Rathmore Grammar School PPTC Transfer Test (11 Plus) Information
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Beginning life as a stately home, then a convent, Rathmore Grammar School is now a Catholic co-educational grammar school located in Belfast. Rathmore is one of the leading grammar schools in Northern Ireland and is one of the top four oversubscribed schools in the country.
Rathmore seeks to provide a balanced and broad curriculum that promotes the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils and prepares them for the responsibilities and challenges of life after education. Community prayer and worship are central to life at the school and pupils are encouraged to participate in various group retreats and the school’s pastoral care programme.
Watch this promotional video to see more of life at Rathmore Grammar School:
Transfer Test Information for Rathmore Grammar School
Address: Rathmore Grammar School, Kingsway, Finaghy, Belfast, BT10 0LF
Admissions Info: info@rathmoregs.belfast.ni.sch.uk, 02890 610115
School Type: Co-Educational Grammar
Number of pupils: 1280 (approx.)
Number of Places in Year 8: 180 (approx.)
Open Day Date: January
Exam Date: November/December
Exam Board Type: GL Assessment
Rathmore Grammar School Admissions
When the previous eleven plus process was abolished without a replacement, 34 schools joined together to form the Post Primary Transfer Consortium (PPTC), an unregulated system that uses the same standardised entrance assessment to determine admission.
Rathmore is a member of the PPTC and so admission to the school is determined by student performance in the Transfer Test. The school regularly reports to be oversubscribed at Year 8, so where there are more applicants than available places, the following oversubscription criteria is used, giving priority to:
- Children whose brother or sister is a present or past pupil of the School
- Children whose brother or sister is an eldest child who achieved grade A and applied to the School but was not selected
- Children who are the eldest child in a family to have achieved a grade A or the particular grade being considered or the only child in a family to have achieved a grade A or the particular grade being considered
- Children in receipt of Free School Meals
- Children whose parent is a member of the permanent staff of the school or is due to take up such an appointment
For more information on the admissions process or oversubscription criteria at Rathmore Grammar School, parents can contact the school directly, either email info@rathmoregs.belfast.ni.sch.uk or call 02890 610115.
How to Apply for Year 8 Entry to Rathmore Grammar School
Before applying for a Year 8 place at Rathmore Grammar School, please attend the school’s open event, usually held in January. The school’s Principal will address attendees at the event and will give parents a better idea about whether Rathmore is right for their child.
To register for a Year 8 place at Rathmore, simply complete the registration form on the PPTC website. You only need to register for the test once, as each school in the PPTC uses the same entrance assessment.
Rathmore Grammar School Transfer Test Format
The Rathmore Grammar School Transfer Test is set by the exam board, GL Assessment. All children will sit two test papers in Maths and English. Questions on both papers are multiple-choice and students will be given practice sections before each paper to familiarise them with the exam layout.
Maths Paper
The maths paper is made up of 45 questions and lasts for 45 minutes. The questions are based on the school’s curriculum and pupils will also be tested on some elementary logic, mathematical facts, properties or geometric names. 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.
English Paper
The English paper is made up of 60 questions and lasts for 50 minutes. The paper begins with three reading passages, followed by comprehension questions, which make up 60% of the total mark. This is then followed by spelling and punctuation questions, followed by general questions, making up the remaining 40% of the total mark.
Scores for both papers are age standardised and results are posted to parents in January.
Get further information on the content of the test papers via the PPTC’s website. The website also has a useful FAQs page that relates to the transfer test.
How to Prepare for the Rathmore Grammar School 11 plus (11+) Transfer Test?
In order to gain one of the 180 Year 8 places at Rathmore Grammar School, children should be prepared to invest a little time into preparing. Parents should consider creating an in-depth study plan well ahead of the exam date with their child, to ensure they are organised.
If students require some additional work in English and/or maths, we would suggest introducing practice exam papers into their revision routine early on, ideally under timed conditions.
Students who are preparing for the Rathmore Grammar School Transfer Test will find the following resources 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 Rathmore Grammar School 11+ past papers. The information provided about Rathmore Grammar School 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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