St Malachy’s PS is one of the few primary schools which provide a Reception class for children who are aged four at the date of their admission, but who are not yet of compulsory school age (i.e. children whose fourth birthday is after 1 July 2022). You will be able to apply for a place in a Reception Class in the same way that you apply for a P1 place - visit the Education Authority website www.eani.org.uk/parents/admissions

Young children come to school from a variety of different backgrounds, having had a range of diverse learning experiences at home and for most, some form of pre-school education. The Foundation Stage aims to build on these learning experiences by providing children with an appropriate learning programme to develop their dispositions to learn and to provide them with the skills and competencies they will need to succeed in school and future life.

The Foundation Stage also endorses good early years practice where teachers have more flexibility in terms of what they teach. This flexibility allows teachers to follow the interests of the children, encouraging them to see links in their learning and to appreciate that the skills they learn in one area can be applied elsewhere.

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