SEAG Guide: Entrance Assessments

If you live in Northern Ireland and have a child at primary school, you have probably already heard about the Schools’ Entrance Assessment Group (SEAG). This organisation manages the transfer test used by the 63 selective and partially selective post-primary schools in Northern Ireland. 

The SEAG transfer test replaces the AQE and PPTC assessments. This means your child will take the same test as every other child hoping for a place at one of the 63 member schools. The member schools include controlled grammar schools, voluntary grammar schools and integrated schools.  

Your child can take the transfer SEAG assessments in English or Irish.

The transfer test is produced and marked by GL Assessment, a world leader in providing tests of an excellent quality.

Please read on to learn how to register for the SEAG transfer test.

SEAG Northern Ireland: Registering for the Transfer Test

You will need to register your child for the SEAG transfer test on the official SEAG website. You can expect registration to open in May when your child is in P6 and close in September when your child is in P7. 

Please start by creating an account in your name. Once you have done this, you must select Create Application. Read through all the information and then click on Apply Now! Work your way through the nine simple steps, which include uploading an image of your child and their birth certificate or deed poll.

You will have the chance to review your application before submitting it. Take a moment to double-check everything — it’s worth it for peace of mind.

One of the steps in the registration process is choosing your preferred assessment centre/school for your child to take the test.

SEAG Assessment: Choice of Centre

You should pick your choice of centre from the drop-down list. SEAG tries to ensure your child can sit the transfer test close to home, but once a school has reached the maximum number of candidates it can accommodate, it will be removed from the list, so we recommend registering early to avoid a longer journey.

It doesn’t matter where your child takes the transfer test; you can apply for a Year 8 place at any of the 63 selective schools. 

There are 12 centres where your child could take the SEAG assessments in Irish. Don’t worry if this is what you want because it will be clear when you register which centres you can choose from. 

SEAG Registration Fee

There is a £20 registration fee. It is not refundable if you change your mind about your child sitting the test. However, you do not have to pay the fee if your child receives free school meals.

In 2024, SEAG did open registration for a few days after the registration deadline to allow late applicants to apply. They increased the registration fee to £50 for late applicants. 

Now that you know what the registration process involves, let’s have a look at what your child can expect in the SEAG assessments.

Format of the SEAG Entrance Assessments

Here is information about the assessments so you and your child know what they involve. Knowledge takes away fear of the unknown.

Your child will sit two SEAG papers. The papers will be taken on consecutive weekends in November of P7.

Paper 1 and Paper 2 both consist of three sections and have the same format.

The first section is not timed as it is a practice section and not part of the formal SEAG assessment.

The second and third sections are the formal SEAG test. Your child will have one hour to complete them if they do not have access arrangements that entitle them to extra time. They can do the paper in any order, completing the third section before the second if they wish.

First Section: Practice and Instructions

The first section is the practice section. It is normal to feel nervous at the start of an assessment, so this section is designed to help your child relax before starting the actual SEAG test. There are 5 practice English (or Gaeilge) questions and 5 practice maths questions. An invigilator will guide your child through the practice section, read out instructions for the actual test and let them know when they can start. By the time your child begins section 2, they will feel calm, confident and warmed up!

Second Section: English (or Gaeilge) Test, 28 Questions

This section consists of the following:

• 5 multiple-choice questions testing your child’s punctuation knowledge.
• 5 multiple-choice questions assessing the standard of your child’s grammar.
• 5 multiple-choice questions evaluating your child’s spelling.
• A comprehension in English (or Gaeilge). Your child will need to read a passage and show they have understood what they have read by extracting information from the passage, making inferences and working out meanings of words from the context. The passage might be a poem, so they should also be ready for questions about rhyme and verse structure. 

There will be 7 multiple-choice questions and 6 free-response questions. The free-response questions will only require short answers of a few words.

Third Section: Maths Test, 28 Questions

This section consists of the following:

• 22 multiple-choice maths questions. 
• 6 free-response maths questions.

Questions will be asked about numbers, measurement, shape and space, money, probability and data representation.

Both SEAG papers will test your child’s knowledge and understanding of what they have been taught in their English and maths lessons. This means that the questions cover what is in the Key Stage 2 (KS2) Northern Ireland curriculum in terms of language and literacy, as well as maths and numeracy. 

Please do not feel overwhelmed. There is plenty you can do to help your child prepare for the SEAG entrance assessments and feel positive about them. It is all about taking small steps, which make a big difference overall.

SEAG Results

We know you will be keen to find out how your child has done. You can expect to find out your child’s SEAG exam result in January of P7. All you need to do is log in to your SEAG account and click on Statement of Outcomes. You will be able to see how your child has performed across the two SEAG papers. Your child will receive a total standardised age score (TSAS) and a band.

The TSAS takes into account your child’s age when they sat the SEAG assessments, the number of questions they got right and how difficult the assessments were. The SEAG test scores given will range from 138 to 282, with 200 being the average score. This means you know from your child’s score how well they performed compared to all the other children who sat the assessments.

Your child will also be assigned a band. There are six bands, with the top-performing candidates being in Band 1. When you receive your child’s results, there will be plenty of information available to help you understand what each band means. Alternatively, please feel free to reach out to us.

You will also be given your child’s standardised maths score and standardised English score.  

What is a good SEAG score? This is a hard one to answer. It will vary from year to year depending on the ability of the candidates in any given year. Also, it depends on the selective school you are targeting. A school that is heavily oversubscribed may require higher scores than another school. In 2023, a score of 207 or above would have put your child in Band 1.

Will my child be offered a place at our chosen school if their SEAG scoring is above average? Each selective school will have their own admissions criteria. Please look at your chosen school’s website for details about theirs. It is up to them how they use your child’s SEAG exam results.

Please remember, with your support your child can thrive at whatever post-primary school they attend. It is great news if they secure a place at their first-choice school, but it is not the end of the world if they don’t.

Using SEAG Practice Papers To Prepare – For the SEAG Transfer Tests for Selective Post-Primary Schools

We recommend using SEAG practice tests as part of your child’s preparation. They are a fantastic resource for so many reasons. 

They will familiarise your child with the types of questions they will be asked. This will mean they don’t waste time on the assessment days trying to make sense of unfamiliar questions and there will be fewer surprises.

Also, use them as a diagnostic tool. They will allow your child to work out what they need to spend time focusing on, as they can look for a pattern in where they drop marks.

Your child will learn from any mistakes they make. This will result in them making fewer errors in the actual assessments. Even one additional mark could make the difference between securing a place at a selective school or not!

Our SEAG practice tests have been written after careful research to make sure they closely resemble the SEAG English and maths assessments. Why not work through one with your child, and then get them to do a few under timed conditions so they get used to the speed at which they need to work? With practice, they will be able to answer the questions quicker and more accurately. 

We are proud of our SEAG resources. You can be sure they are up to date, cover the entire SEAG exam syllabus and will improve your child’s performance.

Preparing for the SEAG Transfer Test

We have some great tips for helping your child prepare for the SEAG transfer assessments. 

• The assessments will cover what your child has learned in their KS2 English and maths lessons, so encourage them to pay attention in class and complete their homework.
• Don’t hesitate to ask your child’s teacher for advice about which areas your child would benefit from a little extra practice in.
• Encourage your child to read a variety of books. This will help in so many ways, such as widening their vocabulary and improving their spelling. It would be fantastic if you could ask them questions about what they are reading, as this will help with their reading comprehension.
• Ensure your child’s study sessions are short. Most children around the age of ten can only fully focus for around 30 minutes, so long sessions won’t be productive. 
• Eating well, getting plenty of sleep and having time to pursue their hobbies will help your child maintain good mental health, which is so important. They will perform at their best in the SEAG assessments if they are happy, rested and don’t feel under pressure.
• Be positive. Your child will pick up on how you feel, so start preparing early so you can be calm and not have any last-minute panic. 

It is worth reiterating that one of the best ways to prepare is by using practice SEAG tests. Your child will go into the assessments feeling confident and ready once they have worked through the SEAG practice papers.

We want to wish your child all the best in the SEAG transfer assessments and their time at post-primary school. 

If you have any questions about our SEAG practice papers or SEAG assessments, please reach out to us. We will do our best to help you.

The information provided in this blog was believed to be correct at the time of publishing. Please be aware that it is possible that changes will be made in the future.