The controversial 11-plus exam has been in operation in Northern Ireland since 1947. The test is taken by children in their final year of primary school to determine whether they gain a prestigious place in one of the North's 72 grammar schools or receive secondary education.

The debate as to whether the system should be maintained, reformed or abolished has centred on whether it is right that children should undergo such a "sink or swim" exam at the age of 10 or 11. Those who support the exam say selection is vital to the success of the North's education system, while opponents feel it places too much pressure on children at too young an age.

Approximately 25,000 school children are eligible to take the exam each year but only around 17,000 do so. Many parents choose not to enter their children into the transfer test, either because they do not feel their child will succeed or because they object to it on principle.

The exam takes place each November and comprises two one-hour tests covering English, maths and science. The top 25 per cent of participants are automatically awarded an A grade; however, getting an A does not necessarily mean gaining a place in grammar school.

In the greater Belfast area, for example, competition is higher for places than in some rural areas, where a B grade may be enough for entry.

In recent weeks, former Northern Ireland ombudsman Gerry Burns has been appointed as the chairman of a body charged by education minister Martin McGuinness with the review of the selection system.

A recent report commissioned by the North's Department of Education into the effects of such a system was compiled by Tony Gallagher and Alan Smith, academics from Queen's University Belfast and the University of Ulster. The report was highly critical of the exam.

One of the criticisms was that many parents pay for out-of-school coaching for their children, up to £15 per session, to increase the children's chances of gaining entry to a grammar school. "This evidence suggests that parents from socially disadvantaged areas are less likely to pay for coaching because of the cost and because they expect local primary schools to provide adequate preparation," the report states.

In the past, the 11-plus meant people such as SDLP leader John Hume, who was from a working-class area of Derry, were able, because of their high achievement, to attend a grammar school. These days, with the extra coaching available to those who can pay for it, the test now more clearly discriminates against those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, opponents of the 11plus say. The 11-plus is also criticised for its narrow educational focus by those who say primary education should have a broader content.

Those who support the system say selection is a fact of life and whether it happens at age 11 or age 18 makes no difference. They point to the contribution grammar schools - more than 30 of which are Catholic - have made to education in Northern Ireland. They say it would be impossible to replace the system with anything else because grammar schools are so deeply embedded in the educational process. The recent report suggested a number of different systems with which to replace the selection procedure, one of which is to completely abolish grammar schools replacing them with secondary education.

The results of the consultation process are eagerly awaited by parents, teachers, children and anyone with an interest in education in Northern Ireland.