New hope for nursery provision

The issue of a nursery unit in the village was top of the agenda at a recent meeting between Councillor Jo-Anne Dobson and SELB representatives in Armagh.

The UUP councillor, accompanied by a concerned Waringstown parent, once again made a detailed case for the provision of a statutory nursery school in Waringstown.

Councillor Dobson said: “Disappointingly a previous application in April 2008 was refused by the Minister, despite the case for Waringstown being very strong.

“Enrolment this year stands at 384 pupils, sustaining two classes per year group since 1994. The number of new housing developments in the village will ensure that this trend will continue well into the future. However, despite the fact that 90% of Waringstown Children live within a three quarter of a mile radius of the school, there is still no nursery provision inside the catchment area.”

In a letter to Councillor Dobson in July of this year, the Education Minister Caitriona Ruane did not offer hope of a successful resolution to this crisis. However, the UUP Councillor believes that SELB officials in attendance at this recent meeting were understanding of the issues, and encouraged a reapplication for provision of a nursery unit for Waringstown Primary School.

The UUP councillor continued: “The SELB confirmed that a pocket of unmet need exists within the Waringstown area – statistically they estimate that 108 children have not taken up a funded pre-school place this year, and with rising birth rates this crisis is set to deepen if left unresolved.

“Attending nursery school lays a vital foundation in a child’s education. When bonds formed there are progressed into primary school, the educational experience is enriched. I am committed to ensuring that the voices of local residents affected by this crisis are heard and believe that this successful meeting points towards a fruitful resolution to an issue which, left unchecked, is destined to become a greater crisis in the future.”

Whilst a time-scale for the reapplication will be difficult to predict, it is hoped that approval could be granted by September of 2011, with the first applicants being taken from January 2012. Councillor Dobson said she will be meeting with concerned Waringstown parents to keep them fully up-to-date on developments.