BELFAST WEST · VOLUNTARY

St John's Pre-School PG (Belfast)

DE reference 1BB0003 · Voluntary playgroups and settings funded through the Pre-School Education Programme.

Official profile and criteria

2026/27 intake in brief

Places left

In 2026/27, 10 target-age children listed St John's Pre-School PG (Belfast) as their first choice. The setting had 17 funded places. All of them were offered a place. 1 place went to target-age children who ranked it second or lower. 6 places were still unfilled at the end of Stage 2.

17funded places
10target-age first choices
0first choices not placed
6places left after Stage 2

Ranked 26 of 32 Belfast West settings by first-choice applicants per place (0.59 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: 22 places222024/25: 17 first-choice target-age applicants172024/252025/26: 19 places192025/26: 17 first-choice target-age applicants172025/262026/27: 17 places172026/27: 10 first-choice target-age applicants102026/27
  • 2024/25 Filled 17 first choices for 22 places · 0 left
  • 2025/26 Filled 17 first choices for 19 places · 0 left
  • 2026/27 Places left 10 first choices for 17 places · 6 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
St John's Pre-School PG (Belfast)Target age1710100111010011
St John's Pre-School PG (Belfast)Underage170000000000
2025/26 intake · end of Stage 2
ProgrammeAge groupPlacesApplicationsOffered a place
1st2nd3rdOtherTotal1st2nd3rdOtherTotal
St John's Pre-School PG (Belfast)Target age1917011191701119
St John's Pre-School PG (Belfast)Underage190000000000
2024/25 intake · end of Stage 2
ProgrammeAge groupPlacesApplicationsOffered a place
1st2nd3rdOtherTotal1st2nd3rdOtherTotal
St John's Pre-School PG (Belfast)Target age2217411231741022

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 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

Cathedral Nursery School (Belfast)

Belfast West · Catholic Maintained

Places left
52places
42first choices
1left after Stage 2
First-choice applicants per place: 2024/25 0.98, 2025/26 0.71, 2026/27 0.81demand 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.