Primary heads pleased with transfer results

Robert McCombe, head teacher at Olderfleet PS, said all 28 pupils who sat the exams attained a pass. He added that he was “very proud” of the children.

Mr McCombe felt that the first year of the new transfer test system “went very well”. He said: “We found that the parents had been kept very well informed and had been given plenty of information about the grading system.”

Mr McCombe added: “There was very little confusion and the whole system was quite well organised by the providers. However, I feel the system would be better if there was just one test rather than two, as it would take some of the pressure off.”Principal of Moyle Primary, Peter Garrett, said he was pleased with his pupils’ results and he also felt that parents were provided with plenty of information.

He added: “We had some initial concerns about the new system, such as pupils being put into a big, unfamiliar hall to sit the tests. Under the old system, they would have been able to do the test in a small classroom in their school.

“Thankfully, the grammar schools took our concerns on board. They had a familiarisation day for the pupils and did everything they could to ensure Moyle Primary pupils were seated in the same room.”

However, Mr Garrett said he feels that 11 is a “very poor age” to be selecting pupils based on academic ability.

He added: “It would not be my first choice to have academic selection at the age of 11. I believe that pupils should have the test at the age of 14, as this would provide a much more accurate prediction of how they are likely to proceed in their future academic careers.”

At Larne and Inver, principal Logan Holmes expressed his delight at the pupils’ results and agreed that the system would benefit from having one test rather than two.