CHILDREN have been awarded grammar school places for the autumn regardless of their performance in 11-plus style exams.
Several schools that are involved in the unregulated system of academic selection failed to fill all their Year 8 spots for September 2020.
This means that pupils would have been entitled to a place even if they answered every question incorrectly in up to five separate papers.
They would still be given a grade or score, which would be enough to meet entrance criteria.
The revelation will strengthen the case of those who argue that high stakes tests at age 10 or 11 are unnecessary.
Schools are already under pressure to end the practice for good after some suspended assessments due to take place this winter.
So far, 10 schools have said they will not use test scores because of the significant disruption caused to children's education by the Covid-19 lockdown.
P7s were last week told the post-primary school they will attend from September. Less than one per cent of pupils have been left unplaced.
The Education Authority published a list of all schools that still had places available. This included the names of six grammar schools.
They were St Columb's College in Derry, Sacred Heart in Newry, Ballymena Academy, St Patrick's in Armagh, St Ronan's in Lurgan and St Louis' in Kilkeel.
It is the second successive year that St Columb's has appeared on this list. Last year, it received 197 applications for its 220 places. Despite this, admission for boys is determined by entrance test.
Sacred Heart in Newry, which is among the schools that has suspended exams for 2020, had fewer than five places left unfilled.
St Ronan's and St Patrick's are among a small group of non-selective grammar schools that no longer use entrance tests.
St Louis' in Kilkeel uses scores only to admit 40 per cent of Year 8s, although like Sacred Heart it will not use academic selection this year.
St Ronan's Principal Fiona Kane said there was no need for grammar schools to use academic entrance tests.
"Apart from the moral and social justice concerns, there is absolutely no educationally sound rationale for any school system to select pupils based on an unregulated test at the age of 10 or 11 in order to determine what 'type' of school they will or should attend for the secondary stage of their education," she said.
"There is a statutory curriculum at Key Stage 3 for all pupils in all schools. Pupils at Year 12, 13 and 14 sit the exact same GCSE and A-level examinations.
"In St Ronan's College, we are a non-selective all ability grammar school and we successfully meet the needs and aspirations of all our young people who come to us from over 20 primary schools. High expectations alongside high quality learning and teaching with a strong child centred ethos and mindful pastoral care system is what makes all the difference to the progression, achievement and life chances of all our young people.
"We are very proud that we provide all of this for them to fulfil their individual hopes and dreams."
Sinn Féin Foyle MLA Karen Mullan, who is deputy chair of the assembly education committee, said there was a time when a grammar school being unable to fill its places "would have been unheard of - but things are changing".
''Countless pieces of academic research as well as the lived experiences of so many young people and their families have demonstrated how severe the impact of academic selection is," Ms Mullan said.
''I feel a great deal of sympathy for those families who may have no choice but to take a particular test given the proximity of a local grammar school to their home, parents are often left without a suitable alternative.
''In recent weeks many schools have taken the initiative and shown leadership by suspending academic selection for this year. This momentum is building with more schools likely to take the same decisive action in the weeks ahead."
