Mr. John D. TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what dates the 11-plus examination will be held this year; what provision has been made for trial examination papers to be available; what guidelines primary school teachers have received for this examination; how parents of children for this examination have been kept advised; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AncramThe transfer procedure tests will he held on 15 October and 26 November 1993. Practice tests will not be issued to schools. A specimen paper was issued to all schools on 27 April to give an indication of the variety and type of questions which may appear in the main tests; a further batch of sample questions will be issued to schools at the beginning of September. The tests will be based on the programmes of study for English, mathematics and science which schools have peen required to follow since 1990.
Schools were notified of the test arrangements by circular on 17 February 1993; further details were given in a circular on 27 April which accompanied the specimen paper and in a further circular on 22 June. Copies of an information leaflet about the new tests have been sent to all primary schools for distribution to the parents of all pupils eligible to take the tests in the autumn. I am satisfied that schools have sufficient information to enable them to prepare pupils adequately for the tests.
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