11 Plus Exams Forum

Can anyone enlighten me further about the Kent 11 plus? We currently live in London but will be moving to Tunbridge Wells next year so my son will be sitting the Kent 11+. Today I called Skinners School to find out approx pass marks in recent years and was told that last year the lowest first phase pass mark was 93% aggregate score. I feel utterly despondent now. My son is considered very bright but is Aug born. At 9 he was scoring pass marks of 120+ in 11+ tests but I would say he is top 10%. Are the schools in that area (Judd, Skinners, Tunbridge Wells) that much more difficult to get into? My other option is St Olaves and St Saviours in Orpington - does anyone know anything about the pass marks for these schools. I went to a presentation at Wilsons School (Wallington) and the Headmaster said that they take boys from the top 25% ability range - that sounds more promising. Can it be true that these other schools are that much harder to get into?

Help someone please!

Hello Guest,

I'm not sure about your area, but in Wirral, Nth.West its approx. the top 25%, who if successful are selected to be offered a Grammar School place.

I'm sure your son will be fine if he can achieve such high scores already and with being an August birthday, he should get max.points added. However, 93% aggregate score does sound very high I agree!

Wish Upon A Star.

Hi,

I'd find out what 93% means. With one of our locals it is about 95%, but I have little doubt that refers to a percentage of the NFER standardised score. For example quite a few kids came out last year with a score of 141/141, but if you look at the NFER website to get that 100% 'standardised' score you can still get several questions wrong.

For the record, we were similarly horrified a couple of years back, but son (prone to silly mistakes as they all are) got 140/141

Good luck!

Hi James,

You seem very informed on the method of working out Standardised Scores and having looked for this this info. on the NFER website ,I still can't find any details of Standardised Scores!

Can you please let me know which web-site which has this info.?

Also, the NFER web-site page 'Guidance for Parents' refers to 'Top 10 tips' & 'exam techniques' to remind your child of on THE MORNING of the actual exam.
What on earth do they mean by 'exam techniques'?

I'm sure my advice on the morning of the 11+ will be just 'Try your best and don't leave any questions out'!

Any advice please James will be greatly appreciated.

{ By the way ...Son did his 'best-ever' practice on Sunday....94%...Codes still causing the problem! How is your daughter progressing}?

Best Regards,
Wish upon a Star

Hi WUAS!

No time at present, but try

http://www.nfer.ac.uk/nfer/index.cfm?25 ... 4B0F02F5E5

and follow link to

http://www.nfer.ac.uk/nfer/index.cfm?25 ... 891278C934

Not the one I saw a while ago, but you get the picture...

You son is doing terrifically!

J

Note, getting all q's wrong scores you 69!!!!

WHAT...you're kidding ! LOL!!!

Thanks for the links & speedy reply James.

I'll take a look later.

W-U-A-S

Well, 69/141, but still not bad for writing your name!

Haven't looked up exam techique section but by far the most impt will be

1) don't spend too long on any one question - come back to it

2) don't leave any blank answers! 20% chance of getting a mark by blind guesswork!

Basic stuff.

All the best

J

Hi

With regards to Tunbridge Wells Grammar Schools. The only advice I can give is that top scores across the board are required by Judd School. They are only interested in the very top percentage. Skinners is not as high but I believe their scores are going up all the time. Both schools it seems only really want the top percentage. Tunbridge Wells Boys Grammar, although an excellent school, does not require as high marks but as with all grammars take the top percentage of applications first and it is dependent on how many applications they get where the cut off is.

If your child is scoring 120+ comfortably I have been advised that it is worthwhile entering them for 11+ in this area (I am Tonbridge).

Contact kent.admissions@kent.gov.uk for a secondary school admission booklet if you do not already have one - and of course contact the schools concerned who should answer all of your questions.

Good Luck - Hope I have been of some help.

If you are moving to an area with lots of grammar schools you'll probably be ok with a good rather than spectacular score. I live in Maidstone. There are four Grammar schools. At the end of the day, they want bums on seats just like any other school.

Of all the secondary school places in our area, about 25% of them are selective. Within certain limits, if you score in the top 25%, you're in.