What happens on the two SEAG Saturday mornings, what your child needs in their bag, and how each 60-minute paper runs. Written for parents, using SEAG's own guidance.
Checked against official SEAG guidance on 15 October 2026.
Morning, at the Assessment Centre you chose at registration.
Morning, at the same centre. Pupils sit both papers, a week apart.
SEAG has kept Saturday 28 November 2026 as a contingency date, used only if the assessment cannot go ahead at all across Northern Ireland on either Saturday. It is not a catch-up date for a child who misses a paper.
Results (the Statement of Outcomes) are planned for Saturday 23 January 2027. See all the SEAG dates for 2026/27.
Your child sits both papers at the Assessment Centre you selected on the Pupil Application. Where they sit the test has no link to which school you later apply for.
SEAG doesn't publish a single arrival time. Each centre contacts parents directly about when and where to drop off and how collection works. SEAG asked centres to do this by mid-October and to hold a familiarisation session by 7 November. If you haven't heard from your centre yet, check its website or ring the school office.
If your child cannot attend one of the dates, tell the Assessment Centre as soon as you practically can.
The highlighter can be used on the question paper or rough paper, but not on the answer sheet.
Any other item needs an approved Access Arrangement. SEAG's examples include medical equipment (an EpiPen, inhaler or glucose monitor), reading aids (a coloured overlay or reading ruler) and concentration aids (a fidget toy or ear defenders). If your child has a temporary injury close to the date, SEAG has an Emergency Access Arrangements procedure.
Both papers follow exactly the same format.
For multiple-choice answers, pupils can draw a horizontal line in the box or shade it in. SEAG says both are equally acceptable. A few questions at the end of each section need a short written answer.
Want the detail of what is in each section? Read Paper 1 vs Paper 2.
A few nerves are normal, for children and parents. An ordinary Saturday morning usually helps more than a pep talk.
More on this in our parent's guide.
Paper 1 is on the morning of Saturday 14 November 2026 and Paper 2 is on the morning of Saturday 21 November 2026. Pupils sit both papers at the Assessment Centre their parent chose when registering.
SEAG does not set one reporting time for every centre. Each Assessment Centre contacts parents directly with practical details such as drop-off and collection. Parents are responsible for getting their child there in good time, and pupils cannot be admitted to the room or hall after the assessment has started.
Bring the printed Pupil Card, which has your child's photo on it. The Assessment Centre provides pencils, erasers and rough work paper. Your child may bring a highlighter and a pencil grip. Any other item, such as an inhaler, coloured overlay or ear defenders, needs an approved Access Arrangement.
Each paper starts with a short practice section of 5 English and 5 maths questions, which is not timed and does not count. The main test then has 56 questions (28 English and 28 maths) and lasts 60 minutes, unless extra time has been approved as an Access Arrangement.
Tell the Assessment Centre as soon as you can. There is no alternative date for individual pupils. A child who sits only one paper still gets a Statement of Outcomes, marked as an estimate. Illness on the day can be raised later as special circumstances in the post-primary transfer process run by the Education Authority, not by SEAG.
SEAG has set aside Saturday 28 November 2026 in case the assessment cannot go ahead at all across Northern Ireland on 14 or 21 November, for example because of very extreme weather. It is not a catch-up date for individual pupils.
The free gap check shows which English and maths topics need a little more attention, so the last few weeks go on the right things.
Free to start ยท no card needed
Checked against official SEAG guidance on 15 October 2026. SEAG may change its arrangements, so always follow the latest guidance on seagni.co.uk and from your child's Assessment Centre.