Admissions Arrangements Research Findings

Introduction Post-Primary Review Working Group recommended that the Department should commission demographic and geographic research to inform how the geographic factors should be expressed. Following acceptance of the recommendations of the Costello Report, the Department drew up a research brief to take forward this work. Identified 5 separate strands.

The 5 strands are:- 1.Analysis of oversubscribed schools; 2.Survey of application of admissions criteria in oversubscribed schools; 3.Examination of travel to school distances and patterns; 4.Analysis of demographic trends; 5.An overview of admissions arrangements elsewhere.

1.Analysis of oversubscribed schools In 2003/04, All grammar schools were oversubscribed – except one; 30% of secondary schools (80% integrated); Almost half of all post-primary schools;

Oversubscribed Schools 2003/04

2.Survey of post primary admissions criteria - survey of oversubscribed schools to collect information on criteria actually used by schools this year - 96 schools oversubscribed in 2004/05 (provisional fig) - 80 responded – 27 secondary, 53 grammar

Criteria used by schools Family connections –Sibling –Eldest Child –Parent is past pupil –Other family connections School Connections –Parent is employee/governor –Attended prep dept –Boarder

Criteria used by schools Geographical Criteria –Attended feeder primary/named primary –Nearest suitable school –Lives close to school –NI domiciled pupils Others –Special circumstances –Random selection –Date of Birth –Religion –Extra-curricular activities –Interview –Attendance record –Psychiatric assessment

Most commonly used criteria Siblings 73% (11%) Eldest Child 45% (8%) Parent is a past pupil 23% (1%) Parent is employee/governor 21% (0.2%) Lives close to school 20% (1%) Attended feeder primary/named primary 19% (7%) Special circumstances 16% (0.7%) Date of Birth 13% (0.5%) Lives in a named area/parish 11% (7%) Attended prep dept 14% (0.4%)

Most common ordering of criteria used: Grammar (after transfer test grade) 1 st – Siblings, Prep Dept, Boarders, Special Circs 2 nd – Eldest Child, Parent is employee, Lives closest to school 3 rd – Lives in a named area/parish Secondary 1 st – Feeder/named primary, Nearest suitable school, Lives in a named area/parish, 2 nd –, Sibling, Parent is employee, 3 rd – Parent is past pupil, primary is same ELB, Special Circs 4 th - Eldest Child, attendance record, psychiatric assessment

Final Criterion/Tiebreaker Geography - 32 schools (10% of their pupils) -distance from school, contributory parishes, nearest suitable school, named primary school, postcode, prep dept. Family connections - 24 schools (10% of their pupils) -sibling, eldest child Age – 9 schools (3% of their pupils) Random selection – 5 schools (20% of their pupils) Others – 4 schools (10% of their pupils) - interview, attendance record, attendance at a co-ed primary

3. Examination of travel to school distances and patterns -Using postcodes looked at distances travelled to school. - Greater Belfast Area – 4 constituencies, - Mid-Ulster, - South-Antrim.

Travel to school distances

4. Impact of Demography Between 2002 and 2010, population projected to fall by 9.3% Between 2002 and 2015 – 16% Variations across N.I. Impact on secondary and grammar schools

5. Admissions Arrangements Elsewhere Parental choice Catchment areas/distance from schools Parental choice within catchment areas –Ability to apply elsewhere if places available Criteria used when oversubscribed included living closest to school, siblings, religion, children of staff, interviews, feeder primary schools, parental connections, primary assessments

The End