About the school
Rathmore Grammar School, usually known simply as Rathmore, is a Catholic co-educational voluntary grammar school in Finaghy, south Belfast, Northern Ireland, educating around 1,260 pupils aged 11 to 19. It is one of the highest-performing and most competitive schools in Northern Ireland, set in extensive grounds beside the St Anne’s campus.
Founded in 1973 by the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary, originally as a girls’ school in the former Rathmore House, it became co-educational in 2003. Its motto is "Ut Vitam Habeant," meaning "That they may have life," and it is renowned for its academic results, pastoral care and wide extracurricular provision.
Rathmore Grammar School uses the SEAG transfer test as part of its admissions criteria for Year 8 entry, drawing pupils from across south and west Belfast and the surrounding areas.
School type
Catholic Voluntary Grammar (Co-Ed)
Exam date
Sat 14th & Sat 21st November 2026 (SEAG)
Exam board
SEAG (GL Assessment)
Address
Kingsway, Finaghy, Belfast, Co. Antrim, BT10 0LF
Age range
11–19 (Years 8–14)
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Admissions information
The Rathmore 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 Rathmore Grammar School admissions criteria and exam structure.
Rathmore 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 Rathmore 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
Rathmore Grammar School admits pupils into Year 8 each year using the SEAG transfer test as part of its admissions criteria, with a total enrolment of around 1,260 pupils.
Rathmore Grammar School does not operate a single fixed catchment area but draws pupils from across south and west Belfast and the surrounding areas. Places are allocated under the school’s published admissions criteria, which use the combined standardised age score from SEAG alongside sub-criteria such as free school meals entitlement.
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Rathmore Grammar School is located on Kingsway in Finaghy, south Belfast, BT10 0LF, in extensive grounds beside the St Anne’s campus. It is a Catholic co-educational voluntary grammar school serving pupils aged 11 to 19.
Rathmore Grammar School was founded in 1973 by the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary, originally as a girls’ school, and became co-educational in 2003. Its motto is "Ut Vitam Habeant," meaning "That they may have life."
Rathmore 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.
Rathmore Grammar School draws pupils from across south and west Belfast and the surrounding areas, 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 Rathmore Grammar School.
Rathmore Grammar School is one of the highest-performing and most competitive 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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