Admission to Senior High Schools (Dickson Plan 14+)

The Dickson Plan (sometimes known as 14+) operates in some post primary schools within the Controlled Sector in the Craigavon Area.  Children transfer at age 11 years from Primary School to a Controlled Junior High School.  At the end of Key Stage 3 (age 14 years) after 3 years attendance pupils then transfer to a Senior High School within the Craigavon Area or to another post primary school outside the Dickson Plan to complete their compulsory education in Key Stage 4.  Pupils are selected for admission to Senior High Schools in accordance with the admissions criteria established by each school’s Board of Governors.

Applications to transfer from Junior to Senior High for September 2025 will be via the EA Connect Portal.  The link to EA Connect will be available on the Education Authority Website, Admissions with effect from 7 April 2025 and will close at 4 pm on 2 May 2025.

Please read the admissions criteria for each school you wish to select as a preference and complete your child’s application on EA Connect.  Your child’s birth certificate and any other verifying information required by any of the schools you are applying to can be uploaded on the EA Connect portal.  You can apply online between:

12.00 noon (GMT) on Monday 7 April 2025 and 4.00 pm (GMT) on Friday 2 May 2025

If you are unable to apply online, paper applications will be available by request from the School Admissions Office, Education Authority. If you require a paper form please contact:-

Email: [email protected]

Tel:  Admissions Helpdesk 028 9047 0177

By Post: School Admissions Office, Education Authority, 3 Charlemont Place, The Mall, Armagh BT61 9AX

NB      For Special Circumstances or Special Provisions please read the Admissions Criteria for each school and upload documentation as required.

The majority of pupils transfer from a Controlled Junior High School to a Senior High School.  However, parents may apply to a post-primary school other than a Senior High School for a place in Key Stage 4 for their child.

Applications will be via the EA Connect Portal.  The link to EA Connect will be available on our website with effect from 7 April 2025 and will close at 4 pm on 2 May 2025.

Some schools in the former Craigavon Borough Council area are not part of the Two-Tier System and retain their pupils beyond the age of 14.  Pupils may leave at the age of 16 (end of Year 12) or stay at school until the age of 18 (end of Year 14).  The schools are:

• Brownlow Integrated College, Craigavon             Controlled Integrated
• Lismore College, Craigavon                                        Catholic Maintained
• St Ronan’s College, Lurgan                                          Voluntary Grammar
• St John the Baptist College                                         Catholic Maintained

Information on Post-Primary Schools is available within the Admissions Page.

The majority of pupils transfer from a Controlled Junior High School within the Dickson Plan to a Senior High School.  However, pupils from a post primary school outside the Dickson Plan can apply to transfer to Senior High School within the Dickson Plan in Year 11.

Should you wish to apply to transfer to Year 11 in a Senior High School within the Dickson Plan in September 2025, you will complete your application via the EA Connect Portal.  The link to EA Connect will be available on our Website with effect from 7 April 2025 and will close at 4 pm on 2 May 2025.

Please read the admissions criteria for each school you wish to select as a preference and complete your child’s application on EA Connect.  Your child’s birth certificate and any other verifying information required by any of the schools you are applying to can be uploaded on EA Connect portal.