Pre-school Admissions Consultation: Socially Disadvantaged Circumstances (SDC) Criterion

Overview

The Department of Education is seeking views on the options available to the Department on any future prioritisation of children from socially disadvantaged circumstances (SDC). Responses from stakeholders and interested parties will be analysed and inform the way forward, including additional guidance for pre-school settings in choosing and drafting admission criteria. A report will be prepared summarising the findings.

Why your views matter

The consultation represents an opportunity for stakeholders and interested parties to have their views on any future prioritisation of children from SDC when the existing legislation is removed. Views are sought on whether legislation is required to impose a new statutory criterion to prioritise a newly defined group of children from SDC above all others in the admissions criteria of all funded pre-school settings, or if pre-schools should instead be placed on par with primary and post-primary settings with full control to set their own admissions criteria, taking into account guidance provided by the Department.

The consultation period will be from 10 September 2026 to 4 December 2026.

You can respond using this survey or directly to the Department by email: de.earlyyears@education-ni.gov.uk

Privacy and confidentiality

Responses may be published on the Department’s website with names and contact details removed. 

If you would prefer your response to remain unpublished, tick the confidentiality box in the appropriate section or contact the Department at: de.earlyyears@education-ni.gov.uk

When responding to free text boxes please do not disclose personal information, either about yourself or others as it may be published, unless you have informed the Department that you wish for your response to remain unpublished.

The survey complies with the Data Protection Act 2018 including The UK GDPR | ICO. The Privacy Notice for this survey explains the legislative basis for the survey and your data protection rights.