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) for September 2026 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 195 Year 8 pupils per year.
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 (28 questions on punctuation, grammar, spelling and comprehension) and Mathematics (28 questions, mix of multiple-choice and free response). 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 2026 entry, results are released to parents/guardians on Saturday 24 January 2026 via the SEAG portal. The Education Authority NI Transfer Portal opens at 12 noon on Tuesday 27 January 2026 and applications must be submitted by 12 noon on Thursday 19 February 2026. Late applications may be considered up to 4pm on Wednesday 4 March 2026 in exceptional circumstances. Offers Day for Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock and all other Northern Ireland post-primary schools is Friday 24 April 2026.
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 typically opens in May and closes in October.
- ✓Sit the SEAG Entrance Assessment in November every year of Primary 7 (P7) — two papers covering English and Mathematics, tests are one week apart (60 minutes per paper).
- ✓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).
- ✓Upload your Statement of Outcomes (available from the SEAG website from late January) with the online Transfer Application to Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock.
- ✓Special Circumstances / Special Provisions: Applications are reviewed by the Admissions Committee who may award an equivalent TSAS and Band.
- ✓Criterion (i) — Looked-after and previously looked-after children (highest priority).
- ✓Criterion (ii) — Medical, disability or pastoral need that specifically requires attendance at this school — professional documentation required.
- ✓Criterion (iii) — Siblings: applicants with a child of the family currently or previously enrolled at Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock.
- ✓Criterion (iv) — All remaining applicants ranked by SEAG Band achieved, then by Total Standardised Age Score (TSAS), highest first — up to the admissions number of 170 places.
- ✓Tie-break (within Criterion iv): First priority to pupils receiving Free School Meals Entitlement; remaining places allocated by a computer-based process using applicant names.
- ✓Apply to Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock via the online Transfer Application — deadline typically February. Full Admissions Criteria: www.knock.co.uk.
Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock Oversubscription Criteria
If applications exceed the 195 place admission number, the Board of Governors applies the following criteria in order. Final ranking uses the SEAG Total Standardised Age Score (TSAS) achieved in the November SEAG Entrance Assessment.
- Looked-after / previously looked-after children
- Highest TSAS ranked order
- Catholic applicants from feeder primary schools
- Eldest/only child or sibling currently attending OLSPCK
Key Dates & Deadlines — Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock 2026 Entry
| 📌 SEAG Registration opens | ~May 2025 at seagni.co.uk |
| 📌 SEAG Registration closes | ~October 2025 |
| 📌 SEAG Entrance Assessment | November 2025 — two papers, one week apart (60 mins each, English & Maths) |
| 📌 SEAG Results released | Saturday 24 January 2026 — download from your SEAG portal account |
| 📌 EA Portal opens for school applications | 12 noon, Tuesday 27 January 2026 |
| 📌 EA Portal closes (apply by) | 12 noon, Thursday 19 February 2026 |
| 📌 Late applications deadline | 4pm, Wednesday 4 March 2026 (treated equally if circumstance verified) |
| 📌 Offers issued (Offers Day) | Friday 24 April 2026 |
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 when registration opens around May. Closes around October. There is no fee to sit the SEAG test.
Step 2 — Sit the SEAG Entrance Assessment
Your child sits two SEAG papers in November of Primary 7 (P7), one week apart, each 60 minutes covering English (28 questions) and Mathematics (28 questions).
Step 3 — Download your SEAG Statement of Outcomes
SEAG releases the Total Standardised Age Score (TSAS) on Saturday 24 January 2026. Download from your SEAG portal account.
Step 4 — Open the EA NI Transfer Portal
The Education Authority NI Transfer Portal opens at 12 noon, Tuesday 27 January 2026 — 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 on the Transfer Application and list Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock as one of your school preferences. Upload supporting documents (e.g. FSME, sibling, looked-after evidence).
Step 6 — Submit by the EA Portal deadline
Submit your application by 12 noon, Thursday 19 February 2026. Late applications accepted until 4pm Wed 4 March 2026 in exceptional cases.
Step 7 — Receive your offer on Offers Day
Offers are issued via the EA Portal on Friday 24 April 2026. If unsuccessful, you can appeal or join a waiting list via 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 multiple-choice format 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
ExamTutor practice papers with tutor explanations for every question offers an affordable substitute for private tuition for a fraction of the cost.
📋 Take a Diagnostic Test
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Watch video solutions for incorrect answers. Rewatch difficult topics until confident.
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Practice under timed conditions to build stamina and learn to manage difficult questions.
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Simulating real exam conditions means no surprises on the day — your child knows what to expect.
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. The EA NI portal opens at 12 noon on Tuesday 27 January 2026 and closes at 12 noon on Thursday 19 February 2026. You will need your child's SEAG Total Standardised Age Score (TSAS) and SEAG Unique Pupil Number. List Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock as a preference on the application form.
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 covering English (28 questions) and Mathematics (28 questions).
What SEAG score do I need for Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock?
The minimum SEAG Total Standardised Age Score (TSAS) required for Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock is see OLSPCK admissions page. Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock ranks applicants by TSAS from highest to lowest, with places allocated up to the admission number of 195 Year 8 places per year. Tie-break criteria apply for tied scores.
How many Year 8 places does Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock have?
Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock admits 195 pupils into Year 8 each year. Demand typically exceeds supply, so the Board of Governors applies the published oversubscription criteria in priority order — looked-after children first, then SEAG TSAS ranking, with school-specific tiebreakers (e.g. FSME, siblings, distance).
When are SEAG results released in 2026?
SEAG results (Statement of Outcomes) for the 2026 entry round are released on Saturday 24 January 2026. Parents/guardians can download the Statement of Outcomes from their SEAG portal account at seagni.co.uk and must upload it with their Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock Transfer Application.
When is Offers Day for Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock in 2026?
Offers Day for Year 8 admission in 2026 is Friday 24 April 2026. Offers are issued through the Education Authority NI Transfer Portal. If unsuccessful you can join a 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 is academically selective via the SEAG Transfer Test and admits 195 pupils into Year 8 each September.
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 SEAG Transfer Test 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 2026 entry is published on the school's official website at https://www.olspck.org/admissions. Always check the school's website for the most up-to-date oversubscription criteria, Open Day dates, and any school-specific application forms or required documents.