Telegraph data useful guide for families and children
that our teachers are dedicated, highly skilled and hard-working and the pupils are engaged, attentive and willing to learn.
In every school the opportunities are available to all of our children to learn valuable life skills, improve their knowledge and be equipped to enter into the adult world with resilience and confidence.
The choice of subjects and courses in schools is extensive and meets the needs of a wide range of learners. Schools in Northern Ireland are also places of excellent pastoral care where young people are nurtured and valued.
AQE and PPTC (GL) have been providing testing platforms for the last 11 years and these platforms have enabled thousands of children to access places in grammar schools. This year almost 8,700 P7 children sat the tests provided by AQE alone and the public’s enthusiasm for academic selection and grammar schools does not appear to be diminishing in any way.
Transfer at the end of P7 can be a stressful time for all concerned, but it is important to remember that there will be a place available at a suitable school for all pupils.
It is also important that parents and children research the Admissions Criteria for each relevant school to ensure that they understand what is required for entry to that particular school. The data provided in the Belfast Telegraph today is a very useful guide to parents and children when used alongside the detailed information in the Admissions Criteria.
I offer all P7 children my best wishes as you consider the right school for you to attend for the next five to seven years.
Dr Darrin Barr is joint chief executive, Association of Quality Education (AQE)