About the school
Regent House School is a co-educational controlled grammar school in Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland, and one of the largest co-educational grammar schools in the country, with around 1,450 pupils in the grammar school aged 11 to 19, alongside a preparatory department. It is known for academic strength and excellence in music, sport and drama.
Established in 1924, the school is non-denominational and admits girls and boys in roughly equal numbers from a diverse range of backgrounds across North Down and Belfast. Pupils can take part in more than 20 sports and 16 other clubs and activities, some of which are unique in Northern Ireland.
Regent House School uses the SEAG transfer test as part of its admissions criteria for Year 8 entry, with an annual intake of around 200 pupils.
School type
Co-Educational Controlled Grammar
Exam date
Sat 14th & Sat 21st November 2026 (SEAG)
Exam board
SEAG (GL Assessment)
Address
Circular Road, Newtownards, Co. Down, BT23 4QA
Age range
11–19 (Years 8–14)
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Admissions information
The Regent House School entrance test is the SEAG transfer test, used by grammar schools across Northern Ireland. Here is everything you need to know about the Regent House School admissions criteria and exam structure.
Regent House 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 Regent House 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
Regent House School admits around 200 pupils into Year 8 each year using the SEAG transfer test as part of its admissions criteria, and the grammar school caters for around 1,450 pupils in total.
Regent House School does not operate a single fixed catchment area but draws pupils from across North Down and Belfast. Places are allocated under the school’s published admissions criteria, which use the SEAG result alongside sub-criteria, and the school operates a Year 8 waiting list for refused applications.
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Regent House School is located on Circular Road, Newtownards, Co. Down, BT23 4QA. It is a co-educational controlled grammar school serving pupils aged 11 to 19, and one of the largest co-educational grammar schools in Northern Ireland.
Regent House School was established in 1924 in Newtownards. It is a non-denominational controlled grammar school that admits girls and boys in roughly equal numbers from across North Down and Belfast.
Regent House 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.
Regent House School draws pupils from across North Down and Belfast, 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 Regent House School.
Regent House School is a large and popular grammar school. Entry depends on the SEAG result and the school’s admissions criteria, so a strong standardised score gives the best chance of a place, and refused applications are placed on a waiting list.
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