Parents devastated pre-school could close over lack of funding

Gemma Nelson's daughter Nancy was due to start Little Stars in September

Parents in County Down have called the potential closure of their children's pre-school "absolutely devastating".

The Department of Education (DE) has confirmed that Pathway funding for early years settings is currently almost £3m less than is needed.

Little Stars pre-school in Killyleagh did not receive the funding for 2025-26 and has told parents it now faces closure.

The pre-school, which admits 38 children in two daily sessions, has also notified its four staff that they face redundancy.

Little Stars leader Karen McCormick is one of those who may lose their job.

She told BBC News NI she was left "numb" by the situation.

The pre-school had previously received about £30,000 a year from the DE Pathway fund.

"At the minute we're sitting in limbo," Ms McCormick said.

"I am very passionate about my job, as are my staff, and we have seen the difference that this group has made to so many children.

"We've got a fight on our hands to keep us going. I'm heartbroken, I'm numb."

She said she "sat and cried" when told that the funding for the pre-school would not be in place for 2025-26.

Antoinette Quigley, a parent of twins, said her son had made "unbelievable" progress since attending the pre-school

Antoinette Quigley's four-year-old twins Millar and Maci both attended Little Stars pre-school.

She said her son Millar had been diagnosed, as a toddler, with global developmental delay but had received help at the pre-school.

"If it hadn't have been for them he would have been still at home, and he's going into P1 in September," Ms Quigley said.

"The progression he has made has been unbelievable.

"He is talking, he is toilet trained, he can sit and eat at a table with his other classmates which he never could do.

"He listens to the teachers, he listens to instructions, it has just been unbelievable, the improvement."

She said the potential closure would affect the local community in Killyleagh.

"Killyleagh as a community rally together with things like this," she said.

"And with the amount of kids having some sort of needs, or help required with school, what's going to happen?

"When early intervention is needed, they're going to have nowhere."

Pre-school places

Nicola Evans is from Killough in County Down but brings her daughter Nora to Little Stars.

Nora was due to continue there for a second year from September.

Her son also attended before going on to primary school.

Nicola Evan's daughter Nora is in her first year at the pre-school and she said the closure would be "heartbreaking"

She told BBC News NI she was "absolutely devastated" by the potential closure.

"These guys were experts in their field, in my eye," she said.

"When it comes to September, the other funded places have all been given out.

"So for me to get Nora into anywhere is going to be slim. There are no spaces anywhere else."

'I just don't know what I'm going to do'

Two of Gemma Nelson's daughters have attended Little Stars and another daughter, Nancy, was due to start in September.

"As we stand she has potentially no place and nowhere to go," Ms Nelson said.

"This is going to have a massive impact on her."

Gemma Nelson, from Killyleagh, said there is usually a waiting list to get into Little Stars

Ms Nelson is from Killyleagh and said pre-school was "massively important" to the town.

"Normally they have a waiting list to get into Little Stars, its reputation is so high," she said.

"The wider implications here are massive. The community's going to feel an impact as well.

"I just don't know what I'm going to do."

Pathway Fund

Little Stars is unlikely to be the only pre-school affected by the demand for Pathway funding.

In a statement, a DE spokesperson said: "The increased level of demand for the Pathway Fund exceeds what can be funded from the Department's 2025-26 opening resource allocation.

"The minister has sought executive approval to enhance the Pathway Fund budget from the Early Learning and Childcare Strategy (ELCS) funding being held centrally, in line with 2024-25 arrangements."

But they said the opening Pathway Fund budget was about £3.8m against a requirement of about £6.6m.

The department's Pathway Fund is administered by the Early Years Organisation.

In a statement, they said they would "work closely with the Department of Education regarding its Pathway Fund to highlight increased need in the sector and in recent years the department has secured additional investment for projects.

"To date this year, Pathway Fund awards have been made to the highest scoring applications until available funding was expended."