Post-Primary Transfer
The Department of Education has published new Transfer guidance for admissions to post-primary schools. This new guidance succeeds the Transfer 2010 Guidance which was issued in June 2009 and applied to the transfer process for admissions into post-primary school for the start of the 2010/11 school year. This new guidance applies to post-primary admissions during the 2010/11 school year and the annual transfer processes for the 2011/12 school year and beyond.
Post Primary Transfer Policy from September 2010 (Bilingual) PDF 234KB
Post Primary Transfer Policy from September 2010 (Irish) PDF 711KB
Post Primary Transfer Policy from September 2010 (English) PDF 711KB
This will be followed by operational guidance which will be published to coincide with the start of the new school term in September 2010.
Below is the address the Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane, gave on 21 June 2010 at the Ramada Hotel, Belfast, to 200 post-primary principals and also a presentation given on Development Proposals.
Minister’s address to post-primary principals and governors PDF 27.2KB
Presentation on Development Proposals to post-primary principals and governors PDF 62.9KB
(relevant for the period up to September 2010)
On 9 February 2010 the Department issued guidance for primary schools in relation to the special circumstances procedures being operated by schools using entrance tests.
Transfer 2010 - Primary Schools and the special circumstances plans of entrance test schools PDF 47KB
Transfer 2010 - Primary Schools and the special circumstances plans of entrance test schools PDF 83KB (Irish & English)
On 16 December 2009 the Department published further operational guidance for schools about Transfer 2010 arrangements. This revised version of Circular 2009/07 replaces the version published on 7 September 2009.
Revised Circular 2009/07 (Irish & English) PDF 4.56MB
Revised Circular 2009/07 (Irish) PDF 2.33MB
Revised Circular 2009/07 (English) PDF 2.09MB
The following covering letter provides a summary of the revisions made.
Letter explaining need for revisions to Circular 2009/07 (Irish) PDF 55KB
Letter explaining need for revisions to Circular 2009/07 (English) PDF 55KB
It is important that the circular is read with reference to the Department's final Transfer 2010 Guidance, published following a period of consultation.
Final Transfer 2010 Guidance (English) PDF 164KB
Final Transfer 2010 Guidance (Irish) PDF 1.22MB
Details of the limits that apply to claims for temporary teaching assistance to facilitate the process of conducting parental interviews and completing Transfer Forms are notified to principals of primary schools (and preparatory departments of grammar schools) in the following letter.
Transfer 2010 - Professional Assistance PDF 122KB
Reference is made within Circular 2009/07 to Circular 1996/24, which provides guidance about, and expalins the procedure for, the approval of pupils transferring from primary to post-primary education either a year early (underage pupils) or a year later (overage pupils) than they would normally be required to transfer.
Circular 1996/24 Guidance on the arrangements for the transfer of pupils from Primary to Secondary Education other than at the normal stage
This circular provides guidance about and explains the procedures for the approval of pupils transferring from primary to secondary education either a year early (underage pupils) or a year later (overage pupils) than they would normally be required to transfer. A copy of the School Principal Report Form PDF 75 KB and Parents' Agreement Form PDF 29 KB are also available
The following three documents relate to the development of post-primary schools' admissions criteria for Transfer 2010:
Letter to all post-primary schools about admissions criteria and transfer booklets PDF 90KB
Enclosure relating to letter about schools' admissions criteria and transfer booklets PDF 413KB
Letter about the usage of InCAS assessment information PDF 129KB
The first of two leaflets to inform parents about the process of post-primary transfer in 2010 was published in September 2009.
Getting ready to move from Primary to Post-Primary School - A guide for parents (English) PDF 113KB
Getting ready to move from Primary to Post-Primary School - A guide for parents (Irish) PDF 145KB
A second leaflet with advice on choosing a post-primary school and completing a Transfer Form was published in December 2009.
Choosing a Post-Primary School - A guide for parents (Irish & English) PDF 157KB
Choosing a Post-Primary School - A guide for parents (Irish) PDF 444KB
Choosing a Post-Primary School - A guide for parents (English) PDF 389KB
The Minister brought proposals for the reform of transfer policy and post-primary education to the Education Committee and Executive Committee in May 2008. A legislative bid was made on 9 June 2008 for consideration by the Executive. A policy memorandum containing further detail about these proposals was circulated to Executive Ministers for comment on 26 January 2009. In the absence of Executive agreement on the proposals that the Minister brought forward, it was not possible to put in place a legislative framework regulating Transfer 2010. The Minister's proposals were therefore withdrawn.and Transfer 2010 Guidance published on 2 February 2009. This contained recommended admissions criteria which were subject to consultation until 27 April 2009, and a related Equality Impact Assessment document was published for consultation until 6 June 2009.
Initial Transfer 2010 Guidance - 2 February 2009 329kb.pdf
Initial Transfer 2010 Guidance - 2 February 2009 Irish version 323kb.pdf
Initial Transfer 2010 guidance - Equality Impact Assessment consultation 2mB.pdf
Initial Transfer 2010 guidance - Equality Impact Assessment consultation (Irish version) 2mB.pdf
The report of the responses to the consultation on the Transfer 2010 Guidance, as published on 2 February, 2009, can be downloaded by clicking on the link below.
Report_of_Transfer_2010_Consultation_Responses.PDF139KB
The report of the responses to the Equality Impact Assessment of the Transfer 2010 Guidance, as published on 2 February, 2009, can downloaded by clicking on the link below.
Report_of_Transfer_2010_EQIA_Consultation_Responses.PDF 60KB
Listed below for reference purposes are links to a number of relevant documents (in chronological order) which describe the efforts made to agree new post-primary transfer arrangements, including the proposals which the Minister for Education brought before the Executive in May 2008.
Outlining a Vision for our Education system - Caitríona Ruane - 4 December 2007 PDF 53 KB
Department of Education News Release - 4 December 2007 - Minister Ruane Outlines Education Reforms
Education Minister's Statement for the Stormont Education Committee - 31 January 2008 PDF 48 KB
Education Minister's speech - Post-primary Transfer arrangements - 25 February 2008 PDF 35 KB
Education Minister's Statement to the Assembly on Area Based Planning - 4 March 2008 PDF 43 KB
Education Minister's speech to BELB conference: 14 May 2008 PDF 76 KB
Education Minister presents proposals to Executive colleagues PDF 31 KB
Post-primary Transfer: Summary of Ministerial Proposals PDF 45 KB
A response from the Education Minister Caitríona Ruane to the statement by the Catholic Heads Association on Tuesday 21 October 2008 PDF 20KB
Response from Education Minister to Assembly motion on post-primary transfer - 10 November 2008 PDF 69KB
Transfer 2010 - Ruane announces details of guidance - 2 February 2009
Minister's statement on Transfer 2010 to the Assembly on 2 February 2009 PDF 51.5 KB
Education Minister's statement to the Assembly - Part 1 of 3
Education Minister's statement to the Assembly - Part 2 of 3
Education Minister's statement to the Assembly - Part 3 of 3
Education Minister's speech to Primary School Conference, Canal Court, Newry - 5 June 2009 PDF 47KB
Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane's statement to the Assembly on the final issue of guidance regarding Transfer 2010 - 30 June 2009 - PDF 66KB
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