Primary/Secondary Schools in NI

[Norrisville]

Firstly, huge thanks to everyone on here for the support in helping us find a place to live when we love to NI next month. This has become my go-to for all knowledge on the local area!

We've found a place to live and I'm hugely excited about the move. The next big decision is picking a school for my son.

He's a sensitive 10 year old and I'm very conscious that anywhere we pick will only be his school for the next academic year, before he moves up to Secondary.

(We're planning on having him sit the SEAG grammar test)

We loved both schools he looked around. One is a small primary within walking distance of the house we'll be living in, in Donaghadee. Feels very gentle (which would be good for him), there's a potential for him to make some local friends, and as a smooth transition it would be a 'safe' option (insofar as anything is safe when you're dealing with a 10 year old 😉)

The other option is a bigger school around 10 mins drive away. It's in Bangor, again had a really lovely feel but definitely bigger, more like a secondary in terms of structure and options. I worry that he might feel a bit lost there, but I think it would give him the best transition to secondary. I also think that he's likely to make friends that may move up to secondary with him, so preventing him have to start all over again after a year in school.

If you've read this far, thank you 😏 Any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks in advance 😊

I feel your question is really a more general question, rather than specific to our area? I don't know the Donaghadee school, but the reality is that as kids progress through the system, you'll gravitate to Bangor and Belfast, especially if there are specific academic goals. But I do understand the value of making local friends for your DS.

I went to school in Bangor for a few years, before being packed off to boarding school in England. My father told us where we were going, what we studied, but that was the way for us then.

Finally, as you suggest in your post, friendship groups naturally change and evolve as children grow, do hobbies, etc.

Wishing you all the best in your move. It's a really really lovely area :)

Belfast direction for secondary is a fairly likely step anyway so id say go with the local school within walking distance. There's not much benefit really in going all the way to bangor if you liked the school in Donaghadee

Thanks both! You're right, it's not really a Craicsnet question - I'm auto-coming here ever since I posted something a while back about the move and people kept suggesting I try this part of the site. I keep forgetting that there is a whole other part of Mumsnet for the everyday questions 😂

Thanks so much for your advice, you've confirmed what I was thinking. So excited about the move now 😊

@Norrisville
Check out the admissions criteria for the secondary schools you're interested in. Your dc would meet criteria for special provision as they've spent more than half their education outside of NI.

Oooh thank you!

Hi, sorry to jump on this but just wondering where you got that info of special provisions from more than half their education being out of NI as that would apple to my daughter but Google gives me nothing on this. Thanks

It should be in the individual published criteria for each grammar school @MrsMcvities . You will have to also provide sturdy academic evidence . Woolly school report’s are no use. Standardised tests are really the only acceptable evidence imo.

@MrsMcvities
My dc sat the AQE and GL last year. They did really well but I applied for special provision under the 'educated outside NI' anyway (as you can never be sure). From speaking to the SENCO/Head in our preferred schools had she not have got in under normal admissions (say she was a few marks off the lowest score cut off) it would've gone to the board of governors for a decision. Luckily she was about 9 marks above the AQE cut for our first choice school so it didn't need to go further. Speak to schools you are interested in as they seemed to have slightly different processes.

Thanks so much, I have never heard of this I would have thought her school would have said! She’s only been here since P5. Only prob is the test is next weekend!

@Norrisville do you know when the secondary open days are? Do you have any idea of what kind of school you’d like him to go to?

Sorry - that’s not very helpful I realised - what I meant to say was that a lot of the open days are in jan so keep an eye out.

@MrsMcvities the process as described by @yellowlane is not quite as she describes. Special provision and special circumstances children’s applications are looked at first by the BOG to see it they will be allowed. Then they look at the academic evidence you provide, it must all be attached as they outline in criteria. That evidence must be robust ( the right word failed me in the isle of the night) you really need standardised scores and CATs if available. I am not sure how long you have been in Northern Ireland and whether that evidence will come from your primary school there or one in England/abroad wherever you have arrived from. Then based on the evidence the children are slotted in with a projected grade and then and only then criteria are applied as set out to all the applicants. The board of governors can only consider the evidence you provide .
Special Provision is not a get in free card.
see attached for Methody. You need to read the criteria for schools you wish to apply for. Hope that helps.

Sorry just read you've been here since P 5. 🤦‍♀️ Your school should be able to provide the standardised scores.

@Countmeout the process was exactly as I described for the 2 schools that were in my top 3 as I had several conversations.
Another school (3rd choice and GL) was a slightly different process but after we got dc results I didn't pursue further with that school. Schools have different processes so you need to check in detail.

I am sorry @yellowlane either they have misdescribed how the process should work or there has been a misunderstanding. No places are held separately for children under special circumstances or special provision which is what you seemed to describe.
I agree @MrsMcvities would be best speaking to the schools she wishes to apply to.

Which school in Bangor?

Ah thank you! So it’s the high schools I speak to and not the seag people? We were in England before so all this fries my brain!

I have friends whose kids/grandkids go to Donagadee PS and they love it.
I haven't heard anything bad about any Bangor ones either.

So , read the criteria for the schools you wish to apply for and especially the bit ‘special provision’. They outline what you need to do in relation to special provision. Then speak to the schools if you are not clear what you have to do. As far as I am aware all Seag does is provide special access arrangements if your child has asd etc but that ship has sailed. If they have broken their arm and require special arrangements I understand that still can sorted. They have nothing to do with a child being educated outside Northern Ireland for half their school life.

@MrsMcvities is not the original poster I think @Cocolapew @Potentialmadcatlady

Yes sorry I totally highjacked a post from may! Hope OP’s move went well and DS settled ok!

@Countmeout I haven't said that they keep places for special provision. Special provision is not the same as special circumstances which is requested before (for example access arrangements). What I've said is that they consider all the data and take into account the special provision applications and then it is used against all other children who has applied.

In another school though they said that dc could have a 'second crack of the whip' ( their words) so basically they could come in and sit another GL paper (do had sat the original paper) and they would take the best score. So it's so important to check directly with the school.

You were fortunate @yellowlane that in the end your child did not require the Special Provisions to get the school place you wanted.

@MrsMcvities I am not going to muddy the waters further and add to your confusion. I hope everything goes well in the test and wish your daughter all the best. It is a very stressful time for everyone. I suggest you speak to schools regarding your position and ignore any conflicting advice from parents.

This is all really interesting and actually very helpful, as DH and I had been wondering about the Special Circumstances situation. Our DS sits the exams this month and we mentioned it to his teacher at a recent parent teacher meeting. She has promised to look into it, but from what I understand we have to speak to any secondary schools we're interested in individually about their process. As he's only been in NI education for a couple of months they think it should apply, but I may ask his previous primary school for copies of his reports from recent years as evidence of his capability. Thanks all!