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. Testing will take place on 20 November 2010
4. Results will be published in February 2011 and will be graded A, B1, B2, C1, C2 or D.

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.

Practice materials for the test are available from our LINK bookshop.

The Association for Quality Education

1. The test has been devised by AQE and there are sample papers available on their website.
2. There is a charge of £35 for each child taking the test, although this is waived for children in receipt of free school meals.
3. There are three test dates: Saturday 13th November 2010, Saturday 27th November 2010 & Saturday 4th December 2010
4. The date for publication of results is not known.

The test will comprise:

1. English – a poem and a prose passage
   will sit up to three tests in English and Maths.
2. English (Poem, Prose Passage), Maths and Basic Skills.
3. A sample paper is available on the AQE website.
4. Papers will be marked by hand.

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, Enniskillen
• 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 19 November 2010}