Querying Results

[Neptune]

Very true. Same with us as well. My daughter was very confident about her performance in maths. She found it very easy. But the results are surprisng. Would like to see her paper as she used to perform well with her practice papers. She is particularly strong in VR score is better than Maths but not up to the expectation. The whole system of standardisation is complex. It would be interesting to know the highest score as many people are in the same boat. Is it going to be different to other years. The scores I guess is going to be slightly lower because of the early exams.

[Long Journey]

Same with DD. She said she aced the Maths paper but didn't get anywhere close to that, and got a higher than expected score for VR. Thanks to the posts about standardisation I'm a bit clearer about the difference in her Maths and VR scores.

As for the scores itself OP, I would absolutely tell her what they are. I showed my DD the email as soon as I saw it, but had a sneaky first peek to check if it's bad news and I could prepare to take it cheerfully. It is her score and her work so I wouldn't have kept it from her. However if it is quite a sensitive child and I think the score might affect her confidence I would have to rethink of course.

[mushroom]

Yes, asked the school we were allocated for the actual marks obtained in each paper. This was obviously under the old rules where you waited until March 1st for school allocation day to get any idea of how well or otherwise your child had done and even the standardised scores weren't given out.

I sent a polite letter some time in April and phoned in July as nothing had come through. They were very reluctant to give out any information, not policy to give the info etc. Only agreed to do so when I asked them to confirm that they were refusing to give me the information.

May or may not be easier this year as the request would go to those administering the test rather than a particular school.

The surprise was that a high raw score in maths did not give a similarly high standarised score. Which happens if an easy paper and lots of high scores. Seems to be the same this year.

[hairydog]

Thanks mushroom. I was thinking of ringing the school we sat the test at but don't want to seem like a complete idiot! I think the raw score will be more meaningful to the dc.

[Magoo]

So I guess the theory is that if it is a relatively easy test then older DCs should be getting pretty much everything right and if not standardisation is a fair way of acertaining who performed better relatively speaking? A harder test would spread DCs out - with an easier one it is more obvious.

[Hera]

When my DC took the tests a couple of years ago the percentage correct answers was the same for both papers but the difference in the standardised scores was 15 (maths being 15 points lower than VR)

That is very interesting mushroom and would explain the differences in marks for many people I think. Thanks.

[watford]

Dear all

I know the test is over but for dc no.2 I am wondering whether to take a different stance in tutoring maths.

Would it be sufficient to just go through KS2 SATs maths papers? I am thinking I just did alot of maths which was not required.

Watford

[Twiga]

This topic has confirmed what my wife came up with in the early hours of this morning.
As far as I can see, if the standardisation has been applied correctly then the schools will still fill their places at (or about) the same standardised score threshold as for prior years. The only exception to this would be if the cohort size were significantly smaller, with result that schools would be forced to reach further down the scale in order to fill their places.

I wonder what legal basis there might be for challenging the age-related standardisation as an "easy" exam (which after all is down to the consortium to control) appears to favour a younger candidate disproportionately. There is a point where this becomes discriminatory.

The point of this post, though:
Does anyone know if, having changed the sequencing of events, there the ability to challenge the marking / have sight of the paper as opposed to appealing the admission decision next year? Surely this "unintended consequence" was thought of, but I can find absolutely no reference to it. Further, we have have received an absolute blank from the school where the exam was sat.

[handbag50]

Same here, DS very strong on maths not quite so on VR. Yet results
surprising. Not great on maths, excellent on VR

[Etienne]

In answer to some of the questions raised, I'm afraid there is no legal right to see the 11+ paper, as exam scripts are a specific exemption from the DPA (Data Protection Act). This is not to say that admission authorities cannot make the papers available at their discretion. (In the past, for example, Kent LA have allowed parents to view 11+ scripts by appointment - but I suspect this is far from being the norm.)

You do have a legal right to your child's raw scores - but the relevant authority is entitled to charge £10, and has up to 40 days in which to respond (although there is a clear expectation under the legislation that information shall be provided as promptly as possible).
A suggested template for DPA requests, such as raw scores, can be found here: http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/appeal ... cation#b47" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm not entirely sure of the legal position with regard to checks and re-marks, but I would have thought admission authorities would find it difficult to refuse if put under pressure. (If they do refuse, ask for this in writing!).
Out of interest, the system as it has been operated over in Bucks is set out here:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... 15#p328615" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
and seems to me quite a reasonable way of handling matters.
Some admission authorities don't even charge for a re-mark!