Post-Primary admissions will take place online for the first time this year.
For pupils who will start post-primary school in September 2021 applications will be made via the Education Authority (EA) website, with the process opening on Monday, March 1.
Speaking about the change Maxine Harris, Project Lead Digital Admissions at the EA, explained: “Applications for pre-school and primary one places have taken place online for the past three years and feedback from parents and principals has been very positive about the whole process so we are excited to extend online applications for those pupils transferring from primary to post-primary schools.”
The admissions process will be open from 12 noon on Monday, March 1 and close at 4pm on Tuesday, March 16 with Maxine keen to point out that schools will not begin to make decisions on their intake for the 2021/22 school year until after the admissions process closes.
“It is very important for parents to know that this process does not operate on a first come first served basis,” she said, before adding: “We would encourage parents to read the guidance on our website and familiarise themselves with the process.”
The Education Authority’s website has an array of guidance materials including videos and a key messages leaflet, which have been translated into several languages.
One vital aspect of the guidance is the admissions criteria, which is set by the Board of Governors of each post-primary school. It is important that parents read the criteria and select a range of schools when making their application.
It is recommended in the guidance that parents should list at least four post-primary school choices, including at least one non-grammar school, and that they provide all relevant details on how their child meets the criteria for each school.
“The guidance on our website includes a video outlining the process, leaflets and a frequently asked question section and you can also email us directly if you have any queries. We know that this is an important decision for parents and we are here to help in any way that we can,” Maxine explained.
More information regarding the process can be found at: https://www.eani.org.uk/parents/admissions/post-primary-admissions-guide
