Transfer test: Pupils to sit AQE test on 9 January

The post-primary transfer test organisation AQE has confirmed its test on Saturday 9 January will go ahead as planned.

It is despite primary school pupils being taught remotely in the week from Monday 4 to Friday 8 January.

Two further AQE tests are then due to be held on 16 and 23 January.

The tests run by the PPTC organisation are due to take place on 30 January with a supplementary test on Saturday 6 February.

On Thursday, Education Minister Peter Weir announced a delayed return to school for many pupils.

On Saturday, teachers' union the NASUWT called for remote education to be expanded to all pupils in nursery, primary, secondary and special schools.

"Those teachers who are due to return next week deserve to be treated in the same way as all other school staff," the union's Justin McCamphill said.

"The reality is that teachers in nursery and special schools are at high risk as social distancing of any sort is impossible."

The transfer tests are used by many grammar schools to select pupils, and about 8,000 children are due to sit the AQE tests.

However, some grammar schools have already outlined how they will admit pupils using "Covid-19 criteria" if transfer tests are cancelled.

In a statement on Friday, the board of AQE said they wanted "to provide further clarity to parents and candidates who are concerned about the potential impact of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic on the Common Entrance Assessment".

The AQE board said a Department of Education (DE) letter to schools had stated that "external exams due to take place in January will be facilitated compliant with public health guidance".

"Having considered the minister's statement and the letter issued to schools, the board has decided to offer all three assessment sessions on the planned dates."

AQE tests are held mainly in grammar schools

They said this would "provide as many candidates as possible, whose parents have chosen to register with AQE, the opportunity to sit at least two papers".

"Parents may want to consider whether it is appropriate for their child to sit two papers only, but will be welcome to sit a third paper if they choose to, and are in a position to do so."

However, AQE said if a child was only able to sit one paper, they would be still be awarded a standardised result which may be used to apply for a grammar school.

But if that happens, they are advising parents to check the grammar school admissions criteria as a child who sits only one test may have to apply on the basis of "special circumstances".

That would also be the case if a child entered for the tests was not able to sit any of them.

'Adds to mental health implications'

Grammar schools have included "special circumstances" in their admissions criteria in previous years to allow children who missed the transfer tests due to illness to apply.

But, given the disruption to schools caused by the coronavirus pandemic, there may be more children unable to sit some of the tests this year.

The AQE board statement concluded by saying that "the health and well-being of the candidates and staff" was their first priority.

"We want to reassure parents and candidates that AQE Limited, in conjunction with our member schools, will follow all relevant and current health and safety guidance," it said.

On Saturday morning, the chair of Stormont's education committee, Alliance's Chris Lyttle, tweeted that there was "an urgent need for the education minister, AQE and PPTC to issue a definitive statement on how transfer tests can take place within legal compliance" of Covid-19 regulations.

Professor Siobhán O'Neill, Northern Ireland's interim mental health champion, said she was "shocked" to hear the tests were going ahead.

She said: "It adds to the mental health implications of the tests, we already have children under significant pressure as a result of the pandemic.

"Then you have the pressure of the test and now on top of that we have this additional fear and worry. I think it is unacceptable."

The tests are mainly held in grammar schools and a number of safety measures are due to be in place for them.

However, the transfer tests are controversial and 11 Catholic grammar schools and the integrated school, Lagan College, have said they will not use them to select pupils in 2021.