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HomeSchoolsNorthern Ireland

Northern Ireland education

Schools in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland retains academic selection at 11: many grammar schools use the AQE or GL (PPTC) transfer tests to admit pupils, and post-primary provision is divided between grammar, secondary and integrated schools. Controlled (state) and maintained (Catholic) sectors exist alongside voluntary grammars and a growing integrated sector. CCEA awards GCSEs and A-levels, and the Education Authority (EA) runs admissions and transport across the whole country.

Curriculum

NI Curriculum

Main qualifications

GCSE, AS and A-level (CCEA)

Inspectorate

ETI (Education and Training Inspectorate)

Education Authority areas

11

What’s different about Northern Ireland

One Education Authority (EA) covers all of Northern Ireland, split into five regional areas.
Academic selection remains: AQE and GL (PPTC) transfer tests at P7 decide grammar-school admission.
CCEA awards GCSEs and A-levels; AS-levels are still routinely taken in Year 13.
Controlled, maintained (Catholic), voluntary grammar and integrated schools are the four main sectors.
Integrated schools teach Protestant and Catholic children together — around 7 percent of enrolment.
Irish-medium (Gaelscoil) schools operate across multiple council areas, protected under the 1998 Education Order.

Browse by Education Authority area

Antrim and Newtownabbey Ards and North Down Armagh City Banbridge and Craigavon Belfast Causeway Coast and Glens Derry City and Strabane Fermanagh and Omagh Lisburn and Castlereagh Mid and East Antrim Mid Ulster Newry Mourne and Down

Tools for Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland league table

Every school ranked by GCSE performance.

AI School Matcher

Describe what you need — catchment, ethos, qualifications — for a ranked shortlist.

Explore the map

See every Northern Ireland school on a single map with filters for phase, sector and inspection.

Further reading

independent schools northern ireland
grammar school entry
moving between uk nations

AlsoHeaded to Northern Ireland from another UK nation? The moving-between-UK-nations guide covers curriculum matching and qualification equivalence.