Heads reluctant to coach for test

The last 11 plus exams were sat in 2008

Lisburn primary school heads have told grammar schools they are reluctant to do extra coaching for pupils taking unregulated transfer tests.

"We believed that tutoring and preparation was not necessary," said Stanley Poots, head of Dromara Primary.

"However, at a recent meeting there was a slight change in that and we were being invited to prepare our children by using the old tests."

The primary heads met local grammar school head earlier this week.

They have also said they will not do any administration for the entrance exams, devised by some grammar schools to replace the 11 plus, or hand out registration forms for them.

Mr Poots said the primary heads will meet again next week in an attempt to agree a policy.

He said: "We as a group of principals will try to find a uniformed approach for the way forward.

It's difficult to see how schools can refuse to prepare pupils even if they spend Saturdays or evenings doing it Maggie Taggart, BBC NI

"We could all refrain from any form of coaching or could go our individual ways."

The Catholic sector was also represented on the Lisburn Primary Principals Group, but are awaiting the outcome of a church working group on whether their grammar schools will continue academic selection.

BBC Northern Ireland education correspondent Maggie Taggart said primary schools were under increasing pressure from parents to provide coaching for the tests.

"It's difficult to see how schools can refuse to prepare pupils even if they spend Saturdays or evenings doing it," she said.