The available figures are in the table.
Number of three-year-olds Number of four-year-olds 2009 1,300 1,300 1 A place is equal to 12.5 hours (five sessions) and can be filled by more than one child. 2 Figures are rounded to the nearest 100. 3 Age of all children taken at 31 December 2008. Source: Early Years Census and School Census
The Department publishes information on the part-time equivalent number of free early education places filled by three and four-year-olds in maintained, private, voluntary and independent providers. This is derived by counting children taking up 12 and a half hours per week as one place, 10 hours per week as 0.8 places, seven and a half hours per week as 0.6 places, five hours per week as 0.4 places and two and a half hours per week as 0.2 places.