
2     Children not from socially disadvantaged circumstances (as defined above) who are in their final pre-school year (as defined by Criterion 1).                                                                                                                                                            
Sub-criteria
In the event of over-subscription within any of the above criteria the following sub-criteria will apply:-                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
a) Children that have specified Little Acorns Pre-school as their first preference.
b) Children who are attending Little Acorns Pre-school in a paying capacity in their pre pre-school year.
c) Children who have previously had a brother/sister, half brother/sister attend Little Acorns Pre-school.
d) Children who are the eldest or only child of the family.
e) Children who have an older sibling attending Clandeboye Primary School.
f) Other preferences as specified on application form e.g. 2 nd, 3 rd
g)  The geographical location of the child’s home address on the basis of proximity to the pre-school measured by Google
maps walking distance. Child closest in walking distance will be admitted first.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
Non-Statutory Criteria                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
Note: Applications falling under Criterion 3 are processed only during Stage 2 of the admissions process, after final pre-school year (Statutory Criteria 1 and 2) applications.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
3.    Children who were born:

  • on or between 1 April 2020 - 1 July 2021 (inclusive), or were due to be born on or between those dates but were born earlier; and,
    • have attended or are currently attending a funded pre-school setting under the Pre-School Education Programme as a target aged (not penultimate aged) child; and,
    • that child’s parent has completed a request to defer their child starting P1. 

Tie Breaker - Non Statuory Criterion 3 
Children born within criteria 3 will be selected by the following criteria:-                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
a) Children that already attend Little Acorns Pre-school in a funded Pre-School place
b) Chronological Order of age – eldest first.
c) The geographical location of the child’s address on the basis of proximity to the pre-school measured by Google
maps, walking distance. Child closest in walking distance will be admitted first.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
Duty to Verify
The Management Committee reserves the right to require such supplementary evidence as it may determine to support or
verify information on any application form.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
If the requested evidence is not provided to the Management Committee by the deadline given, this will result in the
withdrawal of an offer of a place. Similarly, if information is supplied which appears to be false or misleading in any material
way, the offer of a place will be withdrawn.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
Waiting List Policy
The Waiting List Policy is available directly from the Pre-school.




Non Funded Pre-Pre-school  places 

Children who have had brothers or sisters attend Little Acorns Pre-school.
Children that have older brothers/sisters, half brother/sisters attending Clandeboye Primary School.
Date of birth - oldest first.


Admissions Criteria