Your school guide
Slemish College (Ballymena)
Slemish College has grammar and all-ability Year 8 pathways. SEAG was required for the selective portion under its previous criteria.
Grammar or selective school · Ballymena
Prepare with confidence.
Planning your child’s next school? Explore entry to Slemish College (Ballymena) below. For families preparing for the 11+, Plusling makes it easy to build skills and confidence one short quiz at a time.
Try five free questions. See the feedback for yourself.
Meet the school
At a glance
Facts checked
- School type
- Grant-maintained integrated school; the latest published criteria include a selective grammar pathway for part of the intake
- Department of Education, Northern Ireland
Plan your approach
Entry information
The latest published criteria cover September 2026 entry. They describe a Stage I grammar pathway using SEAG outcomes for up to 35% of places, alongside all-ability entry. September 2027 criteria are not yet published, so do not assume the whole intake requires SEAG.
Entry stage: Year 8
Read the official details: Admissions information from Slemish College (Ballymena)
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.
What to confirm
- Ask Slemish how many 2027 places will use the grammar pathway and how its all-ability pathway will work.
Plusling’s guide to Slemish College (Ballymena) 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
- Northern Ireland: official school register Department of Education, Northern Ireland
- Slemish College - Year 8 Entry Slemish College (Ballymena)
- Slemish College - SEAG Information Slemish College (Ballymena)
- Admissions Criteria for Entry September 2026 (updated December 2025) Slemish College
- Uniform and PE Kit Slemish College