11 Plus in Northern Ireland
The 11 Plus was officially discontinued in Northern Ireland, but has re-emerged as a different selective process. The original political intention had been to introduce fully comprehensive education in the region, but there was a fierce backlash from both grammar schools and parents to the imposition of what they described as a “one size fits all educational system”.
From the chaos some degree of order has been created, at least for the time being. Two consortia of schools have emerged: the Association for Quality Education (AQE), and another grouping known as the Post Primary Transfer Consortium, which is driven mainly by the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS). The entrance tests for the two consortiums differ, and there is a brief summary of both below.
The Post Primary Transfer Consortium
- The test is set by GL Assessment (formerly NFER).
- There is no charge to parents for their child to take the test.
- Parents have to register an application with PPTC
- The test will take place in a Post Primary school. On the application is an option to select the most convenient Assessment centre.
The test will comprise:
- English: A 50 minute multiple choice paper of 65 questions, including 3 comprehension passages.
- Maths: A 45 minute multiple choice paper of 45 questions.
- There will be a short practice paper before each main paper, and a short break between papers.
- Papers will be marked by an optical reader.
PPTC Admissions Information for 2013 Entry
These dates are provisional
| Registration Opens | Monday 14th May 2012 |
|---|---|
| Registration Closes | Friday 21st September 2012 |
| Test Dates | Saturday 17th November 2012 Saturday 8th December 2012 – Supplementary Test (for children who could not sit the first test. The questions on this paper will be different) |
| Test Types | Maths and English |
| Examiner | GL Assessment) |
| Results | Friday 1st February 2013 |
| Remarking | Friday 15th February 2013 – application request deadline |
| Admissions PPTC The Transfer Test |
|
Please click here for more details.
Sample papers are available here.
The Association for Quality Education
- The test has been devised by CEA (Common Entrance Assessment) and there are sample papers available on their website.
- There is a charge of £39.50 for each child taking the test, although this is waived for children in receipt of free school meals.
- There is the option to sit the test in Irish
- Parents have to register an application with AQE. Application forms are available from the AQE website or office, from ‘The Transfer Test’ website or the schools.
- There are three papers to give pupils the best opportunity to display their abilities. The best two marks are taken into account.
A child has the option to only take 2 papers if he wishes.
Tests are held at participating Grammar schools, it does not need to be taken at the school you are applying to.
AQE Admissions Information for 2013 Entry
All dates are confirmed
| Registration Opens | Monday 14th May 2012 |
|---|---|
| Registration Closes | Friday 14th September 2012 |
| Test Dates | Saturday 10th November 2012 – Test 1 Saturday 24th November 2012- Test 2 Saturday 1st December 2012 – Test 3 |
| Test Types | Maths and English There are three 1 hour papers. Each paper includes both subjects. |
| Examiner | CEA (Common Entrance Assessment) |
| Results | Friday 1st February 2013 |
| Remarking | Friday 8th February 2013 – application deadline Monday 18th February 2012 – application submission deadline February/March 2013 – remark results |
| Admissions AQE The Transfer Test |
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The test will comprise:
- English – a poem and a prose passage
- English (Poem, Prose Passage), Maths and Basic Skills.
- Papers will be marked by hand.
Past assessment papers and sample papers are available to download from The Transfer Test website here.
A further six practice papers have been published by the Belfast Telegraph. These claim to be appropriate for both the consortia tests, but we advises some caution in using them, because the two tests do differ slightly in content and standard.
Schools in the Post Primary Transfer Consortium
- Abbey Christian Brothers Grammar School, Newry, County Down
- Aquinas Diocesan Grammar School, Belfast
- Assumption Grammar School, Ballynahinch, County Down
- Ballymena Academy, Ballymena, County Antrim
- Christian Brothers’ Grammar School, Omagh, County Tyrone
- Dominican College, Fortwilliam, Belfast
- Dominican College, Portstewart, County Londonderry
- Loreto College, Coleraine, County Londonderry
- Loreto Grammar School, Omagh, County Tyrone
- Lumen Christi College, Derry
- Lurgan College, Lurgan, County Armagh
- Mount Lourdes Grammar School, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh
- Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Belfast
- Our Lady’s Grammar School, Newry, County Down
- Portadown College, Portadown, County Armagh
- Portora Royal School, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh
- Rainey Endowed School, Magherafelt, County Londonderry
- Rathmore Grammar School, Belfast
- Sacred Heart Grammar School, Newry, County Down
- St Colman’s College, Newry, County Down
- St Columb’s College, Derry
- St Dominic’s High School, Belfast
- St Joseph’s Grammar School, Donaghmore, County Tyrone
- St Louis’ Grammar School, Ballymena, County Antrim
- St Louis’ Grammar School, Kilkeel, Kilkeel, County Down
- St MacNissi’s College, Ballymena, County Antrim
- St Malachy’s College, Belfast
- St Mary’s Christian Brothers Grammar School, Belfast
- St Mary’s Grammar School, Magherafelt, County Londonderry
- St Michael’s College, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh
- St Michael’s Grammar School, Lurgan, Lurgan, County Armagh
- St Patrick’s Academy, Dungannon, County Tyrone
- St Patrick’s Grammar School, Armagh
- St Patrick’s Grammar School, Downpatrick, Downpatrick, County Down
- Thornhill College , Derry
- Victoria College, Belfast (offering both tests)
Schools in the AQE Consortium
Belfast Area
- Belfast Royal Academy
- Bloomfield Collegiate Grammar School
- Campbell College
- Grosvenor Grammar School
- Hunterhouse College
- Methodist College Belfast
- Royal Belfast Academical Institution
- Strathearn School
- Victoria College, (offering both tests)
- Wellington College
North Eastern Area
- Antrim Grammar School
- Ballyclare High School
- Belfast High School
- Cambridge House Grammar School
- Carrickfergus Grammar School
- Coleraine Academical Institution
- Coleraine High School
- Dalriada School, Ballymoney
- Larne Grammar School
South Eastern Area
- Bangor Grammar School
- Down High School
- Friends’ School, Lisburn
- Glenlola Collegiate School
- Regent House School
- Sullivan Upper School
- The Wallace High School
Western Area
- Collegiate Grammar School
- Foyle and Londonderry College
- Limavady Grammar School
- Omagh Academy
- Strabane Grammar School
Southern Area
- Banbridge Academy
- The Royal School, Armagh
- The Royal School, Dungannon
Page updated on 30th March 2012


