Has the question “Should my child sit the Transfer Test NI?” been running through your head? Are you not sure if your child is ready to sit an exam? Are you worried about what the parents at the school gates will think if your child doesn’t do the transfer test? Let me help you unscramble your thoughts. Grab a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, whatever your favourite drink is. Let’s dig into the pros and cons of your child sitting the transfer test.
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What is the Transfer Test NI?
The new transfer test NI is made by a company called SEAG. The SEAG Transfer Test is being used from November 2023 to determine Primary 7 students’ scores for entering secondary school. It’s a similar process to the 11-plus tests, the AQE and the GL. Students will sit two test papers which contain a mixture of multiple choice and open-response English and Maths questions.
What date is the Transfer Test in NI?
The Transfer Test NI 2023 dates are Saturday the 11th of November 2023 and Saturday the 25th of November. We can assume that next year’s tests will be around the same time of year. However, they have not been released yet and could be on an earlier or later date. The results of the tests are scheduled to be released to pupils on Saturday the 27th of January 2024.
Should my child sit the Transfer Test NI?
Determining whether your child should sit the transfer test or not can be a difficult decision. There are lots of things to consider. Is your child ready to sit an exam? Will it affect their confidence? Will your child be able to keep up with the workload? Let’s take a look at some of the things that I think are the pros and cons of sitting the transfer test.
Pros for my child sitting the new Transfer Test NI
There are pros for sitting a test? Yes, believe it or not, there are positives of sitting a test. The words ‘test’ and ‘exam’ are deemed as scary words but there are some advantages to sitting a test. Let’s take a look at them.
Prepare your child for the future
From the moment your child sets foot in secondary school, that’s when the exams begin. From Year 8 right up to Year 12, there will be exams, exams and more exams! If your child sits the transfer test, then they will have experience of being in a test environment. Sitting the transfer test means your child will have to leave the comfort of their primary school classroom and sit the test in a secondary school hall or another testing centre. This is going to be a big step for your little ones and also a big thing for you as a parent or guardian. They will probably feel a bit nervous as you drop them off. However, they will come out happier and hopefully not as nervous for the next one!
When your child sits their end-of-year exams, their GCSEs or their A-Levels, (I know this may seem lightyears away but time goes by so fast!) they will be sitting these exams in their secondary school halls. By sitting the transfer test, your child will be getting experience of this from when they are 10 or 11 years old. And yes they may feel nervous, have butterflies in their tummy and tell you they don’t want to do it. However, they will get through it and no matter the result they will have done it! They will have got through the test and that alone should be celebrated!
They won’t get left behind
If your child sits the transfer test they will study all areas of the Key Stage 2 Curriculum for both Maths and English as this is what the tests are all about. Before your child leaves primary school, you need to make sure they have covered all areas of the Key Stage 2 curriculum as this is all of the topics and skills they should learn before going into Year 8.
In some schools (not all) if your child is not sitting the transfer test, they are given different homework or put into the ‘non-transfer group.’ This may mean they are not completing the same level of work as the other students in the class who are sitting the transfer test. You may be thinking, ‘Should my child not cover all of these areas whether they are sitting the test or not?’ Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case in some schools and I have had to continue tutoring some of my students right through to Year 8 to help them catch up on topics missed. Please note, that this is not the case in all schools. Some schools will have their students fully prepared for Year 8 whether they sit the transfer test or not.
Identify areas where your child needs some practice
There’s no doubt about it, the transfer test is a lot of work. Your child will get a lot of homework and complete a lot of transfer test ni practice papers. They may start to feel fed up or demotivated if their scores drop. However, taking a really good look at your child’s practice papers and homework can give you a good insight into areas where they are struggling or need some extra help. This will allow you to focus on improving these areas and revising particular topics with your child.
Taking ownership of their learning
When your child decides to sit the transfer test, they are taking ownership of their learning. They are committing the extra homework, the mountain of practice papers, extra sessions with a tutor and maybe missing out on some of their favourite activities or hobbies. Taking ownership of their learning is an amazing skill which will serve them throughout their lives. They may feel like giving up sometimes but they won’t. They will put in the work, they will walk into that hall and they will smash it!
Cons for my child sitting the Transfer Test NI
I have listed some possible cons for your child not sitting the transfer test. However, I’m playing devil’s advocate here. I want to give you some of my advice and thoughts on sitting the transfer test to help you and your child decide whether they will sit the test at all.
Lack of testing experience
One of the possible cons of not sitting the transfer test, is your child will be entering Year 8 with little or no formal testing experience. Yes, they may have completed spelling tests or mental maths tests in primary school, but they won’t have that experience of sitting in a huge hall with probably over 100 other students. This means when they sit their first formal exam in secondary school, they may feel more uncomfortable than their peers who did sit the transfer test NI. At the end of the day, it all depends on your child and their personality. You know them best after all, so if you feel that a formal testing experience in Primary 7 would be too much for them, then that is completely fine.
Under pressure
In the words of the legend Freddie Mercury, ‘Pressure pushin’ down on me. Pressin’ down on you, no man asks for. Under pressure that brings a building down. Splits a family in two, puts people on streets. Mm-ba-ba-beh, mm-ba-ba-beh. Dee-day-da, ee-day-da.’ Apologies for this song being stuck in your head all day. It’s running through mine as I write this blog post! The extra homework, the mountain of transfer test papers Northern Ireland and the pressure put on students by their school or parents (sorry parents but it’s true) can be too much. Remember your child will be 9 or 10 years old when they begin transfer preparation in Primary 6. They are still so young and this pressure may not be good for them. Stress is not good for anyone but especially not for a child.
If the thought of the transfer test NI fills your child with anxiety and stress or they become overly emotional or angry, then maybe the test isn’t for them and that’s ok! It doesn’t matter what those parents at the school gate think, if your child is extremely upset over the transfer test then it’s not worth it. You don’t want to damage your relationship with your child by forcing them to sit a test.
Feeling left out
Unfortunately, in some schools and I have seen this with my very eyes, the students who are not sitting the transfer test are put into the ‘non-transfer group’ and they are called this aloud in the classroom! There is a clear divide between students who are sitting the transfer test NI and those who are not. If your child is not sitting the transfer test, they may feel left out or different to their peers. Over the years, there have been more students sitting the transfer test than students who aren’t sitting the test. Therefore, it can be easy for your child to feel left out when their friends are talking about tests and scores.
Homework
If your child decides not to sit the transfer test, there may be a difference in the level or amount of homework that they are assigned. I cannot say this enough, this is not happening in all schools, but it does happen. Ideally, there would be no separation and all students would learn the same topics and get the same homework but it does not always work out that way. If your child isn’t going to sit the test, make sure you keep an eye on their learning and make sure they are learning topics from the Northern Ireland Curriculum.
Will my child’s transfer test grades Northern Ireland impact their future?
No. Sorry for being so blunt here but the answer is no. Whether your child sits the transfer test or not has no impact on their future. If your child puts in the work, they will succeed no matter which school they go to. I am going to take you on the educational journeys of myself and my younger brother Connor.
Let’s take a trip down memory lane…
After completing the transfer test NI, I went to a grammar school and my brother went to a secondary school. I completed 11 GCSEs and my brother completed 8 GCSEs. I stayed on in school to complete my A-Levels in ICT, Health and Social Care and History whereas my brother went to SERC to complete a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Sports Studies.
After sixth year, I decided I did not want to go straight to university so I went to Belfast Metropolitan College to complete a Foundation Degree in Early Childhood Studies which lasted two years. I then jumped into the second year of the Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Studies at Stranmillis University College. Following his time in SERC, my brother also ended up in Stranmillis graduating with a First in Health and Leisure.
The next path on my educational journey was completing a PGCE in Primary Education with the University of Ulster. My brother also followed the same path and went to the University of Ulster to complete a Master’s in Physical Health and Public Health. In 2017, I graduated and began my dream job as a primary school teacher. In 2018, my brother started a job as a Health Promotion Specialist and then a Mental Health Trainer with Action Mental Health. These jobs are what helped him to decide to become a counsellor. So it was back in the classroom for my brother and he just recently graduated with a Foundation Degree in Integrative Counselling.
Different paths can lead to the same destination…
So as you can see, our paths have been pretty similar. Our secondary school choice made no difference to our future qualifications and career paths. It doesn’t matter whether your child goes to a grammar school or a secondary school. Putting in the work means they can succeed no matter which school they go to.
If your child sits the transfer test and gets the score they need for a grammar school, that’s great. They will get to choose the school they like best and hopefully get a place. If they sit the test and don’t get the score they need, well they may be upset but they will get over it eventually. Does your child not want to sit the test at all? Then that’s no problem. Your child can pave their path and if they want something enough, they can do it. As a parent or guardian, you just need to be there to support them, give them a confidence boost when they need it and don’t put too much pressure on them.
Your child’s choice
Before you decide whether your child will sit the transfer test NI or not, have a chat with your child and see what they think. Involving your child in a decision about them can do wonders for their learning and motivation. I have a student whose parents did not want them to sit the transfer test. My student was adamant that they wanted to sit the test. The amount of determination and work they have put in is truly amazing. This student has come on leaps and bounds and all because they made the decision themselves about sitting the test.
As I said before, you know your child best. If you feel they should do the test and that they are capable then go for it. If you feel the test might do them more harm than good then say no to the test. You and your child can make the decision together. It doesn’t matter what other people think, do what is right for your child.
More Information on the Transfer Test NI
13 important things you need to know about the SEAG Transfer Test
Advice for Parents who are facing the NI Transfer Test
The SEAG Northern Ireland Transfer Test
5 Top Tips to Boost your SEAG GL Transfer Test Revision
I hope I have helped unscramble the transfer test thoughts in your head. If you know your child is going to sit the transfer test and you would like some preparation tips, click here for my blog post, 5 fantastic, simple ways to prepare your child for the SEAG transfer test. If you still aren’t sure if the test is right for your child, take your time, chat with your child and consider the pros and cons of sitting the transfer test NI.
