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St Colman's High & Sixth Form College Ballynahinch

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52 Crossgar Road, Ballynahinch, BT24 8XR

Non-selective · Mixed · Catholic maintained

Pupils
577
Year 8
87
Council
Newry, Mourne and Down

Your chances

against these criteria.

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

  1. Applicants who reside in, or attend a primary school in, Magheradroll, Dromara or Drumbo/Carryduff parishes, or for whom the school is the nearest suitable school.
  2. Applicants who reside in, or attend a primary school in, neighbouring parishes (including six named), or for whom the school is the nearest suitable school.
  3. Applicants with a sibling, or a child of the family, currently attending the school.
  4. Tie-break by initial letter(s) of surname in a fixed letter order, then forenames, then oldest by date of birth.

Uses a parish list: check it in the criteria.

The school's criteria

Getting in

Usually has spare places

Everyone who put it first was offered a place in 2026/27 (70 children).

Applications per place (all preferences): 0.7 in 2024/25, 0.9 in 2025/26, 0.8 in 2026/27.

Results for its intake

Expected about 64%, got 62.2% (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

  • Sport: Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Camogie, Dance, Football, Hockey, Gaelic football, Golf, Hurling, Netball, Rugby source
  • Sixth form with about 7 A-level subjects source

Who applied

Applications by the preference families gave the school, and children admitted
YearPlacesPut it 1st2nd3rd or laterAdmitted
2024/25955011667
2025/2695707683
2026/2795708179

In 2026/27, 70 of the 70 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
26.2%
Special educational needs
148 pupils (47 with a statement)
Has Years 13 and 14
Yes
Area
Urban

Religious background of pupilsProtestant 9.4%, Catholic 75%, other or none 15.6%

Exam results (2024/25)

5+ GCSEs A* to C, with English and maths
62.2%
5+ GCSEs A* to C
90.2%
3+ A-levels A* to C
33.3%
2+ A-levels A* to E
89.6%
Year 12 pupils counted
82
A-level pupils counted
48

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

Admissions

From the school's admissions criteria for September 2026.

Year 8 places: 95 (whole school: 550)

Applications and admissions in recent years
YearPlacesApplications (all preferences)Admitted
2023/249510196
2024/25957474
2025/26959188

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. No SEAG or entrance test used. Punctual applications are considered before late applications.

Open event: Open Evening Thursday 22nd January 2026, 6:30pm to 8:30pm, for prospective Year 8 and Post-16 students and their parents.

Sources

DENI reference 4230161

Schools near St Colman's High & Sixth Form College Ballynahinch