Education Minister Paul Givan has seen first-hand how the Pre-School Inclusion Fund (PSIF) is enhancing support for children with special educational needs (SEN), during a visit to Holywood Nursery School.
The school has used the funding to create a new sensory room and significantly increase classroom assistant hours for children undergoing statutory assessment, giving extra support to children who need it at the earliest and most critical stage of their education.
Speaking during the visit, the Minister said: “It was a pleasure to visit Holywood Nursery School and see the real, practical difference the Pre- School Inclusion Fund is making for the children here.
“The expansion of the Pre-School Inclusion Fund is part of my ongoing commitment to delivering SEN Reform and ensuring every child gets the right support from the very start. It recognises the growing number of children presenting with additional needs in the early years and has created genuinely equitable access to support right across the pre-school sector.”
In 2025/26 £4.5million has been invested through the Fund enabling 640 settings to benefit, with payments for part‑time classes attracting a payment of £3,200 and £5,300 for full‑time classes.
Clare Majury, Principal of Holywood Nursery School, said: “This Fund is an absolute game changer for our children and one of the best and most impactful initiatives for our school. It has strengthened our capacity to meet the needs of pupils with diverse learning profiles. The sensory room is a valuable resource for both this academic year and in the future, we are so pleased to now offer this to our children.”
The Minister concluded: “What we’ve seen at Holywood Nursery School is proof that targeted, flexible investment works. It supports children’s learning, wellbeing and development at exactly the right moment. I commend everyone at the school for their commitment to truly inclusive early education.”
