§ Mr. Thomas Coxasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total number of children attending nursery schools in each region of Northern
Nursery schools Primary schools Other schools (July 1978) Area Board (January 1979provisional) Nursery classes Other Preparatory departments Special schools Total Belfast … … 1,088 720 2,794 154 37 4,793 Western … … 165 97 3,327 19 16 3,624 North-Eastern … 889 222 4,041 53 6 5,211 South-Eastern … 581 118 3,161 85 5 3,950 Southern … … 534 592 3,945 15 0 5,086 TOTAL … 3,257 1,749 17,268 326 64 22,664 No information is available on the total number of children under five in each education and library board area. However, in January 1979, in Northern Ireland as a whole, 18 per cent. of all children under five were in schools, of which 2.6 per cent. were in nursery schools.