Your school guide
Sullivan Upper School (Holywood)
Sullivan Upper uses SEAG for 2027/28 Year 8 entry. Its familiarisation afternoon has passed, and two assessment papers follow in November.
Grammar or selective school · Holywood
Prepare with confidence.
Preparing for entry to Sullivan Upper School (Holywood)? Use Plusling to build confidence in core English, maths and reasoning skills, with short quizzes and explanations that make the next step clearer.
Try five free questions. See the feedback for yourself.
Meet the school
At a glance
Facts checked
Plan your approach
Year 8 entry
For September 2027 entry
Sullivan Upper School’s published arrangements identify SEAG for 2027/28 Year 8 entry. Its familiarisation afternoon on 15 October 2026 has passed; SEAG’s two assessment papers are scheduled for 14 and 21 November 2026. The Education Authority Year 8 place application is separate from the SEAG test and its 2027 dates are due in December 2026.
- Assessment
- Northern Ireland SEAG
- Provider
- GL Assessment
What the assessment covers
- English or gaeilge
- Mathematics
SEAG includes fully and partially selective member schools; this page links only to schools present in the Plusling Index.
Two Dickson Plan senior high schools in the index take pupils at 14+ and are not SEAG Year 8 members.
SEAG membership does not mean every applicant must take the assessment. Check the school’s selective and all-ability routes before choosing preparation or applying.
Explore this shared admissions route →
The admissions process
- For the 2026 SEAG sitting, registered pupils take two papers in Language and Literacy (English or Gaeilge) and Mathematics and Numeracy on 14 and 21 November; outcomes are due 23 January 2027. The 2026 registration window is closed.
- After outcomes, families apply separately for a September 2027 Year 8 school place through the Education Authority; its application dates and school criteria are due in December 2026.
Read the official details: Admissions information from Schools’ Entrance Assessment Group
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
Turn the assessment subjects into a practice plan.
Start with these core skills from the published subject list. Pair the official assessment material with regular Plusling practice.
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 quizPrint, practise, build confidence
Printable practice for these subjects
Original Plusling papers with space to work and separate answers and explanations.
English papers
Explore the papers
Maths papers
Explore the papersThese are Plusling skills practice, not official school or test papers.
Keep 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
Their next step starts here
Give their 11+ preparation a confident start.
Try Plusling together. Five free questions, useful feedback and a first look at a friendlier way to practise.
What to confirm
- Ask Sullivan Upper for its current allocation criteria and the later EA application dates.
Plusling’s guide to Sullivan Upper School (Holywood) 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
- SEAG | Assessment Guide Schools’ Entrance Assessment Group
- SEAG official practice papers and answers Schools’ Entrance Assessment Group
- Sullivan Upper School Year 8 admissions Sullivan Upper School
- SEAG 2026/27 assessment key dates Schools’ Entrance Assessment Group
- Applying for a Post Primary Year 8 Place Education Authority Northern Ireland
- Northern Ireland: official school register Department of Education, Northern Ireland