January 2021
Statement on the transfer tests.
The pandemic has meant that transfer tests have been unable to go ahead due to safety issue and the regulations that are in place to restrict the spread of Covid 19.
This may be a relief to many children who do not cope well when they are under pressure, and their parents. This may also result in additional stress for children and parents. For year 11s there is the stress of uncertainty about when they will have information about which school the child will be admitted to. For those who have registered for the transfer test there is now uncertainty about how the decision about admissions to some grammar schools will be made.
There is now clear data showing that primary school children have suffered stress and loss as a result of this pandemic. This may increase their risk of mental illness. We need to do all that we can to minimise the mental health risk. In view of the potential risk to mental health I am making the following recommendations:
- Admissions criteria should be developed, and implemented following an independent equality and mental health review.
- Given the ongoing restrictions and school closures, the forthcoming tests in 2021 (for 2022 admission) need to be cancelled and alternative criteria used.
- The mental health, equality and educational impact of this process needs to be assessed to:
- Identify children who require mental health and other types of support, and
- to inform the work of the panel who will be reviewing the education system in NI.
- Appropriate mental health support, interventions and treatment need to be made available for children who are having difficulty coping with the impact of the pandemic, school closure and uncertainty.