Forge Integrated Primary School

Dept of Education Guidance There is no Official Transfer Test it was discontinued in 2010 Grammar and Secondary Schools are recommended not to admit pupils on the basis of a test Primary Schools are recommended not to prepare children for unofficial tests and reminded of their legal obligation to teach the curriculum

The Reality at the Moment Nearly all Grammar Schools are still admitting pupils on the basis of test scores. Most Catholic Grammars use the GL Assessment system, Non-Catholic Grammars mostly use AQE Lagan College continue to admit 35% of pupils on the basis of a test and 65% on an all ability basis Lagan College, Wellington College and Victoria College admit pupils on the basis of scores from either test.

Where does that Leave us? We want to help you and your child be in a position to make what you feel are the right choices about Second level education We want to help your child achieve their potential whether they are doing a transfer test or not!

Types of Post Primary School by Entrance Requirement: All ability entry schools No selection tests Admissions Criteria similar to Primary Schools Grammar Schools Admit on basis of test scores Dual entry schools Admit some on test scores & some on admissions criteria similar to Primary Schools Newtownbreda High School Knockbreda High School St Joseph’s College Malone College Methodist College Grosvenor Grammar School Wellington College Aquinas Diocesan Grammar School Lagan College (35% on test scores 65% All ability entry)

Tests Used by Local Schools All ability entry schools No selection tests Catholic Grammar Schools linked to Post Primary Transfer Consortium Admit on basis of GL Assessment Scores only Schools that Accept Scores from AQE (CEA) and PPTC (GL) Tests. Newtownbreda High School Knockbreda High School St Joseph’s College Malone College Our Lady & St Patrick’s College Aquinas Diocesan Grammar School Wellington College Lagan College Methodist College Grosvenor Grammar School Controlled/Voluntary Grammar Admit on basis of AQE Common Entrance Assessment only

Parents are required to complete forms stating their preferences for post Primary schools and submit them to us in February of each year. The deadline dates are published along with Parents Info Booklets in December. We usually run the second Parent Teacher Meeting of the year for P7 pupils with the aim of helping parents to discuss issues related to the transfer process with us.

6th May 2014: Registration Opens 12th Sep 2014: Registration Closes Sat 8th Nov 2014: 1st Assessment Sat 22nd Nov 2014: 2nd Assessment Sat 29th Nov 2014: 3rd Assessment Sat 31st Jan 2015: Results NB 2014/15 Dates Not Yet Available 20th May 2013: Registration Opens 27th Sep 2013: Registration Closes 16th Nov 2013: The Assessment 7th Dec 2013: Supplementary Assessment 1st Feb 2014: Results Transfer Test Dates and Website Details

6. Transfer to Secondary Education Lagan College19 Wellington College3 Malone College2 Our Lady & St Patrick’s College1 Blackwater Integrated College1 Methodist College2 St Joseph’s College1 Royal Belfast Academical Institution1 6. Transfer to Secondary Education Lagan College13 Wellington College5 Our Lady & St Patrick’s College1 St Joseph’s College1 Victoria College Belfast1 Newtownbreda High School1 Priory College2 Grosvenor Grammar School1 Aquinas Grammar School1 6. Transfer to Secondary Education Lagan College10 Malone College1 Wellington College3 Grosvenor Grammar School1 Methodist College Belfast8 Ashfield Boys High School2 Where Children from Forge IPS Transfer to:

To Test or Not to Test You do not have to put your child through a test unless you are aiming towards a selective school. Not everyone will get the grade that selective schools require. The selective system is mostly about whether a child is right for a particular school. It is worth turning that around and asking yourself what kind of school is right for your child and you. Is a doing a test a requirement?

Useful Websites BELB Responsible for admissions in most inner city schools SEELB Responsible for admissions in the southern and eastern suburbs including Lagan College The Transfer Test - A private company whose business is to sell test preparation materials which we have not used and cannot comment on the quality of. What we can say is that this website is a good source of info on both tests including a section on past intake info for NI schools. The Belfast Telegraph also publish similar information most years in the autumn General Info and Support