General Teaching Council Northern Ireland

School reveals entrance exam plan

06/10/2008 :: Northern Ireland :: BBC News

A grammar school in Londonderry has published a sample of a new selection test for parents of Year 6 pupils.

Lumen Christi College will use the test to select its pupils if a cross- party agreement is not reached on the issue at the Assembly.

The move is opposed by both the Catholic bishops and the Education Minister Catriona Ruane.

Last December, Ms Ruane announced that the test, commonly known as the 11-plus, would come to an end in 2008.

Principle Pat O' Doherty told parents that the first batch of tests were planned for November 2009.

"We've taken legal advice and we're entitled to use academic selection under the St Andrews agreement," he said.

Mr O' Doherty maintained the test was only a back-up plan if a decision was not made by the assembly.

"The test is to decide if a child has an aptitude for grammar school, exactly the same as the current transfer test."