Applications for Pre-school and P1 places now open on EA Connect

It is expected that more than 40,000 applications in total will be received for pre-school and P1 places for the incoming academic year.

Parents and guardians have until 12 noon on 21 January to submit their application, and are strongly encouraged to list at least four pre-school settings or primary schools in order of preference on their application.

Check criteria

Before starting your child’s application, it is important to read carefully the published admissions criteria for each pre-school setting or school you wish to nominate as a preference. Criteria can be accessed through the EA website’s ‘Find a School’ function or by selecting the Admissions tab on the home page.

Parents and guardians should provide all the relevant details about how their child meets the admissions criteria of the pre-schools or primary schools listed as preferences. They will also need to provide any supporting documentation, in addition to their child’s birth certificate, as required.

Support for parents and carers

Resources to help you with the application process are available on the EA website.

For anyone who needs to access information in a different language, please click on the ‘ReachDeck’ icon or select ‘Translate’ on the menu options to find out more.

The Admissions Helpdesk operates from 8.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday, by telephone 028 9047 0177 or email preschooladmissions@eani.org.uk or primaryadmissions@eani.org.uk

If your child is currently undergoing statutory assessment and does not yet have a Statement of Special Educational Needs, you will still need to apply for a funded pre-school or primary place through EA Connect.

If your child has a Statement of Special Educational Needs, placement will be discussed with you as part of the annual review of your child’s statement. The Statutory Assessment & Review Service (SARS) will arrange the placement; therefore an application should not be made via Admissions on EA Connect.

If you require more information on any of the above, please contact the EA’s Statutory Assessment & Review Service directly on 028 9031 7777, option 1.

Parents of children due to transfer to Post Primary Year 8 in September 2026, are advised that EA Connect will open for their applications on 27 January 2026 from 12 noon.

Visit the EA website at www.eani.org.uk for more information.