How are pass marks set?

Eleven Plus (11+) in Gloucestershire (Glos)

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Stressed?Moi?
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Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2011 11:28 am

How are pass marks set?

Post by Stressed?Moi? »

I feel a bit daft typing this but I've got what I'm sure is a simple question. DS is due to take the exam in September and I wondered how pass marks are/will be set. By this I mean do they alter the pass mark dependant upon what marks people get or is there a set mark and it is unaltered no matter how many people pass?

I can't think that it's the latter because if it is a really tricky paper they could end up with few pupils passing and therefore very small class sizes. Or, in order to get decent class sizes, do they just move the pass mark lower and "make do" if you know what I mean.

I'll press "submit" now before I back out of posting this!!!!
kenyancowgirl
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Re: How are pass marks set?

Post by kenyancowgirl »

I think, in areas like Bucks, they set the pass mark and, if your child achieves it, in theory, you get a GS place. In practice, there are people appealing as they have achieved the pass mark but the GS schools are over subscribed so they do not have a place. In Warwickshire, the automatic qualifying score (AQS) is set after the papers are marked. This is set at or around the score of the person ranked at the PAN position (ie the number of seats in the school!) As we have the complication of priority areas, in practice, I believe what they do is put the in county and out county list next to each other and draw the AQS at the score of the PAN, (regardless of whether they are in or out of county) so that the top ranked children who have opted for the school get in. I think Gloucester may be like that? Warks GS schools all have their own AQS and it changes each year.
yoyo123
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Location: East Kent

Re: How are pass marks set?

Post by yoyo123 »

In Kent the pass mark is not set until the marks are all in
southbucks3
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Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:59 am

Re: How are pass marks set?

Post by southbucks3 »

kenyancowgirl wrote:I think, in areas like Bucks, they set the pass mark and, if your child achieves it, in theory, you get a GS place. In practice, there are people appealing as they have achieved the pass mark but the GS schools are over subscribed so they do not have a place. In Warwickshire, the automatic qualifying score (AQS) is set after the papers are marked. This is set at or around the score of the person ranked at the PAN position (ie the number of seats in the school!) As we have the complication of priority areas, in practice, I believe what they do is put the in county and out county list next to each other and draw the AQS at the score of the PAN, (regardless of whether they are in or out of county) so that the top ranked children who have opted for the school get in. I think Gloucester may be like that? Warks GS schools all have their own AQS and it changes each year.
The bucks pass mark is achieved by finding an average standardised score that will theoretically fill the grammars from the total number that sat the test. This is monkeyed around with to make the magic pass Mark of 121. We always seem to have empty places in grammars in year 7 in some schools, as the pass mark tends to be skewed too high and so I assume the people setting the mark after the results do not anticipate so many successful sitters declining spaces.
Some of the gs are over subscribed, due to popularity, but the pass mark is the sane for all schools.
scary mum
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Re: How are pass marks set?

Post by scary mum »

sane
Some would disaggree with you :)
scary mum
Stressed?Moi?
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Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2011 11:28 am

Re: How are pass marks set?

Post by Stressed?Moi? »

Thanks all. I had assumed it was a standard procedure throughout the country, but it's looking like its all a bit arbitrary which surprises me.
scary mum
Posts: 8842
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:45 pm

Re: How are pass marks set?

Post by scary mum »

Stressed?Moi? wrote:Thanks all. I had assumed it was a standard procedure throughout the country, but it's looking like its all a bit arbitrary which surprises me.
They are looking for different things in different parts of the country - the top 2%, the top 25%, the top 30% etc etc, so they can't use the same system - and of course, different types of exams.
scary mum
Sunshine 11
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Re: How are pass marks set?

Post by Sunshine 11 »

Don't forget if your DS is sitting in September there will be no "pass mark". You'll just receive a ranking.
Sunshine 11
Que sera, sera
Stressed?Moi?
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Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2011 11:28 am

Re: How are pass marks set?

Post by Stressed?Moi? »

Thanks all; really helpful.
southbucks3
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Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:59 am

Re: How are pass marks set?

Post by southbucks3 »

scary mum wrote:
sane
Some would disaggree with you :)
Only just spotted this...cheeky monkey! :lol:

Just you wait :lol:
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