The Schools' Entrance Assessment Group provides an Entrance Assessment for primary 7 pupils who may transfer to a Northern Ireland post-primary school that uses SEAG outcomes. It is not the same test as GL Assessment, CEM or the ISEB Common Pre-Tests. Parents sometimes search for a Northern Ireland 11+ or transfer test. SEAG publishes this as the Entrance Assessment.

Two papers, one format

For the 2026 assessment, SEAG says pupils sit both papers: Paper 1 on Saturday 14 November 2026 and Paper 2 on Saturday 21 November 2026, both in the morning. The papers have the same format and are set at the same level. Saturday 28 November 2026 is a contingency day only if the assessment cannot be held across Northern Ireland. It is not an extra date for a pupil who misses one paper.

Each paper has three sections. Section 1 is a practice test of 5 English (or Gaeilge) questions and 5 Maths questions. It is not timed and does not count. The main test is timed.

English or Gaeilge, and Mathematics

The specification assesses English or Gaeilge, and Mathematics. It is based on the statutory Northern Ireland Curriculum for Language and Literacy and for Mathematics and Numeracy at Key Stage 2. There is no verbal reasoning paper and no non-verbal reasoning paper.

The English or Gaeilge main test has 28 questions:

  • Punctuation: 5 multiple-choice questions
  • Grammar: 5 multiple-choice questions
  • Spelling: 5 multiple-choice questions
  • Comprehension: 13 questions after a passage. Questions 16–22 are multiple choice. Questions 23–28 are free response.

SEAG says spelling is assessed only in the spelling exercise, and that spelling means UK English. The specification also lists vocabulary: meanings of words from the reading passages, and synonyms and homonyms. That is not a separate exercise on the format sheet.

Free-response answers are short. The specification says candidates are not asked for an extended piece of writing, and handwriting is not marked.

The Mathematics main test

There are 28 Mathematics questions. Questions 29–50 are multiple choice. Questions 51–56 are free response. The published areas are Number, Measurement, Shape and Space, Money, Probability and Data Representation. The specification also includes patterns, simple use of a letter for a whole number, position, movement and direction, and data handling.

SEAG says pupils are not expected to know imperial units, are not asked what congruence means, do not have to measure or draw angles, and are assessed only on the internal angles of triangles and quadrilaterals. For Irish-medium pupils, the mathematics paper is a translation of the English paper. Wording may change, but the mathematics being assessed stays the same.

Time and marks

Pupils have 60 minutes for the 56 main-test questions, unless extra time has been approved as an access arrangement. SEAG has not published one number of extra minutes on the format sheet. Each question is worth 1 mark. Each multiple-choice question has 5 answers. Pupils may start the main test with English or Gaeilge, or with Mathematics.

The centre provides pencils, erasers and rough-work paper. Pupils may bring a highlighter, for the question paper or rough paper but not the answer sheet, and a pencil grip. The published list of what pupils may bring does not include a calculator. The money section of the specification does include interpreting a calculator display, which can appear as a printed display in a question.

Results

SEAG plans to issue outcomes online from Saturday 23 January 2027. The English or Gaeilge standardised age score and the Mathematics standardised age score each run from 69 to 141, with a mean of 100. Adding them gives the Total Standardised Age Score, from 138 to 282, with a mean of 200. There are six bands. Band 1 is a cohort percentile of 60 or higher. Some schools use the total score, some use the band, and some use both. Check the admissions criteria for each school.

What Homework Magic practice includes

The SEAG mocks are original English and Mathematics questions in a 60-minute sitting. They are shorter than 56 questions. They leave out the untimed practice section, Gaeilge and the free-response questions. SEAG Practice in the learning space uses the same two subjects and the published topic areas. It does not add verbal or non-verbal reasoning.

Official practice papers, answer sheets and the parents' answer guide are free on the SEAG practice materials page.

Frequently asked questions

What is the SEAG Entrance Assessment?

The Schools' Entrance Assessment Group provides an Entrance Assessment for primary 7 pupils who may transfer to a Northern Ireland post-primary school that uses SEAG outcomes. It is not the same test as GL Assessment, CEM or the ISEB Common Pre-Tests.

When are the 2026 SEAG papers?

Paper 1 is on Saturday 14 November 2026 and Paper 2 is on Saturday 21 November 2026, both in the morning. Saturday 28 November 2026 is a contingency day only if the assessment cannot be held across Northern Ireland.

Does SEAG include verbal reasoning?

No. The specification assesses English or Gaeilge, and Mathematics, based on the Northern Ireland Key Stage 2 curriculum. There is no verbal reasoning paper and no non-verbal reasoning paper.

How long is the SEAG main test?

Pupils have 60 minutes for the 56 main-test questions, unless extra time has been approved as an access arrangement. Each question is worth 1 mark. Each multiple-choice question has 5 answers.

What we could not confirm

  • The exact number of extra minutes an access arrangement can add. SEAG says additional time can be approved and that timing prompts differ.
  • A sentence that says calculators are forbidden. We can confirm they are not in the published list of items pupils may bring.
  • Which of the 28 English questions carry the vocabulary items. Vocabulary is in the specification. It is not a named exercise on the format sheet.
  • The wording of the Gaeilge comprehension passages. Mathematics in Irish medium is described as a translation, with possible changes of context.