SEAGReady

Ballymoney High School

Save or compare in the school finderFind schools near you

17 Garryduff Road, Ballymoney, BT53 7AN

Non-selective · Mixed · Controlled

Pupils
796
Year 8
140
Council
Causeway Coast and Glens

Your chances

against these criteria.

How it chooses when it has more applicants than places, in order:

  1. Preference to applicants who are resident in Northern Ireland at the time of proposed admission.
  2. Applicants who selected the school as their first or second preference.
  3. Applicants with a sibling, or a parent, presently or previously enrolled at the school.
  4. Applicants whose parent or guardian is an employee of the school, or due to take up such an appointment in 2026/2027.
  5. Applicants who are the first child of the family to be eligible to apply for post-primary admission.
  6. Preference to applicants for whom the school is the nearest controlled secondary school, measured in a straight line on Google Maps.
  7. Preference to applicants whose residence is closest to the school, measured in a straight line on Google Maps.
  8. Tie-break: surname position in a fixed letter order, then first forename, then random selection.

The school's criteria

Getting in

13 of the 117 children who put it first were not offered a place in 2026/27.

For September 2026 entry, 161 applications were considered for 130 places. Places ran out at criterion 7: Proximity to Ballymoney High School determined selection among the remaining eldest-child applicants. EA statement

Applications per place (all preferences): 1 in 2024/25, 1.3 in 2025/26, 1.2 in 2026/27.

Results for its intake

Expected about 61%, got 45.2% (5+ GCSEs A* to C with English and maths, 2024/25).

0%50%100%0%40%80%Pupils on free school meals
Each dot is a non-selective school with 30 or more Year 12 pupils. The dashed line is what schools usually get at each free school meals level.

School life

  • Has a learning support centre source

Who applied

Applications by the preference families gave the school, and children admitted
YearPlacesPut it 1st2nd3rd or laterAdmitted
2024/25130122103130
2025/26130145127130
2026/271301173113130

In 2026/27, 104 of the 117 children who put it first got a place here.

Each child counts once, at the preference their family gave this school. Figures at the end of the admissions procedure, from the Education Authority's analysis of preferences.

Pupils (October 2025)

Free school meals
30.5%
Special educational needs
173 pupils (62 with a statement)
Has Years 13 and 14
Yes
Area
Urban

Religious background of pupilsProtestant 79.4%, Catholic 1.9%, other or none 18.7%

Exam results (2024/25)

5+ GCSEs A* to C, with English and maths
45.2%
5+ GCSEs A* to C
82.6%
3+ A-levels A* to C
43.2%
2+ A-levels A* to E
94.6%
Year 12 pupils counted
115
A-level pupils counted
37

Source: Department of Education, SAER 2024/25, Open Government Licence.

Admissions

From the school's admissions criteria for September 2026.

Year 8 places: 130 (whole school: 770)

Applications and admissions in recent years
YearPlacesApplications (all preferences)Admitted
2023/24130135132
2024/25130136132
2025/26130165141

Applications count every family that named the school at any preference, not only first preferences.

School's note: *The Total Admissions for year 2025/2026 includes all Year 8 children admitted to the school including those who have a statement of special educational needs and/or may be attending SPiMS. (SPiMS = Specialist Provision in Mainstream School)

Does not use transfer test results in its admissions criteria.

Open event: Open Evening for prospective pupils and parents on Monday 5th January 2026 at 7.00 p.m.

Sources

DENI reference 3210133

Schools near Ballymoney High School