Transfer turmoil

Coleraine schoolchildren were waiting anxiously to find out if they scored enough to secure a place in a school of their choice

Royal Mail admitted a small number of results did not arrive with normal deliveries due to a sorting error.

However some parents say the results themselves are "totally confusing" and that their children still don't know what school they will be attending this September.

One parent told us: "At least with the Eleven Plus you knew where you stood. The system is totally confusing.

"It just adds to the anxiety of the children who are under enough pressure as it is. It is very unfair - not just to them but to us as parents too."

"I think grammar schools have handled the situation very badly," John Platt, principal of Millburn Primary School, told the Times today.

"They should have listened to the Minister. Change is essential. The system's structure should have been changed 20 years ago.

"I can't believe we are going into a new century and we are still churning out more of the same."

Like many principals across the borough, Mr Platt was due to meet parents to discuss their concerns again this morning.

He said that statistics showed that many children were intelligent but the current system still labelled them as "successes or failures."

The unofficial controversial transfer tests replaced the 11-plus.

Across Northern Ireland around 7,000 children sat one exam, set by the Association for Quality Education or AQE for non-denominational grammar schools, while another 7,000 took the GL assessment, mostly used by Catholic schools.

The majority of pupils found out if they scored enough to secure a place in a school of their choice.

Pupils who took the exam set by the AQE which represents state grammars received a score with a table attached to help them work out a grade.

Those who sat the GL paper were provided with a score and a grade.

It is understood most schools will make their selection based on a grade but some will use the score system.

And this, according to the parent, is where the anxiety arises.

"Although it was far from ideal, the old system was much clearer. Some parents we spoke to just don't know where their child will be going next term while some of their child's friends do. It causes uncertainty and unneccessary heartache."]

Sir Kenneth Bloomfield from the AQE, said: "The next stage of all of this is the transfer process; parents should discuss this with their primary school, and get a transfer form completed.

"If they are worried about how a particular school they want to go to is going to treat the score received they should talk to that school."

If parents and children are not happy with the result, pupils who sat both tests can have their paper re-marked.

Mr Bloomfield added: "This facility is available for pupils who took the AQE paper, in this event a score could go down or up, the charge will be 20 to cover administration costs, or 10 for families who receive school meals.

"The AQE will need a request on or before 12 February," Mr Bloomfield added.

While conceding that the old grading system was perhaps less confusing, Jennifer Campbell, principal of DH Christie Memorial Primary School, said: "That has always been the experience of parents.

"The vast majority of parents I think are generally pleased that their children have done their best and that is all that you can ask of them.

"We are very fortunate here, compared to Belfast, that we have good options for our children.

"We have very good grammar and non grammar schools in this area and I would point out that children can still go on to do GCSE's whatever school they go to."

Schools set their own entrance tests after the 11-plus was abolished in 2008 without political consensus for an alternative.

The transfer tests went ahead at the end of last year without the Department of Education support.