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Sullivan Upper School

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Belfast Road, Holywood, BT18 9EP

Grammar · Mixed · Voluntary · SEAG member

Pupils
1,078
Year 8
151
Council
Ards and North Down

Your chances

against these criteria.

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

  1. Children resident in Northern Ireland at the time of their proposed admission are selected before non-resident children.
  2. The first 120 of 150 places go to applicants ranked by SEAG Total Standardised Age Score (including special circumstances or provisions).
  3. A pool of around 45 applicants is drawn from the top 165 SEAG scores for the remaining places.
  4. Applicants entitled to free school meals on the Education Authority register, from the pool.
  5. Applicants transferring from Sullivan Upper Preparatory School.
  6. Applicants with another child of the family currently enrolled at the school.
  7. Applicants transferring from one of three named schools: Glencraig Integrated, Holywood Primary and St Patrick’s, Holywood.
  8. Applicants transferring from one of thirteen named primary schools in Bangor, Belfast, Dundonald and Holywood areas.
  9. Applicants resident within the Holywood postal district of BT18.
  10. Final-place tie-break: higher SEAG Total Standardised Age Score first.
  11. Final-place tie-break: normal residence nearest the Belfast Road front entrance by road (RAC Route Planner).
  12. Final-place tie-break: computer-based random ranking seeded by the applicant's name.
  13. Fallback once the above places are filled: other applications, first from applicants with a SEAG score, then those who did not sit the assessment.

The school's criteria

Getting in

32 of the 180 children who put it first were not offered a place in 2026/27.

Places depend mostly on the SEAG score, so how many apply says little on its own.

For September 2026 entry: places by SEAG score went to 217 and above. source

For September 2026 entry, 189 applications were considered for 150 places. Places ran out at criterion 3.7.2: The final two pool places went to the closest two applicants among three tied on SEAG score. EA statement

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

Results for its intake

Expected about 100%, got 98.7% (5+ GCSEs A* to C with English and maths, 2024/25).

0%50%100%0%20%40%Pupils on free school meals
Each dot is a grammar 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: Rugby, Hockey, Netball, Badminton, Swimming, Tennis, Athletics, Cricket, Basketball, Golf source

Who applied

Applications by the preference families gave the school, and children admitted
YearPlacesPut it 1st2nd3rd or laterAdmitted
2024/2515017777150
2025/2615016168150
2026/2715018072150

In 2026/27, 148 of the 180 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
4.4%
Special educational needs
31 pupils (19 with a statement)
Has Years 13 and 14
Yes
Area
Urban

Religious background of pupilsProtestant 48.1%, Catholic 12.2%, other or none 39.7%

Exam results (2024/25)

5+ GCSEs A* to C, with English and maths
98.7%
5+ GCSEs A* to C
98.7%
3+ A-levels A* to C
88%
2+ A-levels A* to E
99.3%
Year 12 pupils counted
156
A-level pupils counted
142

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

Admissions

From the school's admissions criteria for September 2026.

Year 8 places: 150 (whole school: 1,060)

Applications and admissions in recent years
YearPlacesApplications (all preferences)Admitted
2023/24150159150
2024/25150192151
2025/26150175151

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

School's note: * Upheld Appeal. ** 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)

Uses transfer test results in its admissions criteria. SEAG Entrance Assessment, TSAS used. Criterion 2 allocates first 120 places by rank order of TSAS. Pool of about 45 from the next 165 SEAG scores. May 2026 oversubscription statement (admissions page): 189 applications, 150 places, 120th place at TSAS 217, 165th place at TSAS 201, 45 applications in pool.

Open event: Saturday 17 January 2026, 9.30am to 12.30pm, P7 pupils and parents invited to visit the school

Sources

DENI reference 4420044

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