About the school
Strathearn School is a girls’ voluntary grammar school in east Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, educating around 800 pupils aged 11 to 18. Set in the leafy Belmont area, it is consistently ranked among the leading girls’ grammar schools in Northern Ireland for academic results.
Founded in 1929 as a junior school by Victoria College, Strathearn became a fully independent school with its own board of governors in 1988. Its motto, "Encourage, Empower, Excel," reflects a holistic approach that combines academic excellence with strong pastoral care and a wide extracurricular programme.
Strathearn School uses the SEAG transfer test as part of its admissions criteria for Year 8 entry, drawing pupils from across Belfast and the surrounding areas.
School type
Girls' Voluntary Grammar
Exam date
Sat 14th & Sat 21st November 2026 (SEAG)
Exam board
SEAG (GL Assessment)
Address
188 Belmont Road, Belfast, Co. Antrim, BT4 2AU
Age range
11–18 (Years 8–14)
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Admissions information
The Strathearn School entrance test is the SEAG transfer test, used by grammar schools across Northern Ireland. Here is everything you need to know about the Strathearn School admissions criteria and exam structure.
Strathearn 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 Strathearn 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
Strathearn School offers approximately 120 places in Year 8 each year, allocated using the SEAG transfer test as part of its admissions criteria. The school is regularly oversubscribed, with around 167 applications for 120 places in a recent year.
Strathearn School does not operate a single fixed catchment area but draws pupils from across Belfast and the surrounding areas, with girls resident in Northern Ireland given priority. Places are allocated under the school’s published admissions criteria, which rank applicants by their SEAG Total Standardised Age Score alongside sub-criteria.
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Strathearn School is located at 188 Belmont Road in east Belfast, Co. Antrim, BT4 2AU, in the leafy Belmont area. It is a girls’ voluntary grammar school serving pupils aged 11 to 18.
Strathearn School was founded in 1929 as a junior school by Victoria College and became a fully independent school in 1988. Its motto is "Encourage, Empower, Excel."
Strathearn 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.
Strathearn School draws pupils from across Belfast and the surrounding areas, with girls resident in Northern Ireland given priority, 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 Strathearn School.
Strathearn School is one of the top-performing girls’ grammar schools in Northern Ireland and is regularly oversubscribed, with around 167 applications for its 120 Year 8 places in a recent year. A strong SEAG score gives the best chance of a place.
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