About the school
Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock, known locally as Knock or OLSPCK, is a Catholic diocesan co-educational voluntary grammar school in east Belfast, Northern Ireland, educating over 1,260 pupils aged 11 to 19. It is consistently ranked among the top post-primary schools in Northern Ireland, with a vision statement of "Excellence through Care."
The College was founded in 1985 through the amalgamation of the Sacred Heart of Mary Grammar School in Holywood and St Patrick’s College, Knock, which had opened in 1967. It sits on a spacious site in the Cherryvalley district, moving into a new building in 2011, and its motto is "Gratias Agamus," meaning "Let us give thanks."
Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock, uses the SEAG transfer test as part of its admissions criteria for Year 8 entry, drawing pupils from across south and east Belfast, North Down and Ards.
School type
Catholic Voluntary Grammar (Co-Ed)
Exam date
Sat 14th & Sat 21st November 2026 (SEAG)
Exam board
SEAG (GL Assessment)
Address
120 Gilnahirk Road, Belfast, Co. Antrim, BT5 7DL
Age range
11–19 (Years 8–14)
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Admissions information
The Our Lady And St Patricks College entrance test is the SEAG transfer test, used by grammar schools across Northern Ireland. Here is everything you need to know about the Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock, admissions criteria and exam structure.
Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock selects pupils on academic ability through the SEAG Entrance Assessment, the single transfer test used by the great majority of grammar schools in Northern Ireland. The assessment is provided by GL Assessment on behalf of the Schools’ Entrance Assessment Group and consists of two papers, each assessing English (or Gaeilge) and Mathematics.
Each of the two papers lasts 60 minutes and contains a mix of multiple-choice and free-response questions, with answers recorded on a separate answer sheet. The papers are taken on two Saturdays a week apart, and a pupil’s marks across both papers are combined into a Total Standardised Age Score (TSAS), which is age-standardised so that younger children are not disadvantaged.
Parents register their child to sit the SEAG Entrance Assessment online through the SEAG website. For September 2027 entry, registration opens on Monday 18th May 2026 and closes on Friday 18th September 2026. Parents must then name Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock on their Education Authority Post-Primary Transfer Form during the open application period.
SEAG Statements of Outcomes are released to parents on Saturday 23rd January 2027, after which families list their preferred schools through the Education Authority. The Education Authority informs parents of their child’s allocated school in May 2027. A high TSAS does not guarantee a place, as places are allocated in strict rank order when a school is oversubscribed.
Key admissions details
Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock, admits pupils into Year 8 each year using the SEAG transfer test as part of its admissions criteria, with a total enrolment of over 1,260 pupils.
Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock, does not operate a single fixed catchment area but draws pupils from a wide area covering south and east Belfast, North Down and Ards. Places are allocated under the school’s published admissions criteria, which use the SEAG result alongside sub-criteria such as family links.
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Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock, is located at 120 Gilnahirk Road in east Belfast, BT5 7DL, on a spacious site in the Cherryvalley district. It is a Catholic diocesan co-educational voluntary grammar school serving pupils aged 11 to 19.
Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock, was founded in 1985 through the amalgamation of the Sacred Heart of Mary Grammar School in Holywood and St Patrick’s College, Knock, which had opened in 1967. Its motto is "Gratias Agamus."
Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock, uses the SEAG transfer test, provided by GL Assessment for the Schools’ Entrance Assessment Group. It consists of two papers covering English and mathematics, and can be taken in either English or Gaeilge.
Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock, draws pupils from a wide area covering south and east Belfast, North Down and Ards, and does not operate a single fixed catchment area. Places are allocated under the school’s published admissions criteria using the SEAG result.
For Year 8 entry in 2027, registration for the SEAG transfer test runs through the SEAG website, typically opening in May 2026 and closing in September 2026. Parents must also complete the Education Authority Transfer Application naming Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock.
Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock, is one of the top-performing and most popular schools in Northern Ireland. Entry depends on the SEAG result and the school’s admissions criteria, so a strong standardised score gives the best chance of a place.
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