1. Regent House School Information Evening for parents of P6 children Transfer 2017

2. Agenda The AQE Common Entrance Assessment Results Applying to sit the Common Entrance Assessment Application process for schools Timeline Questions

3. What is AQE and CEA? The Association for Quality Education AQE is the name of the organisation which administers the Common Entrance Assessment It began as a lobby group of Parents’ Groups, Former Pupils Associations and Grammar schools CEA is the Common Entrance Assessment which is being set by AQE Ltd

4. What is the CEA? Three one-hour assessments which take account of the English and Mathematics in the present primary school curriculum. The assessment should therefore be accessible to all pupils studying the Revised KS2 Curriculum in Northern Ireland. The specification is on the AQE website. If they wish, parents may choose to enter their child for only two of the three papers. But to give pupils the best opportunity and to reduce the chances of them not doing themselves justice by having “an off day” when one of the assessments is held, it is advisable to sit all three.

5. What is the CEA? The CEA has been designed using procedures similar to those for other examinations, having a chief examiner with extensive knowledge of test design, together with a team of revisers who are teaching professionals at primary level with long experience of preparing pupils for transfer to post primary selective schools.

6. Where can I get practice papers? Past papers are on the AQE website www.aqe.org.uk Click on “The Assessments.”

7. Where is the CEA sat? Pupils will sit the assessments in a participating grammar schools. (NOT their Primary School) Nominate your preferred test centre on the Registration Form and AQE will inform within a few weeks Sitting the CEA in a particular school does not imply a decision to apply to that school nor bring any advantage in the application process.

8. When are the tests? The assessments will take place on Sat 12 th November at 10.00 a.m. Sat 26 th November at 10.00 a.m. Sat 3 rd December at 10.00 a.m. Regent House Open Events are likely to be mid December

9. The Tests in Regent House Accommodation in halls, pupils sitting with others from their Primary Schools. There will be a ‘Familiarisation’ morning in October Invigilators will be our own staff following common, agreed instructions, (similar to GCSE and A level exams)

10. Marking  Marking will take place after each of the three assessments. Each paper will be marked by three markers, the third of whom will also cross-check the score. A Quality Control Process will also be carried out, ensuring that 20% of the papers are marked again and another 20% are added up again. Marking will be completed by the end of December. Marking will take place in two centres in the presence of chief examiners. Opportunity to apply for a remark – you will be advised with this on the results slip

11. 2. Results Total of best 2 results converted to a whole figure Age adjusted 100 is the average mark OF ALL THOSE WHO SAT THE CEA Results issued to parents and Primary Schools on Saturday 28 th January 2017

12. 3. Applying to sit the CEA Registration Forms to take the test are available tonight, on the AQE website and from participating schools. Completed forms must be returned to AQE no later than Friday 9 th September 2016. Fee is £48 Free to those entitled to Free Schools Meals

13. Applying to sit the CEA Identify any access requirements (if applicable) on the form. Supply 3 passport photographs Supply copy of birth certificate.

14. Children with Special Educational Needs Those with a statement do not need to sit the CEA. As at present, this decision will be made in conjunction with parents, the Education Authority and the receiving school. If they are admitted, they are reckoned as over and above the school’s enrolment number and do not take a place that might have been given to someone else.

15. Special Circumstances Medical or other problems which may have affected performance in the test Each school’s Board of Governors, will deal with them and, if accepted as valid, will adjust marks A form and information sheet may be obtained from the AQE Office, from the AQE website or from any AQE school after the assessment; and this, along with the supporting evidence, is submitted with Transfer Application form.

16. Special Provision  Children whose parents/guardians wish them to transfer to a Grammar School from outside Northern Ireland.  Children who have received more than half their Primary education outside Northern Ireland.  Children, who because of unforeseen and serious medical problems, which are supported by medical evidence, were unable to participate in the Transfer Test. Similar to procedures for Special Circumstances

17. 4. School Application Process Similar to previous years Interview with Primary Principal in February 2017 Complete usual Transfer Form for preferred schools Submit to the Transfer section of the EA Forms are distributed to first choice schools

18. Entry to Regent House School Result of the AQE test is the first criterion. To gain entry to Regent House School in September 2017 she/he must sit the AQE test.

19. How Regent House will deal with applications for Year 8 Applicants will be placed, first, in rank order of AQE scores Accepted Special Circumstances and Special Provisions cases are placed in the list Cut-off at 210 th place If there is a tie at any point then other secondary selection or non-academic criteria will apply, as before

20. Secondary (non-academic) Criteria This will be published in the Transfer Booklet which is distributed to all parents before Christmas

21. Example NB the figures shown are for illustration purposes only Say there are 300 applications for 210 places Applications, with priority given to AQE candidates, placed in rank order If places 1 to 204 are filled with pupils scoring, say, 95 or better and 10 pupils with 94 tie for the remaining 6 places

22. Example (contd.) Secondary or sub-criteria applied 6 pupils selected Forms of remaining 90 pupils are then forwarded through Education Authority to second choice schools This process repeats until May 2017

23. Example (contd.) Regent House will not take account of the order in which schools are placed on the form If Regent House is your preferred choice of school then put us down first and the EA will then send us your application first. Then we will select your child if eligible; If we have filled our places, the form will be passed to the school which is your 2nd preference. If your 1st choice is another school, and it has filled its places, it will send your application to us if we are your 2 nd choice.

24. 6. Timeline AQE application forms processed 3 May- 9 September 2016 Familiarisation tour of Test Centres To be announced Test Dates 12 Nov, 26 Nov, 3 Dec 2016 Publication of results 28 January 2017

25. Timeline (contd.) Deadline for application for a re-mark indicated on results slip o Application to preferred schools, in consultation with primary principal and applications sent to EA (Feb - March 2017) o Schools receive forms from EA and select pupils (March - end of May 2017) o EA notifies parents of post primary school (End of May/early June)

26. Sources of Information www.aqe.org.ukwww.aqe.org.uk (FAQ section) www.regenthouse.org.uk The Transfer Procedure Booklet issued to parents before Christmas