Assembly Questions on Post Primary Transfer

AQW = Assembly Written Question

AQT - Assembly Question Time

AQO - Assembly Question Oral

AQW 8922/17-22 

Ms Paula Bradshaw (APNI - South Belfast) To ask the Minister of Education what guidance he will give to post-primary schools on their use or otherwise of transfer tests as a means of selection, given the ongoing disruption and uncertainty around educational arrangements for pupils in their final year of primary school and the potential that it will not be practically possible to run such tests at all within public health guidance. [Priority Written]

16/10/2020 To be answered by 26/10/2020 

AQW 8835/17-22 

Ms Paula Bradshaw (APNI - South Belfast) To ask the Minister of Education what guidance he will give to post-primary schools on the use of transfer tests as a means of selection, given it may not be possible to stage these tests within public health guidance. [Priority Written]

15/10/2020 To be answered by 23/10/2020 

AQW 8829/17-22 

Mr Chris Lyttle (APNI - East Belfast) To ask the Minister of Education whether public funding from the Engage Programme can be used to procure private academic selection transfer test tutoring for some children. [Priority Written]

15/10/2020 Answered on 19/10/2020 

The Engage Programme cannot be used to procure private academic selection transfer test tutoring for children.

The programme supports schools in securing additional qualified teachers to provide high quality one to one, small group or team teaching support in primary and post-primary schools. The purpose is to limit any long-term adverse impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on educational standards by supporting pupils’ learning and engagement.

AQW 8825/17-22 

Mr Daniel McCrossan (SDLP - West Tyrone) To ask the Minister of Education (i) whether a development proposal is needed to enable a school to discontinue using academic selection, even for one year; (ii) how long this process will take from application to completion; and (iii) what will be involved for (a) the school; (b) the Education Authority; (c) CCMS; (d) his Department; and (e) other relevant parties. 

15/10/2020 Answered on 20/10/2020

The Department has carried out an exercise to gather evidence to assess the significance of each of the 12 schools removing academic selection from their admissions criteria on a temporary basis.

Due to the temporary nature of such a decision and taking account of the current difficult circumstances that schools are operating in, created by the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the potential impact on the children applying to these schools, the Department assessed that for these schools to discontinue using academic selection on a temporary basis was not considered to be of such significance as to require a Development Proposal.

If a school wishes to make such a change on a permanent basis, however, a Development Proposal would be required and the Department’s ‘Guidance on the Publication of a Development Proposal’ should be followed.

AQW 7962/17-22 

Mr Paul Givan (DUP - Lagan Valley) To ask the Minister of Education what engagement his Department has had with (i) GL Assessment; and (ii) Association for Quality Education Ltd regarding safety arrangements and centre capacity given COVID-19 guidelines. 

01/10/2020 Answered on 12/10/2020

My Department does not play a role in the administration or operation of the transfer tests including where they are held. It is the responsibility of the two private test providers and the host schools to ensure that appropriate safety arrangements and social distancing measures are put in place within the test centres and that the Chief Medical Officer’s and Public Health Authority advice is followed. I understand the test providers are liaising with the host schools around health and safety arrangements for the days of the tests.

However, officials have asked to be kept informed of the providers’ plans to ensure they align with guidance issued by the Department.

AQW 7961/17-22 

Mr Paul Givan (DUP - Lagan Valley) To ask the Minister of Education what social distancing or bubble measures are being applied to centres where the transfer tests are being undertaken in January 2021. 

01/10/2020 Answered on 12/10/2020

My Department does not play a role in the administration or operation of the transfer tests including where they are held. It is the responsibility of the two private test providers and the host schools to ensure that appropriate safety arrangements and social distancing measures are put in place within the test centres and that the Chief Medical Officer’s and Public Health Authority advice is followed. I understand the test providers are liaising with the host schools around health and safety arrangements for the days of the tests.

However, officials have asked to be kept informed of the providers’ plans to ensure they align with guidance issued by the Department.

AQW 7905/17-22 

Mr Chris Lyttle (APNI - East Belfast) To ask the Minister of Education (i) whether the temporary removal of transfer tests scores from post-primary admissions criteria is a significant change; (ii) what contingencies are in place if it is not possible to administer transfer tests; and (iii) what support is in place for candidates who experience disruption to school-based learning. 

30/09/2020 To be answered by 15/10/2020 

AQT 455/17-22

Mr Durkan asked the Minister of Education whether those schools that took the wise and brave decision to opt out of the transfer test this year, including St Columb’s College and Thornhill College in Foyle, will be required to go through the development proposal process.

29/09/2020

Mr Weir: As a result of correspondence that we have received, the Department has sought legal advice on whether that is necessary, and we are waiting for a final position on that.

Mr Durkan: I am sure that we all look forward to seeing the outcome of that. Does the Minister recognise the potential chaos that the situation would cause for schools and the massive stress it could cause for children?

Mr Weir: I understand that people need to be given as much certainty as possible. Schools have a level of entitlement to decide what methodology they use. Within the bounds of legal authority, they can decide what the selection criteria are and how they order that. Obviously, schools need to operate within the boundaries of legal competence. I do not want to prejudge any legal information that is received. Clearly, that will determine whether that counts as a significant change that would require a development proposal.

AQW 7610/17-22 

Mr Daniel McCrossan (SDLP - West Tyrone) To ask the Minister of Education, in light of the COVID-19 disruption, whether he has any plans to direct the Education Authority to recruit more admissions tribunal members and train more of its staff to service such tribunals for next year. 

25/09/2020 Answered on 01/10/2020

The Education Authority (EA) is currently in the process of finalising the plan for the operation of the 2021 post-primary admissions process. A significant part of this plan focuses on the administration of the admissions appeals tribunals and their efficient operation within the new timetable. The EA recognises the importance of admissions appeals for families and is working with my Department to ensure that optimum resources are in place to facilitate the admission appeals tribunals. This will include a review of the current administrative resource in the EA to support tribunals and the number of tribunal panel members to facilitate hearings throughout summer 2021. The plan will be completed in autumn 2020 to allow sufficient time to communicate the detail of the process to schools and parents.

AQW 7603/17-22 

Mr Justin McNulty (SDLP - Newry and Armagh)  To ask the Minister of Education whether he will provide clarity in relation to post-primary transfer, specifically relating to schools who have suspended using the transfer test for the 2020/21 academic year; and advise what processes and arrangements will need to be progressed by the schools concerned to enable this to happen. 

25/09/2020 Answered by 08/10/2020 

The Department has carried out an exercise to gather evidence to assess the significance of the proposed change to remove academic selection on a temporary basis and the effects this is likely to have within the schools concerned, upon neighbouring post-primary schools and feeder primary schools, and to identify if those effects are deemed significant or not. The purpose of this was to establish whether such a proposed change, on a temporary basis, would require a Development Proposal (DP).

Due to the temporary nature of the decisions and taking account of the current difficult circumstances that schools are operating in, created by the Covid-19 pandemic as well as the potential impact on the children who will be applying to attend the schools, evidence gathered and assessed did not demonstrate the need for a DP. The Department is writing to the schools concerned to advise them of this decision.

The schools concerned will now need to publish alternative admissions criteria that will enable them to select children for admission if they are oversubscribed.

AQW 7447/17-22 

Mr Chris Lyttle (APNI - East Belfast)  To ask the Minister of Education how much the decision to delay transfer tests to 2021 and associated administrative procedures will cost the (i) Department of Education; and (ii) Education Authority. 

23/09/2020 Answered on 02/10/2020 

My Department has considered whether any administrative costs will arise in relation to the decision of AQE Ltd and PPTC to move their assessments to January 2021 and has concluded that no additional costs are likely to materialise.

The Education Authority (EA) is working through a number of options with regard to the 2021 admissions process. At this juncture EA has advised that the post-primary transfer process will be digitised for 2021; however it is currently scoping which specific elements of the process are included/excluded given the timeframe and COVID-19 restrictions. Until this work concludes EA would not be in a position to state with certainty what additional costs (if any) will be incurred as a result of the delay of transfer tests to January 2021. The decision to digitise post-primary admissions is unconnected with the timing of entrance tests and reflects the need to streamline and improve the post-primary admission process in a similar manner to the improvements already introduced for pre-school and primary school admissions.

AQO 778/17-22 

Dr Steve Aiken OBE (UUP - South Antrim) To ask the Minister of Education whether any provisions have been made for pupils to take transfer tests in their primary school, in order to maintain COVID-19 bubbles. 

17/09/2020 To be answered on 29/09/2020

AQW 6323/17-22 

Ms Claire Sugden (IND - East Londonderry) To ask the Minister of Education (i) what plans he has to support children taking transfer tests who have lost or will lose class time due to isolation related to COVID-19; (ii) whether he has any plans to change special circumstances entry criteria to post-primary schools for September 2021 to account for circumstances related to COVID-19; and (iii) to outline alternative plans to sitting the transfer test in January 2021 should it not be possible due to COVID-19. 

04/09/2020 Answered on 09/09/2020 

The “Engage” programme aims to limit any long-term adverse impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on learning by supporting the learning and engagement of pupils through provision of high quality one to one, small group or team teaching support in every school in Northern Ireland. This support is for all children regardless of whether they take the transfer test or not.

Additionally, I have also provided funding for the purchase of online virtual learning resources for children going into Year 7 to help with literacy and numeracy skills and funded a number of summer schools.

The application of admissions criteria are matters for Boards of Governors including consideration of special circumstances arrangements. Current guidance makes clear that it is important that schools that use the results of an entrance test as part of their admissions criteria make use of a special circumstances procedure as part of their process.

The arrangements for the transfer tests do not fall within my Department’s remit and are a matter for the test providers and those schools that use the tests results as part of their admissions criteria. Should the tests be impacted because of wider public health concerns in the autumn, it will be a matter for individual Boards of Governors in those schools that use the scores from the tests in their admissions criteria to decide what alternative criteria they may wish to use.   

AQW 6295/17-22 

Mr Alan Chambers (UUP - North Down) To ask the Minister of Education for his assessment of the decision to hold the post-primary transfer tests so soon after the Christmas and New Year school break. 

04/09/2020 Answered on 08/09/2020 

Arrangements for the transfer tests are a matter for the test providers and those schools that use tests results in their admissions criteria. The tests are a private arrangement between schools and the providers and any decision regarding their organisation and timing are not the responsibility of my Department. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on or provide an assessment in relation to their timing.

I want to ensure that the post-primary transfer is delivered in a timely fashion for every pupil in Northern Ireland. My Department and the Education Authority are working to accommodate the revised dates within the overall timetable for the post-primary transfer process, which applies to all young people transferring regardless of whether or not they sit the tests.

AQO 659/17-22 

Mr John O'Dowd (SF - Upper Bann) To ask the Minister of Education what action his Department is taking to ensure that the education of pupils not sitting the transfer test is not being disrupted or undermined by tests being moved to January 2021. 

03/09/2020 Answered on 15/09/2020 

Schools will be expected to continue to deliver the Key Stage 2 curriculum for all their pupils regardless of whether or not they are sitting the transfer tests, and regardless of the timings of these tests. That has always been the case. As the member knows, literacy and numeracy are cross curricular skills at each Key Stage and these are also assessed in the tests. The change of dates, which is a matter for the test providers, should not be allowed to impinge on normal teaching. In 2016 my Department issued guidance to schools about preparation for the tests including the use of classroom time; however, it is up to schools to decide how and to what extent they implement that guidance.

AQO 657/17-22  

Mr Chris Lyttle (APNI - East Belfast) To ask the Minister of Education for an update on the post-primary transfer tests, admissions and appeals process. 

03/09/2020 Answered on 15/09/2020 

On 2 September, both AQE Ltd and the Post-Primary Transfer Consortium announced that the entrance tests for Transfer 2021 would take place in January 2021.

My priority is to ensure that post-primary transfer is delivered in a timely fashion for every pupil in Northern Ireland. This means ensuring that the parent of every child transferring can nominate their preferred schools; that schools can select children for admission; that, if they wish, parents can appeal the decision of a school to refuse their child admission; and that every child can secure a school place by the start of term.

As a result of the decision of the test providers, my Department is working with the Education Authority to ensure a successful admissions process operates in 2021. My Department will shortly be publishing a timetable that sets out the key points in the admissions process.

AQO 654/17-22 

Mrs Rosemary Barton (UUP - Fermanagh and South Tyrone) To ask the Minister of Education whether he plans to introduce a single post-primary transfer test. 

03/09/2020 Answered on 15/09/2020 

Mr Weir: My Department does not provide the transfer tests. It is a matter, ultimately, for the Association for Quality Education (AQE Ltd) and the Post Primary Test Consortium (PPTC), which provides the GL test, to determine the most appropriate way forward for the delivery of the tests, including consideration of a single transfer test option. However, I have great sympathy for the Member's question. If we could reach a point where there is a single set of tests, that would be an advantage.

I understand that some work has gone on between the organisations. There may be a question mark over whether that has been slightly delayed or slowed by COVID. From the point of view of provision, roughly 1,000 pupils each year tend to do both sets of tests. So, there is a subset there. We could spend all day talking about the transfer test, but I do not think that there would be a consensus in this House on the subject. However, at least if the two organisations providing it could work together to provide a single robust test, that would ease the pressures for a lot of our parents.

Mrs Barton: Thank you for your answer. It is in the best interests of children to find a way forward that is inclusive for all children. If a single test were eventually established, do you envisage that that would be cost neutral to parents?

Mr Weir: We are probably going some distance from the question. One of the issues, to some extent, would be that the overall cost would be considerably reduced because the mechanisms for having two sets of tests would not necessarily be there. Ultimately, there will be some cost, and assuming that those would still be private tests, there would then be a balance to be struck between what would be provided by those schools that are using it to provide for the children and whether there can be a contribution from parents. That is an element of detail that could prove part of that. The more that we can create a situation in which there is no direct financial burden on parents, the more it would be welcomed by everybody.

Mr Lyttle: The Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment is consulting on proposals for an alternative approach to GCSE, AS and A2-level curriculum and assessment for this academic year due to exceptional circumstances. Why does the Education Minister support that, albeit, out of time, consultation for an alternative approach to those examinations, but he is dogmatically opposed to any such consideration of alternatives to requiring 10-year-old children to sit five examinations for post-primary transfer during a global pandemic?

Mr Weir: I admire the Member's ingenuity at being able to engineer the transfer test into the latter part of that question. Academic selection is legally allowable, and it is right that schools have the opportunity to use it. The only robust way that this can actually take place is with tests. Whatever one's view, particularly on the awards during the summer, tests are clearly highly more preferable than having a situation in which there is any form of CCEA-based or assessment-centre-based assessment.

The reality is that there is no methodology at primary-school level through which assessment can take place without tests. I have more sympathy for the position of the SDLP or Sinn Féin, who are abundantly clear on their position, but, at the heart of this, if the Member is saying, "Let us abolish academic selection completely", the logical output of what he is saying is, "Let us end the grammar school system". The Member cannot have his cake and eat it. If he wants to say that, on the one hand, he is pro-grammar but anti-academic selection, that is a matter of intellectual gymnastics that the Member may feel he is able to pull off, but I do not think that he is fooling anybody. While I do not agree with it, I at least admire the much greater openness of the position of those parties that are simply opposed to academic selection. I make that very clear.

Ms Mullan: Minister, you recently announced £5 million for schools to support our young people's mental health and well-being. While this is very welcome, it is at odds with the pressure of academic testing. Is it not time to bring an end to academic selection and stop putting this pressure on our very young children?

Mr Weir: That question is maybe a little bit closer to the centre. I admire the Member's ability to work that in. I believe, first of all, that while there is a right to academic selection, it needs to be respected. There is both strong support for and strong opposition to academic selection, but it needs to be facilitated while it is legal. The next question from the Member's colleague is on the broader issue of the well-being initiative, so I will try to pick up that detail more when Mr McHugh raises it. No, I do not think this is the time, and I am sure the Member would be very surprised if I suddenly said yes.

Mr McNulty: Minister, the transfer test has been postponed until January. Is Christmas cancelled for young people and the families of the children who are affected?

Mr Weir: No, it is not. The position with the dates is as I indicated in my opening response. The dates of the tests are set by AQE and PPTC, so it is their choice as to when to do that. The role of the Department, arising out of the areas of implementation from the Education Authority, is whether or not, from the point at which tests are done, there is sufficient time to complete the processes to ensure that everybody is able to transfer on time. It is clear that, on the basis either of earlier tests in November/December or of later tests in January, the response from the EA is that it can be done in time to ensure that everybody transfers. The choice ultimately lay with the test providers, but it is able to be done within that.

There are mixed arguments about what the best possible date is. I appreciate that some parents have said that their children are ready to do it in November/December and would prefer to do that. Others will say that, actually, given some of the interruptions that there have been, a bit of additional preparation time will be beneficial. In many ways, it is a slightly moot point, because the choice lies with the two organisations that are setting the tests.

AQW 6235/17-22 

Mrs Rosemary Barton (UUP - Fermanagh and South Tyrone) To ask the Minister of Education when he expects a single transfer test to become available for Year 7 pupils. 

03/09/2020 Answered on 07/09/2020 

The transfer tests are a matter for the Association for Quality Education (AQE Ltd) and the Post Primary Test Consortium (PPTC) and not my Department. They will have to determine the way forward in terms of the delivery of the tests including consideration of a single transfer test option. I am, however, supportive of any move which might ease the burden on young people who wish to sit the tests and would welcome a move to a single test.

I understand the test providers have convened a working group to consider how a single test can be agreed but that no agreement has been reached and further development work will be needed. I do not have a timescale for completion of this work as my Department is not involved in it.

AQW 6164/17-22 

Ms Claire Sugden (IND - East Londonderry) To ask the Minister of Education whether he intends (i) to recommend a postponement of primary seven transfer tests this autumn; and (ii) to instruct post-primary schools to make available their entry criteria for September 2021 as soon as possible anticipating postponement or cancellation. 

02/09/2020 Answered on 10/09/2020 

Responsibility for setting the dates of the transfer tests lies with the test providers rather than my Department. You will be aware that the test providers have now announced that the tests have been moved to January 2021.

Admissions criteria, meanwhile, are a matter for individual Boards of Governors, however my Department is currently working with the Education Authority (EA) to determine the post-primary admissions timetable for 2021 and this timetable will set a deadline for Boards of Governors to supply their criteria for September 2021 admission. This date will allow the EA to publish admissions criteria at least six weeks before the deadline for nominating preferences.

AQW 6125/17-22 

Mr Trevor Lunn (IND - Lagan Valley) To ask the Minister of Education what contingency plans his Department has in place if transfer tests cannot take place during the current school year. 

01/09/2020 Answered on 03/09/2020 

My Department does not have any responsibility for the transfer tests. Arrangements for these tests are a matter for the test providers and those schools that use the tests results as part of their admissions criteria.

Should the tests be cancelled due to current health concerns it will be a matter for individual Boards of Governors in those schools that use the scores from the tests in their admissions criteria to decide what alternative criteria they may wish to use. 

However, my focus is on ensuring that post primary transfer is delivered in a timely manner for every pupil in Northern Ireland. 

AQW 6054/17-22 

Mr Mark Durkan (SDLP - Foyle) To ask the Minister of Education what preparations he has made for the Transfer Test in the context where COVID-19 restrictions remain in place and in-person examinations cannot be conducted. [Priority Written]

18/08/2020 Answered on 20/08/2020 

Arrangements for the transfer tests are a matter for the test providers and those schools that use the tests results as part of their admissions criteria. The tests are a private arrangement between schools and the providers and any decision regarding their organisation and timing are not the responsibility of my Department.

Should the tests be impacted because of wider public health concerns in the autumn, it will be a matter for individual Board of Governors in those schools that use the scores from the tests in their admissions criteria to decide what alternative criteria they may wish to use.   

AQW 5946/17-22 

Mr John O'Dowd (SF - Upper Bann) To ask the Minister of Education whether the Expert Panel examining links between persistent educational underachievement and socio-economic background will be permitted to examine the implications of academic selection and socio-economic background on educational underachievement. 

28/07/2020 Answered on 03/08/2020

The Terms of Reference for the review, which I have made available to Assembly members and the public, does not preclude any areas of policy from scrutiny by the expert panel.  It does suggest that the Expert Panel should focus on areas of policy where there is consensus.

The scope of the Expert Panel is very broad and includes policy areas ranging from early years to the end of post-primary education, as well as family / community engagement, emotional health and well-being and so on.

AQW 5000/17-22 

Mr Doug Beattie MC (UUP - Upper Bann) To ask the Minister of Education whether he will reverse the decision of the previous Minster of Education and allow pupils to take the transfer test in their current primary school. 

18/06/2020 Answered on 22/06/2020 

My Department does not play a role in the administration or operation of the transfer tests including where they take place. The current arrangement whereby the tests are facilitated by schools that use the results as one of their admission criteria is a private one between the providers and schools which has been in operation for over ten years.

There is currently no bar on primary schools hosting tests. In 2016, my Department issued guidance which enables primary schools to provide a location for testing where this is mutually agreed with the test provider. Schools can decide the extent to which they follow the available guidance in line with the wishes of parents and the needs of pupils.

AQW 4605/17-22 

Mr Mark Durkan (SDLP - Foyle) To ask the Minister of Education whether consideration has been given to (i) cancelling transfer tests for 2020 in light of the current pandemic; and (ii) delaying the transfer test for a period longer than the current two weeks. 

08/06/2020 Answered on 11/06/2020

Any decision to cancel or further delay the transfer tests this year is a matter for the test providers and those schools that use the tests results as part of their admissions criteria. The provision of the tests is a private arrangement between schools and the providers and any decision regarding their organisation and timing are not the responsibility of my Department.

AQW 4279/17-22 

Ms Karen Mullan (SF - Foyle) To ask the Minister of Education what assurances he can give that every child's education is being looked at and supported at the present time, not just those who are preparing to take the transfer test. 

26/05/2020 Answered on 04/06/2020 

First of all I want to pay tribute to the school leaders, teachers and support workers, youth workers and other education partners who continue to do an excellent job in supporting all our children and young people and their families.

School leaders and class teachers have a central role in monitoring the effectiveness of distance learning for all children and young people within the context that they are currently working in.  There are numerous examples where schools have adapted their practice to support ongoing learning and this continues to evolve with many developing a blended approach of using online and hard copy resources. Providing a sense of purpose and daily routine is also important not least to support mental health and wellbeing. There is, however, no expectation that distance learning can replicate completely learning experiences in and beyond the classroom.

Young people will, therefore, have different experiences while learning at home and there may be many reasons for this including variability in the ability of parents, for example busy key workers, to support their children with their learning. That is why my Department continues to signpost parents to resources, to help them provide this support. These resources can be accessed on the Education Authority’s website under “Supporting Learning” and are being added to regularly. 

AQW 4160/17-22 

Ms Claire Sugden (IND - East Londonderry) To ask the Minister of Education (i) to outline his engagement with academically-selected post-primary schools regarding transfer tests in autumn 2020; (ii) whether he has considered cancelling the transfer tests in 2020 as a response to COVID-19; and (iii) to outline the reasons why the transfer test cannot be delayed longer than two weeks. 

18/05/2020 Answered on 22/05/2020 

Neither I nor my Department have had any direct engagement with post-primary schools regarding the transfer tests. Any engagement or decisions regarding the organisation, timing or cancellation of the tests is ultimately a matter for schools and the test providers and my Department has no role in those decisions. However, I understand that the test providers engaged with a number of schools in considering their proposals for the tests in 2020.

The tests fit into an overall timetable for the post-primary transfer process which applies to all young people transferring regardless of whether or not they sit the tests.   The timing of when the tests are taken is not as significant as the timing of the issue of test results.  This, however, is a matter for the test providers and I am unable to intervene in their internal processes.  Were results not to issue until mid-March the result would be that placement letters would not issue until the summer holidays and admissions appeals hearings would run well past the start of term in September 2021.

AQW 3901/17-22 

Mr Jim Allister (TUV - North Antrim) To ask the Minister of Education whether there is any anticipated impact by the COVID-19 crisis on the holding of the transfer tests in 2020. 

30/03/2020 Answered on 02/04/2020 

My Department plays no role in the operation or administration of the tests including their timing. This is a matter for schools and test providers to consider. However, I am sensitive to the issues you have raised and while this is not something I can intervene in directly, I will bring your concerns to the attention of the test providers.

I would hope that the providers will reflect on the unique circumstances we currently find ourselves in and give due consideration to ensuring that the next transfer test series does not unduly burden young people or their parents.

AQW 3449/17-22 

Mr Chris Lyttle (APNI - East Belfast) To ask the Minister of Education to outline the legal position of his Department's role in post-primary transfer tests, including the issue of guidance regarding how primary schools may (i) provide support materials; (ii) carry out preparations for tests during core teaching hours; (iii) coach in exam techniques; and (iv) familiarise pupils with the test environment. 

10/03/2020 To be answered by 26/03/2020

AQW 3448/17-22 

Mr Chris Lyttle (APNI - East Belfast) To ask the Minister of Education to detail the costs to grammar schools of administrating post-primary transfer tests and from what budget this cost is met. 

10/03/2020 Answered on 26/03/2020 

My Department has no role in the operation or administration of the transfer tests used by selective post-primary schools nor does it provide specific funding to schools to administer these tests.

In 2016, my Department issued guidance using powers available to it under Article 16B of the Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1997. This provided that primary schools could supply support materials, carry out preparations for tests during core teaching hours, coach in exam technique and familiarise pupils with the test environment.

It is a matter for individual schools to decide whether and how to use the available guidance in line with the wishes of parents and the needs of pupils.

AQW 3447/17-22 

Mr Chris Lyttle (APNI - East Belfast) To ask the Minister of Education to detail the cost of commissioning Peter Tymms to make recommendations on post-primary transfer tests. 

10/03/2020 Answered on 18/03/2020 

The total cost to my Department of commissioning Professor Peter Tymms to make recommendations on post-primary transfer tests was £26,675.

AQW 3365/17-22 

Mr Chris Lyttle (APNI - East Belfast) To ask the Minister of Education to detail the number of core primary teaching hours are spent preparing pupils for AQE Common Entrance Assessment (CEA) and PPTC Entrance Assessment (GL) tests. 

09/03/2020 Answered on 18/03/2020 

My Department does not regulate or administer the transfer tests used by selective post-primary schools. It does not endorse either test and makes no assessment about their robustness or reliability as assessments of literacy and numeracy skills.  Language and Literacy and Mathematics and Numeracy are core Areas of Learning of the statutory curriculum in primary schools and across Key Stages 1 and 2, teachers enable pupils to develop knowledge, understanding and skills in topics such as reading and writing and in a range of mathematical processes including number and number notation, measures and handling data.

My Department issued guidance in 2016 setting out how primary schools may supply support materials, carry out preparations for tests during core teaching hours, coach in exam technique and familiarise pupils with the test environment. However, that guidance was not prescriptive and it is a matter for individual schools to judge how much core teaching time they devote to preparing pupils for the tests.

AQW 3363/17-22 

Mr Chris Lyttle (APNI - East Belfast) To ask the Minister of Education for his assessment of the reliability of the AQE Common Entrance Assessment (CEA) and PPTC Entrance Assessment (GL) tests as assessments of literacy, numeracy and ability. 

09/03/2020 Answered on 18/03/2020 

My Department does not regulate or administer the transfer tests used by selective post-primary schools. It does not endorse either test and makes no assessment about their robustness or reliability as assessments of literacy and numeracy skills.  Language and Literacy and Mathematics and Numeracy are core Areas of Learning of the statutory curriculum in primary schools and across Key Stages 1 and 2, teachers enable pupils to develop knowledge, understanding and skills in topics such as reading and writing and in a range of mathematical processes including number and number notation, measures and handling data.

My Department issued guidance in 2016 setting out how primary schools may supply support materials, carry out preparations for tests during core teaching hours, coach in exam technique and familiarise pupils with the test environment. However, that guidance was not prescriptive and it is a matter for individual schools to judge how much core teaching time they devote to preparing pupils for the tests.

AQW 2911/17-22 

Mr Daniel McCrossan (SDLP - West Tyrone) To ask the Minister of Education to outline whether his Department has engaged with schools concerning transfer tests. 

28/02/2020 Answered on 09/03/2020 

I have no plans to bring forward legislation in relation to transfer tests. Opinions on academic selection vary and until agreement is reached, post-primary schools are permitted to set their own admissions criteria and to decide whether to use the results of transfer tests as part of this process.

My Department has had no engagement with schools concerning transfer tests but I understand that those schools that wish to use academic selection as part of their admissions criteria are currently working together to examine options for a single test. I will follow with interest the progress made in this area.

AQW 2828/17-22 

Mr Daniel McCrossan (SDLP - West Tyrone) To ask the Minister of Education whether he plans to legislate on school transfer tests. 

27/02/2020 Answered on 09/03/2020 

I have no plans to bring forward legislation in relation to transfer tests. Opinions on academic selection vary and until agreement is reached, post-primary schools are permitted to set their own admissions criteria and to decide whether to use the results of transfer tests as part of this process.

My Department has had no engagement with schools concerning transfer tests but I understand that those schools that wish to use academic selection as part of their admissions criteria are currently working together to examine options for a single test. I will follow with interest the progress made in this area.

AQW 1417/17-22 

Ms Paula Bradshaw (APNI - South Belfast) To ask the Minister of Education what actions he will take to reform the current arrangements for transfer tests. 

03/02/2020 Answered on 07/02/2020 

Whilst my Department has no role in the operation or administration of the current transfer tests, I would of course wish to see a transfer test process that is as accessible and straightforward as possible for children and parents. It clearly makes sense to try to avoid pupils being put through two systems, leading to five individual exams. I understand that our selective schools are working together to examine options for a single system and this is a matter I hope to pursue further over the coming months.

AQO 62/17-22

Mr O'Dowd asked the Minister of Education to outline his Department's response to the report from the Centre for Research in Educational Underachievement (CREU), which found that academic selection has significant detrimental social, educational and economic consequences for pupils from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

10 February 2020

Mr Weir: I was wondering how quickly academic selection would come in. There has been much controversy over language in the last months, so it is perhaps a risk to introduce a fourth language into the equation, but there is a little bit of, "Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose", from the Member. As nobody has earphones, I should say that that translates as, "The more things change, the more they stay the same". While the report has not been formally submitted to the Department, the findings will be considered. I note that the report talks about further research to develop bespoke solutions. That underlines the commitment in 'New Decade, New Approach' to establishing an expert group to establish the link between educational underachievement and socio-economic background, and it is vital that we take the opportunity to explore that.

The Member will be aware that there is a wide range of views on academic selection. It may be that the Member and I do not quite have a simpatico view on the benefits or otherwise of academic selection. I support the right of schools to use academic selection. Our system has to ensure that it has opportunities for all. When looking at educational underachievement, I consider one of the problems to be that there is sometimes too much of a focus on what happens precisely at 11. Critically, if we are to make big differences when it comes to educational underachievement, a lot of the focus has to be on early interventions. To be fair to the Member and his predecessors, that has been realised for many years and been implemented for many years. Early interventions are the critical bit, because, to some extent, if a problem is persisting at age 11, there is a good argument that we have not really sorted out the problem. I look forward to many fine engagements with the Member in his now elevated role of Chief Whip of the party opposite.

Mr O'Dowd: I thank the Minister for his response. Even without my 11-plus, I understood what he said at the start.

I have no doubt that the Minister believes in evidence-based policy, and, when all the evidence points you in one direction, there is a responsibility on Ministers across the board to make the right decision. When the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), the Equality Commission, the Human Rights Commission, the four teachers' trade unions, the programme for international student assessment (PISA) and much other international research tell us that the 11-plus and academic selection is bad for your education system, there is a duty on the Minister to follow that evidence. Does he agree that it is time to bring academic selection to an end?

Mr Weir: I could hurry on to other questions by simply saying no. In my experience, academic selection is an argument that, in this jurisdiction and across other jurisdictions, has been raging for 50 or 60 years. There is unlikely to be a level of consensus on it. I take a view that we should compare academic selection with the likely alternative. For instance, across the water in England, there is a system of public schools — private education — where those who are wealthiest are effectively able to buy the best education. There are those who look for schools that will provide a particular education and judge areas where the house prices go up as possibly having the best schools. The alternative is therefore selection by wealth. Whatever the flaws are with academic selection, by comparison, the system across the water drives a much more unequal society.

If we look at the intake in our universities, we will see that we have a much more diverse level of social mobility than in other places. We have seen a steady rise in the success rate of those on free school meals, for instance. We have a system in which, last year, non-selective schools outperformed the average in Wales and, indeed, are ahead of the OECD average. While there could be criticisms of our current system, there is a lot of success to be celebrated as well. If we simply view educational underachievement through the prism of academic selection, we will have missed a trick.

Mr O'Toole: Minister, in 2016, not long before this place fell, you took the unilateral decision to reintroduce transfer-test coaching to primary schools. Can you provide an estimate on how much primary-school teaching time has been spent on transfer-test coaching in the past three and a half years?

Mr Weir: I appreciate that the Member is somewhat new to this place, but he may find that my decision was effectively the reverse. Guidance was issued by the Department to schools that essentially said, "You are not to do anything that prepares up". What happened was that it became a certain level of false prospectus, in that some schools were providing coaching but, perhaps, not letting the Department of Education know, while some were abiding by the guidance. I actually said that I was leaving it up to the schools to decide.

The Member mentioned coaching. Where there is a ban in place on doing any preparation in schools, coaching will still happen, but, again, it will be those who are in the best position financially to afford it who will get that coaching. What I said was intended to try to produce, to a certain extent, a more level playing field, and it was also done on the basis that, whatever was happening, it was not to be to the detriment of the curriculum being provided in primary schools.

Mr Speaker: I call Kellie Armstrong for a very quick question and, hopefully, a very quick response from the Minister.

Ms Armstrong: It will be very quick. Thank you very much for your patience, Mr Speaker.

There is an increasing body of evidence against academic selection. Can the Minister of Education cite any specific independent research in favour of the suitability of academic selection?

Mr Weir: I judge it by the pragmatic success story that our schools have been. Northern Ireland has continually achieved the highest results at GCSE level. Less than 1% of our pupils leave without any GCSE qualifications at all. We have seen a steady improvement in the results of pupils on free school meals; indeed, the gap is closing. As I indicated, even for non-selective schools in our system, the results are higher than the OECD average and the average for Wales. The proof of the pudding is very much in the eating. The reality is that we are not living in some utopian type of system. I note that the Member, therefore, wants to see the abolition of grammar schools. If we were to do so —. [Interruption.]

Mr Weir: Sorry?

Ms Armstrong: All ability.

Mr Speaker: Time is up.

Mr Weir: Well, it would be

[Inaudible]

but I appreciate that the Speaker has —.

Mr Speaker: That ends the period of listed questions. We now move on to 15 minutes of topical questions.