Exam needed for grammar admission

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/8235340.stm

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The Department of Education has admitted that without sitting an entrance exam, children are unlikely to get a place at a grammar school.

The details are in a leaflet produced for P7 pupils and their parents.

It is the first of two leaflets, which will be sent to the families of all P7 children.

One third of the leaflet deals with the unofficial entrance tests, which the department opposes.

It also covers the importance of claiming free school meals entitlement, which may give children preferential treatment in getting into schools.

The leaflet is being sent out at this time because the deadline for registering for unofficial entrance tests is very close.

It advises that pupils can apply to grammar schools without doing an entrance test, but it points out that in such cases, they are unlikely to get in.

The leaflet also suggests a list of questions which parents may want to put to grammar schools about their arrangements for accepting pupils next year.

A second leaflet will be sent out to parents in December, which will give advice on how to apply for a post primary school.