When choosing the right school for your child to sit the SEAG test you might want to think about whether that school uses big halls (assembly or sports halls) or whether the school uses small classrooms for the pupils to sit the tests.
I’m not saying that one option is better than the other, but it just depends on what you will think will work best for your child and your individual preference.
To help you figure this out, I asked the question into our amazing FB Support Group and asked the P7 parents to let us know what was used last year for their child and this allowed me to pull together the predicted situation for this year – but please note, the school could always change their mind and use a different setup.
As I mentioned above, this will be important for SEAG registration which opens on the 20th May 2024 because it will be during the registration process that you will choose your preferred test centre.
It’s also worth noting that even if it’s indicated that the school uses large halls, they will still have small classrooms available for children with access arrangements e.g. child needs a small room and children who require extra time.
Schools are listed in alphabetical order and I’ve even included a link to the school website to make it easy for you to explore further.
I hope this helps.
All Grammar Schools – Alphabetical Order
Abbey Christian Brother’s Grammar School (Newry) – Big Hall
Antrim Grammar (Antrim) – Classrooms
Comment from FB Group – “Antrim Grammar last November used classrooms but year before was one of the main halls.”
Aquinas Diocesan Grammar School (Belfast) – Two Large Hall
Comment from FB Group – “Two halls and classrooms for extra time and SEN students”.
Assumption Grammar School (Ballynahinch) – Halls & Classrooms
Comment from FB Group – “Assumption Grammar use a mixture of halls and classrooms.”
Please note – This could be classrooms for access arrangements.
Ballyclare High School (Ballyclare) – Big Hall
Comment from FB Group – “Ballyclare High School uses mainly halls but small rooms are used for extra time / SEN.”
Ballymena Academy (Ballymena) – Classrooms
Banbridge Academy (Banbridge) – Classrooms & Two Main Halls
* P6 Information Evening at 6.00pm on Monday 13 May 2024 and all parents are extremely welcome
Comment from FB Group – “My son was in a classroom and I think it was mostly classrooms with maybe one hall too” & “Smaller cohort of pupils from smaller primary schools use classrooms and larger numbers use the hall/gym.”
Bangor Grammar (Bangor) – Two Main Halls & Classrooms
“It does depend on numbers attending from each school but the main priority is that all pupils from the same primary school are located in the same venue, unless Access Arrangements are to be applied.”
Comment from FB Group – “It seemed to depend on how many from each primary school sat there as they sat in same room with those from their school.” &
Belfast High School (Belfast) – Large Halls
Comment from FB Group – Last year, Belfast High used inside the gym, the study and the coffee bar and these were the 3 main rooms – then classrooms for access arrangements.
Belfast Royal Academy (Belfast) – Classrooms
Bloomfield Collegiate (Belfast) – Hall
P6 Information Session – 20th May at Bloomfield Collegiate at 4pm (a joint event between Bloomfield, Campbell College & Strathearn School)
Cambridge House Grammar (Ballymena) – Classrooms
Comment from FB Group – Cambridge House Grammer School used classrooms and children from the same primary school are all put in together.
Campbell College (Belfast) – 3 Hall in 3 Separate Buildings
Comment from the school – The SEAG examinations are held in 3 halls in 3 separate buildings. There are approximately 50-60 children in each hall and they are seated with children from their primary schools. Children who have been granted access arrangements are accommodated in classrooms. Parents are issued with coloured cards indicating the building their child is allocated which they then show on arrival at the front gate and are directed to the relevant car park.
P6 Information Session – 20th May at Bloomfield Collegiate at 4pm (a joint event between Bloomfield, Campbell College & Strathearn School)
Carrickfergus Grammar (Carrickfergus) – Classrooms
Comment from FB Group – “They used classrooms and make sure the children from each primary school are grouped together” & “Carrick grammar sent a letter out via primary school and it’s still in classrooms my oldest daughter sat it there.”
Christian Brothers School (Omagh) – Classrooms
Coleraine Grammar School (Coleraine) – Big Hall & Library
Comment from FB Group – “Coleraine Grammar used their big halls, library, and had other rooms for use for extra time/sen.”
Dalriada School (Ballymoney) – Big Hall
Comment from FB Group – “Big hall used and classrooms for extra adjustments.”
Down High School (Downpatrick) – Classrooms
Dominican College (Belfast) – Halls
Dominican College (Portstewart) – Large Halls
Enniskillen Royal Grammar School (Enniskillen) – Classrooms
Comments from FB Group – “Classrooms over both sites.”
Foyle College (Derry / Londonderry) – Hall & Gym
Comments from FB Group – “Last year Foyle College used the assembly hall and gym. They were both very large halls and a classroom available for those who had requested special needs. Very well organised with different zones for drop off and collection.”
Friends School (Lisburn) – Classrooms
Comments from FB Group – Last year they used classrooms and tried to keep all the kids from the same primary school together – as much as possible.
Glenlola Collegiate (Bangor) – Hall
Comments from FB Group – Although apparently before Covid they has used classrooms.
Grosvenor Grammar (Belfast) – Classrooms
Hunterhouse College (Belfast) – Two Halls
Comment on FB Group – Hunterhouse was in two halls and classrooms used for additional time or special requests.
Lagan College (Belfast) – Classrooms
Comment from FB Group – Lagan collage is in classrooms and all very straightforward and as relaxed as can be. I thought it was very well organised easy to get parked too.
Larne Grammar (Larne) – Classrooms
Limavady Grammar (Limavady) – ?
Loreto Grammar School (Omagh) – Classrooms
Lumen Christi College (Derry / Londonderry) – Couple Of Halls
Methodist College (Belfast) – ?
* Information session taking place 13th May, 7pm in the Whitla Hall so we should know more then.
Mount Lourdes Grammar School (Enniskillen) – Assembly Hall
* Information session taking place 1st May, 7pm so we should know more then.
Omagh Academy (Omagh) – Classrooms
Our Lady’s Grammar School (Newry) – Big Hall
Our Lady & St Patrick’s College (Knock) – Halls
Comments from FB Group – Very well organised with zones for drop off and pick ups.
Rainey Endowed School (Magherafelt) – Classrooms
Rathmore Grammar School (Belfast) – Classrooms
Regent House (Newtownards) – Big Halls
Comment from FB Group – it seems that Regent House try to keep the primary schools in the same area of the halls.
Royal Belfast Academical Institution (Belfast) – Big Hall
Email from school to parent – “The majority of pupils will sit the test in a large hall. Depending on numbers and on access arrangements, some will sit the test in small classrooms.”
Royal School Armagh – Gym / Halls
Royal School Dungannon – Classrooms
Sacred Heart Grammar (Newry) – Large Sports Hall
Slemish Integrated College (Ballymena) – Classrooms
Comment from FB Group – “Slemish College use classrooms with primary schools kept together.”
St Colman’s College (Newry) – ?
St Columb’s College (Derry / Londonderry) – Big Hall
St Dominic’s High School (Belfast) – Halls & Classrooms
St. Joseph’s Grammar School (Donaghmore) – Hall
St Louis Grammar School (Ballymena) – Classrooms
St Louis Grammar School (Kilkeel) – ?
St Malachy’s College (Belfast) – Classrooms
Comment from FB Group – “Last year St Malachy’s seemed to group the boys with their primary school because in my son’s case there was more than one boy from his primary school in the room.”
St. Mary’s Christian Brother’s Grammar (Belfast) – Hall
Comment from Social Media – “School use the hall with children seated among their classmates and SEN children in separate classrooms”
St Mary’s Grammar School (Magherafelt) – Big Hall
St Michael’s College (Enniskillen) – ?
St Patrick’s Academy (Dungannon) – Big Hall
Comment from FB Group – “Classrooms are used as well depending on the number of children sitting the test.”
St Patrick’s Grammar School (Downpatrick) – Big Hall
* But school is closing at the end of June due to amalgamation so it’s won’t be available in 2024.
Strabane Academy (Strabane) – ?
Strathearn School (Belfast) – Classrooms
Comment from FB Group – “Strathearn is all classrooms and try to keep the kids in schools within the classes. So if u went to Strandtown u would most likely be placed in a classroom with Strandtown kids or if coming from St Joseph’s kept with more St Joseph’s kids etc.”
P6 Information Session – 20th May at Bloomfield Collegiate at 4pm (a joint event between Bloomfield, Campbell College & Strathearn School)
Sullivan Upper School (Holywood) – Big Hall
Comment from FB Group – “Big Hall and drama theatre.”
Email from the school to a parent – “We host all our SEAG pupils in our assembly and sport halls which seat approximately 100 children unless the child has been granted a smaller room arrangement by SEAG. We hold a familiarisation evening a few weeks before so they can meet the team looking after them, the other children in the room and see their seat. While every child is different we find that as children from the same primary are seated together as much as possible, the are settled and happy in the rooms. The atmosphere in the larger rooms usually helps children settle quickly as nervous ones feel they are not the centre of attention.”
Thornhill College (Derry / Londonderry) – Large Hall
Comment from FB Group – “Large hall but had separate area for children getting additional time etc”
Victoria College (Belfast) – ?
Wallace High School (Lisburn) – Big Hall
Wellington College (Belfast) – Large Hall
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