Education Minister 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.”
Notes to editors:
1. The PSIF was launched as a pilot in November 2024, supported
by £1.14m from the Early Learning & Childcare (ELC) budget.
2. Following a review of criteria in October 2025, the Fund was
expanded in 2025/26 to include all DE funded pre‑school
providers, at a standardised per‑class rate.
3. Pre-schools have flexibility in how they use the funding to
meet the needs of young children who have or may have SEN,
including buying in additional staff time, accessing Allied
Health Professional services or procuring specialist equipment
and resources.
