Dominican College Belfast PPTC Transfer Test (11 Plus) Information
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Dominican College Belfast is an all-girls’ grammar school situated in Fortwilliam, Belfast. Founded by the Dominican Sisters in 1930, the school is committed to promoting Christian values in everyday school life.
Alongside a broad academic curriculum, Dominican College offers an array of extracurricular activities, including sport, music and drama. Students are actively encouraged to participate in charitable work within the local community. In doing so, the school believes its girls will boost both their self-confidence and life skills.
Transfer Test Information for Dominican College Belfast
Address: Dominican College, Fortwilliam Park, Belfast BT15 4AQ
Admissions Info: info@dominican.belfast.ni.sch.uk, 028 90 370298
School Type: Girls’ Grammar
Number of pupils: 1000 (approx.)
Number of Places in Year 8: 150 (approx.)
Open Day Date: January and June
Exam Date: November/December
Exam Board Type: GL Assessment
Dominican College Belfast Admissions
Dominican College Belfast has a selective admission policy. It is part of the Post Primary Transfer Consortium (PPTC), a system that uses the same standardised entrance assessment to determine admission.
Admission to Dominican College Belfast is determined by student performance in the PPTC Transfer Test. Results of the test are banded and age standardised. In cases where there are more applicants than available places at Dominican College Belfast, the following oversubscription criteria is used, giving priority to:
- Applicants who have a sibling currently enrolled at Dominican College
- Applicants who have had a sibling enrolled at Dominican College
- Applicants who have moved into the school’s catchment area from another town or district
- Applicants who are entitled to free school meals
If you have specific questions about the school’s admissions process or oversubscription criteria, you are advised to contact the school directly. Email info@dominican.belfast.ni.sch.uk or 028 90 370298.
How to Apply for Year 8 Entry to Dominican College Belfast
Before applying for a Year 8 place at Dominican College Belfast, parents and prospective students are invited to attend of the school’s Open Days. At the event, parents and students will have the opportunity to learn more about the school from staff and current pupils. The event can also give parents a chance to ask any remaining questions they about the school, its admissions process and its overall ethos.
As every school in the PPTC uses the same entrance assessment, children only need to be registered for the test once. Parents can apply on behalf of their child using the registration form on the PPTC website. There are also some thorough guidance notes for parents, that provide further information on how to complete the registration form.
Dominican College Belfast Transfer Test Format
Children will sit two test papers in English and Maths, both of which are set by GL Assessment. All questions are multiple-choice and students will be given practice sections before each paper to familiarise them with the exam layout.
English Paper
Children must work through 60 questions in 50 minutes. The paper begins three reading passages, each of which is followed by a number of comprehension questions. There are also some spelling and punctuation questions. The paper finishes with some general questions. Overall, 60% of the marks are for the comprehension questions and 40% of the marks are for the spelling, punctuation and general questions.
Maths Paper
The maths paper generally reflects the school curriculum, but a few questions cover areas which may not feature in any curriculum, such as elementary logic. Most questions have been written either to assess the understanding of mathematical concepts and processes, or to assess the use of mathematics as a practical skill in a range of everyday situations. The remainder of the questions require recall of mathematical facts, properties or geometric names.
Once papers are marked, both are age standardised and results are posted to parents in January. For more information about the content of the test papers, visit the PPTC website.
How to Prepare for the Dominican College Belfast 11 plus (11+) Transfer Test?
The key to preparing for the PPTC transfer test is to be organised. We recommend that parents help their child create a revision timetable that outlines what needs to be studied and when.
Practice exam papers should also form part of a student’s preparation. Completing practice papers under timed conditions can be an effective way of boosting a child’s confidence. Not only do practice papers give students a clearer idea of the structure of the exam, they are also shown to improve a child’s time management skills.
Students currently preparing for the Dominican College 11+ Transfer Test will find the following practice papers especially useful:
English
Full Practice Tests
Skill specific practice
Masterclasses
Mathematics
Full Practice Tests
Skill specific practice
11+ Fractions, Decimals & Percentages
11+ Reflection, Rotation & Symmetry
Masterclasses
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Our practice tests aim to show what sort of questions were included in Dominican College Belfast 11+ past papers. The information provided about Dominican College Belfast was believed to be correct at the time of publishing. However, please be aware of future changes. We advise you to contact the school directly if you are unsure of anything. School contact details are provided within the post.
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