The Dickson Plan is a school transfer system implemented in North County Armagh in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...

. It is a two tier system in which the majority of pupils in the Craigavon Borough Council

Craigavon Borough Council

Craigavon Borough Council is a local council in counties Armagh, Down and Antrim, in Northern Ireland. The headquarters of the council is in Craigavon, on the shores of Lough Neagh, a new town built between Lurgan and Portadown. The council area includes the large towns of Lurgan and Portadown, as...

 Area and parts of Armagh City and District Council

Armagh City and District Council

Armagh City and District Council is a district council in County Armagh in Northern Ireland. It includes the city of Armagh, as well as the surrounding area and its population is about 54,000. City status was officially conferred in 1995...

 Area attend Junior High Schools for 3 years before transferring to Senior High Schools to complete their compulsory education in Key Stage 4. It does not exclude the possibility of academic selection at age 11 through the 11 Plus exam, whereupon pupils may proceed to the grammar school system on completion of primary education or carry on to other secondary schools. For those who opt out of the 11 Plus or don't pass it, they may go through an academic selection process at age 14 by taking internal exams that are set by the individual grammar schools, and entering the grammar sector at age 14.

The Dickson Plan will not be affected by the education reforms being pressed by Northern Ireland Education Minister, Caitriona Ruane

Caitríona Ruane

Caitríona Ruane MLA is a Sinn Féin politician and a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for South Down....

, which require the controversial removal of academic selection at age 11 in the rest of Northern Ireland.