BELFAST WEST · CONTROLLED

Black Mountain PS NU (Belfast)

DE reference 1016059 · Managed by the Education Authority.

Official profile and criteria

2026/27 intake in brief

Filled

In 2026/27, 20 target-age children listed Black Mountain PS NU (Belfast) as their first choice. The setting had 26 funded places. All of them were offered a place. 1 place went to target-age children who ranked it second or lower. 5 underage children also got a place. No places were left at the end of Stage 2.

26funded places
20target-age first choices
0first choices not placed
0places left after Stage 2

Ranked 17 of 32 Belfast West settings by first-choice applicants per place (0.77 here; 0.83 across Belfast).

Three intakes compared

Funded places against the number of target-age children who listed this setting first.

  • Funded places
  • Target-age children who chose it first
2024/25: 26 places262024/25: 25 first-choice target-age applicants252024/252025/26: 26 places262025/26: 29 first-choice target-age applicants292025/262026/27: 26 places262026/27: 20 first-choice target-age applicants202026/27
  • 2024/25 Filled 25 first choices for 26 places · 0 left
  • 2025/26 Oversubscribed 29 first choices for 26 places · 0 left
  • 2026/27 Filled 20 first choices for 26 places · 0 left

Admissions criteria

Each setting decides who gets a place when it has more applicants than places. Criteria commonly include target age, siblings, distance or other circumstances. Some give priority to a first preference.

Criteria for September 2027 are due on 9 December 2026. Find them on the EA profile .

Before you rank it

  • Read the criteria for your intake year, not an older one.
  • Check the session times (full-time or part-time) suit your family.
  • Visit or call if you can, and ask whether the setting holds an open day.

Full figures by preference

“1st” counts children who listed this setting as their first preference, and so on. “Other” is fourth or later. Places cover the whole programme, shared by both age groups.

2026/27 intake · end of Stage 2
ProgrammeAge groupPlacesApplicationsOffered a place
1st2nd3rdOtherTotal1st2nd3rdOtherTotal
Black Mountain PS NU (Belfast)Target age2620100212010021
Black Mountain PS NU (Belfast)Underage265112950005
2025/26 intake · end of Stage 2
ProgrammeAge groupPlacesApplicationsOffered a place
1st2nd3rdOtherTotal1st2nd3rdOtherTotal
Black Mountain PS NU (Belfast)Target age2629200312600026
Black Mountain PS NU (Belfast)Underage2675161900000
2024/25 intake · end of Stage 2
ProgrammeAge groupPlacesApplicationsOffered a place
1st2nd3rdOtherTotal1st2nd3rdOtherTotal
Black Mountain PS NU (Belfast)Target age2625600312510026
Black Mountain PS NU (Belfast)Underage2665261900000

ALTERNATIVES

Belfast West settings with places left in 2026/27

See all →

St Paul's PS NU (Belfast)

Belfast West · Catholic Maintained

Places left
52places
22first choices
12left after Stage 2
First-choice applicants per place: 2024/25 0.79, 2025/26 0.77, 2026/27 0.42demand trend
Places remained after Stage 2

St John's Pre-School PG (Belfast)

Belfast West · Voluntary

Places left
17places
10first choices
6left after Stage 2
First-choice applicants per place: 2024/25 0.77, 2025/26 0.89, 2026/27 0.59demand trend
Places remained after Stage 2

St Oliver Plunkett Pre School PG (Belfast)

Belfast West · Voluntary

Places left
19places
12first choices
5left after Stage 2
First-choice applicants per place: 2024/25 0.58, 2025/26 0.71, 2026/27 0.63demand trend
Places remained after Stage 2

Shaftesbury Nursery School (Belfast)

Belfast West · Controlled

Places left
52places
38first choices
2left after Stage 2
First-choice applicants per place: 2024/25 0.79, 2025/26 0.92, 2026/27 0.73demand trend
Places remained after Stage 2
How to read these figures

The Education Authority counts applications and allocations at the end of Stage 2. A child can appear in several settings’ application counts but is offered at most one place. Late changes, withdrawals and offers made after Stage 2 are not included, so the figures are not live vacancies.

“Target age” children are in their final pre-school year and are placed first. “Underage” children are a year younger and only receive places that remain. More about the data.