More than 8,500 people have now signed up to support the Belfast Telegraph’s Sit Down, Sort It Out campaign.

The campaign is calling for Executive talks to agree a way forward in time for this year’s P6s to transfer between schools in 2011.

We will deliver the first batch of petitions to members of Stormont’s education committee on Saturday, December 5.

Among the people joining us that day is father-of-two Jason Crane from Greenisland.

He said: “I do feel very strongly about this and feel it is a ridiculous and ludicrous situation.

“My children are P2 and P3 and there is no way I would like them to face what this year’s P7 are.

“I am very annoyed that our politicians have collectively just let this happen.

“It is very frustrating.

“I have a lack of confidence in our politicians and feel that if they cannot sort this out they can do no good for the people of Northern Ireland in any area of governance.”

Representatives from the SDLP, DUP, Alliance Party and UUP met on Wednesday for their ongoing weekly talks on school transfer.

Sinn Fein has so far refused to attend.

Meanwhile, over 6,700 children are sitting school transfer exams at schools across Northern Ireland today.

The P7 pupils will answer |questions in two multiple choice papers in English and Maths at 34 schools — mainly Catholic grammars.

For some children this is their second day of exams. They sat the first paper set by the Association for Quality Education (AQE) for another 34 schools, mainly grammars catering for Protestant pupils, last Saturday. They face five papers in total.

Other children have opted for tests run by just one of the school groups.

A total of 13,700 registrations were received in total for the new entrance exams which have been organised by AQE and the Post-Primary Transfer Consortium, against the advice of Education Minister Caitriona Ruane.

GL Assessment in England is setting today’s exam on behalf of the consortium of schools — which also includes some state and integrated schools.

The first paper, English, lasts 50 minutes and will contain three reading passages and 65 questions.

The second, maths, requires the children to answer 45 questions in 45 minutes. There is a short practice session before each paper and a break between the two papers.

Children record their answers on a computer marked sheet, similar in appearance to a Lottery ticket.

The assessment paper will be marked independently of the schools by GL Assessment. The children will receive grades on February 6 — A, B1, B2, C1, C2 or D — and grade boundaries.

There will be a supplementary test on December 12 for children who miss the tests this weekend.

Pupils sitting the AQE exams can sit up two further tests on November 28 and December 5. The best two scores will count.

Results will be issued to all pupils on February 6.

To add your name to the petition, go to www.belfasttelegraph.|co.uk/petition. If you would like to join us on December 5, email |ktorney@belfasttelegraph.co.uk