When making your school selection on the Education Authority post-primary transfer form, it’s important to know which schools use the first, or second preference within their admisssion criteria.
This blog will give you a breakdown of the schools (that I’m aware of) that use this within their non-academic criteria and how they weave it into the mix – as well as the likely significance.
HIGH SCHOOLS USING FIRST / SECOND PREFERENCE:
QUICK JUMP LIST:
Schools that have first or second preference within their admission criteria:
Bangor Academy & Sixth Form College
New Bridge Integrated, Banbridge
St Louise’s Comprehensive College
Grammar Schools
N.B. There are some grammar schools where the SEAG Result as the main criteria but first or second preference is in their sub-criteria in a tie-break situation for the final places.
- Cambridge House Grammar School
- Glenlola
Ashfield Boys School
Summary From Admission Criteria:
If more people apply than spaces available, they will prioritise this way:
- Criteria 1 – Feeder Primary Schools (23 schools listed).
- Criteria 2 – A boy whose parent / guardian has indicated a first preference for Ashfield Boys’ High School.
- Criteria 3 – A boy whose parent / guardian has indicated a second preference for Ashfield Boys’ High School.
- Criteria 4 – A boy whose brother / half-brother attends Ashfield Boys’ High School.
Applications & Admissions 2024:
All Preferences Compared To Applications Selected.
You can check the intake at all levels of preference and selection here:
Ashfield Girls School
Summary From Admission Criteria:
If more people apply than spaces available, they will prioritise this way:
- Criteria 1 – A girl who has a sister / *child of the family enrolled at Ashfield Girls’ High School at the time of application.
- Criteria 2 – A girl who places Ashfield Girls’ High School as first or second preference.
- A girl who attends one of the school’s traditional feeder primary schools
- Etc..read the admission criteria.
First & second preference are treated as the same with no disadvantage to a parent putting it second after a grammar.
Applications & Admissions 2024:
All Preferences Compared To Applications Selected.
You can check the intake at all levels of preference and selection here:
Ballymoney High School
Summary From Admission Criteria:
In order:
- Resident in Northern Ireland.
- Applications who selected Ballymoney High School as first or second preference school. (NOTE – this is ABOVE sibling)
- Sibling at the school or parent as a previous enrolled in Ballymoney High School
Applications & Admissions 2024:
All Preferences Compared To Applications Selected.
You can check the intake at all levels of preference and selection here:
Banbridge High School
Summary From Admission Criteria:
School admissions are broken town into three primary school categories, A, B and C.
Category A – Pupils from Abercorn, Ballydown, Bridge, Gillford, Edenderry, Milltown, Poyntzpass and Scarva.
Category B – Pupils from Bronte, Drumadonnell, Magherlin, Donaghcloney and Waringstown.
Category C – Applications from all other pupils.
Should oversubscription occur within any of the above criterion the following criteria shall be applied in the order set down below
- Sibling of a pupil in attendance at the school in 2023/24 whose transfer form expresses a first preference or Banbridge High School.
- Children of current members of staff at Banbridge High School.
- Sibling of a past pupil of Banbridge High School whose transfer form expresses a first preference for Banbridge High School.
- Pupils from Category A whose transfer form expresses a first preference for Banbridge High School.
- Pupils from Category B whose transfer form expresses a first preference for Banbridge High School.
- Pupils from Category C whose transfer form expresses a first preference for Banbridge High School.
- Pupils from Category A whose transfer form expresses a second preference for Banbridge High School.
Etc – Read the Admission Criteria!
Applications & Admissions 2024:
All Preferences Compared To Applications Selected.
You can check the intake at all levels of preference and selection here:
Bangor Academy & Sixth Form College
Summary From Admission Criteria:
- Criteria 1 – Pupils who have a child of the family enrolled at the school. *
- Criteria 2 – Pupils whose parents are permanent employees in the school
- Criteria 3 – Pupils who attend any one of the school’s traditional feeder primary schools
- Etc..<read the criteria for more info.>
‘First or Second’ preference is used in the event of a tie-breaker in each of the criteria.
The admission criteria states Stage 1 tie-break is, “Pupils who place Bangor Academy as either first or second preference on the transfer form will be given priority“.
Applications & Admissions 2024:
All Preferences Compared To Applications Selected.
You can check the intake at all levels of preference and selection here:
Dromore High
Summary From Admission Criteria:
Schools are broken town into three categories, A, B and C.
Category A – Pupils from Dromore Central, Fairhill PS and St Colman’s PS Dromore
Category B – Annahilt PS, Ballydown PS, Donaghcloney PS, Downshire PS, Dromara PS, Meadowbridge PS, Riverdale PS, Rowandale Integrated PS
Category C – Applications from all other pupils.
If more people apply than spaces available, they will prioritise this way:
- Category A & first preference
- Category B & first preference
- Category C & first preference
- Category A & second preference
- Category B & second preference
- Category C & second preference
- Etc…read the admission criteria
Applications & Admissions 2024:
All Preferences Compared To Applications Selected.
You can check the intake at all levels of preference and selection here:
Hazelwood Integrated College
Summary From Admission Criteria:
The following criteria will be applied separately to each religious category:
- Criteria 1 – Applicants who nominate Hazelwood Integrated College as either their first or second preference on their Transfer Application
- Criteria 2 – Applicants who have a sibling currently in attendance at the College
- Etc – read the admission criteria
Applications & Admissions 2024:
All Preferences Compared To Applications Selected.
You can check the intake at all levels of preference and selection here:
Integrated College Dungannon
Summary From Admission Criteria:
- Criteria 1 – Applicants who have named Integrated College Dungannon as first preference.
If tie-break in criteria 1 (first-preference), then other criteria used to admit.
Read the admission criteria.
Applications & Admissions 2024:
All Preferences Compared To Applications Selected.
You can check the intake at all levels of preference and selection here:
Lagan College
GRAMMAR INTAKE – Summary From Admission Criteria:
Intake based on the Total Standardised Age Score (TSAS), ranked from highest to lowest until all places have been filled up to 35% of the school’s admission. If a tie-break in a TSAS for remaining places, then intake will be given preference by (paraphrased):
- Criteria 1 – brother or sister at the college
- Criteria 2 – eldest child
- Criteria 3 – child from maintained integrated primary
- Etc.. Read the admission criteria!
THEN – If a tie-break in TSAS, then also a tie-break in criteria, priority will be given to applicants who have placed Lagan College first on their transfer application.
MIXED ABILITY INTAKE – Summary From Admission Criteria:
Applicants will be given priority within the three perceived religious affiliation groups (Catholic, Protestant and Other religious affiliation or none) and considered in the order listed (paraphrased):
- 1(a) brother or sister at college
- (b) eldest child
- (c) child from maintained integrated primary
- Etc.. Read the admission criteria!
In the event of a tie occurring at any of the Stages 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, in the order set down, priority will be determined according to the following sub-criteria in the order set down:-
I – Applicants who have placed Lagan College first on the transfer application.
Applications & Admissions 2024:
All Preferences Compared To Applications Selected.
You can check the intake at all levels of preference and selection here:
Larne High School
If the school is over-subscribed, pupils admitted with following criteria in order:-
- Criteria 1 – Pupils who have any sibling relationship with any present pupil of the school.
- Criteria 2 – Pupils who are the eldest child in their family.
- Criteria 3 – Pupils who have selected Larne High School as their first preference school.
Applications & Admissions 2024:
Normally applications numbers are lower than admissions, but always be aware.
All Preferences Compared To Applications Selected.
You can check the intake at all levels of preference and selection here:
Movilla High School
Summary From Admission Criteria:
If the school is over-subscribed, pupils admitted with following criteria in order:-
- Criteria 1 – Pupils with a child of the family attending the school.
- Criteria 2 – Pupils who place Movilla High School as either first or second preference.
- Criteria 3 – Pupils who are transferring from the school’s traditional contributory primary school
- Etc – Read the admission criteria!
Applications & Admissions 2024:
All Preferences Compared To Applications Selected.
You can check the intake at all levels of preference and selection here:
New Bridge Integrated, Banbridge
Summary From Admission Criteria:
As an integrated school, there’s the normal breakdown of religions and Protestant tradition 45%, Catholic tradition 45% and Others 10%. In there are applicants than spaces in each section, they will be prioritised by:
- Criteria 1 – Applicants who have a brother(s) and/or sister(s) enrolled /formerly enrolled in the College
- Criteria 2 – Applicants who are the eldest child/eldest eligible child.
- Etc – Read the Admission Criteria!
In the event of oversubscription occurring at any of the above criteria then selection for places at that
criterion will first be made with preference being given to first preference applications transferring
from an integrated primary school.
Applications & Admissions 2024:
All Preferences Compared To Applications Selected.
You can check the intake at all levels of preference and selection here:
Saintfield High School
Summary From Admission Criteria:
In the event of the School being over-subscribed pupils will be admitted according to the following criteria, applied in the order set down:
- Criteria 1 – Children who have a child of the family currently enrolled at the school.
- Criteria 2 – Children who have had a child of the family* who attended the school.
- Criteria 3 – Children who are the eldest child(ren) of the family.
- Criteria 4 – Children who attend a feeder/named primary school (see list)
- Etc – Read the Admission Criteria
*Where there are more children who meet a particular criterion than there are spaces available, priority will be given to children:
A. Who list Saintfield High School as their first preference post primary school then
B. for whom Saintfield High School is the nearest suitable school
Applications & Admissions 2024:
All Preferences Compared To Applications Selected.
You can check the intake at all levels of preference and selection here:
Shimna Integrated College
Summary From Admission Criteria:
In the event of there being more applicants than places available, the criteria will apply in order:
- Criteria 1 – Applicants who have chosen Shimna Integrated College as their first preference;
- Criteria 2 – Applicants who are transferring from an integrated primary school
- Criteria 3 – Applicants who have a sibling at the school
- Etc – Read the Admission Criteria
Applications & Admissions 2024:
All Preferences Compared To Applications Selected.
You can check the intake at all levels of preference and selection here:
Slemish Integrated College
*Grammar Intake (35%) Based on TSAS Score
*For All Ability Entry (65%) – Summary From Admission Criteria
- Criteria 1 – Applicants who have a ‘child of the family’*, currently enrolled at the College who have selected Slemish College as their First Preference Post Primary school.
- Criteria 2 – Applicants who have a ‘child of the family’*,currently accepted through Stage 1 Grammar Based entry for the academic year 2022/23 who have selected Slemish College as their First Preference Post Primary school
- Criteria 3 – Applicants who are the ‘eldest child’** currently in education, who have had a ‘child of the family’*, previously attend Slemish College at least until the completion of Key Stage 4, who have selected Slemish College as their First Preference Post Primary school.
- Criteria 4 – Applicants who are the ‘eldest child’**, who have selected Slemish College as their First Preference Post Primary school
- Etc – Read the Admission Criteria!
Applications & Admissions 2024:
All Preferences Compared To Applications Selected.
You can check the intake at all levels of preference and selection here:
St Louise’s Comprehensive College
Summary From Admission Criteria:
Intake broken down into Category A (pupils who reside traditional catchment areas) and Category B (pupils in other areas).
Sub-criteria in the event of oversubscription firstly to Category A and then if more spaces available to Category B. The places are offered in order of (paraphrasing):
- Brother or sister OR eldest (these two groups considered equally)
- Those pupils whose Transfer Form expresses a first preference for St Louise’s College and do not qualify for 1.
- Those pupils whose Transfer Form expresses a second preference for St Louise’s College and do not qualify for 1.
- Proximity to the school
Read the Admission Criteria!
Applications & Admissions 2024:
All Preferences Compared To Applications Selected.
You can check the intake at all levels of preference and selection here:
St Marks, Warrenpoint
Summary From Admission Criteria:
Pupils are admitted in order of a number of categories which includes (paraphrased):
- Category A – Resident within the contributory parish and attends one of the main contributory parish schools. Priority given to children who have / had sibling at the school.
If too many people in this category, it goes to the tie-break. - Category B – Resident within the contributory parish but doesn’t attend the contributory parish schools. Priority given to children who have / had sibling at the school.
If too many people in this category, it goes to the tie-break. - Category C – Pupils from other parishes, but attend a contributory parish school. Priority given to children who have / had sibling at the school.
If too many people in this category, it goes to the tie-break. - Categories continue with D – F
The Tie-Break
In the event of an oversubscription at any category, then the tie-break is employed and it is broken down by:
- Pupils who express a first choice preference for St Marks
- Pupils who express a second choice preference for St Marks
- Pupils who express a third choice preference for St Marks
- Pupils who express a forth choice preference for St Marks
Applications & Admissions 2024:
All Preferences Compared To Applications Selected.
You can check the intake at all levels of preference and selection here:
St Patrick’s College Dungannon
Summary From Admission Criteria:
In the event of over-subscription in the case of the first or subsequent criteria the next criteria will be applied in order.
- Criteria 1 – Children who name St. Patrick’s College as their first preference school on the Application Form.
- Criteria 2 – Children who have a sibling currently enrolled at the school or who are the eldest child of the family
- Etc. Read the Admission Criteria.
Applications & Admissions 2024:
All Preferences Compared To Applications Selected.
You can check the intake at all levels of preference and selection here:
St Paul’s Bessbrook
Summary From Admission Criteria:
Pupils are admitted in order of a number of categories which includes (paraphrased):
- Category A – Applications from pupils who normally reside in the traditional catchment area of the school (they’re all listed in admission criteria).
- Category B – Applications from pupils who normally reside in the Parish of Middle Killeavy.
- Category C – All other applicants.
If too many people in any category (A, B or C), it goes to the tie-break:
- First preference for St Paul’s High School and has a sibling, living at the same address, who is currently at St Paul’s.
- First preference for St Paul’s High School and has a sibling, living at the same address, who previously attended St Paul’s.
- First preference for St Paul’s High School and who are the first **eligible child in their family transferring to second level education.
- Those pupils whose Transfer application expresses a first preference for St Paul’s, and do not qualify at 1, 2, 3 above.
- Etc…Read the Admission Criteria for more.
Applications & Admissions 2024:
All Preferences Compared To Applications Selected.
You can check the intake at all levels of preference and selection here:
St Ronans College, Lurgan
Summary From Admission Criteria:
Pupils are admitted in order within Category A (paraphrased):
- Category 1 – A pupil who has older siblings in St. Ronan’s College on the date of transfer.
- Category 2 – A pupil whose permanent place of residence is within any of the contributory parishes listed (in admission criteria)
- Category 3 – A pupil from any primary school within the named contributory parishes listed in (Category 2) above.
- Category 4 – Applications from pupils whose parent/guardian is a permanent employee of the College.
Category B – All other applicants.
In the event of oversubscription within any of the above categories the following sub-criteria will be applied in the order below to each category beginning with Category A to determine which children should be admitted. Should places still exist, the process will be repeated for Category B until all places are filled:-
- Those pupils whose Transfer Application expresses a first preference for St. Ronan’s College and who have a sibling**, who is currently in attendance at St. Ronan’s College.
- Those pupils whose Transfer Application expresses a first preference for St. Ronan’s College and who have had a sibling** previously in attendance at St. Ronan’s College.
- Those pupils whose Transfer Application expresses a first preference for St. Ronan’s College and who are the first eligible*** child in their family transferring to second level education.
- Etc….Read the Admission Criteria.
Applications & Admissions 2024:
All Preferences Compared To Applications Selected.
You can check the intake at all levels of preference and selection here:
Strangford Integrated College
*Grammar Intake (35% / 46 places) Based on TSAS Score
*For All Ability Entry (65% / 84 places) – Summary From Admission Criteria
If there are more students for admission than there are places available, the following criteria shall be applied to the applicants in each of the three religious categories:
- Criteria 1 – Applicants who have placed Strangford Integrated College as first preference.
- Criteria 2 – Applicants who have a sibling**currently enrolled at the College
- Criteria 3 – Applicants who are the eldest, or only child of the family*.
Applications & Admissions 2024:
All Preferences Compared To Applications Selected.
You can check the intake at all levels of preference and selection here:
Ulidia Integrated College
This schools offers a Grammar Pathway for 35% of the pupils and parents declare they would like their child to be considered for this route and as well as the EA Transfer Form, they have to fill in the Ulidia’s ‘Pupil Admission Form’ available from their website. Both must be completed when applying.
However, the Grammar Pathway is not the same as a grammar school admission and parents provide any evidence showing the child’s academic ability including PTE/PTM scores, other standardised tests available from primary school, school report or equivalent. So not so clean cut as normal with SEAG Result.
Summary From Admission Criteria:
If the number of applicants for either pathway (grammar or all-ability) exceeds the number of places available, the following order will rank the applicants in each category. Paraphrased:
- Criteria 1 – Beginning with Grammar, the top 35% academic pupils will be admitted with right religious balance.
- Criteria 2 – Brother, sister, half-sibling at the college.
- Criteria 3a – Parents is an employee of the college.
- OR Criteria 3b – Transferring pupils who are the first child* of the family** to transfer to mainstream post-primary education
- Criteria 4 – Pupils who are currently in Primary 7 of a Grant-Maintained Integrated primary school
- Criteria 5 – Parents /Carers of transferring pupils who can demonstrate a commitment to Integrated Education.
- Criteria 6 – Pupils whose parent/carer has indicated a first or second preference for Ulidia Integrated College.
Read the Admission Criteria.
Applications & Admissions 2024:
All Preferences Compared To Applications Selected.
You can check the intake at all levels of preference and selection here:
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