Anger as Drumaness kids miss places

Anger as Drumaness kids miss places

DRUMANESS parents have spoken of their outrage after receiving news that their children have not been granted a place in the village playgroup.

Mothers and fathers, many of whom have long associations with Drumaness Cross-Community Playgroup, have spoken of their disappointment and shock after learning their children have been turned away due to a high demand for places.

In letters received at the weekend, education officials informed around a dozen local families that their children, most of whom are already attending a session for younger children in the facility, cannot be catered for next year.

The letters were sent out in the first stage of the allocation process for funded pre-school places administered by the education boards.

The parents are angry their children will not be given the opportunity to mix with their peers in the unit in preparation for attending the adjacent primary school and are particularly aggrieved that people from other areas have been granted places because they are in receipt of state benefits.

Lyndsay McCormick said she had no idea there would be so much pressure on places and said she had expected her three year-old daughter Eva, who already attends an afternoon session, to follow in her brother’s footsteps this September and be granted a funded place.

“I really did not think there would be any bother, but it seems that because both parents are working we were not given priority,” she said.

“If you are being given first preference because you do not have a job, then what incentive is there for people to get off benefits and work?

“It annoys me because we are a hard-working family and everything we have we have got for ourselves, yet this system makes us feel like we are second class to other people.”

Lyndsay’s comments were echoed by Annette Flynn, who said she was so confident her second daughter would secure a place that she did not even put down a second choice. She said she has since realised that families on benefits have been given priority.

“My husband and I both work full-time and all we want is the best for our children,” she said.

“You do not expect to have to drive past your local pre-school to somewhere else, that is just not practical.”

Like other children affected by the over-subion, Ella already attends the unit, which Annette said seems very unfair.

“These children are being given a taste of their local preschool and bonding with the staff and other children, only to be told they have to go elsewhere,” she said.

“We are working class people trying to do our best to earn a living and teach our children the right way.

“It seems we are being heavily penalised for that, so the admissions criteria needs to change.”

Louise Crothers, said she is “completely gutted” her son Jay will also not be able to continue in the group in September.

“We do not qualify because we are not on benefits,” she said. “I never thought this was possible.”

Nuala Kelly, who lives adjacent to the playgroup, said her husband’s family and grandparents had attended the local schools.

“Because we live so close and because we are so active in the parish we thought our son, Ronan, would definitely get in,” she said.

“I understand that disadvantaged families are being given priority, but it makes you cross because the local people who are working hard are losing out.

“I think most of us will be appealing this decision.”

Playgroup leader Mrs. Pauline Noade said Drumaness Cross-Community Playgroup was “totally sympathetic” to parents whose children did not obtain a place.

“We were oversubscribed by applicants beyond our allocated places,” she said.

“We had written a proposal to facilitate all applicants should we be oversubscribed but we have not heard back yet.”