June 16, 2023, (NI) We Are Tyrone: Nursery hours cut in half for children with special needs https://wearetyrone.com/news/nursery-hours-cut-in-half-for-children-with-special-needs/
UPWARDS on a dozen young children with special educational needs in the Omagh area will now only be able to attend nursery for half the time than they would have previously, it has emerged.
While the drop from 4.5 hours to 2.5 hours was introduced by the Education Authority (EA) several years ago, it is only now being implemented at Arvalee School and Resource Centre due to the rising numbers of children seeking to enrol.
Arvalee principal, Jonathan Gray, told the UH yesterday (Wednesday) that he was now being required to make the move to ensure that all nursery children receive at least some time in school each day.
He is to meet with the EA today (Thursday) to discuss once again accommodating children in its former premises on Deverney Road….
“All of this is down to the numbers of children seeking entry to Arvalee. In the past few years we have tried to ensure that they all receive 4.5 hours in school each day, but that’s just not possible this year,” he said.
“My aim is to make sure that all children have at least some time in school. Our Board of Governors has discussed this at length and I cannot have a situation where some children who are being left sitting at home because there are no places for them.
“Our enrolment has increased beyond the capacity of our new building with the result the former school is going to be used to accommodate the new pupils. We will be working with the EA to ensure that it is fully equipped to cater for their needs.”
A number of parents whose children are due to start Arvalee nursery this September have expressed their “anger and frustration” that the EA policy is having a potentially negative impact.
Melanie Bell, from outside Omagh, vowed to give her son a voice and ensure that he receives every opportunity in education.
“This is the age where he is most receptive to learning. He deserves to be treated the same as those of the same age who are in full-time education in mainstream schools and that means getting the 4.5 hours in school each day,” she said.
“The EA did not even tell us that the number of hours available to him could be reduced.
“They must step up and provide the support and resources needed to give my son and the children of other parents the support that they require.”
Amanda Moore, whose child will also be attending Arvalee from September, said the children were being ‘disadvantaged’ through no fault of their own….
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