1. Transfer Meeting 2018
Welcome

2. Purpose of the Meeting To inform you about the transfer process
To explain the role played by the school
To explain your role in the process
To give you an opportunity to ask any questions you may have about the process

3. What is transfer?
Transfer is the transition from Primary School to Post-Primary School
All P6 pupils will be involved in the transfer process next year
Some parents may decide to register their children to complete the GL or AQE tests as part of the process

4. Post-Primary Schools
There are a number of different types of Post-Primary School in NI
One difference between them is ‘Admissions Criteria’
Grammar Schools use a test as a basis for admission

5. Grammar Schools
Grammar Schools use ‘Academic Selection’ as their first criteria for admission
To complicate matters, some Grammar Schools use the GL test while others use the AQE test
A few use both

6. GL Grammar Schools
Catholic Grammar Schools & Lagan, Campbell and Victoria (35 in total)
GL test takes place on Saturday 17th November 2018
Registration available until 2.00pm on Friday 21st September 2018 (Free)
or (Post Primary Transfer Consortium)

7. GL Grammar Schools
There will be a Supplementary Entrance Assessment on Saturday 8th December 2018.
The Supplementary assessment will be held at specified regional Assessment Centres and not necessarily the Assessment Centre initially assigned to a child.

8. GL Grammar Schools
The Supplementary Entrance Assessment is only available to a child who was registered but absent on 17th November 2018 or was not well enough to be present for any part of the second assessment paper.

9. The deadline for receipt of requests for a child to sit the Supplementary Entrance Assessment is 2.00 pm Monday 26th November 2018.

10. GL Grammar Schools
If your child takes the Entrance Assessment in any of the Assessment Centres you may apply for a place in any of these schools irrespective of where your child has taken the Entrance Assessment.

11. Access Arrangements
Any child who might otherwise be prevented from taking the Entrance Assessment or whose performance is likely to be impaired by illness, injury, condition or disability may be granted Access Arrangements. An example of an Access Arrangement would be the provision of an enlarged paper for a child with a visual impairment.

12. Access Arrangements
While an Access Arrangement can increase a child’s access to the Entrance Assessment, it cannot be granted where it will directly enhance performance in the skills, knowledge or understanding that are the focus of the Entrance Assessment.
Parents/guardians must have applied for Access Arrangements and had them approved before or at the time of the Entrance Assessment.

13. Access Arrangements
When you complete the Registration Form, please indicate that your child has particular requirements and complete the Access Arrangements claim form.
It is important that you provide sufficient detail of your child’s needs when completing the Registration Form.
Consult the Access Arrangements Policy

14. Access Arrangements
Children with communication and interaction difficulties may have problems with written communication skills. They may need extra time to demonstrate written communication skills. They may need, in particular circumstances, to have the assistance of a scribe to write for them or a Sign Language Interpreter.

15. Access Arrangements
Children with learning difficulties may require extra time for timed assessments.
Children with sensory and physical needs may require extra time and/or a scribe. They may require papers with adjustments to print size or colour. They may require a practical assistant, or adaptations to equipment or furniture.

16. Access Arrangements
Children with behavioural, emotional and social needs may require supervised rest breaks, separate invigilation or alternative accommodation arrangements. Where children also have learning difficulties, they may require extra time and, in the case of a more severe impairment, a scribe.
Access Arrangements are different to claims for Special Circumstances

17. Special Circumstances GL
If your child experiences illness, injury or indisposition at the time of the Entrance Assessment, you must inform the Assessment Centre no later than 14th December 2018 (2.00pm) by registering a claim for Special Circumstances.
Your claim should provide brief details of the illness, injury or indisposition that your child has experienced.

18. Special Circumstances GL
Later in the application process, you will need to provide documentary evidence from medical and other professional sources to substantiate your claim for Special Circumstances.
Full details are provided in the Claiming Special Circumstances Pack available after the assessment.

19. AQE Schools Non-Catholic Grammar Schools
AQE tests take place on Saturday 10th , 24th Nov & 1st December
Registration available until 7th September(£50 fee, unless your child is entitled to free school meals)

20. AQE Registration Update – 31st May 2018
Due to an unprecedented number of registration forms being received in the first few weeks of registration it is currently taking longer than anticipated to turn forms around and get Admissions Cards out to parents.  If you have submitted a form and have not yet heard from us, please do not panic. 
Currently there is good availability in most assessment centres

21. AQE Assessment
Please be aware that spaces in assessment centres are allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.
Candidates whose registration forms are received towards the end of the registration period (August/September) may have to travel some distance to an available assessment centre, particularly in urban areas.

22. AQE Assessment
The school that you select is for sitting the assessments only.
Once the assessment is over, you may apply for a place to any other AQE school.
Applications for school places happen in February, through the Education Authority.

23. How to apply? It’s up to parents to register their child
Packs are available through the participating schools
School websites are the best starting point for information

24. AQE Access Arrangements
Parents should tick the appropriate box in Section B of the Registration Form and complete the Access Application Form (ACC/18) which should be attached to the Registration Form along with all appropriate evidence.

25. Who can apply for Access Arrangements?
Parents of children who possess any physical, learning or medical impairment which may impact upon their ability to perform at their best in the assessments may apply for Access Arrangements. This will be for children for whom arrangements have been in place in Primary School up to the end of Primary Six.

26. AQE Access Arrangements
The most common reasons a candidate might apply for Access Arrangements are listed below, this is not an exclusive list and any physical, learning or medical impairment will be considered.

27. AQE Access Arrangements
Dyslexia Dyspraxia
Dyscalculia ADHD
ADD Vocal Tics
Diabetes Asperger’s Syndrome
Autistic Spectrum Hearing Loss
Visual Impairments Heart Conditions Spina Bifida Cerebal Palsy Muscular Dystrophy Epilepsy
OCD

28. AQE Access Arrangements
Parents of children whose first language is neither English or Irish and who have spent less than three years in the United Kingdom and/or Ireland before September 2018 may also apply for Access Arrangements.

29. AQE Access Arrangements
Parents should tick the box in Section B of the Registration Form and complete the Access Application Form (ACC/18) which should be attached to the Registration Form along will all appropriate evidences.

30. AQE Access Arrangements
If it is not possible to attach your Access Application Form and evidences along with the Registration Form you should still tick the box in Section B but you may send your application separately as long as it submitted to the AQE Office by Friday 7th September 2018 at the latest.

31. AQE Access Arrangements
Access Application Forms are available from the AQE website ( or hard copies can be posted out from the AQE Office on request.

32. AQE Access Arrangements
You should send any evidence that supports your claim. This can include, where appropriate:
Any medical evidence
Educational evidence from an educational psychologist (Key Stage 2)
Evidence from the primary school of the pupil’s normal way of working.

33. AQE Access Arrangements
Extra time up to 25%
Supervised rest breaks
Invigilator to prompt candidate to stay on task
Separate invigilation within a CEA centre
Accommodation suited to a child with limited mobility
Accommodation away from the CEA centre
Coloured overlays

34. AQE Access Arrangements
Coloured paper
Low vision aid
Enlarged Papers
Scribe(An adult approved by AQE who will write for the child in the assessment)
Word Processor
Child to read aloud

35. Special Circumstances
For after the tests
If you believe your child hasn’t performed as well as expected due to illness, bereavement etc
Evidence is required to support your case – Nfer GL Scores for example
The school may adjust a score based on evidence

36. Transfer Form
After GL or AQE results (26th Jan 2019)are published, parents are invited to complete the pupils’ Transfer Form with the Principal. (Feb 2019)
On this form, you list your school preference and supporting comments in relation to their specified ‘Admissions Criteria’
Please take school advice when completing the form

37. School Allocation
You will be notified about your child’s school placement in May 2019
There is an Appeal’s Procedure if you feel a school hasn’t applied their ‘Admissions Criteria’ correctly

38. Timetable Wed 2nd May 2018: Registration Opens for AQE
14th May 2018: Registration Opens for GL
Fri 7th Sep 2018: Registration Closes for AQE
Fri 21st Sep 2018: Registration Closes for GL

39. Timetable Nov 10th, 24th Nov, 1st Dec 2018: AQE Assessments
November 17th GL Assessment
Sat 26th Jan 2019: Results
Dec – Jan – School Open Days

40. Timetable February 2019 – Transfer meeting with Primary principals
May 2019 –Parents are informed by the Education Authority which school that their child has been allocated to.

41. Role of Parents To adopt a sensible approach
Encourage pupils but don’t make a ‘big deal’ of the process
Carefully consider the school that best suits your child
Be realistic and set attainable targets for your child
Register your child if you want to sit the tests
Attend Open Days (Dec-Jan)

42. Role of the School
We will provide you with support and advice throughout the process
Pupils are taught up to and including Level 5 in Maths & English and cover the topics as specified in the NI Curriculum
Conduct regular assessments in both subjects
Set relevant homework assignments

43. The Tests GL Assessment (17th November 2018)
Consists of 2 tests on one morning – English (50 mins) and Maths (45 mins) with a break in between
Multiple choice style test
Test content and questions are referenced against the NI Curriculum
Results given as grades (A, B1 etc) and standardised scores (69-141)

44. GL Assessments
There will be a short practice session before each of the papers and, between the papers, the children will have time for a snack and a toilet break.
The children will record their answers on a separate computer marked answer sheet.

45. AQE Assessments AQE (10th & 24th Nov & 1st December)
Three tests on English and Maths
1hour long
Only best 2 scores count
Test content and questions are referenced against the NI Curriculum
Results given as standardised scores within 5 quintiles

46. AQE Assessments Tests are held in participating grammar schools
The test does not necessarily need to be taken at the school you wish your child to attend.
During the application you list schools in order of preference and based on availability you will be notified which school your child will sit the test at.

47. AQE Assessments
After the registration process has been completed, all candidates will be contacted by their Assessment Centre, and invited to attend a familiarisation day in this school.

48. AQE Assessments
All 3 assessments begin at 10am and last for 1 hour (with the exception of extra time candidates). AQE recommends that candidates attend ALL 3 assessments, however as the final age-standardised score is achieved through ‘best 2 out of 3’, it is only compulsory to attend 2 assessments. This allows for an ‘off day’ or illness etc.

49. AQE Assessments
There is no subsidiary paper available.

50. Useful Links

51. Questions?

52. Many thanks