About the school
Our Lady’s Grammar School is a Catholic girls’ grammar school in Newry, on the County Armagh side of the Newry River, Northern Ireland, educating around 930 pupils aged 11 to 18. It is one of the top-performing all-girls grammar schools in Northern Ireland, with a strong emphasis on faith-based education, academic achievement and pastoral care.
Founded in 1887 by the Sisters of Mercy, the school first opened with just nine pupils in a room in the Mercy Convent, before moving to Canal Street and finally to its current site at Chequer Hill in 1992. Its motto is "Cruci Dum Spiro Fido," meaning "While I live, I trust in the Cross."
Our Lady’s Grammar School uses the SEAG transfer test as part of its admissions criteria for Year 8 entry, admitting around 120 pupils into Year 8 each year.
School type
Girls' Catholic Voluntary Grammar
Exam date
Sat 14th & Sat 21st November 2026 (SEAG)
Exam board
SEAG (GL Assessment)
Address
Chequer Hill, Newry, Co. Down, BT35 6DY
Age range
11–18 (Years 8–14)
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Admissions information
The Our Ladys Grammar School 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’s Grammar School admissions criteria and exam structure.
Our Lady’s Grammar School 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’s Grammar School 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’s Grammar School admits around 120 pupils into Year 8 each year using the SEAG transfer test as part of its admissions criteria, with a total enrolment of around 930 pupils.
Our Lady’s Grammar School does not operate a single fixed catchment area but draws pupils from Newry and the surrounding areas of Counties Down and Armagh. Places are allocated under the school’s published admissions criteria, which use the SEAG result alongside sub-criteria such as family links and feeder primary schools.
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Our Lady’s Grammar School is located at Chequer Hill, Newry, Co. Down, BT35 6DY, on the County Armagh side of the Newry River. It is a Catholic girls’ grammar school serving pupils aged 11 to 18.
Our Lady’s Grammar School was founded in 1887 by the Sisters of Mercy, opening with just nine pupils in the Mercy Convent. It moved to its current Chequer Hill site in 1992. Its motto is "Cruci Dum Spiro Fido."
Our Lady’s Grammar School 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’s Grammar School draws pupils from Newry and the surrounding areas of Counties Down and Armagh, 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’s Grammar School.
Our Lady’s Grammar School is one of the top-performing girls’ grammar schools in Northern Ireland and is popular with families. 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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