Northern Ireland

Transfer test date move not enough to alleviate anxiety, says children's commissioner

Grammar school entrance tests will take place in January
Grammar school entrance tests will take place in January Grammar school entrance tests will take place in January

DELAYING the 11-plus until after the Christmas holidays does little to spare children from stress and anxiety, it has been warned.

Unregulated grammar school entrance tests will now run on four consecutive weekends in January.

The papers had initially been postponed by two weeks and were due to begin in November.

Lawyers representing pupils due to sit the tests challenged that decision in the High Court, however.

Education Minister Peter Weir agreed to a further postponement.

Several grammar schools have already indicated that they will not hold transfer exams in this academic year.

Koulla Yiasouma, Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People, said while she welcomed there would be more preparation time, "this was not the outcome we were seeking".

"It is unfortunate it took legal action to get to this point, when the same decision could have been made months ago saving children and their families stress and uncertainty," she said.

"With the first test proposed to take place on January 9, I am of course concerned about the impact on the first term back, preparing children for tests must not distract schools from concentrating on wellbeing and education recovery. The impact on their Christmas break, is also concerning, after what has been arguably one of the toughest years so far for these and many other children."

She added that was "little to no room for slippage now".

"We need to see contingency plans in place in the case of another gap in education due to a further Covid-19 surge, if a pupil contracts the virus, and how effective education will continue for a whole Primary 7 class if they have to self-isolate because of a positive Covid-19 test," she said.

"The alternative timetable runs the risk of affecting every child transitioning to post-primary school. It must account for the fact that school placements are announced in early June, normally four months after choices are submitted which has now been reduced by five weeks. Time must be factored in for those pupils who do not get the school of their choice and wish to avail of the appeals process, as is their right."

The High Court heard on Tuesday that the fresh postponement was agreed following extensive discussions involving Mr Weir. These did not involve any primary schools or teaching unions.

"The department's focus is on ensuring that post-primary transfer is delivered in a timely fashion for every pupil in Northern Ireland. As the tests are set by private organisations we do not have control over the timing of any transfer test, but need to ensure the process of transfer is deliverable," a spokeswoman said.

"Following discussions that involved the Department, Education Authority, and test providers, the department ultimately determined that if test providers elected to move their assessments to January 2021, it could ask the Education Authority to adjust its timetable for the 2020/21 post primary transfer process. This was based on the most up to date information provided by all parties including changes to the time taken to provide the test results by the AQE Ltd and PPTC."