1. Regent House School Information Evening for parents of P6 children
Transfer 2018
Regent House School
Information Evening
for parents of P6 children

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 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 11th November at a.m.
Sat 25th November at a.m.
Sat 2nd December at 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 27th January 2018

12. 3. Applying to sit the CEA
Registration Forms to take the test are now available on the AQE website and from participating schools.
Completed forms must be returned to AQE no later than Friday 8th September 2017
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 2 passport photographs
Supply copy of birth certificate.

14. Children with Special Educational Needs
Those with a statement do not need to sit the CEA. 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.
JCQ: Joint Council for Qualifications regulations – AQE will adopt similar procedures
Marks in an assessment may be adjusted in a limited range of circumstances, when accompanied by supporting evidence. The following are examples:
5% extra marks for exceptional circumstances such as the terminal illness of a candidate or the very recent death of a member of the immediate family.
3% extra marks for a recent domestic crisis.
1% extra marks for noise during an examination which is more than momentary.

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
Interview with Primary Principal in February 2018
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 2018 she/he must sit the AQE test. 18

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 210th 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 2018

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 2nd choice.

24. 6. Timeline AQE application forms processed 2 May- 8 September 2017
Familiarisation tour of Test Centres
To be announced
Test Dates
11 Nov, 25 Nov, 2 Dec 2017
Publication of results
27 January 2018

25. Timeline (contd.)
Deadline for application for a re-mark indicated on results slip
Application to preferred schools, in consultation with primary principal and applications sent to EA (Feb - March 2018)
Schools receive forms from EA and select pupils (March - end of May 2018)
EA notifies parents of post primary school (End of May/early June)

26. Sources of Information
(FAQ section)
The Transfer Procedure Booklet issued to parents before Christmas