About Strathearn School Belfast
Strathearn School is an independent girls' grammar school in east Belfast, admitting approximately 100 girls into Year 8 via the SEAG Transfer Test. Founded in 1923, Strathearn has an excellent academic record and strong pastoral care.
Strathearn School Belfast provides an outstanding academic education in Northern Ireland, with strong results and a wide range of extracurricular activities. GCSE 9–7: 73%.
About the SEAG Transfer Test at Strathearn School Belfast
Strathearn School Belfast is a girls voluntary grammar school in Belfast, Northern Ireland, with a non-denominational 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. Strathearn School Belfast admits 120 Year 8 pupils per year per its most recent published document (confirm the current figure in the 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 Strathearn School Belfast 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 Strathearn School Belfast. 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 Strathearn School Belfast
Strathearn School Belfast Admissions Criteria
Strathearn School is an independent girls' grammar school in east Belfast, admitting approximately 100 girls into Year 8 via the SEAG Transfer Test. Founded in 1923, Strathearn has an excellent academic record and strong pastoral care.
- ✓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 Strathearn School.
- ✓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.
- ✓Rank order + pool — Places are allocated first in rank order of SEAG Total Standardised Age Score, with remaining places allocated using the school's published sub-criteria — beginning with girls with a child of the family in the Secondary Department (current or past).
- ✓Preference order is NOT used — a child listing Strathearn School second or later on the Transfer Application is considered equally with first-preference applicants.
- ✓Strathearn is a fee-charging voluntary school — confirm the current charging policy on the school website.
- ✓Reciprocal sibling arrangement with Campbell College and Bloomfield Collegiate.
- ✓Please note — figures shown are from the most recent published document; confirm the current-year document on the school's website before relying on them.
- ✓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.strathearn.org.uk.
Strathearn School Belfast Oversubscription Criteria
Places are allocated first in rank order of SEAG Total Standardised Age Score, with remaining places allocated using the school's published sub-criteria — beginning with girls with a child of the family in the Secondary Department (current or past). Transcribed from the official published criteria.
- Pool sub-criteria as set out in the official document.
What Score Do You Need for Strathearn School?
The school does not publish a fixed qualifying score — here is what the official documents and allocation statements actually show:
| 2024/25 — admission number 120 | 167 applications, 121 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 Strathearn School Belfast 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 Strathearn School 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). Strathearn School 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 Strathearn School Belfast
The SEAG Entrance Assessment for Strathearn School Belfast 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 Strathearn School Belfast 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 Strathearn School Belfast
Strathearn School Belfast 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 Strathearn School Belfast 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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Start at least 6–12 months before the exam. Focus extra time on weaker subjects.
🎥 Review with Video Explanations
Watch video solutions for incorrect answers. Rewatch difficult topics until confident.
⏱️ Develop Exam Technique
Practice under timed conditions to build stamina and learn to manage difficult questions.
📈 Track Progress
Monitor scores over time to see genuine improvement and identify remaining weak spots.
🚀 Build Confidence
Simulating real exam conditions means no surprises on the day — your child knows what to expect.
Academic Performance at Strathearn School Belfast (GCSE & A-Level Results)
Strathearn is one of the top-performing all-girls grammar schools in Northern Ireland — in The Sunday Times Parent Power guide based on 2025 results, it was ranked the leading grammar school in Northern Ireland, with 85.8% of A-Level grades at A*–B and 79% of GCSE grades at A* or A (the highest year on record for the school).
- GCSE & A-Level: consistently excellent results, with strengths in English, Maths, the Sciences, Languages and the Arts.
- University entrance: strong success in competitive fields including Medicine, Law and STEM.
- Progression: strong progression to Russell Group universities, including Queen's University Belfast and Trinity College Dublin.
Exam results vary year to year, so always confirm the latest published figures on the school website.
Catchment Area for Strathearn School Belfast
Strathearn School is a voluntary grammar school for girls on the Belmont Road in East Belfast (BT4 2AU), which charges a modest annual fee. Founded in 1929 — originally opened by Victoria College as a junior school for the Belmont and Knock areas — it is now an independent girls' grammar in its own right.
The school offers around 120 places in Year 8 and is regularly oversubscribed; selection gives initial consideration to girls who have completed the SEAG assessment, ranked on the SEAG Total Standardised Age Score (TSAS), with published sub-criteria applied where needed. Always confirm the current criteria in the school's admissions booklet.
Pastoral Care, Sport & Extracurricular Life
Strathearn's ethos centres on a caring and nurturing environment in which every pupil is celebrated for her own individual talents and encouraged to realise her full potential — a spirit captured in its motto, 'Encourage – Empower – Excel'. Pastoral care is organised through a house system: Barbour, Boucher, McCaughey and Watts.
The school is proud of its wide-ranging extracurricular programme across music, theatre, sport and activities such as the Bar Mock Trial, supporting confidence and creativity alongside academic focus.
Strathearn School Belfast — Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply to Strathearn School for Year 8?
Applications to Strathearn School 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 Strathearn School among your preferences — the school does not use preference order, so any position is considered equally.
Does Strathearn School use the SEAG Transfer Test?
Yes — Strathearn School 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 Strathearn School?
Strathearn School does not publish a minimum TSAS — places are allocated in rank order, so the effective cut-off moves each year with the applicant pool. Recent demand: 2024/25: 167 applications, 121 admitted against an admission number of 120.
How many Year 8 places does Strathearn School have?
Strathearn School's most recent published admissions number is 120 Year 8 places — confirm the current-year figure in the school's official criteria document before relying on it.
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 Strathearn School?
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 Strathearn School?
Strathearn School Belfast is a girls voluntary grammar school with a non-denominational ethos, located in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It admits 120 pupils into Year 8 each September.
How can my child prepare for the SEAG Test for Strathearn School?
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 Strathearn School's official admissions policy?
The full Admissions Criteria document for Strathearn School is published on the school's official website at https://www.strathearn.org.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 most recent published Admissions Criteria document and seagni.co.uk. Verified 13 August 2026; current-year figures pending final confirmation.