AQE Transfer Test 2022

Will the AQE go ahead in 2022?

Yes! The AQE Transfer Test is going ahead in 2022 and children should prepare as normal, however adjustments have been made to the papers to allow for learning loss due to the pandemic.

To take account of the considerable disruption caused by Covid-19 to children’s education over the past two years, the mitigation arrangements put in place for the 2021/22 assessment will remain the same for this year.

• Pupils will be given an extra 10 minutes to complete each paper (70 minutes instead of 60 minutes).
• The language within the English and Maths questions will be made more accessible.
• The length of the English passages will be shortened where appropriate.
• Certain topic areas will be omitted from the Mathematics Specification.

Find out more in our AQE and GL Specification Blog.

How will the AQE make sure the test is fair for all children after the significant disruption to their education in 2020 and 2021?

The official statement from the AQE is:

“AQE always has the child in mind in all our deliberations. For 21/22 assessments we are allowing an extra 10 minutes to complete each paper. We hope this will reassure children that they will have this extra time to complete each paper. AQE have reviewed the papers and ensured that the English passages we use are written in language which is accessible and familiar to the children. We have also ensured that the contexts of the maths questions are accessible.”

“The examining team has the best interests of the children at the centre of their thinking. Their main priority is to produce assessments which allow the children to show what they know, understand and can do. The team is very aware of the conditions under which this year’s P6 children have been learning.”

Will the AQE be using verbal and non verbal reasoning questions in the 2022 test?

There was much speculation about this in 2021 as it was reported in the press that schools using the GL tests were considering this as an option for 2021. AQE stated:

“We will be using the same type of questions that we have been using for the past 11 years. To help with the preparations, we also provide past papers which means you and your child will know what type of questions will be asked.”

Have any Grammar schools pulled out of using the AQE and GL tests in 2022?

The 5 schools in Newry and Kilkeel who pulled out of the GL test in 2021 are returning to academic selection in 2022. One school in Derry who pulled out in 2021 has also chosen to use academic selection for 2023 admissions. These schools are:

• ABBEY CHRISTIAN BROTHERS’ GRAMMAR SCHOOL
• ST COLMAN’S COLLEGE
• ST LOUIS GRAMMAR SCHOOL
• OUR LADY’S GRAMMAR SCHOOL
• SACRED HEART GRAMMAR SCHOOL
• THORHILL COLLEGE DERRY

We will update this list of returning schools when we receive the information. We do not yet know the full list of schools who will be using the SEAG Transfer Test in 2023.

AQE Transfer Test 2022 Specification Practice Papers