Applications open next week for AQE 2021/2022 entrance assessment

by Q Radio News

The exams body AQE has announced applications for the 2021/22 Entrance Assessment will open next week. 

AQE (Association for Quality Education) says it has engaged extensively with its 34-member grammar schools and through them, a large number of primary schools to ensure its plans reflect the needs of schools and pupils, given the impact of the covid-19 pandemic. 

The recommendations from stakeholders were to hold the assessments before the Christmas 2021 break and to retain the three assessments to ensure maximum fairness for each pupil. 

The test papers will be held on the following dates: 

• Saturday 20th November 2021
   
• Saturday 27th November 2021
   
• Saturday 4th December 2021. 

Results will be based on the two best papers out of three, to allow each child to have an "off day without it impacting their results", AQE has said. 

Due to the unprecedented circumstances, AQE has made revisions to this year's assessment in order to recognise the disruption that Covid-19 has had on schooling.

The assessments will follow the same general format as the past papers that many will be using for practice.

Photo - AQE

Outlining this year's approach, AQE Co-CEO Dr Darrin Barr said:

"The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the education of young people since March 2020.

"Their learning has been disrupted and the children hoping to take the AQE assessment in the autumn are understandably needing clarity and certainty.

"We have sought to revise the assessment, accordingly, putting their best interests at the heart of our approach. 

"We also know that schools, parents and pupils are working off our past papers, available free of charge on the AQE website, for practice for this year's assessment. It is essential that we provide consistency whilst making it more straightforward and accessible for the children." said Dr Barr. 

AQE has made modifications for this assessment, including: 

• The provision of detailed English and mathematics support documents for the 2021/22 CEA papers which will be made available on the AQE website for parents and teachers to access.
   
• Some mathematics topic areas included in previous years will not be assessed in the 2021/22 assessment. Details of these topic areas will be available on the AQE website for parents and teachers to access.
   
• Some of the English passages have been shortened where appropriate.
   
• The mathematics and English questions have been revised to make them more accessible for this year's assessmenT.
   
• Access has been provided free of charge to a large selection of past papers on the AQE website and others are available for purchase so that children can prepare thoroughly for the assessment (AQE will be providing a guide showing which individual questions will not be relevant for this year's assessment due to the revisions described above.
   
•  A new sample paper, reflecting the 2021/22 assessment, will be provided free of charge on the AQE website.
   
• Children will have an additional ten minutes to complete each paper.

The entrance assessments are due to be held in participating grammar schools, however, the AQE has been engaging with key stakeholders and interested parties to discuss the potential of the assessments being hosted in the children's Primary Schools.