Your school guide
Portadown College
Portadown College takes pupils at Year 11 through the Dickson Plan age-14 transfer, rather than Year 8.
Grammar or selective school · Portadown
Prepare with confidence.
Explore the entry route to Portadown College below. Supporting a younger child with the 11+ too? Discover Plusling’s original questions, clear explanations and friendly daily practice.
Try five free questions. See the feedback for yourself.
Meet the school
At a glance
Facts checked
Plan your approach
Entry information
Portadown College is a Dickson Plan senior high school for transfer at age 14+, normally into Year 11, after Junior High School; it is not a standard age-11 entry route. Its September 2026 selection used Transfer results for contributory Junior High applicants and previous school reports/Key Stage 3 standardised results for other applicants. Ask the College or Education Authority about the next 14+ cycle.
Entry stage: Year 11 (age 14+, Dickson Plan)
The admissions process
- The College says its senior-school intake is at age 14+ from Junior High Schools and other schools. Under the Dickson Plan, pupils transfer at the end of Year 10/Key Stage 3 to a senior high school.
- For September 2026 Year 11 entry, the EA online application portal ran from 13 April to noon on 30 April 2026. Selection for contributory junior-high applicants was ranked by Transfer score; up to 10 places for applicants from other schools were ranked using recent school reports and Key Stage 3 standardised results or equivalent.
- The published September 2026 dates have passed. Contact the College or Education Authority for the next transfer round, application dates and available places.
Read the official details: Admissions information from Portadown College
Go to the source
Official links for your shortlist
Use the school’s current admissions information to check which sample papers or familiarisation materials apply to your child’s entry year.
From subjects to skills
Explore Plusling’s 11+ practice subjects.
For families preparing for the 11+, these four practice areas offer a useful starting point. Use the relevant official assessment guidance to choose the skills your child needs.
English
A useful place to start
Read a short passage together. Ask your child to find evidence for an answer and explain unfamiliar words in context.
Build on it with Plusling
Build on that reading with Plusling’s English questions and explanations, then choose a topic to practise again.
Start the 5-question English quizMaths
A useful place to start
Ask your child to explain their method, estimate the answer and check the final calculation. Notice which step needs more practice.
Build on it with Plusling
Use Plusling’s original maths questions and worked explanations to make those next practice sessions count.
Start the 5-question maths quizVerbal reasoning
A useful place to start
Talk through word relationships, letter patterns and codes. Encourage your child to explain the rule before choosing an answer.
Build on it with Plusling
Explore words and logic with Plusling’s verbal reasoning quizzes, with feedback that helps the next attempt feel clearer.
Start the 5-question verbal reasoning quizNon-verbal reasoning
A useful place to start
Look for changes in shape, position, shading and direction. Work out one rule at a time before checking it against the choices.
Build on it with Plusling
Give visual reasoning another go in Plusling, with original puzzles and explanations your child can return to.
Start the 5-question non-verbal reasoning quizKeep the practical steps clear
Your application starting points
Use the official links on this page to answer these questions for your child’s entry year.
Check the entry point and eligibility
Confirm the year group, age requirements and any conditions that apply to your child.
Put the right dates in your diary
Note any published registration, assessment, application and offer-response dates that apply to your child’s route. They may be separate steps.
Check the assessment guidance
If an assessment applies, look for official examples, question formats, timings and answer instructions to help plan your child’s preparation.
Read the school’s admissions criteria
Check catchment, oversubscription rules and any supplementary form alongside the test registration.
Picture your child’s everyday life here.
An open day is a chance to look beyond the exam. Useful questions to take with you:
- How do you help new pupils settle in and make friends?
- Who can a child turn to when they feel worried or stuck?
- How do you help pupils recover from a setback and discover their strengths?
Know where to focus
Give their preparation a clear direction.
See the topics your child has practised, revisit questions that need another look and choose a focus for the next session. Plusling helps you put your time where it can be useful.
- Topic summaries and practice history
- Choose topics in Focus Practice
- Progress to discuss with the adults helping them
For families preparing for the 11+
Discover a friendlier way to practise.
Try Plusling together. Five free questions, clear explanations and a useful first step for your family’s 11+ preparation.
Next step
- The cited criteria cover September 2026 only; contact the College or the Education Authority for the next 14+ application round and transfer dates.
Plusling’s guide to Portadown College is independently written. The school and its admissions authority publish the official arrangements.
Contains government school-register data licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Primary sources
- Admissions / Prospectus - Portadown College, Co. Armagh, Northern Ireland Portadown College
- Admission to Senior High Schools (Dickson Plan 14+) Education Authority Northern Ireland
- Northern Ireland: official school register Department of Education, Northern Ireland
- Portadown College Admissions Criteria 2026 Portadown College