Frew backs Kirkinriola Early Years: “Here to stay”

North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew

The battle over funding at Kirkinriola Early Years has intensified, with DUP MLA Paul Frew declaring the rural Ballymena unit “is here to stay” and pledging to fight what he described as a “daft policy” by the Education Authority (EA).

Mr Frew visited the school on Friday morning to meet staff at the Early Years Unit, reinforcing the message that both the unit and Kirkinriola Primary School are thriving despite the shock decision to withdraw pre-school funding for the year ahead.

He said:

“I visited the school on Friday morning to meet with the staff of the Early Years Unit and to reassure them that I will do all in my power to reverse this daft policy from EA whereby they can remove funding for one year when the applications go below 8.

“Last year there were 19 parents applied and the EA only funded 13 places but this year because they receive 7 applications, one below this artificial threshold of 8 the EA remove the funding completely for the year.

“This is a nonsense and needs to be assessed for Countryside settings whereby they can take a more holistic approach and assess over a number of years. We also know that a number of parents have now informed the EA that they now wish to send their child to Kirkinriola Early years unit as they had made an error on the original application form. Numbers are very healthy.”

The controversy centres on the EA’s policy of withdrawing funded pre-school places where applications fall below eight in a given year. Mr Frew described the threshold as “artificial” and argued that rural settings require a broader, longer-term assessment model.

He also highlighted what he said were updated parental intentions, with some families notifying the EA that they had made an error on their original application forms and now wish to choose Kirkinriola Early Years.

Beyond the funding dispute, Mr Frew pointed to wider growth at the school.

“Kirkinriola Primary school is thriving with 90 pupils now enrolled and its care and education is second to none with plans to extend in the future, the early years unit has had a very healthy intake over the past number of years being oversubscribed.

“Kirkinriola Primary school has educated generations and the Early years unit is complimenting that work and will continue to do so into the future.”

A spokesperson for EA told Love Ballymena:

“There is sufficient pre-school provision in the area to accommodate all target aged children who have applied for a pre-school place.

"The Pre-School Education Group (PEG) has removed Kirkinriola Early Years PG from the Pre-School Education Programme (PSEP) for the forthcoming academic year. As a result, the setting will not be eligible to provide funded pre-school places as part of the PSEP.

"This temporary, one-year withdrawal was made in line with programme guidance, and in line with normal operation of the pre-school admissions process, as the setting received fewer than the required minimum of eight applications.”

With 90 pupils currently enrolled at the primary school and expansion plans under consideration, supporters argue the Early Years Unit plays a crucial role in sustaining enrolment continuity and strengthening the long-term future of the rural school community.

As political pressure builds and calls grow for a review of the decision, the message from those backing the setting is unambiguous: Kirkinriola Early Years, they say, is not going anywhere.