Coronavirus: Lagan College scraps transfer test for 2021

Lagan College in Belfast will not use transfer tests to select any pupils for 2021.

The school would normally use academic selection to admit 35% of new pupils into year 8.

It said it had made the decision "in response to the exceptional circumstances that the P6 children are experiencing and on wellbeing grounds".

On Friday, five Catholic grammars in Newry and Kilkeel also said they would not use academic selection in 2020-21.

Set up in 1981 with 28 pupils, Lagan College was the first integrated school in Northern Ireland.

It now has over 1,300 pupils and places in it are highly in-demand.

In 2019 it had 554 applicants for 220 year 8 places.

In a letter to the parents of prospective pupils, principal Amanda McNamee and board of governors chair Francis Martin said they would not use either the GL test run by the Post-Primary Transfer Consortium or the AQE test to select any pupils for September 2021.

"The recent Covid 19 pandemic has had a major impact on all our lives including the P6 children, who have been out of school since March 2020, with continued uncertainty about their school provision going forward," they said.

"After much careful deliberation, the board of governors and principal, have decided that this year, in response to the exceptional circumstances that the P6 children are experiencing and on wellbeing grounds, Lagan College will not accept any form of academic selection as part of the P7 transfer process in 2021."

They also said that neither test would be held in the school in November and December 2020.

The school's full admissions criteria for 2021 is due to be published in the autumn.

It will all be based on the criteria it had previously used to select 65% of pupils.

For example, that includes things like whether applicants have a brother or sister already at Lagan College or whether they attend an integrated primary school.

"We sincerely apologise for any concern that this may cause to P6 families," Ms McNamee and Mr Martin said.

"However, we believe that this is the right decision for Lagan College to take and in keeping with our integrated, inclusive and all ability ethos.

"Going forward, we will continue to care for and meet the needs of children of all abilities, at a learning pace that is appropriate to help each individual child flourish and achieve their potential."