St. Mary’s Christian Brothers’ Grammar School PPTC Transfer Test (11 Plus) Information
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Founded in 1866, St. Mary’s Christian Brothers’ Grammar School is a Catholic boys’ grammar school located in Belfast. The original school was established by the Irish Christian Brothers and was rebuilt in 1968 on its current site to keep up with student demand. The school now has approximately 1200 boys on its roll, aged 11-18.
St. Mary’s Christian Brothers’ is currently under the trusteeship of the Edmund Rice Schools Trust (ERST), a Catholic school network with responsibility for almost 100 schools in Ireland. The school has two priorities: ensure academic success for its students and develop each boys’ social and moral values.
Transfer Test Information for St. Mary’s Christian Brothers’ Grammar School
Address: St. Mary’s Christian Brothers’ Grammar School, 147A Glen Road, Belfast BT11 8NR
Admissions Info: acollins354@c2kni.net, 02890 294 000
School Type: Boys’ Grammar
Number of pupils: 1180 (approx.)
Number of Places in Year 8: 175 (approx.)
Open Day Date: January
Exam Date: November/December
Exam Board Type: GL Assessment
St. Mary’s Christian Brothers’ Grammar School Admissions
In the absence of a new eleven plus transfer system, a number of post primary schools in Northern Ireland decided to continue with academic selection. 34 schools currently make up the Post Primary Transfer Consortium (PPTC), an unregulated system that uses the same standardised entrance assessment to determine admission.
As a member school of the PPTC, entry to St Mary’s Christian Brothers’ Grammar School is determined by student performance in the PPTC Transfer Test. In cases where there are more applicants than available places, the school uses the following oversubscription criteria, giving priority to:
- Boys who have a brother currently enrolled in the school, or accepted for enrolment
- Boys who are the eldest son in the family or the eldest child at the date of application
- Boys who have a female child of the family currently enrolled in St Dominic’s High School Belfast or accepted for enrolment
- Boys transferring from Primary Schools under the ERST trusteeship, or formerly under the Trusteeship of the Christian Brothers
- Boys transferring from listed feeder schools
For more information on the admissions process or oversubscription criteria at St. Mary’s Christian Brothers’ Grammar School, please contact the school directly on 02890 294 000.
How to Apply for Year 8 Entry to St. Mary’s Christian Brothers’ Grammar School
St. Mary’s Christian Brothers’ Grammar School usually hosts an open evening in mid-January for parents and prospective pupils. The event gives parents and students the chance to learn more about the admissions process, to tour the school and speak to staff.
As all schools within the PPTC use the same entrance assessment, children only need to be registered for the Transfer Test once. Parents should apply for a place on behalf of their child via the PPTC’s website. For further information on how to complete the registration form, there are useful guidance notes supplied by PPTC.
St. Mary’s Christian Brothers’ Grammar School Transfer Test Format
The St. Mary’s Christian Brothers’ Grammar School Transfer Test is set by GL Assessment. To be in with a chance of gaining a place at the school, children must sit two test papers in Maths and English.
All questions across both papers are multiple-choice and children will have a chance to complete a practice assessment for both, as an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the style of questions in the main tests.
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 from both papers are then age standardised and results are posted to parents in the following January. Parents can find more details about the test paper content via the PPTC website.
How to Prepare for the St. Mary’s Christian Brothers’ Grammar School 11 Plus (11+) Transfer Test?
At Exam Paper Plus, we recommend that parents help their son create a revision timetable well ahead of the exam date. This ensures that they will have covered all the essential elements of the test before exam day. In addition to working from a revision timetable, parents should consider introducing practice test papers into their son’s revision early on.
The PPTC test requires pupils to answer questions quickly and confidently, with little hesitation. In order to complete the papers within the allocated time, children usually need to improve their time management skills. Our practice papers help students become familiar with the layout and the type of questions that may be asked in the PPTC test.
Students who are currently studying for the St. Mary’s Christian Brothers’ Grammar School Transfer Test will find the following resources particularly 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 St. Mary’s Christian Brothers’ Grammar School 11+ past papers. The information provided about St. Mary’s Christian Brothers’ 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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