About Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock
Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock is a Roman Catholic voluntary grammar school in east Belfast, admitting approximately 170 pupils into Year 8 via the SEAG Entrance Assessment. The college is co-educational and has an excellent academic record.
Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock provides an outstanding academic education in Northern Ireland, with strong results and a wide range of extracurricular activities. GCSE 9–7: 61.6%.
About the SEAG Transfer Test at Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock
Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock is a co-educational catholic maintained grammar school in Belfast, Northern Ireland, with a roman catholic ethos. Entry to Year 8 (Form 1) is academically selective via the SEAG Entrance Assessment — administered by the Schools' Entrance Assessment Group (SEAG) on behalf of voluntary, controlled and Catholic-maintained grammar schools across Northern Ireland. Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock admits 190 Year 8 pupils per year — the Department of Education approved Admissions Number in its official criteria.
The SEAG Transfer Test consists of two papers, each 60 minutes long, taken in November of Primary 7 (P7) and spaced one week apart. Each paper covers English (punctuation, grammar, spelling and comprehension) and Mathematics (the Key Stage 2 curriculum), in a mix of multiple-choice and free-response questions. The combined result is the Total Standardised Age Score (TSAS) — a numerical score normalised against the cohort age distribution, which Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock uses to rank applicants for admission.
For the current cycle (September 2027 entry), registration at seagni.co.uk closes at 11:59pm on Friday 18 September 2026 (£20 fee; families with Free School Meals Entitlement are exempt). Paper 1 is Saturday 14 November 2026 and Paper 2 is Saturday 21 November 2026, with results released on Saturday 23 January 2027. The Education Authority NI Transfer Portal window is TBC — last cycle it opened 27 January and closed at 12 noon on 19 February — with Offers Day expected in late April 2027.
ℹ️ Which criteria apply to your child: pupils sitting the November 2026 test are applying for September 2027 entry. Schools publish criteria for each entry year the preceding December, so the criteria on this page reflect the most recent official document. The mechanism changes rarely; this page will be updated when the September 2027 document is published.
This page is updated each year with the latest verified admissions criteria, dates and oversubscription rules for Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock. For the most up-to-date guidance, refer to the school's official admissions page (linked in the Quick Facts panel below) and the SEAG website at seagni.co.uk.
Year 8 Transfer Test Guide for Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock
Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock Admissions Criteria
Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock is a Roman Catholic voluntary grammar school in east Belfast, admitting approximately 170 pupils into Year 8 via the SEAG Entrance Assessment. The college is co-educational and has an excellent academic record.
- ✓Register for the SEAG Transfer Test at seagni.co.uk — registration opened 18 May 2026 and closes at 11:59pm on Friday 18 September 2026. The fee is £20 (families with Free School Meals Entitlement are exempt).
- ✓Sit the SEAG Entrance Assessment in November of Primary 7 (P7) — two papers, one week apart (Saturdays 14 and 21 November 2026), each 60 minutes and each covering English and Mathematics.
- ✓Both papers must be sat to receive a full Total Standardised Age Score (TSAS). Pupils sitting only one paper receive an estimated score (shown as ‘e’ on results) and are considered under Special Provisions only, with supporting evidence.
- ✓Upload your Statement of Outcomes (available from the SEAG portal from Saturday 23 January 2027) with the online Transfer Application to Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock.
- ✓Special Circumstances / Special Provisions: a two-stage process reviewed by the Admissions Committee, with medical or professional documentation plus P5/P6 standardised-test evidence.
- ✓Eligibility — applicants who sat the SEAG Entrance Assessment (with or without a Special Circumstances claim) and applicants with a valid Special Provisions claim are considered on equal terms.
- ✓Band-based allocation — Criteria A to F allocate places by SEAG Band — all Band 1 applicants (Criterion A) are considered before Band 2 (Criterion B), and so on to Band 6, then other applicants (Criterion G). Where the admission number is reached within a band, sub-criteria H1–H7 are applied within that band, in order.
- ✓Within-band sub-criteria, in order: H1 — child of a family currently enrolled or accepted; H2 — eldest or only child of the family (with sibling-outcome provisions); H3 — entitlement to Free School Meals (FSME); H4 — the College is the nearest Catholic grammar school by distance; H5 — highest Total Standardised Age Score (TSAS); H6 — randomised initial-letter surname order (drawn and witnessed); H7 — subsequent letters, forenames, date of birth, then randomised computer selection.
- ✓Preference order is NOT used — a child listing Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock second or later on the Transfer Application is considered equally with first-preference applicants.
- ✓Contributions — Voluntary contribution of £150 per family per annum (no capital fee).
- ✓Distinctive H4 sub-criterion: whether the College is the applicant's nearest Catholic grammar school by distance.
- ✓Duty to verify — the school can require evidence for information on the application; false or missing information can cost the place. Full Admissions Criteria: www.knock.co.uk.
Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock Oversubscription Criteria
Criteria A to F allocate places by SEAG Band — all Band 1 applicants (Criterion A) are considered before Band 2 (Criterion B), and so on to Band 6, then other applicants (Criterion G). Where the admission number is reached within a band, sub-criteria H1–H7 are applied within that band, in order. The sub-criteria below apply within the band where the 190-place admission number is reached — transcribed from the official published criteria.
- H1 — child of a family currently enrolled or accepted
- H2 — eldest or only child of the family (with sibling-outcome provisions)
- H3 — entitlement to Free School Meals (FSME)
- H4 — the College is the nearest Catholic grammar school by distance
- H5 — highest Total Standardised Age Score (TSAS)
- H6 — randomised initial-letter surname order (drawn and witnessed)
- H7 — subsequent letters, forenames, date of birth, then randomised computer selection
What Score Do You Need for Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock?
The school does not publish a fixed qualifying score — here is what the official documents and allocation statements actually show:
| 2023/24 — admission number 190 (+3 TV) | 323 applications, 201 admitted |
| 2024/25 — admission number 190 (+11 TV) | 283 applications, 212 admitted |
| 2025/26 — admission number 190 (+1 TV) | 265 applications, 194 admitted |
Key Dates & Deadlines — November 2026 Test (September 2027 Entry)
| 📌 SEAG Registration opens | Monday 18 May 2026 at seagni.co.uk |
| 📌 SEAG Registration closes | 11:59pm, Friday 18 September 2026 (£20 fee; FSME exempt) |
| 📌 Pupil Cards available | Friday 9 October 2026 |
| 📌 Assessment Paper 1 | Saturday 14 November 2026 |
| 📌 Assessment Paper 2 | Saturday 21 November 2026 |
| 📌 SEAG Results released | Saturday 23 January 2027 — download from your SEAG portal account |
| 📌 Re-mark request window | 25 January – 3 February 2027 |
| 📌 EA Portal opens / closes | TBC — EA to confirm (last cycle: 27 Jan / 12 noon 19 Feb) |
| 📌 Offers issued (Offers Day) | TBC — expected late April 2027 (last cycle: 24 April) |
How to Apply to Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock via SEAG & EA NI
Step 1 — Register your child for SEAG
Register online at seagni.co.uk before 11:59pm on Friday 18 September 2026. The fee is £20 (FSME families exempt — upload EA evidence). A completed Pupil Application is required; an account alone does not register your child.
Step 2 — Sit the SEAG Entrance Assessment
Your child sits two SEAG papers — Saturdays 14 and 21 November 2026 — each 60 minutes, each covering English and Mathematics. Both must be sat for a full TSAS; a single-paper ‘e’ score goes through Special Provisions only.
Step 3 — Download your SEAG Statement of Outcomes
SEAG releases the Total Standardised Age Score (TSAS) on Saturday 23 January 2027. Download it from your SEAG portal account.
Step 4 — Open the EA NI Transfer Portal
The Education Authority NI confirms the 2027 window in due course (last cycle: opened 27 January, closed 12 noon 19 February) — you apply through this portal, NOT directly to the school.
Step 5 — List Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock as a preference
Enter your child's SEAG TSAS and Unique Pupil Number and upload the Statement of Outcomes plus any tie-break evidence (sibling details, primary school). Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock does not use preference order — any position on the form is considered equally.
Step 6 — Submit by the EA Portal deadline
Submit before the EA's published deadline (TBC; last cycle 12 noon, 19 February). Late applications are considered at the EA's discretion in exceptional circumstances only.
Step 7 — Receive your offer on Offers Day
Offers are issued via the EA Portal, expected late April 2027. If unsuccessful you can appeal or join the waiting list through the EA.
SEAG Subjects Tested at Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock
The SEAG Entrance Assessment for Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock tests two subjects across two papers, sat about a week apart in November of Primary 7 (P7). Each paper lasts roughly 60 minutes and uses a mix of multiple-choice and free-response questions with no negative marking.
- English — reading comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation and grammar. Wide reading is the single biggest advantage here, building the vocabulary and inference skills the paper rewards.
- Mathematics — the full Key Stage 2 curriculum: number, fractions, decimals, percentages, measures, shape, data handling and multi-step problem solving, with an emphasis on speed and accuracy.
Both papers are combined into a single Total Standardised Age Score (TSAS), which Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock uses to rank applicants for its Year 8 places. There is no separate verbal or non-verbal reasoning paper in the SEAG test.
SEAG Practice Papers for Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock
Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock uses the SEAG format. Our practice papers closely mirror the actual test structure — with full video explanations for every question.
- 12 × English & Mathematics tests
- 672 video explanations
- 30.5 hours of video content
- 4 English & Maths practice tests
- 224 video explanations
- 12 hrs video content
- 4 English & Maths practice tests
- 224 video explanations
- 9 hrs video content
- 4 English & Maths practice tests
- 224 video explanations
- 9.5 hrs video content
How to Prepare for the Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock SEAG Transfer Test
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Academic Performance at Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock (GCSE & A-Level Results)
Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock (OLSPCK) is one of the highest-performing grammar schools in Northern Ireland. In 2018 it was ranked joint first in Northern Ireland for GCSE, with 100% of entrants achieving five or more GCSEs at A*–C including English and Maths.
- GCSE: consistently among the very best results in Northern Ireland.
- A-Level / post-16: strong A-Level outcomes (around 88% A*–C in 2017/18), with high progression to university.
- Strengths & destinations: high-achieving in Sciences, Maths, English, RE, Languages and Business, with strong careers support for Medicine, Law, Engineering and the Creative Arts; many pupils progress to Queen's University Belfast, Russell Group and Irish universities.
Exam results vary year to year, so always confirm the latest published figures on the school website.
Catchment Area for Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock
OLSPCK is a Catholic diocesan co-educational voluntary grammar school of around 1,230–1,300 pupils, set on a spacious 20-acre site on the Castlehill Road in the Knock / Cherryvalley area of East Belfast (BT4 2ND). It opened as St Patrick's College in 1967 and took its present form in 1985 through the amalgamation of the Sacred Heart of Mary Grammar School (Holywood) and St Patrick's College, Knock. It draws pupils from South and East Belfast, North Down and Ards, and does not operate a fixed catchment boundary.
The college admits around 182 pupils into Year 8 and is regularly heavily oversubscribed; where applications exceed places, the Board of Governors ranks applicants on the SEAG Total Standardised Age Score (TSAS). An extensive bus network serves its wide catchment. Always confirm the current criteria in the school's admissions booklet.
Pastoral Care, Sport & Extracurricular Life
OLSPCK offers high academic standards within a Catholic Christian ethos, reflected in its motto "Gratias Agamus" (Let us give thanks), and is well known for excellent pastoral care and student guidance. A sister college of St Malachy's College and St MacNissi's College, it welcomes pupils from diverse backgrounds across a wide area.
The college's spacious grounds support a broad co-curricular programme of sport, music, drama and many other clubs and societies. There is no capital fee, though families are asked for a modest annual voluntary subscription to support additional facilities.
Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock — Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply to Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock for Year 8?
Applications to Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock are made through the Education Authority NI Transfer Portal — NOT directly to the school. For September 2027 entry the EA window is TBC (last cycle it opened 27 January and closed at 12 noon on 19 February). You will need your child's SEAG Total Standardised Age Score (TSAS) and SEAG Unique Pupil Number, and to upload the Statement of Outcomes. List Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock among your preferences — the school does not use preference order, so any position is considered equally.
Does Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock use the SEAG Transfer Test?
Yes — Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock uses the SEAG (Schools' Entrance Assessment Group) Entrance Assessment for admission to Year 8. Pupils sit two SEAG papers in November of Primary 7 (P7), each lasting 60 minutes and each covering English and Mathematics in a mix of multiple-choice and free-response questions. The combined result is the Total Standardised Age Score (TSAS).
What SEAG score do I need for Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock?
Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock allocates places by SEAG Band rather than a numeric threshold — Band 1 applicants are considered first, then Band 2, and so on. Band-first schools publish the lowest band reached, never a fixed score.
How many Year 8 places does Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock have?
Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock admits 190 pupils into Year 8 each year — the Department of Education approved Admissions Number in its official criteria document. Recent cycles: 2023/24: 323 applications, 201 admitted; 2024/25: 283 applications, 212 admitted; 2025/26: 265 applications, 194 admitted.
When are SEAG results released?
SEAG results (the Statement of Outcomes) for the November 2026 assessment are released on Saturday 23 January 2027. Parents/guardians can download the Statement of Outcomes from their SEAG portal account at seagni.co.uk and must upload it with their Transfer Application.
When is Offers Day for Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock?
Offers Day for September 2027 entry is TBC — expected late April 2027 (last cycle it was Friday 24 April). Offers are issued through the Education Authority NI Transfer Portal. If unsuccessful you can join the waiting list or lodge an appeal through the EA NI.
What type of school is Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock?
Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock is a co-educational catholic maintained grammar school with a roman catholic ethos, located in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It admits 190 pupils into Year 8 each September. Voluntary contribution of £150 per family per annum (no capital fee).
How can my child prepare for the SEAG Test for Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock?
ExamTutor offers a complete SEAG preparation programme including tutor-led practice papers, full video explanations for every question (covering all SEAG topic areas), and downloadable resources mapped to the GL Assessment SEAG specification. We recommend starting preparation 6-12 months before the November SEAG test to allow time for diagnostic, focused practice and confidence building.
Where can I find Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock's official admissions policy?
The full Admissions Criteria document for Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock is published on the school's official website at https://www.knock.co.uk and via the Education Authority NI. Criteria for each entry year are published the preceding December — the September 2027 entry document is due around December 2026. Always check for the most up-to-date criteria, Open Day dates and required documents.
Sources: the school's official "Admissions Criteria" document (published via the Education Authority NI); seagni.co.uk. Transcribed and verified 13 August 2026.