Belfast · School search
Methodist College and Victoria College are state-funded voluntary grammar schools, not English-style independent schools. The entrance assessment and the later school application are separate steps.
Methodist College Belfast, usually called Methody, is co-educational. Victoria College Belfast admits girls. Both are day schools in south Belfast and lead through GCSEs to A Levels.
Their secondary sections are state-funded voluntary grammar schools. “Voluntary” describes their governance; it does not mean that all published charges are optional. Nor should their secondary costs be confused with the tuition charged by English independent schools or their own preparatory sections.
Both schools use results from the Schools’ Entrance Assessment Group (SEAG) in Year 8 admissions. Year 8 is the first year of post-primary education in Northern Ireland.
SEAG has already published its 2026 assessment calendar, for pupils entering secondary school in September 2027:
Registering for the assessment does not apply for a school place. Families must subsequently follow the Education Authority’s post-primary application process and each school’s admissions criteria. Check the criteria for the actual entry year, including how special circumstances are handled.
Methody’s secondary fee page remains labelled 2025–26. It identifies a £140 obligatory capital fee and a requested £590 voluntary College Fund. Confirm the current amounts instead of treating the older table as 2026–27.
Victoria’s 2026–27 list gives indicative amounts of £140 for the Capital Fund and £380 for the School Fund. Both are described as voluntary. Ask each school which other costs apply to books, meals, transport or activities.
Methody is on Malone Road; Victoria is on Cranmore Park. For a girl, both may be candidates depending on the preferred co-educational or girls-only setting. For a boy, Victoria is not an option.
After eligibility, compare subject choices, support and the school run. RBAI, Belfast Royal Academy and Campbell College are other named Belfast schools outside our current profile set; their absence here is not a judgment on quality.
The Belfast city page links the profiles. The United Kingdom overview explains why admissions and school categories differ between its nations.
Friendly orientation, not formal admissions advice. Always confirm dates with the school.
Methody is a co-educational, non-denominational voluntary grammar for ages 11–18. It is a day school, not a fee-paying boarding school. Year 8 selection uses SEAG, while later entry and sixth form follow separate school processes.
BelfastVictoria is a non-denominational girls' day school in south Belfast. Its secondary department is a selective voluntary grammar with GCSE and sixth-form routes. The preparatory school has separate admissions and charges.
LondonAlleyn’s is a selective co-educational day school for ages 4–18. This guide explains the different junior-school routes, the 11+ and 16+ processes, and the costs that sit outside tuition.
BristolBristol Grammar School is a selective, co-educational independent day school from Reception through Sixth Form. Its subject range makes it worth considering for a child who wants academic choice while living at home. Senior and Sixth Form fees are £7,422 per term from autumn 2026. Admissions pages still describe the previous entry round, so families applying for 2027 need a new timetable.
Start with the qualification your child would actually receive. Then check its subjects, language demands, and recognition in the countries where they may study next.
7 minStart with your child and the family's likely plans. Define the non-negotiables, verify the school's claims, compare three realistic options and visit with specific questions.
7 minTuition is only one line of the budget. Separate charges from advance payments, record what each figure includes, and ask the school to confirm your calculation in writing.
7 minA useful visit should help you picture your child’s school day and resolve the questions that matter to your family. Ask for concrete examples, then separate what you observed from what you were told.