Transfer test: Peter Weir 'seeking clarity' over 2022 plans
- Published
Education Minister Peter Weir will be "seeking clarity" from transfer test providers in the coming days over their plans for the next academic year.
This follows a decision by four Northern Ireland grammar schools not to use academic selection in 2022.
Lagan College and St Mary's, in Belfast, and Thornhill and St Columbs', in Londonderry, have made the decision.
Admissions criteria is a matter for schools' boards of governors, the Department of Education (DE) has said.
A DE spokesperson that the option of tests is a matter for the private companies that run them.
'Have more options'
Joanne O'Doherty's 10-year-old daughter, Alaina, had previously taken a decision not to go to a grammar school because she did not want to sit the transfer test.
However, with the recent announcement of two grammar schools in Derry no longer using academic selection, the family believe they "now have more options".
In a joint statement published last week, external, the board of governors and principals of both Thornhill and St Columbs' College said they wanted to "provide a degree of certainty" to those young people who would wish to enrol.
They said young people had "faced a year of unprecedented challenge" and that there was "no guarantee" that disruption might not continue into their first school term.
The schools will announce their admissions criteria later in the year.
Mrs O'Doherty believes the decision from the two Catholic grammar schools should be an "eye-opener" for other NI schools to drop the transfer test all together.
Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle, Mrs O'Doherty said: " I think other schools should follow suit, we have the whole Covid-19 situation with children being in and out of school- why have that test?"
She added: "Children have been under enough pressure this year".
Charlene Brooks, who is from Parenting NI, believes that removing the exam may not be enough to reduce stress for families.
"Some may argue it could cause more concern because the (admission) criteria has previously included things like if you live in close proximity to the school or if you have a sibling in school," Ms Brooks said.
She added that for many families it "simply does not work in their favour".
Finn McDaid, 10, said he was "very happy and relieved" he no longer would have to sit the test in order to potentially get into his preferred school of St Columbs' College in the north west.
The P6 pupil has said he has been thinking about the transfer test "far too much" and was "very worried" about the process.
Following a decision by the NI Executive on Tuesday, P6 children were among those returning to school on Monday, 22 March.
However, those children have only been taught in school for about four months in the past year.
Finn, like many other children, said that he found not being able to see his classmates in-person for long periods of time very difficult over the last year.
Finn's mother, Jacqueline Ward, said school placements can feel like a "wee bit of a competition" and that no matter what the process it could lead to some families "being disappointed at the end of the day".
A DE spokesperson said: "The minister [Peter Weir] wants early clarity for parents and young children regarding the intention of grammar schools in respect of academic testing for September 2022 admissions.
"He considers that the provision of certainty at this stage is in the best interests of children and their families."
- Published27 May 2020
- Published12 May 2020