Transfer 2013 Common Entrance Assessments

Legislative Provisions Academic Selection BUT no 11+ transfer procedure; Governors required to set admissions criteria; Governors must give ‘due regard’ to Minister’s Guidance; No ban on academic ability or aptitude being a criterion for admission (St Andrews); No ban on the school setting its own test.

Common Entrance Tests Three one hour assessments; English and Maths components of the primary school curriculum; Marks of the best 2 tests will count; Parents may if they wish enter the child for only two of three papers; Unlike the 11+ there will not be a supplementary paper.

Cost AQE Ltd. The company which administers the tests; Ballyclare HS is a centre and will accommodate those pupils allocated to take the tests here; A fee of £42.00 will cover costs of administration of the test; cheque, bankers draft, or postal order. This applies whether 2 or 3 tests are entered; The tests will be free if the registration form is accompanied by proof that the child is entitled to free school meals.

When ? The CEA tests take place on: Saturday November 10th Saturday November 24 th Saturday December 1st

Where? Participating Grammar Schools; AQE will seek order of preference from parents; Special access arrangements should be indicated at the time of registration; Parents will be advised of the arrangements that can be made.

Dry Run Not compulsory but advisable; Opportunity to see location of the tests close up; Chance to fill in the necessary information; Chance to attempt some questions without pressure; Chance to meet the invigilators, teachers and sixth form pupils; This year it will be held on Saturday 20th October.

What happens if you haven’t sat the Common Entrance Assessment Schools will be required to allocate places using other criteria in the unlikely event that they have insufficient applications from pupils who have sat the Common Entrance Assessment. Only at that point shall pupils who have not sat the test be offered a place.

Timetable Applications 14 th May 2012 Closing date 14 th September 2012 Closing date for return of access forms 21 st September 2012 Familiarisation day (dry run) Saturday 20 th October Results 2 nd February 2013 Remark application Closing date 18 th February 2013

Preparing for the test No obligation on primary schools to undertake specific preparation; Assessments will reflect the teaching given in normal classes.

The Common Entrance Assessments Based on the KS 2 curriculum for English and Mathematics; Questions will test the skills aptitude and knowledge that all pupils will be developing at this Key Stage; Specification and sample test may be viewed on the AQE Website.

The CEA Tests 8 mathematics items. Poem 1 followed by 7 comprehension items; 8 mathematics items; Basic skills passage (lines numbered on the right) followed 5 skills basic skills items.

The CEA Tests 8 mathematics items; Poem 2 followed by 7 comprehension items; 8 mathematics items; Prose passage followed by 7 comprehension items. Further details and examples are on the AQE website.

May/June Application process begins on 14 th May 2012 Free to choose which school to sit assessment in but pressure on numbers may mean you will have to use an alternative school. Which school you sit the test in has nothing to do with which schools you apply to.

Access Arrangements Responsibility of parents/guardians to apply for access arrangements; Registration form will contain a section on access arrangements; If you fill this in there will be a second form with guidance notes (ACCD12 or ACCL12) to allow you to give further details about your child’s disability or disadvantage. Form ACCL12 is for pupils without English or Irish as a first Language; Access panel. Decision conveyed to parents and to the Centre Applications for access arrangements must be returned by 21 st September Emergencies e.g. broken wrist etc. inform AQE Ltd immediately in order to obtain ACCE12.

Arrangements Confirmation to parents will be through admissions cards which will give the admissions number and the school where the child will sit the assessment. Where there are too many applicants to sit the assessment in a particular school preference will be given to those who applied earlier. Applicants will then be assigned to their 2 nd preference school.

AQE office closure 9th July to 13 th July and 9 th October to 31 st October

Closing Date Closing Date for Applications 14 th September 2012 APPLY NOW

October/November Familiarisation Day (Dry Run) Saturday 20 th October 2012 With practice test

Assessments 1. Saturday 10 th November 2012 at a.m. - the first assessment 2. Saturday 24 th November 2012 at a.m. - the second assessment 3. Saturday 1st December 2012 at a.m. – the third and final assessment

January Admissions criteria for the schools should be available; Age related adjustments to scores will be made; Best two scores will be taken and a standard score for each candidate will be calculated.

Results Sent to parents on 2 nd February 2013 Sent to receiving schools and to primary schools Remark facility available. Closing date for application Monday 18 th February 2013 Application forms for registering for remarks need to be requested from the AQE office by on or before Friday 8 th February 2013 AQE office closed 13 th -17 th February

Remarks Marking of papers identified for remarking will be on 21 st, 22 nd, and 25 th February 2013 Parents will be notified in writing of the decision as soon as possible. Schools will be notified of the any changes in scores.

Special Circumstances A candidate will be eligible if his/her performance in the CEA has been affected by circumstances beyond his/her control or if he/she was unable to be present to sit the assessment. Relevant form for special circumstances or special provisions will be available from any AQE school the AQE website or the AQE office.

Special circumstances The Form and accompanying evidence should be brought to the interview with the primary school principal. Parents need to read carefully the requirements set out in the criteria for each school. Medical and educational evidence will be needed at the correct time and in the correct format.

Special Circumstances Form SC12 and information sheet is available from the AQE office; It is also available from the web site; Or it may be collected from any AQE school after the assessment.

Application to Schools February/ March: Primary School interviews and transfer forms to NEELBs; March/April 2013: Schools receive transfer forms, apply criteria and inform ELB of allocation of places; May/June: Parents receive information of the allocated school; Appeals process starts; Induction of new pupils begins.

What Next? –Get registered for the AQE Common Entrance Assessment; –Get to know next year’s criteria of the Schools to which you wish to apply when they are published in the NEELB Transfer booklet; –Make sure that you fill in the relevant forms for Access arrangements if special arrangements are required for your child. If you claim for Special Circumstances or Special Provisions make sure that you provide the relevant evidence; –Make sure that you have the dates for the DRY RUN and the 3 tests clearly displayed at home.

Last Year’s Assessments –Most parents were happy with the way the assessments were conducted evidenced by our own exit questionnaires and by the AQE questionnaire; –Most children were confident and comfortable with the tests; –Most children who sat the test and applied will get to the school of their first choice; –Some will get to the school of their second choice and some to their third choice.