PARENTS whose children were due to sit cancelled grammar school entrance tests will receive all their money back.
The Association for Quality Education (AQE) has written to parents to inform them that they will receive a full refund of £55.
The AQE's Common Entrance Assessment was postponed twice before the group announced it would go ahead with a single assessment. That too was cancelled.
Separate exams run by the Post Primary Transfer Consortium were also cancelled. There is no charge for these.
The AQE said although the registration forms stated that only £20 would be refunded if the assessment was cancelled, the board and its membership of 34 schools decided unanimously that an additional "exceptional ex-gratia payment of £35" should also be provided.
"We shall therefore be refunding £55 in full," said Chief Executive Darrin Barr.
"As a not-for-profit organisation funded by its membership and parents/guardians, the AQE along with the member schools will be covering all costs in relation to the preparation for this year's assessment along with the refunds. We anticipate that all refunds should be completed within three months.
"We are truly sorry that this year's assessment could not proceed however the safety of the children must come first."
