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Regent House School: Year 8 entry

Circular Road, Newtownards, BT23 4QA

Facts checked 19 October 2026By ExamKind Editorial TeamSchool website

Some details are being re-checked

We check every fact against the official source on a schedule, and some details on this page are due their next check (last verified 19 October 2026). We'll update the page if anything has changed. How we check facts

Can we apply, and what did it take?

For September 2027 entry

  • How places are decided

    By test score, in rank order

    No minimum Total Standardised Age Score (TSAS) is stated; places go in descending TSAS order until the admissions number is reached.

    Checked, source: Regent House School, checked

  • Year 8 places

    210

    2026 entry, Published Admission Number ()

    Checked, source: Regent House School, checked

  • Last distance offered

    Not publishedWe have no checked figure for how far offers reached.

Your next deadlines

  1. Next: Re-mark requests close

    in about 15 weeks

    Only if you want the test papers marked again

  2. Coming up: Appeal deadline

    in about 30 weeks

How far offers reached

Can we get in?

How places are given

Northern Ireland grammar schools give Year 8 places using their own admissions criteria, often in order of transfer test result. Regent House School's criteria are under Admission rules on this page.

Qualifying is not the same as being offered a place.

Reaching the school's standard means your child can be considered. If more children qualify than there are places, the school gives places using its admission rules, in order. The figures below show how far those rules reached in past years. They are history, not a prediction: they change every year with who applies.

Checked, source: Department for Education (GOV.UK), checked

Most Northern Ireland schools do not publish how far places reached. Read the school's admissions criteria to see how it ranks applicants, and what transfer test results mean.

At a glance

Regent House School in brief

tap a value for its source

Year 8 places
210Year 8 placesChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Regent House School.The source says: Admissions No: 210View the official source2026 entry
The (PAN): how many children the school plans to admit.
Pupils
co-educationalPupilsChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Regent House School.The source says: we are one of Northern Ireland's largest co-educational grammar schools.View the official source
Who the school admits.
Entrance test
SEAG Entrance Assessment (the NI transfer test)
The test children sit to be considered.

Key dates

Dates for September 2027 entry

For children in P7 in 2026/27.

Add to my calendar

SEAG (Schools' Entrance Assessment Group)

3 earlier steps, all doneShow

  1. Done: Test registration opens

  2. Done: Test registration closes

  3. Done: Admission cards sent for the test

  1. Next: Test day

  2. Coming up: Transfer test, paper 1

  3. Coming up: Transfer test, paper 2

  4. Coming up: Results

  5. Coming up: Re-mark requests open

  6. Coming up: Re-mark requests close

    in about 15 weeks

    Only if you want the test papers marked again

  7. Coming up: Appeal deadline

    in about 30 weeks

    Source: nidirect (NI Government), checked

  8. Not published yet: Transfer application deadline (to the Education Authority)

    Not yet published, checked 17 Oct 2026

  9. Not published yet: School place outcomes

    Not yet published, checked 9 Oct 2026

Year 5 now? Dates for September 2028 entryNone of these dates are published yet.

  1. Not published yet: Test day

    Not yet published, checked 9 Oct 2026

  2. Not published yet: Results

    Not yet published, checked 9 Oct 2026

  3. Not published yet: Appeal deadline

    Not yet published, checked 9 Oct 2026

  4. Not published yet: Transfer application deadline (to the Education Authority)

    Not yet published, checked 9 Oct 2026

Notes on these dates

Last year's timings give a sense of the pattern. For 2026 entry the school listed this application window: Education Authority online Transfer Application (EA portal); opened 27 January 2026 12 noon, punctual closing date 19 February 2026 12 noon, late applications to 4.00pm 24 February 2026Regent House School: Application route (2026)Checked 9 Oct 2026 against Regent House School.The source says: The application procedure opens on 27 January 2026 at 12 noon (GMT) and an application submitted by the closing date of 19 February 2026 at 12 noon (GMT) will be treated as a punctual application. An application received after 12 noon (GMT) on 19 February 2026 and up to 4.00pm on 24 February 2026 will be treated as a late application.View the official source. Late forms were only looked at after every on-time form, so it is wise to submit before the deadline.

How places are given

10 admission rules, in order, for 2026 entry

If more children qualify than there are places, Regent House School gives places using these rules (its ), in this order (the 2026 rules; the rules for 2027 entry are not published yet).

  1. 1

    Criterion 1: children with a Schools’ Entrance Assessment Group () TSAS (or a TSAS equivalent assigned under Special Circumstances/Provisions) first, in strict rank order highest to lowest; ties for final places broken by 3(i)-(viii).

    The policy's own words
    1. Children who have taken the Entrance Assessment administered by the Schools’ Entrance Assessment Group (SEAG) and been awarded a Total Standardised AgeScore (TSAS) by SEAG or assigned a Total Standardised Age Score (TSAS) equivalent by the Board of Governors
  2. 2

    Criterion 2: if places remain, children who did not take the SEAG assessment, using sub-criteria 3(i)-(viii).

    The policy's own words
    2. If there are still places available after consideration of all the children who have taken the SEAG Entrance
  3. 3

    Criterion 3(i): pupils enrolled in Regent House Preparatory Department as at 1 September 2025.

    The policy's own words
    (i) pupils enrolled in Regent House Preparatory Department as at 1 September 2025;
  4. 4

    Criterion 3(ii): a sibling (child of the family) attends or has attended the secondary department.

    The policy's own words
    (ii) children who have, or have had, a child of the family (sibling) attending the secondary department of the school.
  5. 5

    Criterion 3(iii): eldest child of the family eligible to transfer to mainstream post-primary.

    The policy's own words
    (iii) children who are the eldest child of the family at the date of application, eligible to transfer to a mainstream Post-Primary school.
  6. 6

    Criterion 3(iv): transferring from a primary school in the former Ards, North Down and Castlereagh Borough Council areas.

    The policy's own words
    (iv) children who are transferring from Primary Schools located in the former Ards, North Down and Castlereagh Borough Council areas;
  7. 7

    Criterion 3(v): entitled to Free School Meals.

    The policy's own words
    (v) children who are entitled to receive Free School Meals.*
  8. 8

    Criterion 3(vi): age of the child, eldest first.

    The policy's own words
    (vi) the age of the child, preference being given to the eldest child.
  9. 9

    Criterion 3(vii): same birthday: alphabetical order of surname, then first forename, shorter forename, no second forename, then second forename.

    The policy's own words
    (vii) In the unlikely event in criterion (vi) above, of two or more children having the same birthday;
  10. 10

    Criterion 3(viii): final selection by straight-line distance from home front door to school front door (closer first).

    The policy's own words
    (viii) The School wishes to continue its tradition of accepting children from a wide catchment area, irrespective of the proximity of their homes from the School.

Source: Regent House School, checked

More detail from our guide

Everything in this section comes from the September 2026 entry criteria, titled Admissions criteria for entry September 2026Regent House School: Document title (2026)Checked 9 Oct 2026 against Regent House School.The source says: Admissions criteria for entry September 2026View the official source. They are last year's rules. Regent House has not yet published its rules for September 2027, and criteria can change from one year to the next. SEAG's guidance is that Schools publish their criteria for Year 8 September 2027 entry during the 2026-27 school year, before the transfer application process begins.Northern Ireland: Criteria publication timingChecked 9 Oct 2026 against SEAG (Schools' Entrance Assessment Group).The source says: Each Board of Governors has a responsibility to publish its Admissions Criteria for Year 8 September 2027 Entry. These Criteria are published in the 2026-27 school year before Parents/Guardians begin the Post Primary Transfer Application Process.View the official source

Two checks come before any ranking. Children living in Northern Ireland are placed ahead of those who are not, and on-time applications ahead of late ones. Where you ranked Regent House on the form made no difference.

Main rule: score order. Strict rank order of SEAG Total Standardised Age Score, highest to lowest, until the admissions number is reached.Regent House School: Selection metric (2026)Checked 9 Oct 2026 against Regent House School.The source says: If the number of applications is greater than the number of places available, children will be placed in strict rank order of marks, highest to lowest. The Board of Governors will award places on the basis of these scores with the highest score being awarded the first place(s) and then working in descending rank order until the number of places that would be awarded is equal or greater than the admissions number.View the official source There is no minimum score.

Only for ties. The extra criteria matter only when children on the same score are competing for the last few places. Then the school works down this list until the tie is broken: (1) Enrolled in Regent House Preparatory Department as at 1 September 2025. (2) Sibling (child of the family) attends or attended the secondary department. (3) Eldest child of the family (includes only children and twins as joint eldest). (4) Transferring from a primary school in the former Ards, North Down and Castlereagh Borough Council areas. (5) Entitled to Free School Meals. (6) Age of the child, eldest first. (7) Same birthday: alphabetical order of surname then forenames as on birth certificate. (8) Straight-line distance, home closer to school first.Regent House School: Tie breakers (2026)Checked 9 Oct 2026 against Regent House School.The source says: If following the application of this criterion it is not possible to identify for admission an exact number of children equivalent to the admissions number as a result of pupils with the same score being tied for the final place(s), the sub-criteria in criterion 3(i) to (viii) below will be applied in the stated order to distinguish between such pupils.View the official source

What some of those tie-break steps mean in practice:

  • Preparatory Department. Regent House has its own prep department, and pupils enrolled there come first in the tie-break list.
  • Eldest child. Eldest child of the family eligible to transfer to mainstream post-primary; covers only children and twins/multiples as joint eldest; also applies where an elder child has completed post-primary, attends a special school or the family relocated to NI. Proof by letter from a named professional.Regent House School: Eldest child criterion (2026)Checked 9 Oct 2026 against Regent House School.The source says: (iii) children who are the eldest child of the family at the date of application, eligible to transfer to a mainstream Post-Primary school. Eldest child covers “only” children as well as twins (or other multiples) who are treated as joint eldest.View the official source
  • Primary school area. The school gives priority to children coming from primary schools in the former Ards, North Down and Castlereagh council areas. It does not name individual schools.
  • Free school meals. No places were set aside for FSME pupils. Entitlement to free school meals was simply one step in the tie-break list.
  • Distance, as a last resort. Measured as a straight line on an Ordnance Survey map, front door to front door.

Children who did not sit the test. Considered only if places remain after all children with a SEAG TSAS (or assigned equivalent) have been considered, using sub-criteria 3(i)-(viii). Children who could not sit or sat only one paper may apply under Special Provisions (Form SP) and be assigned a TSAS equivalent.Regent House School: Applicants without result (2026)Checked 9 Oct 2026 against Regent House School.The source says: If there are still places available after consideration of all the children who have taken the SEAG Entrance Assessment and been awarded a Total Standardised Age Score (TSAS) by SEAG, or assigned a score by the Board of Governors in accordance with the arrangements for Special Circumstances or Special Provisions set out below, the School will consider for admission any children who have not taken the SEAG Entrance Assessment using the sub-criteria listed (i)–(viii) in criterion 3 below.View the official source

Special circumstances. If illness or a family crisis affected your child at test time, the process last year was: Form SC plus independent documentary evidence uploaded with the EA Transfer Application (not sent to the school); Board assigns an equivalent TSAS where the claim is upheld. Special Provisions (Form SP) cover transfer from outside NI, more than half of primary education outside NI, or inability to sit / sat only one paper.Regent House School: Special circumstances (2026)Checked 9 Oct 2026 against Regent House School.The source says: Any parent/guardian claiming Special Circumstances must complete Form SC available from Regent House School or from its website. This documentation, Form SC, together with the appropriate independent documentary evidence which corroborates the Special Circumstances claim, must be uploaded with the Transfer Application.View the official source

Waiting list. Refused Year 8 applicants automatically placed on the Year 8 Waiting List, kept until 30 June 2027Regent House School: Waiting listChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Regent House School.The source says: For Year 8, all applications for admission to Year 8 that were initially refused will be automatically placed on the Year 8 Waiting List. New applications, late applications and applications where new information has been provided will also be added to the Year 8 Waiting List. The Waiting List will be in place until 30 June 2027, the end of Year 8.View the official source.

The test

SEAG Entrance Assessment (the NI transfer test)
Test
SEAG Entrance Assessment (the NI transfer test)
Test date, 2027 entry
Saturday 14 November 2026

Regent House is a SEAG member school and also a test centre. Your child can sit the papers at any SEAG centre; the centre you pick has no effect on where you can apply.

What counted last year was the Total Standardised Age Score. Bands played no part. In the school's words for 2026 entry: Children with a SEAG TSAS (or a TSAS equivalent assigned under Special Circumstances/Special Provisions) are considered first, in rank order; children who did not take the SEAG assessment are considered only if places remain.Regent House School: Academic selection (2026)Checked 9 Oct 2026 against Regent House School.The source says: The Board of Governors will first consider for admission to Year 8, children who have been awarded a Total Standardised Age Score (TSAS) by the Schools’ Entrance Assessment Group (SEAG) as a result of the child’s performance in the Entrance Assessment, subject only to the consideration of those children claiming “Special Circumstances” and “Special Provisions”View the official source

If you are new to the scores, start with our SEAG transfer test guide and the page on results explained.

How the Northern Ireland test works

Open days

All this year's events have passed

  1. Done: Open Evening (passed)

    6.00pm to 9.00pm

  2. Done: Open Evening (passed)

    4.00pm to 7.00pm

Source: Regent House School, checked

If you are refused a place

Reviews, appeals and the waiting list

General information, not legal advice.

This is general information, not legal advice.

If Regent House is not able to offer your child a place, the Education Authority will explain how to appeal. A tribunal can only uphold an appeal if it finds both of these: the school didn't apply, or didn't correctly apply, its admissions criteria; the school would have offered the child a place if it had applied its criteria correctlyNorthern Ireland: Uphold testsChecked 9 Oct 2026 against nidirect (NI Government).The source says: The tribunal can only uphold an appeal if: ... they find the school didn't apply or didn't apply correctly its admissions criteria ... and they find the school would have offered the child a place if it had applied its admissions criteria correctlyView the official source. One limit to know about: Only the evidence the board of governors had when it offered places; the tribunal does not challenge the criteria.Northern Ireland: Evidence limitChecked 9 Oct 2026 against nidirect (NI Government).The source says: The tribunal considers the evidence available to the school's board of governors when they offered school places to children. The tribunal cannot take into account any additional information that wasn't available to the board of governors when they offered places. The tribunal doesn't challenge a school's admissions criteria.View the official source

At a school that ranks so strictly by score, an appeal often comes down to the facts used in a tie-break, such as the prep department, sibling or eldest-child details you gave on the form. The September 2027 deadline is 4pm, Thursday 20 May 2027Northern Ireland transfer: Appeal deadlineChecked 17 Oct 2026 against nidirect (NI Government).The source says: The deadline for receipt of appeal forms against Year 8 decisions by post-primary schools is Thursday 20 May 2027, no later than 4.00 pm.View the official source; last year's was 4pm on Thursday 21 May 2026Northern Ireland 2026 entry: Appeal deadlineChecked 9 Oct 2026 against nidirect (NI Government).The source says: The deadline for receipt of appeal forms against Year 8 decisions by post-primary schools is Thursday 21 May 2026, no later than 4.00 pm.View the official source.

Official documents and sources

6 sources, each kept as an archived copy

ExamKind is independent. We are not connected with Regent House School, its council or any test provider, and nobody pays to appear on this page. How we check facts · Report an error on this page