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

1. The test is set by GL Assessment (formerly NFER).
2. There is no charge to parents for their child to take the test.
3. Parents have to register an application with PPTC
4. 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:

1. English: A 50 minute multiple choice paper of 65 questions, including 3 comprehension passages.
2. Maths: A 45 minute multiple choice paper of 45 questions.
3. There will be a short practice paper before each main paper, and a short break between papers.
4. Papers will be marked by an optical reader.

Sample questions can be found here and here
Test specifications can be found here

PPTC Admissions Information for 2014 Entry

Sample papers are available here.

The Association for Quality Education

1. The test has been devised by CEA (Common Entrance Assessment) and there are sample papers available on their website.
2. There is a charge of £44.00 for each child taking the test, although this is waived for children in receipt of free school meals.
3. There is the option to sit the test in Irish
4. 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.
5. 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 2014 Entry

The test will comprise:

1. English – a poem and a prose passage
2. English (Poem, Prose Passage), Maths and Basic Skills.
3. Papers will be marked by hand.

Past assessment papers and sample papers are available to download from The Transfer Test website and
the AQE website here and here

Practice papers can also be purchased from this website

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

Southern Area

• Banbridge Academy
• The Royal School, Armagh
• The Royal School, Dungannon

Information on this page was believed to be correct at the time of writing, but we would not necessarily be aware of subsequent changes unless someone brings them to our attention.
Before acting on any information given here, please verify that it is up to date.

_{Page updated on 10th May 2013}