ST MARY’S GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Specific admissions and Northern Ireland transfer test information to help you be successful with a St Mary’s Grammar School entry. Use the information below to find our recommended Northern Ireland Transfer Test books and papers that specifically relate to your application.

About St Mary’s Grammar School

St. Mary’s Grammar School, located in the city of Londonderry in Northern Ireland, is renowned for its excellence in education. With a diverse student body of around 1,100 students, it offers a comprehensive curriculum while specializing in STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). What sets St. Mary’s apart is its commitment to promoting inclusivity and diversity, fostering a nurturing and supportive environment for all students. The school has achieved notable success in academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and community engagement, making it a prominent institution within the grammar school system in Northern Ireland.

Address: 3 Castledawson Road, Magherafelt, Co Londonderry, BT45 6BE

Type: Denominational Voluntary Grammar School

Number of Admissions: 153

Competition: In 2022/2023 there were 218 applicants with 155 successful admissions

Exam format: GL Entrance Assessment

School website: https://www.stmarysmagherafelt.com/

St Mary’s Grammar School Transfer Test Exam Format

This Northern Ireland Transfer Test has been written by GL for the School Entrance Assessment Group (SEAG) and can be taken in either English or in Gaeilge and will include:

• First Practice Test section, including 5 English followed by 5 Maths questions.
• The second section is the English Main Test which includes, a “Grammar Exercise” with 5 multiple choice questions, a “Punctuation Exercise” with 5 multiple choice questions followed by a “Spelling Exercise” with 5 multiple choice questions.
• This is followed by an “English Comprehension,” this includes a passage followed by 13 questions, with 7 being multiple choice and 6 being free response.
• The third section is the Maths Main Test. Including 28 questions with the first 22 being multiple choice and the last 6 being free response.
• Pupils will have 60 minutes to complete the exam.
• Each multiple choice question will have 5 possible answers.

Exam Papers, Books and Mock Exams for St Mary’s Grammar School

As the transfer test is written by GL there are plenty of preparation options if you are studying at home. We have sections on English and maths which will guide to our suggested books to use in the final year of preparation together with a detailed preparation plan to help you organise your work at home.

In addition many families to use mock transfer test papers. There are a few suppliers of these papers but the best ( in terms of accuracy and content) and most reasonable are Learning Street and we have provided a link to their papers below. They provide papers across the whole secondary entry spectrum in the UK and so are experts in their field.

Northern Ireland Transfer Test Mock Exam Paper 1

Northern Ireland Transfer Test Mock Exam Paper 2

Northern Ireland Transfer Test Mock Exam Papers 1-4 Bundle

Northern Ireland Transfer Test Mock Exam Papers 5-8 Bundle

Unlike other providers , these tests come with full invigilation notes and papers can be bought individually rather than in bulk which suits some families better.

St Mary’s Grammar School preparation for the Transfer Test

Firstly it is important to understand what preparation options you have and what might be the most suitable route to go down. Go forward to our 11 Plus preparation options page to understand what the options are and to start thinking about which one might be best for you.

If your child is in year three or four currently then you might also find it useful to understand what advice we offer parents who want to start helping their children at this stage.

If your child is in the latter stages of year four or in year five then we offer different advice designed to help families who are closer to the exam date.

If your child is part way through year five or quite close to the exam then we have tried to show how you can use the time you might have available most effectively.

St Mary’s Grammar School Transfer Test Revision Advice

How you revise for the St Mary’s Grammar School Transfer Test is just as important how much you revise. You can get information on how to prepare for the exam on our Top Ten 11 Plus Preparation Tips page. While it is recommended to start revision and preparation early, if you have left it late to begin, the we suggest visiting our Last Minute Preparation page to see our last minute process and plan. If the transfer test is approaching soon and you are looking for advice for the day, then check out our 11 Plus Exam Day Tips page.

If you want to use Transfer Test Mock Papers at home then these are the ones we recommend

Applications and Admissions Process for the St Mary’s Grammar School Transfer Test – Information Gathering

1/ Think about what Grammar Schools you qualify for. Parents should ask schools if not entirely sure. It is important to fully understand what impact the individual catchment area of each school has. Some schools have no catchment area, others have very tightly defined areas.

2/ In addition to your chosen Grammar School(s) it is advisable to fully understand which comprehensive schools might provide another option. At this point also consider local Independent Schools (many have generous bursaries or scholarships).

3/ Visit each school if you can. Many will allow an individual visit during term time, others only show the school on open days.

4/ While the aim for many families is for their child to go to the local Grammar School it is important to recognise that presenting this as the main/only option adds unnecessarily to pressure and stress. Undue pressure more often than not leads to failure.

We would suggest that the method that has worked for most parents is to have a list of schools and while the child or the parents might prefer one over another, if everyone knows there are viable options and the world will not stop turning if the transfer test doesn’t work then this relieves pressure and stress.

Application and test process for the St Mary’s Grammar School Transfer Test

Apply to sit the transfer test – Registration for your child tends to open at the beginning of May and closes towards the end of September. Registration must take place on the SEAG website and will cost £20 to register your child, unless eligible for free school meals.

Transfer Test Dates – The transfer test is compiled of two assessment papers often with one being early November and the second being late November.

Transfer Test Results – These will usually be posted at the end of January.

Application form deadline – The deadline to apply to post-primary schools is usually in February.

Allocation of a place – In May parents are informed by the Education Authority which school their child has been allocated to.