Deferring School Starting Age

New legislation has been passed in Northern Ireland which now gives parents/guardians of young for year children the choice to defer commencing pre-school or P1 by 1 year.  This new legislation comes into effect immediately and parents/guardians of children who have already submitted an application for September 2022 admission to Pre-school (target age) and P1 now have the choice to defer their application if they so wish if their child’s date of birth falls within the following categories:-

• To Defer Preschool (Target Age – Sept 22): If your child was born on or between 1 April 2019 and 1 July 2019, or a child born before 1 April 2019 but was due to be born on or after 1 April 2019 if born at term.
   
• To Defer P1 (Sept 22): If your child was born on or between 1 April 2018 and 1 July 2018, or a child born before 1 April 2018 but was due to be born on or after 1 April 2018 if born at term.

Having read the FAQs available on this webpage if you wish to defer your child from starting Pre-School (Target) in September 2022 and have not applied for a pre-school place or have been offered a pre-school funded place for your child and now declined that place – complete the form below to request to defer.

If you have requested to defer and are now wishing to make application in Stage 2 of the Pre-School Admissions procedure the deadline for doing so has now closed.

If you still need to make application information will be available at the close of Stage 2 on 16 June 2022.  Check our website at that time for further information.